Utah Pete another book, after Plum Island

[wyliec]

The Lion's Game with the same main character as in Plum Island.

I'm putting my NEMO Stargaze Recliner to good use. If I didn't have that, I probably wouldn't be reading.

[UtahPete]

The Lion's Game with the same main character as in Plum Island. I'm putting my NEMO Stargaze Recliner to good use. If I didn't have that, I probably wouldn't be reading.

Finished Plum Island. It was a good read. But I'm too cheap to buy another. Just started Leon Uris' The Haj.

[wyliec]

Finished Plum Island. It was a good read. But I'm too cheap to buy another. Just started Leon Uris' The Haj.

I just looked it up. It's a little too deep for me.

[rtotten]

UtahPete use the Public library... they are there for a reason. Or do what what my Dad used to do, find a used bookstore.

[UtahPete]

UtahPete use the Public library... they are there for a reason. Or do what what my Dad used to do, find a used bookstore.

We're on the road in Canada. Purely digital.

[Holly]

We're on the road in Canada. Purely digital.

There is an app called "OverDrive". It's free and has tons of great books.

[UtahPete]

There is an app called "OverDrive". It's free and has tons of great books.

Thanks. I'll check it out.

[bhern]

We're on the road in Canada. Purely digital.

Pete -- I haven't bought a book in years, and I'm completely digital (Kindle). Message me if you're not familiar with how that works, but in short, many libraries use OverDrive, a free application to manage and deliver digital titles. Here in Texas, many libraries only require a Texas driver's license to get a library card, meaning I have multiple outlets to check out digital titles, and am able to recommend titles that they don't yet have "in stock." They tend to be fairly responsive, especially for more popular authors. Even during the two years I lived in Hungary I was checking out books regularly from Texas!

(Speaking of popular authors, I love Leon Uris, but The Haj was not one of my favorites.)

[wyliec]

Pete -- I haven't bought a book in years, and I'm completely digital (Kindle). Message me if you're not familiar with how that works, but in short, many libraries use OverDrive, a free application to manage and deliver digital titles. Here in Texas, many libraries only require a Texas driver's license to get a library card, meaning I have multiple outlets to check out digital titles, and am able to recommend titles that they don't yet have "in stock." They tend to be fairly responsive, especially for more popular authors. Even during the two years I lived in Hungary I was checking out books regularly from Texas!

(Speaking of popular authors, I love Leon Uris, but The Haj was not one of my favorites.)

I can't ever finish a digital book. I got to have the hard copy in hand.

[UtahPete]

Pete -- I haven't bought a book in years, and I'm completely digital (Kindle). Message me if you're not familiar with how that works, but in short, many libraries use OverDrive, a free application to manage and deliver digital titles. Here in Texas, many libraries only require a Texas driver's license to get a library card, meaning I have multiple outlets to check out digital titles, and am able to recommend titles that they don't yet have "in stock." They tend to be fairly responsive, especially for more popular authors. Even during the two years I lived in Hungary I was checking out books regularly from Texas!

(Speaking of popular authors, I love Leon Uris, but The Haj was not one of my favorites.)

My wife checks out digital audio books from the local library. I've not been able to complete a book during the limited lending period because of other distractions, but that will probably change in the near future.

[JerryB]

Hi bhern,

Re: I'm completely digital (Kindle).

I own a Kindle & have read many books on it; although, I do prefer a hard bound copy if I can get it.

Your post has a lot of good info. However, it should be noted that not all authors allow their books to be accessed via Overdrive. My favorite author ( Michael Connelly ) is one.

Jerry Baumchen

[johnsimion]

The Lion's Game with the same main character as in Plum Island.

I'm putting my NEMO Stargaze Recliner to good use. If I didn't have that, I probably wouldn't be reading.

Have read many Nelson DeMille books. He is a talented writer and picks good topics but his main character is always the same, no matter what name, and he's always too much of a smart alec to the point it gets annoying. This is also a common complaint in his reviews on Amazon. DeMille also has a tendency to make unsatisfying endings. I always swear I won't read another of his books for those reasons but then eat my words.

[bhern]

Hi bhern,

Re: I'm completely digital (Kindle).

I own a Kindle & have read many books on it; although, I do prefer a hard bound copy if I can get it.

Your post has a lot of good info. However, it should be noted that not all authors allow their books to be accessed via Overdrive. My favorite author ( Michael Connelly ) is one.

Jerry Baumchen

Jerry -- I now know you to be a man of great taste, as Michael Connelly (creator of characters like Harry Bosch and Mickey "The Lincoln Lawyer" Haller) is one of my favorites, too. One of the reasons he's a favorite is that I've read almost everything he's written through Kindle versions checked out from my local libraries via OverDrive. I just logged onto the Houston Public Library's OverDrive catalog and see 35 Michael Connelly titles available in Kindle format.

So he's not blocking OverDrive access -- it is true that not everything is available on OverDrive, but let me lay a foundation for it first.

Libraries buy physical books from publishers to shelve and lend in their branches. In a similar way, they buy eBooks through OverDrive to "digitally shelve" in their OverDrive portal for library cardholders. Each library makes their own decision as to which eBooks to buy, how many and when they buy them, meaning each library's OverDrive portal has a different array of titles and depth thereof. (That's why it's useful to have multiple library cards -- especially if your local library is relatively small. While of course everything in Texas is bigger, there's certainly a difference between, say, the Houston Public Library's raft of eBooks and the Palestine Public Library's stash.)

So if you have a Houston Public Library Card, you can hop on to their OverDrive portal and check out the eBooks and audio books they have bought through OverDrive. And yes, they will often buy multiple copies of eBooks when, say, the latest Grisham, King, or yes, Connelly comes out. If I have the only copy of an eBook checked out, no one else can check it out until I check it in again or my term expires.

Now, back to the point you were making about availability. As I said, there's definitely no shortage of Michael Connelly, or any remotely interesting author that I've wanted to read for that matter. However, I do believe there is a growing wall with regard to the various Amazon publishing imprints. I think what is happening is that the Amazon-published titles are being confined to the Kindle Unlimited program, and not being offered to OverDrive. Some authors I really enjoy who publish through one of Amazon's imprints -- Barry Eisler, Barbara Nickles, et al -- do not have more recent titles available on OverDrive. I hope I'm wrong about this or if I'm not, that cooler heads will prevail to make library access to these titles a reality.

Anyway, the main point is that OverDrive through your local library is a great to read eBooks for free. Haven't bought a novel in over a decade. (I still buy certain non-fiction that doesn't lend itself to the eBook format.)

[wyliec]

UtahPete use the Public library... they are there for a reason. Or do what what my Dad used to do, find a used bookstore.

Yes, I know this is an old post, but I've been looking for this post for a while. I'm not sure if this person (member) is on here any longer. I just wanted to say
thank you. I never thought of the public library at the time. But, since then, the slip of paper I get with every book I check out gives me a running total of what I have saved and I have saved $3,235.23.

[Peteoz]

Yes, I know this is an old post, but I've been looking for this post for a while. I'm not sure if this person (member) is on here any longer. I just wanted to say
thank you. I never thought of the public library at the time. But, since then, the slip of paper I get with every book I check out gives me a running total of what I have saved and I have saved $3,235.23.

…..and I would just like to say that Plum Island is one of my all time favourite books, Wylie…..but then, all DeMille’s books are fabulous

Pete