Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Does anyone have an Amazon Kindle?

256 replies

paranoidmother · 03/01/2010 19:42

Dh gave me a Kindle for Christmas and I have managed to get a few books via Amazon.com although a few authors are not signed up for this yet.

Doe anyone have any hints or tips on using a kindle.

So far I love it and am thrilled to have one. It's meant I will be able to take loads of stories with me everywhere as I can get through a book an evening sometimes if there is nothing else to do.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
BsshBossh · 26/08/2011 12:31

Oh I am so tempted to buy one now and not wait for Christmas. Should I? Should I? My house is awash with books and I always have 3 or more books on the go so a Kindle seems such a sensible choice. Hmmm, buy now or wait...

pjwilliams · 27/07/2011 11:18

I getting a kindle at weekend, can you recommend which light/ cover I should buy as i do most of my reading at night.

elkiedee · 26/07/2011 23:44

Do have a look at the Kindle Summer Sale, over 500 books from 49p to £2.99 - most 99p - £1.99. Also, the offers change on 1 August.

Pricing includes tax which you don't pay on paper books. I won't be giving up the printed kind any time soon, while they're around, new or secondhand, and also, I get a lot of my books as review copies or secondhand or at crazy bargain prices, but I'm enjoying my new toy.

SeasonTicketless · 26/07/2011 19:55

Just thought I'd put my name down here as I'm now the proud owner of a Kindle :D

I was disappointed to see that there are a few books not converted to e-book format yet, but it seems that all recent and new ones are, which is something.

Can't wait to get started :)

HowAnnoying · 10/02/2011 21:12

I also got a free upgrade to the lighted cover, I went for a red one!

Can't decide what to read next, have seen Jo Nesbo mentioned are they any good?

Lilymaid · 07/02/2011 22:36

On covers: The "official" Amazon unlighted leather cover was withdrawn from sale a couple of weeks ago because the hooks caused some sort of interference that made the Kindle freeze frequently. This problem does not occur with the lighted cover which has slightly different hooks.
I had an unlighted cover and had problems with the Kindle freezing. Amazon has effectively (through refund and credit) allowed me to upgrade to a lighted cover - and I've experienced no further problems with freezing.

amazonianwoman · 07/02/2011 22:23

Just to reassure, I haven't had any problems at all with the lighted cover. It's expensive but so worth it!

Am reading Tess of the d'Urbervilles, have read the Kite Runner, Room, Pride & Prejudice, and the Millenium trilogy (Girl with the dragon tattoo etc) all in the space of a few weeks.

Love it! Am happy to loan any of the paid ones if anyone is interested.

HowAnnoying · 07/02/2011 19:49

oK x-post just read re. the cover. thanks

HowAnnoying · 07/02/2011 19:48

Sorry if this has already been mentioned, but I keep having to reset my Kindle, does anyone else have this problem?

p.s. reading Lustrum (follow up from Imperium) by Robert Harris at the mo which I'm enjoying.

Batteryhuman · 07/02/2011 19:47

My Kindle did the freezing thing. I emailed Kindle and they rang back witin 10 minutes and have refunded the problem leather cover and gift certificated the difference so i can ge the lighted cover.

It hasn't frozen since I took the cover off and I am v impressed with the customer service. I love the Kindle and please keep posting book recommendations, especially the less well known but cheap ones.

I am currently read Bad Science by Ben Goldacre and have read Room by Emma Donoghue, The Hanging Room (can't remember the suthorbut near the top of the bestseller lists and I enjoyed it immensely) and I will come back a nd post more.

Horton · 07/02/2011 19:37

Thanks for the tip, Scootergrrl.

I can't think of any sensible tips right now. Oh yes, here's one - apparently, if you download books to your PC from non-Amazon sources, Calibre is a really good way of converting them (and free). I haven't actually tried it yet!

PositiveAttitude · 07/02/2011 19:21

Had mine a week now and totally love it!! I am addicted. I'm interested in what others are reading on theirs, so marking my place.... Smile

Scootergrrrl · 07/02/2011 09:45

Hooray - my Kindle is on it's way. I've already ordered some books on my iPhone and am very excited. There's one free one I'd recommend called William Walker's First Year Of Marriage which is a bit fluffy but a really good read. And it's free!

Any good tips for me fellow Kindlers?

Horton · 04/02/2011 20:52

Oooh, I would love to borrow it. I have really enjoyed the other Nesbos I've read. What do I have to do?

I could offer

Never Let Me go by Kazuo Ishiguro

lots of Patricia Briggs (the first five Mercy Thompson books, but am only on the third one so far so prefer to lend either of the first two)

Worth Dying For by Lee Child

Room by Emma Donoghue

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

The Lies of Locke Lamora and Red Seas Under Red Skies (both Scott Lynch)

An Empty Death by Laura Wilson

They were all good reads.

BecauseImWorthIt · 03/02/2011 18:38

I'm nearly finished my first 'paid for' Kindle book, if anyone wants to borrow it? It's "Redbreast" by Jo Nesbo.

Horton · 01/02/2011 19:38

Oh, I didn't see BIWI's question. Yes, definitely worth it! I love mine and DH loves it too as I don't keep him awake when I read in bed. It's heavier than holding just a kindle obviously but not actually heavy.

Thanks for the links, CountDuckula! Off to investigate.

CountDuckula · 01/02/2011 18:52

Websites with free books

www.smashwords.com

www.getfreeebooks.com/ may duplicate some of the ones at smashwords

www.baen.com/library/ baen free library - mainly scifi and fantasy

www.starry.com/free-online-novels/index.htm

if you email any pdf files to your free kindle address and put convert in the subject heading, the books will be converted to the kindle format

RMCW · 01/02/2011 18:44

Yes.

Got one for xmas

I love it with a love surpasses understanding Blush

BecauseImWorthIt · 01/02/2011 18:39
amazonianwoman · 01/02/2011 13:47

BIWI I have the Amazon cover with the built-in light, tis a thing of beauty Smile

It makes the kindle about the size of a thin paperback, and probably about the same weight? Not too cumbersome at all and nice to hold. And it just smells so leathery!

The light is brilliant. I regularly read til 1am and DH isn't disturbed.

Expensive but definitely worth it.

Horton · 01/02/2011 10:54

Ah! That makes sense, muminlondon. Thanks.

muminlondon · 31/01/2011 23:06

Really interested in this debate about eBooks as I'm on the verge of buying a Sony reader. I hate buying hardbacks because they take up a lot of space both in the house and to lug around. Often the price of an eBook is around the same as a paperback but available before the PB comes out.

The reason why publishers don't want to price their eBooks LESS than a paperback is because eBooks attract 20% VAT. Any saving on printing and distribution is completely swallowed up by the money shelled out to HM treasury. In France I think VAT on eBooks is coming down, but no sign of that in the UK. Why are we being taxed on reading eBooks and not on paper books?

BecauseImWorthIt · 31/01/2011 16:16

Does anyone have the cover with the inbuilt light? How heavy/bulky does it make the whole thing?

I don't want to have to shell out £50 to discover I don't like it!

TheFoosa · 30/01/2011 13:30

bet you'd be pissed off after shelling out 50 quid for a cover when you can get a free upgrade for the non-lighted one

Lilymaid · 30/01/2011 11:16

If you have a non-lighted Kindle cover purchased from Amazon and you are having trouble with the Kindle freezing, you should read this. My Kindle has been freezing at least four times an hour this week, so have dashed off an e-mail to Amazon.