Library of America eBooks

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Library of America eBooks

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1CurrerBell
Jul 17, 2012, 10:43 pm

Check out this post on the LoA board and a companion link to the LoA website. Now, personally, I don't know why (devout Kindler though I am) I'd want an LoA in eBook form since the main reason for the LoA is their quality printing and binding and a lot (but not all) of their work is public domain anyway, but some Kindlers might find it of interest.

2AnnieMod
Jul 20, 2012, 8:54 pm

Because their editing is better than that of most other available editions for most of those works... for example :)

3CurrerBell
Edited: Jul 20, 2012, 9:42 pm

Good point. I'm sure it will be.

And the same is probably true of Virago, though as far as I know they've mainly just got Elizabeth Taylor so far, and she's not public domain. I bought the new Virago ppb of Elizabeth Taylor's complete stories, but it looks like I'll be buying it in Kindle too since the Virago ppb is so over-sized and heavy that it could be cumbersome to read straight on through, especially without cracking the spine all over the place (which I hate to do if I can help it).

Delphi, though, does have exceptional {ETA: public domain} eBooks. I've got almost the complete LoA of Henry James of the novels and stories (but not the miscellany), for example, but I've also got for convenience Delphi's complete edition which is beautifully formatted for an eBook, with an overall ToC plus a ToC for each of the novels, includes all the novels and stories as well as miscellany, including autobiographies and plays that LoA doesn't have yet. Delphi's Henry James is only $2.99, and this price/quality is typical of the Delphi editions.

4AnnieMod
Jul 20, 2012, 9:53 pm

I know - and I have a few of the Delphi ones.

The other thing is the portability - I travel a lot and sometimes it is easier if you have a book in a kindle edition -- especially if you just started it and don't feel like carrying the heavy book around. And it's the same edition as the one you started at home - and sometimes it does matter.

And don't forget that with kindle you can increase the fonts anyway you want them - LOA are great but I can see how they will be problematic with someone with poor eyesight...

5CurrerBell
Jul 20, 2012, 10:21 pm

I've never had much if any problem switching from one edition to another, but I really agree with you on font size. I've got the Virago of Harriet Martineau's Deerbrook, but for some reason that font face was particularly wearing on my eyes so I switched over to a Kindle freebie. Of course, part of the "wearing on my eyes" problem may have been that Deerbrook is such a terrible novel, but I had to read it because of its influence on Victorian women's literature and because of Martineau's connection to Charlotte Bronte.

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