If you've lamented the shocking fall-off in the quality of books written today, where foul language, political correctness and rampant stupidity seem to characterize much of the modern market, then you're in for a treat. The entire (yes, I said ENTIRE) contents of the Harvard Classics are now available in e-book format for just $1.99. Click the original advertisement below for a larger view.
I hate to think what paper editions of those books would cost. To get them all for $1.99 means that you're paying about 4c per book.
Oh - and as the TV infomercials are so fond of saying: "But wait - there's more!" In the same bundle, you'll get the 20 volumes of the "Harvard Classics Shelf of Fiction", making the collection even more of a steal and even more unique. If you look through the latter link, you'll find some real American classics (by writers such as Edgar Allan Poe, Bret Harte, etc.), as well as much from historic European authors.
Recommending this, at such a ridiculously low price, is simply a no-brainer. Even if you don't like reading, even if you already have an extensive library, this collection belongs on your computer or e-reader or tablet. It's simply indispensable.
Peter
17 comments:
Peter,
Oh my gosh, this is fantastic. I read many of these in my younger days, now i can read them again plus some extras.
Joe
I have the honor to have this set (twice). My parents had it, which prompted me to acquire it when I became an adult. When my mother died, I inherited her set. Now, it looks like I am going to get an electronic copy, as well. . .
Very nice, but I have them in hardbound. Dad bought the set long ago, and since I was the only child to read them, gave them to me along with the bookcase. My Precious!
Sweet. Ordered and delivered. Thanks for the pointer.
I read the reviews. Someone refers to Ben Franklin's autobiography as "rather dull and self-centered".
Isn't "self-centered" the whole point of an autobiography?
Well, I'm a happy man. Thank you, Peter.
Ordered!
... Now, how do I set it as my Zoom backdrop?
(One of these years, I'll have a string of rainy sick days to sit around and read books... maybe.)
At first that image made me think Castalia House had finished the Junior Classics and moved on to the rest of the Harvard Classics. Have you seen their editions of the Collier Junior Classics? Beautiful!
But . . . Kindle ?
Really? Make sure y9ou convert them into PDF or something as soon as possible. Otherwise, you may loose your purchased items if and when Kindle, Amazon, or Harris-Biden decide that those books need to be cancelled.
Fantastic! I will get them downloaded ASAP. Along the same lines, Amazon has 100+ novels and non-fiction by G A Henty for a buck or two.
Just ordered and downloaded! Thanks for that!
That and an encyclopedia are things that I keep my eye out for in yard sales and auctions. Thanks for the heads up!
There are plenty of old sets around to be had in dead tree format around, from people who bought them for show, not go, then died.
But not for two bucks.
I recommend both versions.
For anyone who doesn't want to feed Amazon. https://archive.org/details/harvardclassics
Carl, get Calibre e-book Management software and install the DRM Removal plug in. It's perfectly legal so long as you don't use it to evade copyright restrictions and you then have backup copies of everything stored on your computer waiting to be sideloaded into a reader should the need arise.
Any feedback on the quality of this collection? I've picked up a few of these "compilations" and it has turned out to be a garbage quality file which was hard to read and navigate. I think there are companies out there making quick cash by doing crappy bundling of old books which are out of copyright.
I may look at garage and estate sales for the hardbound set. I regret having thrown away my grandfather's original 1930s vintage encylopedia set (I still use the bookshelf) but who anticipated the current spate or redefinitions and purging of history? I may start looking for one of those again as well.
I bought this a couple months ago and browsed through it. The quality is very good. I haven't had a lot of reading time in a while, but I'm going to read it beginning to end, starting with Ben Franklin's autobiography, which is about half done.
Thanks, have pretty much the complete hardcover set but it's nice to have them as e-books as well.
You have to wonder if they'll be contraband soon.
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