Little Free Library
Here is our digital equivalent of a "Little Free Library" containing books, audio books, and related "library" materials that are in the public domain, or licensed for free distribution. If you've found a "treasure" that you would like to share here, please e-mail the details to me: (send mail to Jon Bek).
ePub Format
Some of the materials referenced here may be in ePub format. This is a robust electronic book format, but may be less familiar to you than .PDF, Kindle, or similar formats. You may obtain the Adobe Digital Editions reader for a variety of platforms (including smartphones, tablets, Mac, and PC) here: https://www.adobe.com/solutions/ebook/digital-editions/download.html.
The free Adobe Acrobat Reader is available here: https://get.adobe.com/reader/
The free Kindle Reader is available here: https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Digital-Services-LLC-Download/dp/B00UB76290
Free Audio Books
A wonderful source for free audio book editions of material that has passed into the public domain is https://librivox.org/. The free Librivox player App is available from the App store for your digital device, and you may also download audio files to burn to CD or to play on your digital device. This is a volunteer-driven project, and you may volunteer to be a reader to help record additional books for the Librivox library!
Title |
Author |
Link |
Comment |
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The Land of Little Rain |
Mary Austin |
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51893 Audio Book: https://librivox.org/the-land-of-little-rain-by-mary-hunter-austin/ |
“The Land of Little Rain by Mary Austin.” Project Gutenberg, 30 Apr. 2016, www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51893. Accessed 31 May 2020. Plot Summary (Wikipedia): "The Land of Little Rain is a collection of short stories and essays detailing the landscape and inhabitants of the American Southwest. A message of environmental conservation and a philosophy of cultural and sociopolitical regionalism[3] loosely links the stories together." Wikipedia Contributors. “The Land of Little Rain.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 6 July 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Land_of_Little_Rain. Accessed 31 May 2020. |
|
Roughing It |
Mark Twain |
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3177 Audio Book: https://librivox.org/roughing-it/ |
“Roughing It by Mark Twain.” Project Gutenberg, 3 July 2004, www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3177. Accessed 31 May 2020. Plot Summary (Wikipedia): "The book follows the travels of young Mark Twain through the Wild West during the years 1861–1867. After a brief stint as a Confederate cavalry militiaman (not included in the account), he joined his brother Orion Clemens, who had been appointed Secretary of the Nevada Territory, on a stagecoach journey west. Twain consulted his brother's diary to refresh his memory and borrowed heavily from his active imagination for many stories in the book." Wikipedia Contributors. “Roughing It.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 Nov. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roughing_It. Accessed 31 May 2020. Nota Bene: Some of Twain's material on indigenous people is racist and offensive. When encountered, it offers opportunity for a teachable moment and meaningful conversation about diversity, equality, race relations, and cultural sensitivity. |
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The Best American Humorous Short Stories |
Bunner et al. |
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10947 Audio Book: https://librivox.org/the-best-american-humorous-short-stories-by-alexander-jessup-editor/ |
Especially Recommended:"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" by Mark Twain
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MARK TWAIN'S LETTERS—1853-1866 |
Mark Twain |
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3193 Audio Book: https://librivox.org/the-letters-of-mark-twain-complete-by-mark-twain/ |
Especially Recommended: III. Letters 1861-62. On the Frontier. Mining Adventures, Journalistic Begginings; IV Letters 1863-64. “MARK TWAIN.” COMSTOCK JOURNALISM. ARTEMUS WARD
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My First Summer in the Sierra |
John Muir |
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/32540 Audio Book: https://librivox.org/my-first-summer-in-the-sierra-by-john-muir/ |
About Muir: "John Muir (/mjʊər/ MEWR; April 21, 1838 – December 24, 1914)[1] also known as "John of the Mountains" and "Father of the National Parks",[2][3] was an influential Scottish-American[4][5]:42 naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, glaciologist, and early advocate for the preservation of wilderness in the United States of America." Wikipedia Contributors. “John Muir.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 June 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Muir. Accessed 3 June 2020.
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A Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf |
John Muir |
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/60749 Audio Book: https://librivox.org/a-thousand-mile-walk-to-the-gulf-by-john-muir/ |
A Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf recounts Muir's walk of about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from Indiana to Florida. He had no specific route chosen, except to go by the "wildest, leafiest, and least trodden way I could find." This journal is the earliest of Muir's writings and autobiographically bridges the period between The Story of my Boyhood and Youth and My First Summer in the Sierra. (Summary from Wikipedia and Introduction) |
