Finding Free Books

Free books! I’m sure you’re thinking, you can get free books at the library! Yep, you can, but in case the library is not your thing, or you dislike late fees, there are a few alternatives for those of us who want to read without having to pay! Now, let me be very clear. I am not about to suggest ways in which brand new novels are going to be automatically delivered to your door for free, nor am I going to suggest some random internet scheme that requires you to sign up and accumulate points that will eventually in three years time result in a $5 Barnes & Nobel gift card! My commercial detox is really about finding ways to use what you already own and when your done with that or you need more, to find free and easy ways to access things via the internet or other popular resources. Of if reading isn’t your thing, how about free audio books? Does that tickle your fancy? Well, if it does, some of the below resources should help you find some literary entertainment without having to spend any money on retail paperbacks!

1. Clean out your bookshelf!

Okay, this is the only cheat suggestion I am going to make, I promise, but I bet that you have a book sitting someplace in your home that you purchased or acquired a while back but never got around to reading. I know my bookcase is filled with half-read novels and brand new books that I forgot about after all the hype died down about them! Well, if you’re looking for a free read, its right there. It may not be the exact novel you were hoping to read this week, but its yours, you already own it and it won’t cost you anything! Before even thinking about proceeding any further down this list, make sure you have a good sense of all the unread items you have reading and waiting for you right now, no additional effort required!

2. Free ebooks via your favorite reading app!

No matter which ereader you own or what app you use to get your books, there are tons of free books available for you right now as an instant download! Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iBooks all have a plethora of public domain titles that you can jump into right this very moment. They may not be the new best seller, but most of the books available are classics none the less that you should have read by now! You know, most modern authors refer back to old titles like The Odyssey or Moby Dick and even those old classics have references within them that come from even older novels. So, really, you’re missing out on a whole world created by classic literature that is referenced every day without you even realizing it. How’s that for reading between the lines?

3. Download free audio books!

No, you don’t need a trial subscription to audible.com to get a free audio book. Right now there are thousands upon thousands of free audio books ready and waiting for you to download them at sites like Archives.org. Did you know there are organizations around the world that are dedicated to bringing the written word to audio form? Sites like Librivox and Project Gutenberg rely on volunteers and even advanced computer programs to provide free downloads of all public domain titles! Archive.org doesn’t just cover audio books, but also free music, ebooks and other texts. It’s like an online library where you don’t need a card or ever have to worry about late fees! Best is, once you download an audio book or ebook, its yours and you can open it and listen it from a variety of devices or computers because they always use open source software!

Have these tips taught you something new about finding free books? Do you read free ebooks often? Which format do you prefer audio books, ebooks or traditional printed books? Let us know in the comments below!