Project Gutenberg offers tens of thousands of ebooks that can be read online or downloaded in open formats. Its catalogue is strongest in older literature whose United States copyright has expired.
What it offers
Books are available in formats including EPUB, Kindle-compatible files, HTML and plain text. Frequently downloaded lists and subject browsing help when you do not have an exact title.
Why it still matters
The files are portable and lightly restricted. You can keep them, move them between devices and use the plain text for research or accessibility workflows without a retail platform in the middle.
How to use it
Search by author or title, then choose EPUB with images for general reading. Check the edition notes when typography, translation or scholarly apparatus matters.
Things to know
- Copyright status is determined primarily under US law.
- Formatting quality varies between older and newer files.
- Recent books are generally unavailable.