A quick bit of inspiÂraÂtion from the man who has changed the way we buy books, and now the way we’re readÂing them – Jeff Bezos (CEO, AmaÂzon). SpeakÂing at PrinceÂton’s gradÂuÂaÂtion last May, Bezos disÂcussed the life choicÂes that we all face: Will you folÂlow dogÂma? Or be origÂiÂnal? Will you play it safe? Or take good risks? Will you be a cynÂic? Or a builder? Will you be clever at the expense of othÂers? Or will you be kind?
In short, your life stoÂry comes down to your choicÂes. What stoÂry will you write? And how will it read when you’re 80?
To comÂmemÂoÂrate Banned Books Week, the always great InterÂnet Archive has opened up access to 74 banned books. The colÂlecÂtion feaÂtures some seriÂous pieces of litÂerÂaÂture (James Joyce’s Ulysses, F. Scott FitzgerÂald’s TenÂder is the Night, HuxÂley’s Brave New World, etc.); some traÂdiÂtionÂal chilÂdren’s clasÂsics (WinÂnie the Pooh); and some sinÂisÂter books of unquesÂtionÂable hisÂtorÂiÂcal imporÂtance (Mein Kampf). These books can be downÂloaded in mulÂtiÂple digÂiÂtal forÂmats, includÂing someÂtimes ePub and KinÂdle forÂmats. This gives you the abilÂiÂty to read the the works on the KinÂdle, iPad, Nook and othÂer mainÂstream ebook readÂers. (See note below.) But the old fashÂioned comÂputÂer will also do the job.
CenÂsorÂship remains a seriÂous probÂlem in the US and beyond. The AmerÂiÂcan Library AssoÂciÂaÂtion recordÂed 460 attempts in 2009 to restrict books in US schools and libraries. But they estiÂmate that this repÂreÂsents only 20–25% of actuÂal attempts to cenÂsor. All of this cenÂsorÂship is neatÂly (and rather specifÂiÂcalÂly) tracked on Google Maps.
If you would like to sign up for Open Culture’s free email newsletÂter, please find it here. It’s a great way to see our new posts, all bunÂdled in one email, each day.
If you would like to supÂport the misÂsion of Open CulÂture, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your conÂtriÂbuÂtions will help us conÂtinÂue proÂvidÂing the best free culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals to learnÂers everyÂwhere. You can conÂtribute through PayÂPal, PatreÂon, and VenÂmo (@openculture). Thanks!
Philip Roth, now 77 years old, keeps pubÂlishÂing with a cerÂtain urgency. EveryÂman in 2006, Exit Ghost in 2007, IndigÂnaÂtion2008, The HumÂbling last year, and next comes NemeÂsis, due to be released in earÂlyOctoÂber. After The HumÂbling hit the shelves, magÂaÂzine ediÂtor Tina Brown conÂductÂed a rare video interÂview with Roth, and they covÂered a fair amount of ground in 14 minÂutes: his creÂative surge, how he approachÂes writÂing sex scenes, ObaÂma’s litÂerÂary talÂents, the comÂing extincÂtion of the novÂel and whether the KinÂdle can make any bit of difÂferÂence, etc. You can watch the video above, or read a tranÂscript here.
Now a litÂtle freeÂbie. A nice copy of IndigÂnaÂtion goes to the first readÂer who sends along a comÂpelling piece of open/intelligent media that we choose to post on the site. (If you’re lookÂing for more guidÂance on what we have in mind, please read the tips on this page.) You can subÂmit your media picks here. Cheers…
Last week, Jonathan Franzen appeared on the covÂer of TIME magÂaÂzine – the first time in a decade that a livÂing novÂelÂist has graced the covÂer page. Authors only get there if they’re flirtÂing with greatÂness (TIME’s piece is called “Jonathan Franzen: Great AmerÂiÂcan NovÂelÂist”) and if they have a new novÂel comÂing out. FreeÂdomhits the bookÂstores next TuesÂday, but you can get startÂed with the first two chapÂters right now. Good NeighÂbors and AgreeÂable both appear on The New YorkÂer magÂaÂzine web site.
This new and growÂing colÂlecÂtion pulls togethÂer an assortÂment of free textÂbooks availÂable online. The list is mostÂly slantÂed toward sciÂence and math (that’s what is out there), and the texts are almost entireÂly writÂten by colÂlege proÂfesÂsors or qualÂiÂfied high school teachÂers. In some instances, these texts were origÂiÂnalÂly pubÂlished in book forÂmat, and now the authors have decidÂed to pubÂlish them online. In othÂer casÂes, authors joinÂing the “open textÂbook” moveÂment (see Flat World KnowlÂedge, CK-12, CurÂriÂki, etc.) have pubÂlished their works for the first time in elecÂtronÂic forÂmat, often under a CreÂative ComÂmons license. We will update the list conÂtinÂuÂalÂly. But if you see good texts missÂing, please feel free to ping us. You can access 100+ Free TextÂbooks: A Meta ColÂlecÂtion here, and please forÂward the link to any young stuÂdents or lifeÂlong learnÂers who might benÂeÂfit…
P.S. This colÂlecÂtion will always appear in the top navÂiÂgaÂtion of the web site. Just look for “TextÂbooks” in the top nav bar.
A quick fyi for any colÂlege stuÂdent lookÂing to save some monÂey on textÂbooks this year. Last week, The New York Times pubÂlished a helpÂful guide to lowÂerÂing textÂbook costs. The comÂpreÂhenÂsive list tells you where you can find free ebooks and cheap elecÂtronÂic textÂbooks online, while highÂlightÂing e‑commerce venÂdors that rent traÂdiÂtionÂal textÂbooks at a reduced cost. (Take Chegg for examÂple.) In total, the guide lists 20 difÂferÂent resources. If you’re headÂing to colÂlege soon, it’s well worth a look.
Today marks the 75th anniverÂsary of PenÂguin Books. And to celÂeÂbrate this mileÂstone, they’re driÂving a Mini CoopÂer adorned with the PenÂguin logo across the US this sumÂmer, donatÂing books to local libraries and litÂerÂaÂcy groups. Then, in SepÂtemÂber, the fesÂtivÂiÂties will culÂmiÂnate with a fundraisÂing parÂty at the New York PubÂlic Library. The folks at PenÂguin were kind enough to include us in their celÂeÂbraÂtion. So today, we have two free books to give away. One is a copy of ElizÂaÂbeth GibÂert’s bestÂseller Eat, Pray, Love; the othÂer is a copy of The OmniÂvore’s DilemÂma by Michael PolÂlan. They’re just two among PenÂguin’s 4,000 books in print.
So how does this work?: The two copies will go to the first readÂers who send us a comÂpelling piece of open/intelligent media that we choose to post on the site. (If you’re lookÂing for more guidÂance on what we have in mind, please read the tips on this page.) You can subÂmit your media picks here. And when you do, please indiÂcate which book you want. We will select two winÂners (one per book) and announce the names when we post the media picks on Open CulÂture next week. Thanks for your sugÂgesÂtions, and have a great weekÂend.
We're hoping to rely on loyal readers, rather than erratic ads. Please click the Donate button and support Open Culture. You can use Paypal, Venmo, Patreon, even Crypto! We thank you!
Open Culture scours the web for the best educational media. We find the free courses and audio books you need, the language lessons & educational videos you want, and plenty of enlightenment in between.
