The Best Free Kindle Books to Read
While some people may miss the feeling of turning pages or the satisfactory final shut when a book is finished, no one can deny the convenience of electronic reading. Not only do you not have to lug books around, but you can also fill up your collection of e-books for free.
If you bring up the Kindle Store page on Amazon, there are more than 10,000 e-books that you can read via Kindle at no cost . You likely will not have the time to read that many books in your lifetime, but it does give you a lot of options to choose from.
Things to Know About Kindle's Free Library
Even though having access to a free library is pretty neat, there are a few things to keep in mind. Do not expect to see any of the latest New York Times bestsellers on this list. Also, a significant number of these free e-books are either how-to guides or books in languages other than English (such as Arabic, Russian and Spanish). Finally, a lot of these free e-books are locked behind the Kindle Unlimited, so if you are not a subscriber of this service, you cannot read them for free.
This already cuts down the field of options, but do not worry. Everyone’s tastes are different, but we are going to give our recommendations for some of the best free e-books that you should download today. We will also give a list of recommendations for our readers who are Amazon Prime members, as you get even more free e-books to choose from.
Free Kindle E-Book Recommendations
'Les Misérables'
The classic novel by Victor Hugo, "Les Misérables" follows the ex convict Jean Valjean who after serving 19 years in prison, struggles his way through life after prison before taking the road to redemption for his past sins.
"Les Misérables" is one of the most heralded 19 century novels and is a must read for any literary aficionado. The story has been adapted countless times as a play, musical, film and even anime, but the novel remains the greatest version of "Les Misérables."
'Ulysses'
Written by James Joyce, "Ulysses" is a novel inspired by "Homer’s Odyssey." The story takes place in Dublin in 1904 and follows three main characters Leopold Bloom, Molly Bloom and Stephen Dedalus. The three characters draw parallels to "Odyssey’s" Odysseus, Penelope and Telemachus respectively.
Though surrounded by controversy at the time of its release, "Ulysses" has since gone on to become an acclaimed novel and Joyce’s most lauded work. The novel’s use of numerous literary styles displays Joyce’s mastery of his craft and makes "Ulysses" a must read.
'The Awakening of China'
History buffs are in for a treat with this one. Written by missionary William Alexander Parsons, this book details the evolution of politics and society in the nation of China as seen through the eyes of a westerner.
Spending nearly 70 years in China, William Alexander Parsons was able to witness the waning era of a Chinese dynasty and emperors, as well as the early years of China’s shift into a Republic and the rise of the Kuomintang. Anyone interested in the history of China should give this book a read.
The hardcover of "Awakening of China" would set you back a whopping $25, so you are getting a great deal here.
'Athens: Its Rise and Fall Series'
Edward Bulwer-Lytton may have had a fall from grace, but he left us with a lot of literary material worth remembering and reading. "Athens: Its Rise and Fall" is a perfect example.
It has a pretty self explanatory synopsis. If you have any interest in the intricacies of Athenian society at its highest and lowest points, this is the book for you.
Fair warning, while being known as an excellent piece of historical commentary, complaints of boredom and pedantry are quite common, so unless you really like history, you can probably give this a pass.
'Oliver Twist'
"'Please, sir, I want some more.'"
One of the many classic novels by Charles Dickens, the story follows an orphan of the same name in the middle 1800s. After living in a workhouse and shortly as an apprentice to an undertaker, Oliver escapes to London and comes under the wing of the Artful Dodger, the leader of a gang of child pickpockets who are trained by the elderly man Fagin.
Serving as the inspiration for the Disney animated film "Oliver and Company," "Oliver Twist" is a harsh and unapologetic telling of life in the middle 1800s for an orphaned child.
Take note that the e-book for this copy of "Oliver Twist" is currently unavailable. Keep checking from time to time to see if it is back up.
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Best Free E-Books for Kindle Unlimited Subscribers
Kindle Unlimited subscribers will have access to more than one million e-books. You can try the service out for 30 days for free. For people just interested in books, Kindle Unlimited is far better than Prime Reading. Here are some of our favorites.
'Allan Quartermain' Series
If the name Allan Quartermain sounds vaguely familiar, you may be thinking of the character portrayed by Sean Connery in the 2003 film "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen."
The "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" film is based on the comic book series of the same name. The character of Allan Quartermain was taken from the classic fantasy adventure series of novels by Henry Rider Haggard, of which Allan Quartermain serves as the main character.
The story of Allan Quartermain begins in the novel "King Solomon’s Mines," with Quartermain as a hunter and leader of an adventurer party in an unexplored region of Africa. His adventures only get zanier from there and Kindle Unlimited subscribers can enjoy every novel of the series for free.
"King Solomon’s Mines" serves as the standard for the lost world literary genre and we highly recommend this series to anyone, but especially those who enjoy adventure novels.
'Harry Potter' Series
Written by J.K Rowling, the "Harry Potter" series is about a boy with a lightning bolt scar on his forehead, a grey man without a nose, magic and something about expecting petroleum. Do not forget the game with flying broomsticks.
All jokes aside, if you somehow have not read all the "Harry Potter" books by now, be sure to do it.
'David Copperfield'
We could not help but include another Charles Dickens classic on this list and we decided to go with "David Copperfield."
The novel of "David Copperfield" is narrated by the man himself as he goes into detail about his life and the trials, tribulations and triumphs that have led him to become the man he is now.
Widely considered to be Dickens’ masterpiece of masterpieces, "David Copperfield" is a must read novel.
Best Free E-Books for Amazon Prime Subscribers
Amazon Prime subscribers enjoy a bevy of benefits, with one of them being access to Prime Reading. Prime Reading gives subscribers access to around 1,000 free e-books. Keep in mind that these e-books rotate regularly.
'Lord of the Rings' Series
If you have not read the "Lord of the Rings" novels, are you really a book enthusiast?
J.R.R. Tolkien’s magnum opus and the very best of literary fantasy, "Lord of the Rings" is a timeless series of literature. The films are classics themselves, but there is much more depth in the novels. Movies have time restraints and cannot fully paint a picture or set a scene. Not to the degree that novels can. Do yourself a favor this winter and binge read "Lord of the Rings."
'The Handmaid’s Tale'
Taking place in a twisted dystopia reality where infertility rates are incredibly high, handmaidens are used as breeding tools to give birth to children for people who struggle to conceive. Written by Margaret Atwood, the story mainly follows the handmaiden Offred and her journey in this terrible alternate future.
"The Handmaid’s Tale" has been adapted into a critically acclaimed television series starring Elisabeth Moss, which is well worth watching. Like every television show based on a book, we highly recommend you read the source material.
'Amazing Spider-Man Masterworks Vol. 1-3'
With the unfortunate passing of the legend Stan Lee, people should go back and appreciate his work now more than ever. What is a better starting point than with the friendly neighborhood "Spider-Man"?
One of the most iconic superheroes of all time and the endearing face of Marvel Comics, the adventures of Peter Parker as "Spider-Man" are unforgettable. Even if you did not like comic books as a kid, you have got nothing to lose giving them a shot now. Read one for Stan.
How to Download and Access E-Books
- Step 1: Head to the page of the e-book that you would like to read.
- Step 2: Click Read For Free.
- Step 3: Begin reading.
The End
That about does it for us. We have given you some recommendations, but feel free to browse through the myriad of e-books yourself. There are some good ones out there if you speak Russian or Dutch. Anyway, have fun and happy reading!