Refurbished Kindle DX under $250

As soon as the new Graphite Kindle DX was released with a price of $379, I was certain that the price of refurbished and white Kindle DX's would drop as well. This morning, you can get a refurbished Kindle DX (US) for $249.99. That's right, for less than what you would have spent for a Kindle (or a nook or a Sony Reader) a month ago, you can now get a 9.7" screen Kindle DX with free 3G wireless.

Update: The price on the original Kindle DX has now dropped to $359 (with global wireless). For the $20 difference, though, I'd order the Graphite Kindle DX with the improved eInk screen.

Here is a current list of all the refurbished prices, which appears to subject to change at any moment. First, the US versions with Sprint wireless coverage:

• Kindle (6" Display, U.S. Wireless) ($139.99)
• Kindle DX (9.7" Display, U.S. Wireless) ($249.99)

These are the latest generation, global versions and have AT&T wireless coverage:

• Kindle (6" Display, Global Wireless) ($169.99)
• Kindle DX (9.7" Display, Global Wireless) ($299.99)

Free Book (nook) - Northfield

Northfield ($3.99), by Johnny D. Boggs, is free to download today at Barnes & Noble.

Book Description
On September 7, 1876, the James-Younger gang attempted to rob the First National Bank of Northfield, Minnesota, with disastrous consequences. In a unique, compelling approach, author Johnny D. Boggs shifts perspectives from one first-person account to another to describe the bloody robbery, as well as the events leading to it and its aftermath.

Click HERE for the free download, which is a DRM'd EPUB.

Free Classics from Barnes and Noble

Barnes and Noble has a number of their All American Classics free for 4th of July. These normally sell for $1.99 apiece in the B&N store (and presumably have been checked for formatting and typing errors, making them more desirable than the raw scans from Gutenberg). There are two pages of titles, for a total of 21 ebooks to choose from.

Free Book (ADE-DRM) - Making Patriots

Making Patriots ($14.00 paperback), by Walter Berns, is free this month from the University of Chicago Press.

Book Description
The founding principles of the United States—freedom of speech and conscience, individual rights, and democratic dissent—often sit in opposition to the patriotic ideals of public spirit and self-sacrifice. But American history reveals scores of citizens who have put the good of the nation above their own self-interest, whether at home or abroad. It is this paradox that Walter Berns tackles with this magnificently argued book: What makes patriots? And is it still possible to make them?

Amazon.com Review

Walter Berns, an eminent constitutional scholar, plumbs the mysteries and paradoxes of American patriotism in this slim volume. How is it, he asks, that Americans can pursue their individual liberties and at the same time demonstrate public spirit? "Patriotism means love of country and implies a readiness to sacrifice for it, to fight for it, perhaps even to give one's life for it," writes Berns. "Why, especially, should Americans be willing to do this? In theory, this nation began with self-interested men, by nature private men, men naturally endowed not with duties or obligations but with certain unalienable rights, the private rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that each defines for himself."

The short answer is that Americans dedicate themselves to universal principles enumerated in the Declaration of Independence and other founding documents. This is, at bottom, a book on why Americans love their country. But it does not drip with star-spangled sentiment. Rather, it is almost wholly intellectual. Berns might have included more storytelling and less analysis on these pages. His narrative is occasionally character-driven--Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass make significant appearances--but Berns is primarily interested in their ideas. Making Patriots has the virtue of being both succinct and direct, and it addresses a set of thorny problems in clear language. Berns offers smart chapters on how patriotism interacts with religious devotion and racial identity, plus commentary on how patriotism is learned ("No one is born loving his country; such love is not natural, but has to be somehow taught or acquired"). Making Patriots may be read quickly, even as its insights are deep. Readers will find themselves returning to the book again and again, long after they thought they were done with it. --John J. Miller

Click HERE to sign up for the free book. You'll need to give them an email address and then check for their message to get the download link. The book is a DRM'd PDF and will requires Adobe Digital Editions (ADE) to download and read.

It's Here! The New Graphite Kindle DX

The Kindle DX has a new color and a new price. The Graphite Kindle DX is available to order, sells for $379.00 and will be shipped next week, starting July 7. According to the product page, there is an entirely new E-Ink screen in the Graphite Kindle DX, with 50% better contrast. Otherwise, it reads pretty much like the white Kindle DX, which is still available (and at the same price). There don't appear to be any outer changes (which is a disappointment, as the keyboard needs to be redesigned to have dedicated number keys and it would be much easier to use if there were page control buttons on both sides, as the smaller Kindle has.

As always, if you purchased a Kindle DX in the last 30 days, you can call Kindle customer service (use the Help page on any Kindle store item, then Contact Us on the right side; email works, but if you use the phone option, you'll talk to someone in just a few seconds, usually) and get a credit for the difference. So far the refurbished Kindle DX, price is still $369.00, but if that drops you may be able to get an adjustment on that, as well.

Say Hello to the Newest Kindle DX
All New, High Contrast E-Ink Screen: Our graphite Kindle DX uses our all new, improved electronic ink display, with 50% better contrast for the clearest text and sharpest images

Beautiful Large Display: The 9.7" diagonal E-ink screen is ideal for a broad range of reading material, including graphic-rich books, PDFs, newspapers, magazines, and blogs

Read in Sunlight with No Glare: Unlike backlit computer or LCD screens, Kindle DX's display looks and reads like real paper, with no glare. Read as easily in bright sunlight as in your living room

Slim: Just over 1/3 of an inch, as thin as most magazines

Books In Under 60 Seconds: Get books delivered wirelessly in less than 60 seconds; no PC required

Free 3G Wireless: No monthly payments, no annual contracts. Download books anywhere, anytime

Long Battery Life: Read for up to 1 week on a single charge with wireless on. Turn wireless off and read for up to two weeks.

Carry Your Library: Holds up to 3,500 books, periodicals, and documents

Buy Books Once, Read Them Anywhere: Kindle books can be read on all your devices. Our Whispersync technology saves and synchronizes your Kindle library and last page read across your Kindle(s), PC, iPhone, Mac, iPad, Android phone, and BlackBerry device

Social Networks: Share your passion for reading with friends and family by posting meaningful passages to Twitter and Facebook directly from your Kindle

Global Coverage: Enjoy 3G wireless coverage at home or abroad in over 100 countries. See details. Check wireless coverage map.

Built-In PDF Reader: Carry and read all of your personal and professional documents on the go. Now with Zoom capability to easily view small print and detailed tables or graphics

Auto-Rotating Screen: Display auto-rotates from portrait to landscape as you turn the device so you can view full-width maps, graphs, tables, and Web pages

Read-to-Me: With the text-to-speech feature, Kindle DX can read newspapers, magazines, blogs, and books out loud to you, unless the book's rights holder made the feature unavailable

Large Selection: Over 620,000 books and the largest selection of the most popular books people want to read, including 109 of 112 New York Times® Best Sellers, plus U.S. and international newspapers, magazines, and blogs. For non-U.S. customers, content availability and pricing will vary. Check your country.

Out-of-Copyright, Pre-1923 Books: Over 1.8 million free, out-of-copyright, pre-1923 books are available to read on Kindle, including titles such as The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Pride and Prejudice, and Treasure Island. Learn more

Low Book Prices: New York Times Best Sellers and New Releases from $9.99.

Free Book Samples: Download and read first chapters for free before you decide to buy