Where to Read Books Online

Wouldn't it be fantastic if we could all close eyes, picture the book we wanted to read, and bam! Like magic, it suddenly appeared in our hands? Well, reading books online isn't quite that amazing an experience, but it does approximate it. When you're looking for something to read, figure out what kind of book you're interested in, and keep in mind the suggested presented in this guide on how best to read books online.

1) Google it. More specifically, Book!Google it. Google Books keeps a large reservoir of available texts (some are only excerpts but others still contain the entire text) and it is possible to read and enjoy all these titles online. Even if you get one that is only an excerpt, there is often a reference on where to find it, including its location at online bookstores and in-person libraries. So it's kind of like trying on a pair of shoes before you buy them, or sampling the wine before you order the bottle. The price tag? Free!

2) The University of Pennsylvania's Online Books Page. The great thing about this resource is that you can search through the books in a variety of ways. If you know who wrote the book, but you're fuzzy on the title, run a search for authors. If you have a specific topic or genre in mind, but you don't know exactly what you want to read online, sort the books by subject. If you become a frequent guest to this page, it gets even easier, because they also have a current running list of new books available. Price for all this? Free!

3) Project Gutenberg. This famed ebook provider has many of the same benefits as the Online Books Page, but in some ways, is even better. One particularly nice feature is that there is a Children's Bookshelf, which features stories and lessons for kids to read online, from all corners of the globe. Your child can read fairy tales from India to Brazil and everywhere in between. Adults, meanwhile, have access to everything from a Wars Bookshelf to Erotic Fiction to Harvard Classics. With such an extensive collection, it's easy to start reading and much harder to stop. Price: Free!

4) Or, read books online at your local library page. A lot of public libraries provide access to free ebooks. Sometimes they will require you have a library card first, so make you get one of those, but otherwise, sift through the available collections and pick out what you like. You may be surprised at what's available! One nice thing about this option is that, since the books are technically loaned out to you and not given, library catalogs may include books you can't find anywhere else because they have not entered into the public domain. Cost in dollars? About as much as a library card (often a couple of dollars, if any).

Of course, there are other ways to get your daily book fix. You could go to a library in person. Or, visit your nearest bookstore. You could pull something out of your own private library, or buy one of those new book reads, like Kindle. But, if you're looking to read books online, following this guide is sure to lead you in the right direction.