Where to Download Legal E-Books

Though once unheard of, e-books have quickly become popular amongst our gadget-crazed nation. These allow you the ease of being able to purchase, download, and read books on your own free time and without even having to leave your home. Moreover, most e-readers are small enough to allow for easy transport and portability. This makes them ideal for college students who would otherwise be forced to carry around backpacks full of heavy school textbooks.

Amazon Kindle 2

In 2009 Amazon released the Kindle 2 and updated its original e-book reader, the Kindle. E-books can be purchased directly through Amazon's Web site and downloaded directly to the slim, lightweight reader. This can be easily carried with you on a day-to-day basis so you'll always have access to your digital library. Furthermore, new titles are being added nearly every single day to the Amazon store, meaning you'll always have fresh content to read.

Sony Reader

The "PRS-700" is Sony's best entry into the world of electronic books. Complete with a touch screen and gesture-controlled page turning, the Sony "PRS-700" is not to be overlooked by any means. A stylus is also included for those who would rather not touch the screen with their bare fingers. The "PRS-700" is similar in size to the Amazon's "Kindle 2," allowing it to be slipped in a backpack, briefcase, or even a large pocket and carried with you.

Barnes and Noble Nook

Barnes and Noble threw that hat into the race for the world's best e-reader with their own "Nook." Unlike its competitors, the "Barnes and Noble Nook" features a full-color touch screen and Google's very own Android OS. Smaller and more lightweight than either the Amazon "Kindle 2" or the Sony "PRS-700," the Barnes and Noble "Nook" is already giving the industry leaders a run for their money; especially as many titles are available for download at a much cheaper price than Amazon or Sony can offer.

Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg was originally created in the early 1970s, when e-books were unheard-of. An idea of Michael Hart, the focus of Project Gutenberg was to make thousands of texts freely available for public viewing and even public use. Today, the Project Gutenberg archive boasts tens of thousands of titles, all of which have expired copyrights and are now considered public domain. This includes works from William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley, and countless others, all of which can be downloaded directly from their Web site free of charge.