Today the Kindle Daily Deal includes bunches of bios.
Everything from political and historical to current. Including Alexander Hamilton and Harry Truman and Kari Bynum and Jackie Kennedy and a CIA bio. And so much more. So take a look. 4 Amazon pages of discounted bios.
@f00l It’s funny, I went to check these out and ended up more interested in the “customers who bought this item also bought” listings. Tab Hunter’s autobiography is only $1.20!
Good story. I got it as an Audible exclusive freebie when It was first published. At about than 2.3 hours it may be a bit short considering the $6 price. It’s available in Kindle format, but unfortunately the same six bucks.
@f00l@ruouttaurmind
I got The Dispatcher as a freebie as well. It’s one of my favorite short stories and I’m hoping Scalzi revisits that world at some time.
I just started On Basilisk Station; Book 1 in the Honor Harrington series.
The publisher’s summary seemed interesting enough. I know the Honor Harrington series has a very robust following. But once I got into the book… gads there’s too much going on to keep track of.
From the fantasy astrophysics terminology, to the author’s exhaustive description of the technology. Plus the many, many characters… each 7 or 8 ships introduced so far has a captain and crew The author frequently references each of the ships dozen staff officers by name… sometimes using the character’s first name, sometimes last name, sometimes their position in the staff.
Then there’s the geography, planets, political parties, super powers, etc. To further complicate, the author has developed a dizzying quantity of alternate measurements for time and distance, and frequently shifts between the various units of measure. Harrington is anywhere between 24 and 40 years old depending on which unit of measure the author is currently using.
The general premise is intriguing, and I’m trying hard to push past all this confusing mass of information and just focus on the story, but it’s increasingly hard to follow as the number of terms and characters increases.
@ruouttaurmind@ruouttaurmind I’ve read most of them, though its also been a few years and I lost track of the newer books in the series. There are parts of the storyline that I love and some that were hard to get through. I personally like the exposition, the details about the tech, the different polities, etc and through the series it does tie in. Its not a game world where you get an overview, or one simplified for TV; its an attempt at a partial galactic multiple-large and small polity story universe with all the chaos and variation thrown in because, mostly, its going to end up mattering. And there’s a war, and another war, then a bigger war with all the backbiting and intrigue involved.
Have you looked at books that are comprehensive histories of pre and post Civil War America? Or the two World Wars and the interregnum? How many plots and subplots? How many characters, and cities and nations? How much info about cultures and tech would be required? Its been a while since I read one of the volumes of a comprehensive WW1/WW2 history but other than the continued revisiting of the primary protagonist’s storyline (more like Sandburg’s Lincoln than a straight history) the level of detail reminds me a lot of the Harrington series. The author is writing the detailed history with an embedded biography of a subgalactic scale 20, 30, 40? years conflict and war. Not a simpler adventure story or series.
For me the series ‘generally’ got better as the books progressed, even as smaller and more detailed subplots multiplied along with the characters; it can be hard to track. My recollection is that the exposition also increased somewhat in later volumes (though the first one you’re reading was pretty heavy on it).
I’d still take a good dog over a treecat, but treecats are pretty interesting.
@duodec Thank you for your response. I tried another hour with this book today and decided to shelve it and try to come back in a few months. I may warm up to it when things settle down and my life gets a little less complicated.
@ruouttaurmind Have you ever read E. E. Doc Smith? Lensman series… ripping adventure on a larger than galactic scale, timeframe covering eons, vast fleets, an extra-galactic supremely powerful enemy, multitudes of alien races, allied and enemies, and all in six not too thick paperbacks. Mostly originally serialized in pulp magazines in the '20s through '40s. They were a staple for me.
There’s also the Skylark series (3 books plus one ‘sequel’) that while smaller in overall scope (though they do go 4th dimensioning…) is chock full of easily digestible pulpy goodness with villainous villains, stalwart heroes, terrifying enemies and, always, hope. A couple of other smaller sets, with the later ones getting kind of weird IMO (Galaxy Primes).
Ever read Keith Laumer? His Retief of the CDT (Corps Diplomatique Terrestrienne) stories are classic and fun as hell. More in the mood for military sci-fi? Bolos.
By Klono’s Tungsten Teeth and Curving Carballoy Claws, you might just find them worthy of you time…
@duodec As far as sci-fi, I’m a big fan of contemporary apocalyptic and near future post apocalyptic, alternate history and time travel mostly. I seldom venture into space stuff, but the Harrington book was on sale and seemed interesting based on the publishers synopsis.
Pulpy, not that deep literature is my escape from the complicated things I must concentrate on IRL, so thought provoking or complicated lit isn’t enjoyable to me.
Jack London is among my favorite authors because his stories are engaging, well written, but can be taken mostly at face value. Not broad, sweeping epics with complex plots, multiple characters and simultaneous story lines. Just down to earth yarns which are easy to come back to after a break and quickly melt back into the story without having to recall numerous details.
Some of the YA sci-fi and fic appeals to me for the same reasons. Pure entertainment. Like a James Cameron or Spielberg film.
I’ll check out the stuff you suggested. I also need to check out more Robert Heinlein. The one I read was fun, if not maybe a bit too far on the simplistic side. But fun, still.
Invasion by JF Holmes (Earth has been conquered by aliens); I think 2 books are out, more coming.
Soda Pop Soldier, Nick Cole - Decayed world where corporate battles for revenue and advertising take place via virtual wars.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, W J Lundy. US Troops in the sandbox when a zombie apocalypse breaks out.
The Wyrd series by Nick Cole. Zombie apocalypse with the added benefit of gateways to terminator world (4 books out, I think)
Ctrl-Alt-REVOLT! by Nick Cole. Near future dystopia with an AI driven revolution, and a subplot that may be one of the best Star Trek universe-based stories yet (no actual ST characters, these are players in a virtual game).
Even Zombie Killlers get the Blues, John F Holmes. Seven or eight volumes out; I enjoyed the first several but have fallen behind.
The Old Man and the Wasteland, Nick Cole. Post apocalypse salvaging and adventure
Yes, I enjoy Nick Cole’s books… there are more but not in the genres you listed.
===
The first two Lensman books are apparently available on Project Gutenberg (Triplanetary and First Lensman)
The Smith series are epic in scope but they’re also much simpler with many fewer characters. With the Lensman timescale, primary characters in one book are ancient history two volumes later, though the last four take place within one lifetime with one set of primary characters and a modest ensemble. Much less exposition than Weber, though you do get some details on the tech, and less on the cultures. Massive space battles, but a few pages suffice. I’m not going to call it literature like Jack London (it’s pulp! Space Opera!) but for me its tons of fun and darned if I don’t want to pull my copies out and read them again now. In fact Radeligian cateagles couldn’t keep me away
And in the Lensman series you’d find duodec
The two Heinleins I keep re-reading and recommending are The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and Starship Troopers (which the silly/crappy movies made by a producer who hated heinlein and never read the book) were only loosely based on); the latter is a “juvenile” but still eminently enjoyable. His later books are probably more famous in the industry (Stranger in a Strange Land, and the Lazarus Long books), and still have a large following.
@duodec Wow! Some great recommendations there. I’m anxious to check them out.
If you’re into zombie post apoc series, have a peek at RR Haywood’s The Undead. Available on Kindle, Audible and paperback. Up to about 15 volumes now. I’ve got volume 9 on deck to take over for Honor Harrington while she cools her heels on the bench for a few innings.
I also enjoyed Jason Pargin’s (David Wong) John Dies at the End series quite a bit, but his Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits is is a great romp. I’m hoping to see a sequel there.
I’m reading The Skin Game, the Dresden Files number 15. Island of the Sequined Love Nuns by Christopher Moore is queued up next. I love that summer reading is guilt free.
I was so happy to see this come last Tuesday when I got home from work…John Gilstrap’s latest work, “Scorpion Strike”!! High adventure, good guys vs. bad guys, all wrapped up in a great twisting story line. At least that’s what all his other books have been…Can’t wait to get started on it. Happy Independence Day All!!
@f00l Of course she’s smart as hell. 2+ billion men on the planet to choose ftom and she picked me. Q.E.D.
She’s working on her launch team/reviewers and marketing now. We just weren’t convinced by the tradutional publishing value proposition for their cut. Doing it all wasnt her first choice. She just wants to write, not be an art designer, web developer, epub/xml/CSS expert, advertising campaign program manager, book runner, distribution manager, communications manager, online community organizer, etc., etc.
The folks that have seen the galleys/manuscript have liked it, from what I hear.
Then again, finding objective feedback is hard when you dont know anyone in the industry, and publishers (sorry if you are one and get painted with a broad brush here) have a conflicting vested self-interest to under-value author feedback to prospective authors as a future royalty stream.
@f00l@mike808 Self publishing is, for some genres, WAY more worth it. There’s some tricks though that help a lot. Having great critique partners and beta readers is worth the effort of finding them. There are also freelance editors out there who are also pretty amazing. Like, not to toot my own horn, but one of the self published books I edited finaled for a major genre award. (Not saying what book or genre right now, because I’m not selfpromoing, but for those who know, the group has their conference in a couple weeks with the winners announced at a fancy ceremony.) Having a series and building a readership with frequent releases helps the most. Especially if she wants to make decent money off them. She may want to check out Chris Fox’s books, they have a lot of great advice that may help her turn it into a long term career, if that’s what she wants. Some people just really want to write that one book and it’s their story. Nothing wrong with that, but don’t expect much out of sales in those cases. It can happen, but it’s rare. Most self published single books never earn back their investments. Good luck to her though!
She just wants to write, not be an art designer, web developer, epub/xml/CSS expert, advertising campaign program manager, book runner, distribution manager, communications manager, online community organizer, etc., etc.
Indeed. Those are specialties in themselves and the energy of learning/doing those is taken from the available energy for creativity in writing.
But… Being an unknown writer with no obvious “instant promo potential” is a quick path to insolvency in writing activities, and instant total invisibly and rejection for almost every writer who tries to go the trad route. It’s a complex biz and there is no one path.
This isn’t 1995. Writers now have chances to create their own dedicated groups of readers. Many writers are successful enough that way to justify continuing for economic returns, as well as for artistic and creative reasons.
I hope she is able to offload at least some of the above activities.
Good for her, for going ahead, no matter what.
And I hope, separately, that she is one hell of a writer.
@f00l
I, too, hope she’s a heck of a writer. I know enough to know I don’t know enough to judge such things. Then there are spousal biases that would cloud my objectivity. So I stay out of reviewing her work. Contemporary women’s fiction isn’t my bag, either, so I have no basis to critique it anyway.
Those are specialties in themselves and the energy of learning/doing those is taken from the available energy for creativity in writing.
That is a tough lesson for her. She struggles with the loss of control, recognizing the limits of her abilities, and giving up independence by depending on other people that can have a huge effect just starting out.
Another challenge is the people that do specialize in those abilities don’t work for free, and quality varies, just like anything else. So she also has to make tough budget and hiring decisions - for each one she ‘outsources’ to a freelancer in the gig economy. Welcome to HR and management, LOL.
Lastly, the money for hiring all those specialists is taken from the money for our other needs.
@f00l SO MUCH WOLFE. Or really, some Wolfe. Enough to be excited. Any is good. But all I want is The Shadow of the Torturer. But I only want to spend a dollar. I will buy these anyway.
@f00l I know, and come to think of it, I’m pretty sure the library actually has a physical copy of it. But I have the other three books in that particular series, and they were 50¢ each many years ago at a book sale. I feel mildly incomplete.
Currently $124 to $152. Depending on options chosen.
While not waterproof, this is a really nice e-reader.
Amazon did have a brief flash sale on the 9th (and current) gen (waterproof) Kindle Oasis. They may will discount this current versions again over Prime Day, if that is your preference.
To see the current generation (not on sale at the instant of my past), go here:
The volumes app from Penguin Random House has free audio books every month. Right now it’s a Minecraft book by a Max Brooks, the guy who wrote World War Z and narrated by Jack Black. Sounds interesting.
Audible promotional offer: Use book 2 credits, receive a $5 account credit. Use 3 book credits, receive a $10 account credit. Offer available until 7/18 and is available for current members only. (that’s TODAY only kiddies)
If you have any credits banked up, now’s the time to grab a few items from your wish list and cash in.
The Brilliance Audio online bookstore audiobookstand.com is closing down. They are offering thousands of titles, all clearance priced, with many hundreds of titles offered at $4 with free shipping.
These are distributed on CD, so if you want to listen from a phone, etc, you’ll need to rip them using a computer. If you’re a car commute listener like me, just dust off your CD player and use that.
Super sweet. Grabbed 4 books from my Audible wish list for $17 delivered. 3 of them are in MP3-CD format, so those are a simple drag-copy to my phone, or SD card (my car receiver has a SD slot).
I plan on going back for more, but it’s getting late and I’m done for tonight. Didn’t want to wait for the morning and have any of my selections sell out.
I received my books on cd order last night. Only 2 on CD, the others are MP3-CD. I was hoping the MP3-CDs would play in my car CD player, but no joy. They do play in my truck though. Both are stock GM equipment, and the truck is 8 years older than the car. I guess GM decided it wasn’t a popular feature and dropped it from newer models.
Anyway, the merch is as described. All new, sealed, appears 100% genuine.
@f00l I downloaded the Tyson book- the email I got said it’s leaving August first so I guess I need to read fast. Also I highly recommend the Feynman book. It’s one of the few actual books I own.
@PlacidPenguin I bought this last year. It was excruciating to get through. Way too long, and AC Doyle’s literary style has not aged well, making it seem even longer.
@PlacidPenguin Waste the same dollar, in a fraction of the time, without being dragged on a tortuous 63 hour journey to that bit nearer insanity? ”Indubitably.”
Audible members only Sci-fi and Fantasy sale until August 2nd. Titles start at $5. This is a good opportunity for @f00l and I to maximize the value of the Audible coupon offer we earned a couple weeks ago.
Off to be the Wizard by Scott Meyer (this is most definitely not Ulysses or War and Peace, just total fun and possibilly a bit on the juvenile side; definitely kid-friendly)
There are some really good books in this sale, including some unabridged classics.
Sale include many big names from the post and present. Including unabridged Tolkien.
Beware of abridgements tho. I think only a few offerings are abridged, but if you love a book or a fiction writer, what is the point of an abridgement?
Unfortunately, the Douglas Adams Dirk Gently book offered is an abridgement.
Go for the real book. Don’t waste money on the shortened version.
The Douglas Adams Gently abridgement might be worth it if you are a big fan, because Adams himself did the narration of the abridged version.
Abridged books were pretty common back then (1970s-1990s), because people listened in cars during commutes, using cassette tapes. So many tapes per book!!!
And audiobooks were so expensive that only the abridgements were really affordable.
People who wanted the unabridged version of an audiobook (if it existed) usually got it from the library, if the library even had it. Because $$$$
@f00l I got The Fellowship of the Ring as one of my “use 2 credits get $10” a couple weeks ago. RE: abridgements, I fanatically avoid them. I would feel like I was missing out on something important if I didn’t have the complete story.
@f00l I did The Hobbit last year and didn’t love it. But everyone here assured me Fellowship was so much better, so I’m on board to give it a go.
RE: Adams, I don’t appreciate HHGTTG at all, but I loved Long Dark Teatime. I appreciated it so much, I’m going to have to switch to print to get the full Dirk Gently experience. I am aware of the Dr. Who connection. Don’t care for Who, but I really liked the Torchwood spinoff.
@f00l@ruouttaurmind I loved the HHGTTG series until I listened to the radio show, at which point I still loved it, but more as something that reminds me of THIS OTHER GREAT THING than for itself.
The best book I’ve read in months: From the Corner of the Oval.
The roles of White House stenographer and all the other invisible staffers who work for the President are much, much clearer now. It’s told as a memoir of a former English teacher who was hired as a Civil Service staffer during Obama’s first term, and who fell in love with the office, and with several people during her time there. I love behind-the-scenes books, and I’ve never read one like this. It’s hilarious, sad and incredibly vivid.
@f00l Did you take advantage of this offer? I submitted a review, but haven’t received my credit yet. I was curious if you did this and whether you received a credit?
I have checked and can confirm you that the $5.00 coupon for writing a review will be dropped into your account no later than 8/31/18.
I appreciate your time and patience in this matter.
If you have any other query, please contact us. We are here 24/7 to help you.
Have a great day ahead.
I was gonna use this coupon for purchase of one of the current “Wish List” sale titles. Fortunately that sale continues until 9/2. So if Audible is true to their plan, I will just wait until next weekend to make my purchase.
Includes four titles:
“John Adams”
The magisterial, Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of the independent, irascible Yankee patriot, one of our nation’s founders and most important figures, who became our second president.
“1776”
The riveting story of George Washington, the men who marched with him, and their British foes in the momentous year of American independence.
“Truman”
The Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Harry Truman, the complex and courageous man who rose from modest origins to make momentous decisions as president, from dropping the atomic bomb to going to war in Korea.
“The Course of Human Events”
In this Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities, David McCullough draws on his personal experience as a historian to acknowledge the crucial importance of writing in history’s enduring impact and influence, and he affirms the significance of history in teaching us about human nature through the ages.
@f00l Ever read The Glorious Cause by Jeffrey Shaara? Novelization of history/historical novel of American Revolutionary War? Covers major historical facts pretty well, while inventing dialog based on letters & other traditional sources.
I thought the audible “member appreciation week” was a bit lame.
But then I already owned 2 of the 3 free books.
Maybe I’m just greedy.
In years past they offered all of the past year’s daily deals one more time at the deal price.
Or offered the top 100 selling daily deal books from the past year at the deal price.
I liked those much better.
Specially since this year I did miss one I wanted (was “overworked”)
Gen. WH McRaven’s Make Your Bed
Was a daily deal at a great price. And I own the Kindle book.
I just don’t wanna spend $10 or a credit on an audiobook that’s (unabridged) less than 2 hours long, even if the General does the narration himself.
So they say they have “big news” coming for members later this week.
I like them the way they are. Very much.
I hope I don’t hate whatever changes they decide on.
So many “changes and updates to make things even better for the customers!” are nothing but crap.
changes and updates to make things even better for the customers
IMHO, that is marketingspeak. Permit me to translate: “We ‘bout ta give ya less and charge ya more for it!”
RE: Silver Linings, I have trouble listening to those Prime freebies. I listen primarily on my drive to work and there are enough cell signal holes to interrupt the data stream. The Audible app is really bad at buffering and recovering. Devs should have built in a bigger buffer overhead into the app to minimize the interruptions. So… I grabbed this book. Because, free. It wasn’t a great film, so maybe the book is better.
Speaking of Audible… I’m headed back to UK in September. My devious plan while I’m there: There are a couple Audible titles I want, but due to licensing issues, they aren’t available here in the states, or only abridged version is available. But the full version is available in UK. So I’ll grab them from Audible.co.uk while I’m there. Once downloaded to my device, I own them. I’ll be able to listen when I return to US in October.
I tried to do just that (purchase stuff from audible.co.uk) from here (US) a some years back.
Before I realized that it wasn’t legal or valid due to copyright issues. And before I read up on what happened to those who took it a bit further than I did.
Sigh
Please be careful attempting this. Or don’t do it. You might dig yourself into a big legal hole.
In the first place
You actually have to actually move to the UK.
Legally move, according to the regulations.
Visits don’t count.
I think you need:
A valid UK address (such as, you own or lease or rent a property, not that you just stay with friends or stay in a hotel or Airbnb.
You must have
A valid UK credit or debit card or bank account for the billing, attached to your Amazon account.
They may want more. Such as proof of legal residence. Or proof of residence. Or a local drivers license.
They are fine about normal purchases. It’s the e-media purchases that triggers the issues.
Next you have to either:
change your account to be UK based. (This may limit your access to digital media purchased here), but doing this won’t get you into trouble with Amazon, so long as you meet the rules, whatever they are. But then you can’t purchase, and may not be able to access your previously purchased, US digital media. I don’t know all the caveats.
Or
Create a new account based there. This is a bad idea.
If you try to cover your tracks so that you can use both US digital media and UK digital media, Amazon will know it’s the same person, no matter how you try to cover your tracks, so don’t try to cover them.
I mean it. If someone want to have two Amazon identities from diff counties, they can use all the chained anon hops through weird counties they want to cover their tracks, Amazon has massively enough data about people that if persons buy digital media from Amz in two diff counties, Amazon will spot it eventually. Or quickly.
It’s just not something to try to get away (the two identities in various counties). Amazon catches it in the end. Various NSA and CIA type operatives and experimental security hackers might pull this off.
The average very very tech-savvy citizen (including those who used to read 2600 or who attend the Vegas and NYC hacker conventions) will eventually get nailed if they try this with Amazon.
We leave so many digital traces … And again has as much or more data than Google or FB. Plus they prob have far more financial data.
This is a tricky issue.
Some persons have been cut off from all digital media previously purchased (purchasing money refunded I think) and not allowed to purchase any more digital media, from Amazon, ever.
Other persons who tried the two accounts method got their Amazon accounts closed. For good. And they were banned from opening new Amazon accounts. Sometimes the ban even extended to family members, if Amazon felt like it.
Rare but has happened.
Amazon is pretty hard-assed about this.
I think it’s a political thing.
The media (e-book, music, audiobook, video, whatever) is licensed for sale to legal residents of a specific location.
Amazon (or any e-tailer) assumes the responsibly to police and enforce geo-restriction on the purchasing public as part of the deal to get permission to sell the licensed content in a location.
Amazon runs over so many businesses and grabs so much market that used to belong to many operators. Amazon is always in trouble or on the verge of being in trouble.
So, my theory is, this is one of the areas where Amazon is happy to be the enforcer and to play by the rules to the extreme. Since they are busy bulldozing so much else of local enterprise, as they please.
Anyway, what Amazon does here is a part of the standard contract they have with media rights holders. Same deal with B&N and digital rights holders. or whoever else. All the companies that sell digital media are supposed to do this.
If it were me, and I were visiting, I would attempt no local e-media purchases without talking to Amazon CS in depth.
If I were moving, I would also talk to Amazon CS in depth. To understand what I was gaining and losing by moving my account to a diff country.
And to understand about my potential access to digital media while I am in country #2, if this media were purchased while I was in country #1.
Also, if you are in the UK temp, with a US amazon account, can you still purchase US digital media while abroad? I don’t know.
If you change to an audible.co.uk account, you will prob lose any existing credits. And you will not be able to purchase from the audible.com store. And you will miss any deals or sales here. And I don’t know about whether you can access your US purchased content.
The entire thing is insanely frustrating.
The fact that media (normal media, not xxx) is available in one country, yet not in another, makes me want to scream.
And that the pricing differentials are so vast.
There are all kinds of stories of complications about this from Amazon’s past. It’s an anti-customer mess.
Another complication:
If you are visiting the UK and you want to use your audible.com account to purchase US deals, (and you have not changed your address or country), can you? I don’t know the answer, altho surely Amazon has worked this out.
There are a couple Audible titles I want, but due to licensing issues, they aren’t available here in the states, or only abridged version is available.
As you can tell, I looked at this.
I gave up and got the books on CD and ripped them.
Or got them from the library.
Playing games about licensing and location to get the books in download format was not worth messing up with Amazon and losing access to Amazon’s existing or future e-content
Maybe what you want to do is ok. Just check first.
Don’t be devious. Amazon has already won the Big Data game.
Thank you for your comments. I always value your perspective. Always intelligent and well expressed.
My devious plan while I’m there
Certainly a poor choice of wording on my part. It is not my intended purpose to somehow defraud or cheat Amazon UK or the author or licensing agency. I plan to purchase what I want with genuine £.
Although I wasn’t technically a resident of GB, I was there for several years on extended visits. I “lived” with my girlfriend in her flat, and therefore had a UK address. I opened an Amz account when I was there. In fact, I had a Amz UK account before I had a US account. Though we didn’t have a Prime membership.
When I eventually opened a US account with Amz, I didn’t make any effort to “join” or convert the existing UK account, I just maintained 2 separate accounts. I also joined Audible there before I had a US account. I spent a great deal of time traveling around England and Ireland, and found audiobooks were a welcomed break from music.
I have purchased several titles there without incident. I’m confident I won’t have an issue. As far as licensing… I have not read the full text of their licensing agreements with various publishers, but I suspect it’s limited to where they can sell a title, and likely makes no mention of where that title can be listened to. I’m reasonably confident there isn’t a conflict. Contacting Customer Service would likely yield a different result dependent upon exactly which CS rep handled the inquiry.
I’m not stealing anything, I’ll be paying for what I download, and I’ll be downloading it while I’m in England. I feel like I’ll be following the spirit of the licensing and probably the letter of the license as well.
Consider purchasing a book while on holiday in another country that isn’t published in the US. Would you speculate you would have to read the book only in the country of origin? Or can you take that book home with you? Or a music CD? Or DVD?
If you are visiting the UK and you want to use your audible.com account to purchase US deals, (and you have not changed your address or country), can you? I don’t know the answer, altho surely Amazon has worked this out.
I already know that answer: No. you have to open a UK account, or pay for shipping from the US fulfillment center. Some friends came to visit and tried to buy from the UK site. No go. CS advised them to just open a UK account and place their order. They had to use a local address, and CS recommended using the hotel or house where they were staying.
After that, easy peasy. Also, the CS rep suggested purchasing Amazon UK gift cards from a local shop so they would not be charged exorbitant currency conversion rate some credit card companies charge.
Also, I was not able to access my online media accounts while I was there. Movies and music which were already downloaded to my laptop worked fine, but streaming media from Amz, Google and UltraViolet wouldn’t play due to region restrictions. All the stuff already on my hard drive ran fine. No DRM issues at all.
@ruouttaurmind
I knew you weren’t stealing or proposing to.
You seen to have this worked out.
I was not talking about physical goods. I have purchased those from Amazon.co.uk with my existing US account. No probs ever.
I was trying to purchase from audible.co.uk from here. Texas. No personal justification to travel to the UK now or then, sadly. : (
I was open about it. I created a new account at UK audible and then tried to buy their daily deals and also books not licensed on the audible US site. No go.
So I called CS for that site and had a couple of long talks with them. They basically said “not allowed”.
So I started reading up. And found that there were legal ways to go back and forth with your account, but that if you weren’t in the country, you could run into problems, and some persistent “abusers of geo-restrictions” had been locked out of Amazon altogether.
After that I let the issue alone and just ordered what I wanted on CD if audible.com didn’t have it.
Good luck I hope you get what you want.
And have a splendid time across the pond.
BTW
Are you a Harry Potter fan?
Her you can by the excellent Jim Dale narration of these books (he is a native Brit so the account is fine and he is amazing and win tons of awards for the narration.)
The you can buy the likewise totally excellent Stephen Fry narrations. Also amazing. I own these on CD.
There is a lot of stuff argument about which is best. Bullshit, I say. They are both wonderful.
The two did versions exist because the text barriers slightly between the “UK and ex-empire” text copy and the “international” text copy.
Rowling included so much rather insular Brit-speak slang that the original US&world publisher, Scholastic, decided to edit slightly to more “international English slang” here and there in the book.
The changes are miniscule. But that’s why the are competing wonderful narrations.
So if you are in Brit-land, you could pick those UK audio versions up. Only then you can’t listen to them here.
So maybe instead just get what you want on CD, used (and cheaper than audible) from alibris or eBay or Amazon or another bookstore that stocks used CDs? And rip and listen whenever/wherever you want to?
If you do that, on Android, I like smart audiobook player or listen audiobook player.
On iOS, unfortunately, there isn’t a good solution unless you load the books into iTunes and mark them as audiobooks within iTunes.
I’ve tried various mp3 audiobook apps on iOS and they are junk or else I’m stupid. They can’t go from one file to the next. You have to load each file manually.
@f00l I just started the first of the audiobooks on CD I ordered from Brilliance Audio a couple weeks ago (Run Program by Scott Meyer). TBH, I like listening on CD more than streaming from my phone to my car stereo via Bluetooth. No worries about pairing, signal loss, etc, and I can use the audio controls on my steering wheel. The only thing I don’t care for is flipping disks every 45 min. But overall, it’s a nice experience.
I’ve been banking up credits for a 2-fer sale. There are a fair number of appealing titles in my preferred genre (sci-fi) but I guess I’ve been using Audible for so long… I already own most of them.
A few notables in that category:
Agent to the Stars - Written by Scalzi, narrated by Wheaton, total nonsensical fun
The Androids Dream - Another by the dynamic duo Scalzi and Wheaton, Earth-Outerspace adventure romp with aliens, futuristic tech and a love story
Fuzzy Nation - By… guess who? Scalzi and Wheaton, this is Piper’s Little Fuzzy retold by Scalzi
Master of Formalities - Written by Scott Meyer, read by my favorite narrator Luke Daniels, a little silly, a lot of fun
The Rolling Stones - Written by Robert Heinlein, read by Tom Weiner, part of Heinlein’s Luna stories and suitable for kids of all ages
Run Program - Written by Scott Meyer, read by Angela Dawe, AI program with the mentality of a 6 year old child manages to escape the confines of the lab computer it’s been running on via the interwebs and wreaks mischief around the world while being tracked down by it’s creators, the NSA and the US Army - it’s a typical Scott Meyer story - tending to stretch concepts and overlook details in the interest of telling a fun story
There are also a handful of Stephen King, Michael Crichton, a collection of shorts by PKD, a couple by Yahtzee Crowshaw, NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (read by Kate Mulgrew who always sounds like she’s pissed off at me when she reads) and a handful more.
No doubt there are plenty more titles in other genres, but I haven’t gotten to them yet.
Sounds really good. Tho I already own most or all of Scalzi and PKD.
You know that you can always get more credits, don’t you? At least you can if you have an annual credit subscription. I think you can do this for monthly subscriptions as well.
Just spend down to one or zero credits. And then an offer will pop up (top of the page for desktop view, on the side hamburger menu for mobile view), offering to sell you three more credits. Usually at the going price you pay per credit for your subscription credits, I think.
You can purchase three more credits every half hour or so, if you are on a mad book buying spree. The system doesn’t let you buy extra credits faster than that, I think.
If the offer does not show on the web page (as happens sometimes), then just call them. CS will offer to sell them to you over the phone and they will show up in your account when you refresh.
Two books by Chuck Palahniuk are included in the current 2 books for credit audible sale; if you don’t already own them. Thought this kinda might be to your taste:
@f00l I actually have Survivor in my wish list as I continue to shop the selections. So far I’ve purchased 4 titles. I have 2 credits left so I’m scouring the list to see if there’s anything I’ve missed.
Fight Club… I found the movie a little too nutty, so a friend loaned me the book. I never got around to finishing it. It just didn’t draw me in.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@f00l I already owned maybe a dozen. So now about 16ish of those in the sale. Most of the others aren’t really interesting for my taste. I’m looking through for any I missed on the first couple passes.
The romance and historical fiction don’t interest me at all. There’s a ton of Danielle Steel so all those are definitely out. Lots of Grisham, but I’m not a fan. Not generally interested in mystery/thriller, but I’m pouring through those looking for gems.
Plus, I have around 60 or so in my library I have yet to digest, so there’s that too.
So I won’t mention how many thousands I have in my libray, yet unlistened to.
Actually, I have no idea the count.
(Bought tons back when you could buy a cheap or on sale Kindle version and pay something like $2.99 extra for the audible. Then they raised the audible add-in prices. So I stopped doing that unless I really cared about the book.)
Re Grisham … Not a huge fan. But decent beach reading. I figure his books are worth $5.
The book I bought to read on the cruise came in and it’s freaking enormous, lol. 700pg trade paperback. I don’t think I can cram it in my suitcase. Guess I’ll take paperbacks and read this one when I get home. Too bad I don’t enjoy elecronic formats, I have a couple hundred books on my tablet but never any desire to read them.
@f00l There is a series written by Irish author Roddy Doyle. He is best known for The Barrytown Trilogy (The Commitments, The Snapper, The Van all became movies, and the final book in 2015, The Guts making it a quadrilogy).
Mr. Doyle wrote another series titled Last Roundup. I listened to the last in the series, The Dead Republic via Audible, but titles 1 and 2 (A Star Called Henry and Oh, Play That Thing) aren’t available in the US. At least not in unabridged format.
This series is similar to the Ghosts of Belfast books. It chronicles the life and times of Henry Smart as he grows up, and the circumstances which take him from childhood, to IRA freedom fighter in Ireland, to his escape to the US, Henry’s eventual employment by John Ford (the director) in Hollywood in the '40s and '50s, and Ford’s film project about Henry’s life (The Quiet Man). Finally, in the 1970’s Henry returns home to Ireland and becomes a publicity pawn for the IRA.
Anyway, I know how the story ends, I’d kinda like to experience how it began!
@f00l If it’s an abridged version of something, I may as well just read the Cliffs Notes. Or skip reading altogether and watch the movie. Or just have someone tell me about it.
I have been reading some of the self pub books that BookBub shows in my genre choices that are free or 99 cents (sometimes for up to 20 short novels) or 1.99. I often discover series that I like and the other books are often inexpensive too.
They are not Amacrap specific, many available from BN, goodreads and other ebook sites.
If you tend to like specific genres and don’t mind those or older books, I heartily recommend a subscription. It’s free. (You can download free books from their site directly too.)
I get credit for referrals if people subscribe, so whisper me an email if you want me to sent you an invite, or google if you don’t
@sammydog01 So it’s good on audible? I found so much pleasure in the fake catalog design elements that I wasn’t sure I’d like it on kindle, let alone being read to me. I mean, it’s clearly a great book; I loved it so much that after I read it I told my mother the whole story while taking a walk, and then she read it that night and loved it too (and she’s not a horror person). It was so brilliantly designed as a physical book. Yet I’m tempted to buy it on kindle just to see…
@mossygreen Definitely a sign! I picked up the audiobook at the library just randomly and hadn’t even seen the actual book. I kind of wish I had one although I did buy both the Audible and kindle copies when they were cheap. I like the recording- Bronson Pinchot reads the catalog entries which are my favorite part. Maybe I’ll put the real book on my wishlist and keep tabs on it. (My son loves Ikea and we’ve made a few road trips there in the past year.)
Audible annual membership offer: $99.50 for a 1 year subscription (normally $15/mo). Get all 12 book credits up front, take up to a year to use them. Offer ends 9/15.
I did this last year and haven’t regretted it. The best part about getting all 12 credits up front is being able to get several books during a “Buy 2 get 1” sale without having to buy extra credits. I still have 2 left of my original 12 credits and have been able to get 15 books, and a $10 gift certificate. All for a hunnert bucks.
@riskybryzness Yep, just like me, you’re buying crap that you really don’t need just because it’s a bargain. Hmm, sounds like some other place that I hang out at.
@Barney@sammydog01 I got a kindle a while back to try and declutter my book buying habit…I still end up buying the books. Failing at my own preventive measures.
Deals:
Today the Kindle Daily Deal includes bunches of bios.
Everything from political and historical to current. Including Alexander Hamilton and Harry Truman and Kari Bynum and Jackie Kennedy and a CIA bio. And so much more. So take a look. 4 Amazon pages of discounted bios.
Hey @OldCatLady! Alexander Hamilton bio on sale!
https://www.amazon.com/b/ref=sr_aj?node=6165851011&ajr=0
Prices good until midnight Pacific Time.
@f00l It’s funny, I went to check these out and ended up more interested in the “customers who bought this item also bought” listings. Tab Hunter’s autobiography is only $1.20!
Over in the regular July deals topic, @ruouttaurmind and @sammydog01 discussed the current audible 4th of July Sale.
I think you have to currently have a credit subscription on order to participate?
https://mobile.audible.com/ep/FOJ2018?ref=a_home-page_c0_zing_0&pf_rd_p=064961cd-42cc-468d-a55f-7d812cf4add1&pf_rd_r=Y54VSRWJ9JP4C8YJVS9J&
Hundreds of audible books for $5.95 plus tax. Good until the end of July 8th Pacific Time.
Here is a link to the original post on the July deals topic
https://meh.com/forum/topics/july-deals-on-the-steal-unmehficial#5b38f2c5d1e1f5043895c690
@f00l One of the sale titles is Scalzi’s The Dispatcher.
Good story. I got it as an Audible exclusive freebie when It was first published. At about than 2.3 hours it may be a bit short considering the $6 price. It’s available in Kindle format, but unfortunately the same six bucks.
@f00l @ruouttaurmind
I got The Dispatcher as a freebie as well. It’s one of my favorite short stories and I’m hoping Scalzi revisits that world at some time.
I just started On Basilisk Station; Book 1 in the Honor Harrington series.
The publisher’s summary seemed interesting enough. I know the Honor Harrington series has a very robust following. But once I got into the book… gads there’s too much going on to keep track of.
From the fantasy astrophysics terminology, to the author’s exhaustive description of the technology. Plus the many, many characters… each 7 or 8 ships introduced so far has a captain and crew The author frequently references each of the ships dozen staff officers by name… sometimes using the character’s first name, sometimes last name, sometimes their position in the staff.
Then there’s the geography, planets, political parties, super powers, etc. To further complicate, the author has developed a dizzying quantity of alternate measurements for time and distance, and frequently shifts between the various units of measure. Harrington is anywhere between 24 and 40 years old depending on which unit of measure the author is currently using.
The general premise is intriguing, and I’m trying hard to push past all this confusing mass of information and just focus on the story, but it’s increasingly hard to follow as the number of terms and characters increases.
Any Honor Harrington readers in here?
@ruouttaurmind
Read some of them 20+ years ago, remember very little about them.
@Cerridwyn I’m not surprised. I have a hard time remembering all the details from one day to the next.
@ruouttaurmind @ruouttaurmind I’ve read most of them, though its also been a few years and I lost track of the newer books in the series. There are parts of the storyline that I love and some that were hard to get through. I personally like the exposition, the details about the tech, the different polities, etc and through the series it does tie in. Its not a game world where you get an overview, or one simplified for TV; its an attempt at a partial galactic multiple-large and small polity story universe with all the chaos and variation thrown in because, mostly, its going to end up mattering. And there’s a war, and another war, then a bigger war with all the backbiting and intrigue involved.
Have you looked at books that are comprehensive histories of pre and post Civil War America? Or the two World Wars and the interregnum? How many plots and subplots? How many characters, and cities and nations? How much info about cultures and tech would be required? Its been a while since I read one of the volumes of a comprehensive WW1/WW2 history but other than the continued revisiting of the primary protagonist’s storyline (more like Sandburg’s Lincoln than a straight history) the level of detail reminds me a lot of the Harrington series. The author is writing the detailed history with an embedded biography of a subgalactic scale 20, 30, 40? years conflict and war. Not a simpler adventure story or series.
For me the series ‘generally’ got better as the books progressed, even as smaller and more detailed subplots multiplied along with the characters; it can be hard to track. My recollection is that the exposition also increased somewhat in later volumes (though the first one you’re reading was pretty heavy on it).
I’d still take a good dog over a treecat, but treecats are pretty interesting.
@duodec Thank you for your response. I tried another hour with this book today and decided to shelve it and try to come back in a few months. I may warm up to it when things settle down and my life gets a little less complicated.
@ruouttaurmind Have you ever read E. E. Doc Smith? Lensman series… ripping adventure on a larger than galactic scale, timeframe covering eons, vast fleets, an extra-galactic supremely powerful enemy, multitudes of alien races, allied and enemies, and all in six not too thick paperbacks. Mostly originally serialized in pulp magazines in the '20s through '40s. They were a staple for me.
There’s also the Skylark series (3 books plus one ‘sequel’) that while smaller in overall scope (though they do go 4th dimensioning…) is chock full of easily digestible pulpy goodness with villainous villains, stalwart heroes, terrifying enemies and, always, hope. A couple of other smaller sets, with the later ones getting kind of weird IMO (Galaxy Primes).
Ever read Keith Laumer? His Retief of the CDT (Corps Diplomatique Terrestrienne) stories are classic and fun as hell. More in the mood for military sci-fi? Bolos.
By Klono’s Tungsten Teeth and Curving Carballoy Claws, you might just find them worthy of you time…
@ruouttaurmind Summer is not the time to read about fantasy astrophysics. Pick up something trashier.
@duodec As far as sci-fi, I’m a big fan of contemporary apocalyptic and near future post apocalyptic, alternate history and time travel mostly. I seldom venture into space stuff, but the Harrington book was on sale and seemed interesting based on the publishers synopsis.
Pulpy, not that deep literature is my escape from the complicated things I must concentrate on IRL, so thought provoking or complicated lit isn’t enjoyable to me.
Jack London is among my favorite authors because his stories are engaging, well written, but can be taken mostly at face value. Not broad, sweeping epics with complex plots, multiple characters and simultaneous story lines. Just down to earth yarns which are easy to come back to after a break and quickly melt back into the story without having to recall numerous details.
Some of the YA sci-fi and fic appeals to me for the same reasons. Pure entertainment. Like a James Cameron or Spielberg film.
I’ll check out the stuff you suggested. I also need to check out more Robert Heinlein. The one I read was fun, if not maybe a bit too far on the simplistic side. But fun, still.
@sammydog01 No matter the season, trashy is my preferred choice.
@ruouttaurmind
Some thoughts based on your stated prefs:
Invasion by JF Holmes (Earth has been conquered by aliens); I think 2 books are out, more coming.
Soda Pop Soldier, Nick Cole - Decayed world where corporate battles for revenue and advertising take place via virtual wars.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, W J Lundy. US Troops in the sandbox when a zombie apocalypse breaks out.
The Wyrd series by Nick Cole. Zombie apocalypse with the added benefit of gateways to terminator world (4 books out, I think)
Ctrl-Alt-REVOLT! by Nick Cole. Near future dystopia with an AI driven revolution, and a subplot that may be one of the best Star Trek universe-based stories yet (no actual ST characters, these are players in a virtual game).
Even Zombie Killlers get the Blues, John F Holmes. Seven or eight volumes out; I enjoyed the first several but have fallen behind.
The Old Man and the Wasteland, Nick Cole. Post apocalypse salvaging and adventure
Yes, I enjoy Nick Cole’s books… there are more but not in the genres you listed.
===
The first two Lensman books are apparently available on Project Gutenberg (Triplanetary and First Lensman)
The Smith series are epic in scope but they’re also much simpler with many fewer characters. With the Lensman timescale, primary characters in one book are ancient history two volumes later, though the last four take place within one lifetime with one set of primary characters and a modest ensemble. Much less exposition than Weber, though you do get some details on the tech, and less on the cultures. Massive space battles, but a few pages suffice. I’m not going to call it literature like Jack London (it’s pulp! Space Opera!) but for me its tons of fun and darned if I don’t want to pull my copies out and read them again now. In fact Radeligian cateagles couldn’t keep me away
And in the Lensman series you’d find duodec
The two Heinleins I keep re-reading and recommending are The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and Starship Troopers (which the silly/crappy movies made by a producer who hated heinlein and never read the book) were only loosely based on); the latter is a “juvenile” but still eminently enjoyable. His later books are probably more famous in the industry (Stranger in a Strange Land, and the Lazarus Long books), and still have a large following.
Pardon my verbosity
@duodec Wow! Some great recommendations there. I’m anxious to check them out.
If you’re into zombie post apoc series, have a peek at RR Haywood’s The Undead. Available on Kindle, Audible and paperback. Up to about 15 volumes now. I’ve got volume 9 on deck to take over for Honor Harrington while she cools her heels on the bench for a few innings.
I also enjoyed Jason Pargin’s (David Wong) John Dies at the End series quite a bit, but his Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits is is a great romp. I’m hoping to see a sequel there.
I really appreciate your suggestions! Thank you!
@ruouttaurmind Thank you for the suggestions. I will take a look at them!
I’m reading The Skin Game, the Dresden Files number 15. Island of the Sequined Love Nuns by Christopher Moore is queued up next. I love that summer reading is guilt free.
@sammydog01
I totally love Dresden.
Am a few books behind tho
@f00l @sammydog01
Yeah, me too. Used to do SF book club and their cut rate hard backs until I got into ebooks. He’s one I never caught back up with
@Cerridwyn @f00l Butcher just published another one. I think I have maybe one in between to read.
@sammydog01 Christopher Moore is quickly becoming one of my preferred authors. I’ve read three so far and loved them all.
@Cerridwyn @f00l @sammydog01
I love the Dresden Files. I just finished listening to Brief Cases and I’m eagerly awaiting the next “real” book.
@Cerridwyn @sammydog01 @stardate820926
It used to be about a book a year for him. I thought I had gotten behind because I last listened to him a few years ago.
He seems to have slowed down on the novels. I’m all caught up on them, it turns out; just not yet listened to this year’s release.
I was so happy to see this come last Tuesday when I got home from work…John Gilstrap’s latest work, “Scorpion Strike”!! High adventure, good guys vs. bad guys, all wrapped up in a great twisting story line. At least that’s what all his other books have been…Can’t wait to get started on it. Happy Independence Day All!!
The first three books in the Archy McNally series are $2.51 on Kindle. I love these books.
https://www.amazon.com/Archy-McNally-One-McNallys-Secret-ebook/dp/B0732LDXP8/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1530562897&sr=8-6&keywords=lawrence+sanders
The wife is launching soon her debut women’s fiction book (self-published, kindle, epub).
Any recommendations in the genre for her summer reading? She’s open to new authors like herself.
She’s devoured First Reads and I’ve gifted her a lifetime Kindle Unlimited and Prime Reads membership.
Whisper if you want her book info or are a fellow author.
@mike808
Re wife’s book:
Yeah, sure. Tell me the book info. It may be a while for me, but I’ll try to take a look.
(Warning, I have thousands of books on my various to-read lists.)
Congrats to her for getting the work done and out the door.
I hope she is smart as hell, and has excellent taste in lit and fiction. (I would think this guess would be a very high-probability assumption.).
And I hope she regards her finished work with some pride, a little astonishment, and much satisfaction.
And I hope she thereby creates a full writing career for herself, assuming that’s what she wants.
@mike808 Kudos to her! As a publisher, I guess I’m supposed to abhor the self publishing model, but I think it’s fantastic.
Good on her!
@f00l Of course she’s smart as hell. 2+ billion men on the planet to choose ftom and she picked me. Q.E.D.
She’s working on her launch team/reviewers and marketing now. We just weren’t convinced by the tradutional publishing value proposition for their cut. Doing it all wasnt her first choice. She just wants to write, not be an art designer, web developer, epub/xml/CSS expert, advertising campaign program manager, book runner, distribution manager, communications manager, online community organizer, etc., etc.
The folks that have seen the galleys/manuscript have liked it, from what I hear.
Then again, finding objective feedback is hard when you dont know anyone in the industry, and publishers (sorry if you are one and get painted with a broad brush here) have a conflicting vested self-interest to under-value author feedback to prospective authors as a future royalty stream.
I’ll whisper her info.
@f00l @mike808 Self publishing is, for some genres, WAY more worth it. There’s some tricks though that help a lot. Having great critique partners and beta readers is worth the effort of finding them. There are also freelance editors out there who are also pretty amazing. Like, not to toot my own horn, but one of the self published books I edited finaled for a major genre award. (Not saying what book or genre right now, because I’m not selfpromoing, but for those who know, the group has their conference in a couple weeks with the winners announced at a fancy ceremony.) Having a series and building a readership with frequent releases helps the most. Especially if she wants to make decent money off them. She may want to check out Chris Fox’s books, they have a lot of great advice that may help her turn it into a long term career, if that’s what she wants. Some people just really want to write that one book and it’s their story. Nothing wrong with that, but don’t expect much out of sales in those cases. It can happen, but it’s rare. Most self published single books never earn back their investments. Good luck to her though!
@mike808
Indeed. Those are specialties in themselves and the energy of learning/doing those is taken from the available energy for creativity in writing.
But… Being an unknown writer with no obvious “instant promo potential” is a quick path to insolvency in writing activities, and instant total invisibly and rejection for almost every writer who tries to go the trad route. It’s a complex biz and there is no one path.
This isn’t 1995. Writers now have chances to create their own dedicated groups of readers. Many writers are successful enough that way to justify continuing for economic returns, as well as for artistic and creative reasons.
I hope she is able to offload at least some of the above activities.
Good for her, for going ahead, no matter what.
And I hope, separately, that she is one hell of a writer.
@f00l
I, too, hope she’s a heck of a writer. I know enough to know I don’t know enough to judge such things. Then there are spousal biases that would cloud my objectivity. So I stay out of reviewing her work. Contemporary women’s fiction isn’t my bag, either, so I have no basis to critique it anyway.
That is a tough lesson for her. She struggles with the loss of control, recognizing the limits of her abilities, and giving up independence by depending on other people that can have a huge effect just starting out.
Another challenge is the people that do specialize in those abilities don’t work for free, and quality varies, just like anything else. So she also has to make tough budget and hiring decisions - for each one she ‘outsources’ to a freelancer in the gig economy. Welcome to HR and management, LOL.
Lastly, the money for hiring all those specialists is taken from the money for our other needs.
There is no free lunch, it seems, in anything.
CyberStorm is free until midnight tonight
Free Kindle edition
Various bestsellers in sale today until midnight Pacific time.
Kindle editions.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=s9_acsd_hps_bw_clnk_r?node=6165851011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-2&pf_rd_r=S5A73BCB9WSN91P6N1NH&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=efbd074c-33ab-4b82-9b90-7265f897ce5d&pf_rd_i=11552285011
@f00l
Speaking of Christopher Moore…
https://www.amazon.com/Sacre-Bleu-Comedy-Christopher-Moore-ebook/dp/B005UD1GQY/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1530813926&sr=8-8
New book by S M Stirling - alternative history but not a part of the change theory.
Loving it
https://smstirling.com/books/black-chamber/
Shelter in Place by Nora Roberts. The story follows the lives of some individuals who survived a mass shooting. Fast read – great beach book.
Some pretty good DOTD Kindle books. As of this posting you have about 1-1/2 hours to grab them.
Bout, Michener, Wolfe, Scalzi, etc. Take a look.
@f00l
https://www.amazon.com/b/ref=KCdls_brws_kdd?ie=UTF8&node=6165851011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-leftnav&pf_rd_r=CWXPWJC2TMBVRP01MQ10&pf_rd_r=CWXPWJC2TMBVRP01MQ10&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=390896f8-1f86-4b41-a6f9-7df57e23ea75&pf_rd_p=390896f8-1f86-4b41-a6f9-7df57e23ea75&pf_rd_i=3441883011
@f00l SO MUCH WOLFE. Or really, some Wolfe. Enough to be excited. Any is good. But all I want is The Shadow of the Torturer. But I only want to spend a dollar. I will buy these anyway.
@mossygreen
Remember, can prob borrow the e-book for free from your local library, if you have a library card.
@f00l I know, and come to think of it, I’m pretty sure the library actually has a physical copy of it. But I have the other three books in that particular series, and they were 50¢ each many years ago at a book sale. I feel mildly incomplete.
J.K. Rowling’s next Cormoran Strike novel Lethal White coming in September
http://ew.com/books/2018/07/10/jk-rowling-cormoran-strike-novel-lethal-white-release-date/
Fwiw I love this series.
Kindle Oasis 8th gen
(previous gen) (not waterproof)
(Leather charging cover)
Are showing up for decent prices in the Amazon warehouse.
I don’t think Amazon will do better re pricing on these on prime day proper … the supply is too uncertain
But of course I dont know for sure.
To see the selection options go here:
(Use desktop view)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B011WESR1G/ref=olp_twister_all?ie=UTF8&mv_color_name=all&mv_configuration=all&mv_connectivity_technology=all
Currently $124 to $152. Depending on options chosen.
While not waterproof, this is a really nice e-reader.
Amazon did have a brief flash sale on the 9th (and current) gen (waterproof) Kindle Oasis. They may will discount this current versions again over Prime Day, if that is your preference.
To see the current generation (not on sale at the instant of my past), go here:
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_p_36_1?fst=as%3Aoff&rh=n%3A16333372011%2Cn%3A2102313011%2Cn%3A6669702011%2Ck%3Akindle+oasis+7"%2Cp_36%3A2661616011&keywords=kindle+oasis+7"&ie=UTF8&qid=1531691979&rnid=2661611011
Amazon prime day Kindle book deal that will actually let you check out:
https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/firstreads/ref=s9_acss_bw_cg_AFRPD18_1a1_w?tag=slickdeals&ascsubtag=dc353584893e11e8baa802fafdfe01860INT&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-4&pf_rd_r=8A8XGJBXWATND4HA2H6R&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=ebf3062f-0fcb-4361-a773-53b2ee7b3d7d&pf_rd_i=17276826011
@f00l I had totally missed this. Thanks!
The volumes app from Penguin Random House has free audio books every month. Right now it’s a Minecraft book by a Max Brooks, the guy who wrote World War Z and narrated by Jack Black. Sounds interesting.
@sammydog01
Thx.
Link? Or get the app?
@f00l I don’t know how to get there other than the app. It’s called volumes- one freebie every month.
@f00l @sammydog01 I think it’s iOS only, right?
@f00l @therealjrn I’m iOS so I don’t know. Sorry.
I’m sure everyone’s sick of amazon prime stuff, but if you’re prime, right now buying the one of the e-books at the top of their weekly chart will net you 75% of the purchase price as a rebate on another kindle book.
https://www.amazon.com/charts/mostsold/fiction/?pf_rd_p=d2099f74-c36b-41c1-a0b9-d7f88a206283&pf_rd_s=detail-ilm&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B072F3MYRH&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=R75RE13Z3B1FPKYAKNW7&pf_rd_r=R75RE13Z3B1FPKYAKNW7&pf_rd_p=d2099f74-c36b-41c1-a0b9-d7f88a206283
And any kindle book purchase will net you 30% of the purchase price as a rebate on another kindle book.
https://www.amazon.com/b/?node=6165847011&pf_rd_p=32ab9ef3-dab5-4767-a0bb-ce012f8fef02&pf_rd_s=detail-ilm&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B074ZR3ZLM&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=GK70BBSJ1NBS600QFSZA&pf_rd_r=GK70BBSJ1NBS600QFSZA&pf_rd_p=32ab9ef3-dab5-4767-a0bb-ce012f8fef02
I’m sure there’s a way to optimize this.
Audible promotional offer: Use book 2 credits, receive a $5 account credit. Use 3 book credits, receive a $10 account credit. Offer available until 7/18 and is available for current members only. (that’s TODAY only kiddies)
If you have any credits banked up, now’s the time to grab a few items from your wish list and cash in.
The Brilliance Audio online bookstore audiobookstand.com is closing down. They are offering thousands of titles, all clearance priced, with many hundreds of titles offered at $4 with free shipping.
These are distributed on CD, so if you want to listen from a phone, etc, you’ll need to rip them using a computer. If you’re a car commute listener like me, just dust off your CD player and use that.
Super sweet. Grabbed 4 books from my Audible wish list for $17 delivered. 3 of them are in MP3-CD format, so those are a simple drag-copy to my phone, or SD card (my car receiver has a SD slot).
I plan on going back for more, but it’s getting late and I’m done for tonight. Didn’t want to wait for the morning and have any of my selections sell out.
@ruouttaurmind I use my CD player all the time. Nobody told me I had to dust it.
@ruouttaurmind Well, I ordered 7 “books”. You sure know how to help me spend my money.
@Barney I’m good like that.
@ruouttaurmind
Good deal!
Although I hate listening to audiobooks on a CD player. Since you can’t jump back 30 sec.
So I rip them.
@f00l Of the books I looked at, probably 2/3 were available in MP3-CD. Ripping not required!
@ruouttaurmind
Getting them off the damned CD required tho.
@f00l I love CD’s.
@Barney
Not me, at least not for audiobooks.
@Barney So… this must be nirvana for you.
@ruouttaurmind I could wallpaper my walls with CD’s that color.
I keep going back to this sale, shopping for more titles. Although I’ve already digested this one, David Wong’s Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits is available for $4.
Christie Romano does a suitable job with the narration. I think she’s a great choice for this story.
If you’re a fan of near future semi-distopia, or of David Wong’s John Dies series (this one is not part of that series), I highly recommend.
I received my books on cd order last night. Only 2 on CD, the others are MP3-CD. I was hoping the MP3-CDs would play in my car CD player, but no joy. They do play in my truck though. Both are stock GM equipment, and the truck is 8 years older than the car. I guess GM decided it wasn’t a popular feature and dropped it from newer models.
Anyway, the merch is as described. All new, sealed, appears 100% genuine.
Oh, and the order was fulfilled by Amazon.
Kindle version $1.99
Neal Stephenson
Snow Crash: A Novel
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FBJCJE?ascsubtag=d4a58a988e3a11e8b43b5281c35caba30INT&tag=slickappfp-20&ref_=navm_em_hd_re_signin&_encoding=UTF8&
Newly free reading for Amazon prime and Kindle unlimited readers:
@f00l
@f00l
@f00l
@f00l
@f00l
@f00l
@f00l I downloaded the Tyson book- the email I got said it’s leaving August first so I guess I need to read fast. Also I highly recommend the Feynman book. It’s one of the few actual books I own.
@sammydog01
Anything Feynman is always good. He’s a wonderful writer as well as being a legendary physicist.
Alan Light
Let’s Go Crazy: Prince and the Making of Purple Rain
Kindle e-book
Currently $.99 which is way lower than usual.
https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Go-Crazy-Prince-Making-ebook/dp/B00IWTWLZI/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?tag=slickdeals&ascsubtag=2cb9fd348f6e11e8ba0826bedd00fd3a0INT&_encoding=UTF8&qid=1532453394&sr=8-2
You can get 63 hours worth of Sherlock Holmes stories from the Play Store in audiobook form for $0.99
https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details?id=AQAAAEAMvzf_KM
@PlacidPenguin I bought this last year. It was excruciating to get through. Way too long, and AC Doyle’s literary style has not aged well, making it seem even longer.
I can’t recommend this one. Not even for a buck.
@ruouttaurmind
So would you say that it would be better to put a dollar bill in an air fryer?
@PlacidPenguin Waste the same dollar, in a fraction of the time, without being dragged on a tortuous 63 hour journey to that bit nearer insanity? ”Indubitably.”
@ruouttaurmind
Well if you’re resigned to waste a dollar that way, I’ll gladly take that dollar bill instead.
@PlacidPenguin @ruouttaurmind
I still love the SH stories. ACD’s quality did fade some in the later stories but they are still very readable, as SH is still present.
Audible members only Sci-fi and Fantasy sale until August 2nd. Titles start at $5. This is a good opportunity for @f00l and I to maximize the value of the Audible coupon offer we earned a couple weeks ago.
Titles I recommend from this sale:
The Spaceship Next Door by Gene Doucette
Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong
Just One Damned Thing After Another - The Chronicles of St. Mary’s Book 1 by Jodi Taylor
Off to be the Wizard by Scott Meyer (this is most definitely not Ulysses or War and Peace, just total fun and possibilly a bit on the juvenile side; definitely kid-friendly)
@ruouttaurmind
There are some really good books in this sale, including some unabridged classics.
Sale include many big names from the post and present. Including unabridged Tolkien.
Beware of abridgements tho. I think only a few offerings are abridged, but if you love a book or a fiction writer, what is the point of an abridgement?
Unfortunately, the Douglas Adams Dirk Gently book offered is an abridgement.
Go for the real book. Don’t waste money on the shortened version.
@ruouttaurmind
Ok I’m going to backtrack myself.
The Douglas Adams Gently abridgement might be worth it if you are a big fan, because Adams himself did the narration of the abridged version.
Abridged books were pretty common back then (1970s-1990s), because people listened in cars during commutes, using cassette tapes. So many tapes per book!!!
And audiobooks were so expensive that only the abridgements were really affordable.
People who wanted the unabridged version of an audiobook (if it existed) usually got it from the library, if the library even had it. Because $$$$
@f00l I got The Fellowship of the Ring as one of my “use 2 credits get $10” a couple weeks ago. RE: abridgements, I fanatically avoid them. I would feel like I was missing out on something important if I didn’t have the complete story.
@ruouttaurmind
True re abridgements.
The cutting seems to take out all the subtlety, for starters. In general I despise them.
I would consider buying the Gently book in this sale, just because it’s Adams doing the narration. I already own the full version of this audiobook.
I would consider purchasing this abridgement, as a tribute to Adams, and because he is a delightful narrator.
Douglas Adams books were the first books I purchased when I discovered Audible.
You know he wrote for Doctor Who was back when, right?
BTW I think that the unabridged Inglis-narrated The Hobbit is also included in this sale.
There are some really good books on the “classics” part of the sale. I’ve barely started looking thru the rest of it.
It’s amusing to see that I already own so many.
Mostly as yet unlistened-to.
*If there were but world enough, and time …"
BTW I’ll take so at your “recommends”. Thx.
@f00l I did The Hobbit last year and didn’t love it. But everyone here assured me Fellowship was so much better, so I’m on board to give it a go.
RE: Adams, I don’t appreciate HHGTTG at all, but I loved Long Dark Teatime. I appreciated it so much, I’m going to have to switch to print to get the full Dirk Gently experience.
I am aware of the Dr. Who connection. Don’t care for Who, but I really liked the Torchwood spinoff.
@ruouttaurmind
The Hobbit was written to be read aloud to pre-school and elementary level kids.
To adults, it disappoints. tho parts of it (the Gollum riddle contest) are extremely well done. It just skews too young.
But LOTR is another story.
Warning, it takes quite a while to get going. Just make it to Weathertop or Rivendell, and tool be ok. After that it moves.
@ruouttaurmind
HHGTTG in its original form was a multi-part broadcast radioplay. And as such it was/is delightful.
The books are an adaptation. Kind of a “novelization”. I have known people who loved the radioplay but didn’t like the books so much.
@f00l @ruouttaurmind I loved the HHGTTG series until I listened to the radio show, at which point I still loved it, but more as something that reminds me of THIS OTHER GREAT THING than for itself.
The best book I’ve read in months: From the Corner of the Oval.
The roles of White House stenographer and all the other invisible staffers who work for the President are much, much clearer now. It’s told as a memoir of a former English teacher who was hired as a Civil Service staffer during Obama’s first term, and who fell in love with the office, and with several people during her time there. I love behind-the-scenes books, and I’ve never read one like this. It’s hilarious, sad and incredibly vivid.
New York Review of Books has a summer sale and they are full of very good books you might never have heard of
@slydon Any recommendations?
@sammydog01 All of them. I’ve never read a bad NYRB book. Also:
Black Wings Has My Angel
The Rim Of Morning
Fear (omg this one was so good)
Katalin Street
and probably Sand and The Troubles which are now on my to-read shelf along with like seven more that aren’t currently on sale but were a month ago.
@slydon My daughter read Black Wings Has My Angel for her noir class and really liked it. I’ll track down her copy.
There’s no August book thingy, so I’ve come here with some urgent news:
Audible members with active subscriptions: Write a review today, get a $5 credit. Good for today only, August 6th.
Tagging @f00l to make sure the offer is seen in time to fire off a quick review and get the $5.
@f00l Did you take advantage of this offer? I submitted a review, but haven’t received my credit yet. I was curious if you did this and whether you received a credit?
@f00l Nvm. Audible CS replied to my inquiry:
Let me quickly go ahead and check it for you.
I have checked and can confirm you that the $5.00 coupon for writing a review will be dropped into your account no later than 8/31/18.
I appreciate your time and patience in this matter.
If you have any other query, please contact us. We are here 24/7 to help you.
Have a great day ahead.
I was gonna use this coupon for purchase of one of the current “Wish List” sale titles. Fortunately that sale continues until 9/2. So if Audible is true to their plan, I will just wait until next weekend to make my purchase.
@ruouttaurmind
I meant to do it. But that was an awful day and I never got around tuit.
: (
For Audible members (account holders who have credit subscriptions):
Maisie Dobbs
By Jacqueline Winspear
Free today, until midnight Pacific time
https://mobile.audible.com/ep/listenerlove?ref=a_home-page_c4_banner_img_0&pf_rd_p=8638c233-c23e-4f22-a631-206a89760d4d&pf_rd_r=RQA7A6B3PZRQKHR0X9Y4&
@f00l Got it. Thank you!
American History E-book Box Set
From: Amazon, Google, Rakuten, BN, Books A Million
Links here:
https://slickdeals.net/f/11910475-american-history-e-book-box-set-kindle-edition-google-ebook-1?src=SiteSearchV2Algo1
All four David McCullough books for $1 total:
Includes four titles:
“John Adams”
The magisterial, Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of the independent, irascible Yankee patriot, one of our nation’s founders and most important figures, who became our second president.
“1776”
The riveting story of George Washington, the men who marched with him, and their British foes in the momentous year of American independence.
“Truman”
The Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Harry Truman, the complex and courageous man who rose from modest origins to make momentous decisions as president, from dropping the atomic bomb to going to war in Korea.
“The Course of Human Events”
In this Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities, David McCullough draws on his personal experience as a historian to acknowledge the crucial importance of writing in history’s enduring impact and influence, and he affirms the significance of history in teaching us about human nature through the ages.
@f00l I will never freaking read these but I bought them anyway.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@sammydog01
Well written history is great. And fun.
Even better in audiobook format. Esp if you are a busy person.
Have any taste for that?
(Unfortunately the audiobook versions are not included in this sale to my knowledge)
@f00l Ever read The Glorious Cause by Jeffrey Shaara? Novelization of history/historical novel of American Revolutionary War? Covers major historical facts pretty well, while inventing dialog based on letters & other traditional sources.
@compunaut
I own more history and historically accurate fiction than I have read. Yet to dive into the American Revolutionary War.
At least I won’t run out of books!
Audible member perk for today:
https://mobile.audible.com/ep/listenerlove?ref=a_home-page_c4_banner_img_0&pf_rd_p=8638c233-c23e-4f22-a631-206a89760d4d&pf_rd_r=9S72K6WT37WD00HCN448&
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008IU9IVG/ref=s9_acsd_hps_bw_c_x_5_w?tag=slickdeals&ascsubtag=d4232d6e9bdc11e8b0ec7276c69fe3700INT&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-2&pf_rd_r=CG4BAQ6AJAD62Z1GZKF4&pf_rd_r=CG4BAQ6AJAD62Z1GZKF4&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=efbd074c-33ab-4b82-9b90-7265f897ce5d&pf_rd_p=efbd074c-33ab-4b82-9b90-7265f897ce5d&pf_rd_i=11552285011
Hunter S. Thompson:
Hell’s Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga [Kindle Edition]
for $1.99
@f00l Jack Reacher is one of my overall favorite characters ever, with Lee Child of course being one of my favorite authors.
Audible listener love offer today: Silver Linings Playbook free for current members.
@ruouttaurmind
Thx.
I thought the audible “member appreciation week” was a bit lame.
But then I already owned 2 of the 3 free books.
Maybe I’m just greedy.
In years past they offered all of the past year’s daily deals one more time at the deal price.
Or offered the top 100 selling daily deal books from the past year at the deal price.
I liked those much better.
Specially since this year I did miss one I wanted (was “overworked”)
Gen. WH McRaven’s
Make Your Bed
Was a daily deal at a great price. And I own the Kindle book.
I just don’t wanna spend $10 or a credit on an audiobook that’s (unabridged) less than 2 hours long, even if the General does the narration himself.
So they say they have “big news” coming for members later this week.
I like them the way they are. Very much.
I hope I don’t hate whatever changes they decide on.
So many “changes and updates to make things even better for the customers!” are nothing but crap.
@ruouttaurmind
BTW Silver Linings Playbook is also a bit lame as a freebie.
For starters, it’s a decent novel, but by no means close to a great one. I’m kinda amazed it got so much attention, tho it’s fine as is.
Second, that book was a “free listen” in the audible app for some time, for Amazon Prime members, as one of the Prime membership perks.
I’m betting that way way more than half of the audible account-holders with credit subscription memberships are also prime members.
So the book was already a free listen for so many audible listeners. Tho perhaps not so many went to look within the app, and so became aware of that.
@f00l
IMHO, that is marketingspeak. Permit me to translate: “We ‘bout ta give ya less and charge ya more for it!”
RE: Silver Linings, I have trouble listening to those Prime freebies. I listen primarily on my drive to work and there are enough cell signal holes to interrupt the data stream. The Audible app is really bad at buffering and recovering. Devs should have built in a bigger buffer overhead into the app to minimize the interruptions. So… I grabbed this book. Because, free. It wasn’t a great film, so maybe the book is better.
Speaking of Audible… I’m headed back to UK in September. My devious plan while I’m there: There are a couple Audible titles I want, but due to licensing issues, they aren’t available here in the states, or only abridged version is available. But the full version is available in UK. So I’ll grab them from Audible.co.uk while I’m there. Once downloaded to my device, I own them. I’ll be able to listen when I return to US in October.
@ruouttaurmind
I tried to do just that (purchase stuff from audible.co.uk) from here (US) a some years back.
Before I realized that it wasn’t legal or valid due to copyright issues. And before I read up on what happened to those who took it a bit further than I did.
Sigh
Please be careful attempting this. Or don’t do it. You might dig yourself into a big legal hole.
In the first place
You actually have to actually move to the UK.
Legally move, according to the regulations.
Visits don’t count.
I think you need:
A valid UK address (such as, you own or lease or rent a property, not that you just stay with friends or stay in a hotel or Airbnb.
You must have
A valid UK credit or debit card or bank account for the billing, attached to your Amazon account.
They may want more. Such as proof of legal residence. Or proof of residence. Or a local drivers license.
They are fine about normal purchases. It’s the e-media purchases that triggers the issues.
Next you have to either:
change your account to be UK based. (This may limit your access to digital media purchased here), but doing this won’t get you into trouble with Amazon, so long as you meet the rules, whatever they are. But then you can’t purchase, and may not be able to access your previously purchased, US digital media. I don’t know all the caveats.
Or
Create a new account based there. This is a bad idea.
If you try to cover your tracks so that you can use both US digital media and UK digital media, Amazon will know it’s the same person, no matter how you try to cover your tracks, so don’t try to cover them.
I mean it. If someone want to have two Amazon identities from diff counties, they can use all the chained anon hops through weird counties they want to cover their tracks, Amazon has massively enough data about people that if persons buy digital media from Amz in two diff counties, Amazon will spot it eventually. Or quickly.
It’s just not something to try to get away (the two identities in various counties). Amazon catches it in the end. Various NSA and CIA type operatives and experimental security hackers might pull this off.
The average very very tech-savvy citizen (including those who used to read 2600 or who attend the Vegas and NYC hacker conventions) will eventually get nailed if they try this with Amazon.
We leave so many digital traces … And again has as much or more data than Google or FB. Plus they prob have far more financial data.
This is a tricky issue.
Some persons have been cut off from all digital media previously purchased (purchasing money refunded I think) and not allowed to purchase any more digital media, from Amazon, ever.
Other persons who tried the two accounts method got their Amazon accounts closed. For good. And they were banned from opening new Amazon accounts. Sometimes the ban even extended to family members, if Amazon felt like it.
Rare but has happened.
Amazon is pretty hard-assed about this.
I think it’s a political thing.
The media (e-book, music, audiobook, video, whatever) is licensed for sale to legal residents of a specific location.
Amazon (or any e-tailer) assumes the responsibly to police and enforce geo-restriction on the purchasing public as part of the deal to get permission to sell the licensed content in a location.
Amazon runs over so many businesses and grabs so much market that used to belong to many operators. Amazon is always in trouble or on the verge of being in trouble.
So, my theory is, this is one of the areas where Amazon is happy to be the enforcer and to play by the rules to the extreme. Since they are busy bulldozing so much else of local enterprise, as they please.
Anyway, what Amazon does here is a part of the standard contract they have with media rights holders. Same deal with B&N and digital rights holders. or whoever else. All the companies that sell digital media are supposed to do this.
If it were me, and I were visiting, I would attempt no local e-media purchases without talking to Amazon CS in depth.
If I were moving, I would also talk to Amazon CS in depth. To understand what I was gaining and losing by moving my account to a diff country.
And to understand about my potential access to digital media while I am in country #2, if this media were purchased while I was in country #1.
Also, if you are in the UK temp, with a US amazon account, can you still purchase US digital media while abroad? I don’t know.
If you change to an audible.co.uk account, you will prob lose any existing credits. And you will not be able to purchase from the audible.com store. And you will miss any deals or sales here. And I don’t know about whether you can access your US purchased content.
The entire thing is insanely frustrating.
The fact that media (normal media, not xxx) is available in one country, yet not in another, makes me want to scream.
And that the pricing differentials are so vast.
There are all kinds of stories of complications about this from Amazon’s past. It’s an anti-customer mess.
Another complication:
If you are visiting the UK and you want to use your audible.com account to purchase US deals, (and you have not changed your address or country), can you? I don’t know the answer, altho surely Amazon has worked this out.
Aside from all that, happy traveling!
@ruouttaurmind
As you can tell, I looked at this.
I gave up and got the books on CD and ripped them.
Or got them from the library.
Playing games about licensing and location to get the books in download format was not worth messing up with Amazon and losing access to Amazon’s existing or future e-content
Maybe what you want to do is ok. Just check first.
Don’t be devious. Amazon has already won the Big Data game.
@ruouttaurmind
Exactly
@f00l Maybe they’ll introduce something akin to Kindle Unlimited.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@f00l
Thank you for your comments. I always value your perspective. Always intelligent and well expressed.
Certainly a poor choice of wording on my part. It is not my intended purpose to somehow defraud or cheat Amazon UK or the author or licensing agency. I plan to purchase what I want with genuine £.
Although I wasn’t technically a resident of GB, I was there for several years on extended visits. I “lived” with my girlfriend in her flat, and therefore had a UK address. I opened an Amz account when I was there. In fact, I had a Amz UK account before I had a US account. Though we didn’t have a Prime membership.
When I eventually opened a US account with Amz, I didn’t make any effort to “join” or convert the existing UK account, I just maintained 2 separate accounts. I also joined Audible there before I had a US account. I spent a great deal of time traveling around England and Ireland, and found audiobooks were a welcomed break from music.
I have purchased several titles there without incident. I’m confident I won’t have an issue. As far as licensing… I have not read the full text of their licensing agreements with various publishers, but I suspect it’s limited to where they can sell a title, and likely makes no mention of where that title can be listened to. I’m reasonably confident there isn’t a conflict. Contacting Customer Service would likely yield a different result dependent upon exactly which CS rep handled the inquiry.
I’m not stealing anything, I’ll be paying for what I download, and I’ll be downloading it while I’m in England. I feel like I’ll be following the spirit of the licensing and probably the letter of the license as well.
Consider purchasing a book while on holiday in another country that isn’t published in the US. Would you speculate you would have to read the book only in the country of origin? Or can you take that book home with you? Or a music CD? Or DVD?
@f00l
I already know that answer: No. you have to open a UK account, or pay for shipping from the US fulfillment center. Some friends came to visit and tried to buy from the UK site. No go. CS advised them to just open a UK account and place their order. They had to use a local address, and CS recommended using the hotel or house where they were staying.
After that, easy peasy. Also, the CS rep suggested purchasing Amazon UK gift cards from a local shop so they would not be charged exorbitant currency conversion rate some credit card companies charge.
Also, I was not able to access my online media accounts while I was there. Movies and music which were already downloaded to my laptop worked fine, but streaming media from Amz, Google and UltraViolet wouldn’t play due to region restrictions. All the stuff already on my hard drive ran fine. No DRM issues at all.
@ruouttaurmind
I knew you weren’t stealing or proposing to.
You seen to have this worked out.
I was not talking about physical goods. I have purchased those from Amazon.co.uk with my existing US account. No probs ever.
I was trying to purchase from audible.co.uk from here. Texas. No personal justification to travel to the UK now or then, sadly. : (
I was open about it. I created a new account at UK audible and then tried to buy their daily deals and also books not licensed on the audible US site. No go.
So I called CS for that site and had a couple of long talks with them. They basically said “not allowed”.
So I started reading up. And found that there were legal ways to go back and forth with your account, but that if you weren’t in the country, you could run into problems, and some persistent “abusers of geo-restrictions” had been locked out of Amazon altogether.
After that I let the issue alone and just ordered what I wanted on CD if audible.com didn’t have it.
Good luck I hope you get what you want.
And have a splendid time across the pond.
BTW
Are you a Harry Potter fan?
Her you can by the excellent Jim Dale narration of these books (he is a native Brit so the account is fine and he is amazing and win tons of awards for the narration.)
The you can buy the likewise totally excellent Stephen Fry narrations. Also amazing. I own these on CD.
There is a lot of stuff argument about which is best. Bullshit, I say. They are both wonderful.
The two did versions exist because the text barriers slightly between the “UK and ex-empire” text copy and the “international” text copy.
Rowling included so much rather insular Brit-speak slang that the original US&world publisher, Scholastic, decided to edit slightly to more “international English slang” here and there in the book.
The changes are miniscule. But that’s why the are competing wonderful narrations.
So if you are in Brit-land, you could pick those UK audio versions up. Only then you can’t listen to them here.
So maybe instead just get what you want on CD, used (and cheaper than audible) from alibris or eBay or Amazon or another bookstore that stocks used CDs? And rip and listen whenever/wherever you want to?
If you do that, on Android, I like smart audiobook player or listen audiobook player.
On iOS, unfortunately, there isn’t a good solution unless you load the books into iTunes and mark them as audiobooks within iTunes.
I’ve tried various mp3 audiobook apps on iOS and they are junk or else I’m stupid. They can’t go from one file to the next. You have to load each file manually.
So I play mp3 audiobooks on Android.
@ruouttaurmind
Eek. I tried to fix the many errors in that and went over the 5 min edit window.
Sorry.
@f00l I just started the first of the audiobooks on CD I ordered from Brilliance Audio a couple weeks ago (Run Program by Scott Meyer). TBH, I like listening on CD more than streaming from my phone to my car stereo via Bluetooth. No worries about pairing, signal loss, etc, and I can use the audio controls on my steering wheel. The only thing I don’t care for is flipping disks every 45 min. But overall, it’s a nice experience.
@ruouttaurmind
I don’t like streaming so much. Possible disconnections.
Not I do like dling the book and playing it from my phone to the attitude or my headset. V that’s the best.
I’ve been doing it for decades now, started with a tape player. Then CDs. Then file based.
After all that time, the controls are second nature. I use them without even thinking about it.
@f00l Could this be the “big news” Audible hinted at last week?
@ruouttaurmind
That looks interesting. Have not yet read the FAQ. But they sure don’t tell you much on the promo page.
https://www.audible.com/ep/aaptiv
Is where they list the programs.
Lazy post today.
http://www.audible.com/special-promo/2for1?ref=a_home-page_c0_zing_0&serial=&
I’ve been banking up credits for a 2-fer sale. There are a fair number of appealing titles in my preferred genre (sci-fi) but I guess I’ve been using Audible for so long… I already own most of them.
A few notables in that category:
Agent to the Stars - Written by Scalzi, narrated by Wheaton, total nonsensical fun
The Androids Dream - Another by the dynamic duo Scalzi and Wheaton, Earth-Outerspace adventure romp with aliens, futuristic tech and a love story
Fuzzy Nation - By… guess who? Scalzi and Wheaton, this is Piper’s Little Fuzzy retold by Scalzi
Master of Formalities - Written by Scott Meyer, read by my favorite narrator Luke Daniels, a little silly, a lot of fun
The Rolling Stones - Written by Robert Heinlein, read by Tom Weiner, part of Heinlein’s Luna stories and suitable for kids of all ages
Run Program - Written by Scott Meyer, read by Angela Dawe, AI program with the mentality of a 6 year old child manages to escape the confines of the lab computer it’s been running on via the interwebs and wreaks mischief around the world while being tracked down by it’s creators, the NSA and the US Army - it’s a typical Scott Meyer story - tending to stretch concepts and overlook details in the interest of telling a fun story
There are also a handful of Stephen King, Michael Crichton, a collection of shorts by PKD, a couple by Yahtzee Crowshaw, NOS4A2 by Joe Hill (read by Kate Mulgrew who always sounds like she’s pissed off at me when she reads) and a handful more.
No doubt there are plenty more titles in other genres, but I haven’t gotten to them yet.
@ruouttaurmind
Sounds really good. Tho I already own most or all of Scalzi and PKD.
You know that you can always get more credits, don’t you? At least you can if you have an annual credit subscription. I think you can do this for monthly subscriptions as well.
Just spend down to one or zero credits. And then an offer will pop up (top of the page for desktop view, on the side hamburger menu for mobile view), offering to sell you three more credits. Usually at the going price you pay per credit for your subscription credits, I think.
You can purchase three more credits every half hour or so, if you are on a mad book buying spree. The system doesn’t let you buy extra credits faster than that, I think.
If the offer does not show on the web page (as happens sometimes), then just call them. CS will offer to sell them to you over the phone and they will show up in your account when you refresh.
I really like Croshaw’s stories, but he insists on reading them himself and he just doesn’t have the skills. Better enjoyed in written form IMHO.
Today’s Kindle daily deal focuses on “classics and favorites”. 20 books, a pretty attractive selection.
https://www.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_1?ie=UTF8&node=6165851011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=mobile-hybrid-1&pf_rd_r=9VG4QDPM09N98MX4A099&pf_rd_r=9VG4QDPM09N98MX4A099&pf_rd_t=30901&pf_rd_p=b90ca407-3f0d-45f8-b0e5-d3df6ccd0c61&pf_rd_p=b90ca407-3f0d-45f8-b0e5-d3df6ccd0c61&pf_rd_i=11552285011
@f00l
@f00l
@f00l
@f00l
@f00l
@f00l
@f00l
Audible daily deal is worth a mention
The Worst Hard Time
The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl
By: Timothy Egan
$3.95 until midnight Pacific Time.
@f00l
URL.
https://mobile.audible.com/pd/History/The-Worst-Hard-Time-Audiobook/B002V1CKB8?ref=a_home-page_c11_dd&pf_rd_p=7aab5abf-532e-4bc0-a859-55391107b55a&pf_rd_r=EF7SDQ2F9QV6P4DE4JCX&
Kindle editions of two Pat Conroy novels are at very good prices at the moment.
https://www.amazon.com/Lords-Discipline-Novel-Pat-Conroy-ebook/dp/B003Y3BCS4/ref=mp_s_a_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1534162862&sr=1-16&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=pat+conroy
Pat Conroy
The Lords of Discipline: A Novel
Kindle Price: $1.99
https://www.amazon.com/Beach-Music-Novel-Pat-Conroy-ebook/dp/B005C2SOQ8/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1534162862&sr=1-11&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=pat+conroy
Pat Conroy
Beach Music: A Novel
Kindle Price: $2.99
I’ve no idea how long these prices will last.
@ruouttaurmind
I’ve just started looking at the current 2fer audible.com fiction sale.
Wow. It’s filled with bestsellers and important writers, or writers I really like, and I’ve barely looked at a few pages of offerings.
My budget will hurt over this.
Mona Lisa Overdrive
By William Gibson
E-book
$1.99 for Kindle version and on Google play
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/William_Gibson_Mona_Lisa_Overdrive?referrer=utm_campaign%3DSlickdeals&id=QojrNYyGMyEC
https://www.amazon.com/Mona-Lisa-Overdrive-Sprawl-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B009QJMUAY
@ruouttaurmind
Two books by Chuck Palahniuk are included in the current 2 books for credit audible sale; if you don’t already own them. Thought this kinda might be to your taste:
I found them under the “Editors Choice” category
Survivor
By: Chuck Palahniuk
Fight Club
By: Chuck Palahniuk
@f00l I actually have Survivor in my wish list as I continue to shop the selections. So far I’ve purchased 4 titles. I have 2 credits left so I’m scouring the list to see if there’s anything I’ve missed.
Fight Club… I found the movie a little too nutty, so a friend loaned me the book. I never got around to finishing it. It just didn’t draw me in.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@f00l @ruouttaurmind I can vouch for Survivor. It kept me awake and engaged during an all-night drive about 2.5 years ago. I really enjoyed it.
@ruouttaurmind
Only 4? So far?
Hmmm. Maybe I should work on self-restraint.
But re books?
/giphy nah
@f00l I already owned maybe a dozen. So now about 16ish of those in the sale. Most of the others aren’t really interesting for my taste. I’m looking through for any I missed on the first couple passes.
The romance and historical fiction don’t interest me at all. There’s a ton of Danielle Steel so all those are definitely out. Lots of Grisham, but I’m not a fan. Not generally interested in mystery/thriller, but I’m pouring through those looking for gems.
Plus, I have around 60 or so in my library I have yet to digest, so there’s that too.
@ruouttaurmind
So I won’t mention how many thousands I have in my libray, yet unlistened to.
Actually, I have no idea the count.
(Bought tons back when you could buy a cheap or on sale Kindle version and pay something like $2.99 extra for the audible. Then they raised the audible add-in prices. So I stopped doing that unless I really cared about the book.)
Re Grisham … Not a huge fan. But decent beach reading. I figure his books are worth $5.
The book I bought to read on the cruise came in and it’s freaking enormous, lol. 700pg trade paperback. I don’t think I can cram it in my suitcase. Guess I’ll take paperbacks and read this one when I get home. Too bad I don’t enjoy elecronic formats, I have a couple hundred books on my tablet but never any desire to read them.
@ruouttaurmind
When you have time, please tell me some of the e-books and audible books not available here that you plan to purchase while you are in the UK.
So envious.
Hope you have a blast.
@f00l There is a series written by Irish author Roddy Doyle. He is best known for The Barrytown Trilogy (The Commitments, The Snapper, The Van all became movies, and the final book in 2015, The Guts making it a quadrilogy).
Mr. Doyle wrote another series titled Last Roundup. I listened to the last in the series, The Dead Republic via Audible, but titles 1 and 2 (A Star Called Henry and Oh, Play That Thing) aren’t available in the US. At least not in unabridged format.
This series is similar to the Ghosts of Belfast books. It chronicles the life and times of Henry Smart as he grows up, and the circumstances which take him from childhood, to IRA freedom fighter in Ireland, to his escape to the US, Henry’s eventual employment by John Ford (the director) in Hollywood in the '40s and '50s, and Ford’s film project about Henry’s life (The Quiet Man). Finally, in the 1970’s Henry returns home to Ireland and becomes a publicity pawn for the IRA.
Anyway, I know how the story ends, I’d kinda like to experience how it began!
@ruouttaurmind
Abridged = ugh.
/giphy Snoopy bleah
@f00l If it’s an abridged version of something, I may as well just read the Cliffs Notes. Or skip reading altogether and watch the movie. Or just have someone tell me about it.
For you Simpson fans out there this is a really fun beach read or listen.
Springfield Confidential: Jokes, Secrets, and Outright Lies from a Lifetime Writing for The Simpsons
Mike Reiss
@readnj
Link?
@f00l @readnj
https://www.amazon.com/Springfield-Confidential-Outright-Lifetime-Simpsons/dp/0062748033/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534432223&sr=8-1&keywords=springfield+confidential+book
@f00l @readnj And while looking that up I found a three buck book on SNL which looks pretty good.
https://www.amazon.com/Live-New-York-Complete-Uncensored/dp/031629506X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1534432268&sr=1-1&keywords=snl
@readnj @sammydog01 … I’ve listened to the SNL book. Good behind the scenes history. I liked it.
@f00l thanks @sammydog was out of pocket all day and just saw this.
Kindle version
F Scott Fitzgerald
(his first published novel)
This Side Of Paradise
$5.95
During or after that purchase you can add the unabridged audible version for $.99.
Seems a decent price.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FC0VKW#mediaMatrix_secondary_view_div_1534527555175
Kindle daily deals contains some interesting items:
Several Shannara books by Terry Brooks
My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton
by Stephanie Dray
Since We Fell: A Novel
by Dennis Lehane
And some other decent looking offers
https://www.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_1?ie=UTF8&node=6165851011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=mobile-hybrid-1&pf_rd_r=4JM03SCVZ0FS6XSP9RDJ&pf_rd_r=4JM03SCVZ0FS6XSP9RDJ&pf_rd_t=30901&pf_rd_p=b90ca407-3f0d-45f8-b0e5-d3df6ccd0c61&pf_rd_p=b90ca407-3f0d-45f8-b0e5-d3df6ccd0c61&pf_rd_i=11552285011
In addition
The Kindle and the Nook versions of
Electric Dreams
By Philip K Dick
are $2.99 at the moment.
https://m.barnesandnoble.com/b/nook-daily-find/_/N-1p60
https://www.amazon.com/Philip-K-Dicks-Electric-Dreams-ebook/dp/B071K7TSYV/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1534564444&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=electric+dreams&dpPl=1&dpID=61LzW2yeQgL&ref=plSrch
All this thru midnight Pacific Time today.
A few very interesting and well-known books are in today’s Kindle daily deal list.
1Tom Clancy
2 JRR Tolkien
Several other name authors are included.
Prices good until midnight Pacific time.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=s9_acsd_hps_bw_clnk_r?node=6165851011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-2&pf_rd_r=YJ6PWWHE754933ARV73Q&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=efbd074c-33ab-4b82-9b90-7265f897ce5d&pf_rd_i=1155228501
(List to follow)
@f00l
@f00l
http://www.audible.com/ep/WL-Sale-2018
@ruouttaurmind
Nice sale. I haven’t even gone thru it all yet and I have 4-5 of these books sitting in my cart. Must see the full offerings then decide.
Fortunately for my budget I already own many of them.
For sure I will purchase Gen McRaven’s book.
I have been reading some of the self pub books that BookBub shows in my genre choices that are free or 99 cents (sometimes for up to 20 short novels) or 1.99. I often discover series that I like and the other books are often inexpensive too.
They are not Amacrap specific, many available from BN, goodreads and other ebook sites.
If you tend to like specific genres and don’t mind those or older books, I heartily recommend a subscription. It’s free. (You can download free books from their site directly too.)
I get credit for referrals if people subscribe, so whisper me an email if you want me to sent you an invite, or google if you don’t
I just listened to Horrorstor on audible for the second time. I love this book. The kindle version is two bucks.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JCRXBSU/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1535299086&sr=8-1
@sammydog01 So it’s good on audible? I found so much pleasure in the fake catalog design elements that I wasn’t sure I’d like it on kindle, let alone being read to me. I mean, it’s clearly a great book; I loved it so much that after I read it I told my mother the whole story while taking a walk, and then she read it that night and loved it too (and she’s not a horror person). It was so brilliantly designed as a physical book. Yet I’m tempted to buy it on kindle just to see…
@sammydog01 OH weird, I just found my copy while looking for something else. Is it a sign?
@mossygreen Definitely a sign! I picked up the audiobook at the library just randomly and hadn’t even seen the actual book. I kind of wish I had one although I did buy both the Audible and kindle copies when they were cheap. I like the recording- Bronson Pinchot reads the catalog entries which are my favorite part. Maybe I’ll put the real book on my wishlist and keep tabs on it. (My son loves Ikea and we’ve made a few road trips there in the past year.)
@sammydog01 Oh, I love Bronson Pinchot’s voice. That’s a brilliant choice.
Audible annual membership offer: $99.50 for a 1 year subscription (normally $15/mo). Get all 12 book credits up front, take up to a year to use them. Offer ends 9/15.
I did this last year and haven’t regretted it. The best part about getting all 12 credits up front is being able to get several books during a “Buy 2 get 1” sale without having to buy extra credits. I still have 2 left of my original 12 credits and have been able to get 15 books, and a $10 gift certificate. All for a hunnert bucks.
@ruouttaurmind
If someone already has a current membership they might not be able to take advantage of this unless they cancel the existing membership.
The member might want to call audible and talk with them first to be sure that will work
also any existing credits should be spent before cancelling.
Free audiobook from audible.
(I don’t know if this idea is for everyone, or just for members who have Audible subscriptions)
Pre-release offer:
https://mobile.audible.com/pd/Emma-Audiobook/B07F3YYJS2?qid=&sr=&ref=a_series_c4_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=e9d1cd18-ecb1-4912-b225-fa309efa6cc2&pf_rd_r=R41V5B8RKH7B440BKVDR
Emma
An Audible Original Drama
By: Jane Austen
Anna Lea - adaptation
Narrated by:
Emma Thompson,
Joanne Froggatt,
Isabella Inchbald,
Aisling Loftus,
Joseph Millson,
Morgana Robinson
Series: Audible’s Jane Austen
Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 09-04-18
Language: English
Publisher: Audible Studios
Fiction classics on Audible for $0.66. Hundreds of hours of fiction classics. Sherlock Holmes alone is 63 hours (barely a penny per hour!).
Sherlock Holmes Complete Collection
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
The Invisible Man
Collected Short Stories of HP Lovecraft
The Three Musketeers
Great Expectations by Dickens
There’s also some Jane Austin, but I’m not going to trifle with formatting links. Because, Jane Austin.
Just search Audible for the titles and scroll through the dozens of results until you find the ones that are $0.66:
Northanger Abbey
Sense and Sensibility
Mansfield Park
@ruouttaurmind The Three Musketeers is 28 hours abridged? Yikes. I picked up Holmes and Lovecraft. Thanks!
@ruouttaurmind @sammydog01
Three Musketeers is long and v good.
Almost everyone who starts it finishes.
Fear it not. It’s a treat.
@ruouttaurmind
PS if you find any more of these let us know.
@ruouttaurmind
These Audible books for $.66 seem to be performed by certain narrators.
They seem to largely lack reviews. But only 66 cents so not much if a risk.
The narrators I’ve found so far, and their Audible production:
“Sinead Dixon”
https://mobile.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Sinead+Dixon&ref=a_pd_The-Ad_c1_narrator_1&pf_rd_p=52918805-f7fc-40f4-a76b-cf1c79f7d10a&pf_rd_r=VXVESQZ5016D8A95NG1T&
“Brian Kelly”
https://mobile.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Brian+Kelly&ref=a_pd_Collec_c1_narrator_1&pf_rd_p=52918805-f7fc-40f4-a76b-cf1c79f7d10a&pf_rd_r=9ZZ25J4RCHT97YXHWYMQ&
“Sean Murphy”
https://mobile.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Sean+Murphy&ref=a_pd_Northa_c1_narrator_1&pf_rd_p=52918805-f7fc-40f4-a76b-cf1c79f7d10a&pf_rd_r=ZQRPCQ8SZFQDRB2WNNM9&
No indications of (pro or con) audio quality
He tries to work with twotS5individuals along the way.
@ruouttaurmind
No idea what I was trying to say there. Think I accidentally pasted something supposed to go into a text or something. ???
Browser was being cranky.
Oh well.
Not sure if it has been previously discussed, but have you heard of BookBub?
@riskybryzness I
BookBub. There’s hardly a day goes by that I don’t buy a book there.
@Barney Me too! I signed up last year I think, I’ve found so many great deals and even purchased a few things just because it was such a steal.
@riskybryzness Yep, just like me, you’re buying crap that you really don’t need just because it’s a bargain. Hmm, sounds like some other place that I hang out at.
@Barney @riskybryzness I’m trying to buy fewer books than I read. It never works though. At least they don’t clutter up the house.
@Barney @sammydog01 I got a kindle a while back to try and declutter my book buying habit…I still end up buying the books.
Failing at my own preventive measures.