Update 16 December 2010: 1:00 pm PT
Breaking News:
Sourcebooks has extended the one day offer through 17 December 2010.
Next Thursday, December 16th is Jane Austen’s 235th birthday and Sourcebooks, the world’s leading Jane Austen publisher, is throwing a huge one-day-only birthday book bash. They will be offering ten of their best Austen-inspired novels for FREE. Yep. That’s right. FREE!
Anyone with a digital eReader, or free application on their computer, or blackberry, or iPhone, or Android, or iPad can download the books. Just go to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, etc. online on December 16th and download away! (I highly recommend Barnes & Noble’s free Nook applications if you do not already own an eReader like me! You can read the eBooks on five different electronic devices )
Here is the list of amazing titles available:
- Eliza’s Daughter by Joan Aiken – 9781402225963
- The Darcys & the Bingleys by Marsha Altman – 9781402233227
- Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll – 9781402234859
- What Would Jane Austen Do? by Laurie Brown – 9781402227370
- The Pemberley Chronicles by Rebecca Ann Collins – 9781402234996
- The Other Mr. Darcy by Monica Fairview – 9781402245329
- Mr. Darcy’s Diary by Amanda Grange – 9781402225727
- Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One by Sharon Lathan – 9781402235184
- Lydia Bennet’s Story by Jane Odiwe – 9781402234651
- Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy by Abigail Reynolds – 9781402246289
But that’s not all – read on.
The party doesn’t stop there. For one day only Sourcebooks will also be offering free illustrated eBook editions of all six of Austen’s major novels filled with unabridged texts and the legendary color illustrations by the Brock brothers circa 1898.
- Sense and Sensibility: The Illustrated Edition – 9781402256813
- Pride and Prejudice: The Illustrated Edition – 9781402256776
- Mansfield Park: The Illustrated Edition – 9781402256875
- Emma: The Illustrated Edition – 9781402256790
- Northanger Abbey: The Illustrated Edition – 9781402256837
- Persuasion: The Illustrated Edition – 9781402256851
♥ Here is a link to Sourcebooks for the free Jane Austen eBooks with all of the links to download for Kindle, Nook, iBooks, Sourcebooks, Google eBookstore and Sony eBookstore.
Don’t be a Mr. Knightley and miss the party. Make haste and mark your calendars today.
Many thanks to Sourcebooks for their generous tribute to our favorite author!
Cheers,
Laurel Ann
© 2007-2010 Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose
Austenprose 
That is amazing — be still my heart!! What a treat!! Thanks for sharing this amazing news!
LikeLike
That’s wonderful! Thank you for the heads up Laurel Ann, and many thanks to Sourcebooks too! :)
LikeLike
Amazing news! Thanks for the heads up. I will be taking advantage of this for my Kindle!
LikeLike
How exciting! And quite a number of titles I’ve wanted to read. :)
Thank you, Laurel Ann, for letting everyone know! I’m off to share the good fortune with my Austen-crazed followers….
LikeLike
Thanks for letting everyone know well in advance!
LikeLike
THANK YOU for the heads up!!
LikeLike
Wow– what a way to celebrate the day! I do own a some of those books, but it would be nice to have them on my Kindle for PC program if I’m ever stuck somewhere without a book! And what a great selection to choose from. Thanks for the heads up!
Laura Hartness
LikeLike
Thank you for the notice. What a JA birhday/Christmas gift!
LikeLike
Laurel,
what a wonderful gift to celebrate the birthday of Jane!
I’ll rush to tell to the readers of Jane Austen in Portuguese!
LikeLike
Thanks for this info, Laurel Ann! I own some of those books on paperback, but I’ll be downloading them (and the others) for my Nook as well. Will pass this good news to my fellow ereader-owning friends!
LikeLike
This is wonderful news! I’m curious as to how it’s going to work, though. I went to both Amazon & Barnes and Noble and could find nothing about it. ELIZA’S DAUGHTER, for example, is listed as $9.99 on Amazon. Tomorrow will it appear as “Free?”
LikeLike
Yes Pam, they are free today, Dec 16 an tomorrow only.
LikeLike
I am in Australia and struggling to download any of these books for free. Has anyone successfully managed to download them?
LikeLike
Marilyn, where online are you trying to download the books from? Is this on online retailer that you have been able to purchase and download books from before?
LikeLike
Am I the only one who can’t figure this out? How are we suppose to go about downloading these books? Someone please help, I dont want to miss this!
LikeLike
Jessica, where are you trying to download the books from? Do you live in the US?
LikeLike
Hi there,
I have the same issue. Neither one of the Sourcebooks partners have switched to ‘free’ and even on the Sourcebooks homepage I cannot find an announcement…
I want to download on amazon for my kindle, but the 1click-thingy would immediately charge my credit card… a little risky…
Thought, it might not be Thursday for amazon yet, but it is actually in all us time zones…
Hm…
LikeLike
Emmeline, I was able to successfully download all 10 books from B&N tonight. There are new ISBN’s for the free eBooks for this promotion. They make a new page and link, as opposed to changing the price to $0.00.
All of the ten sequels were available tonight, but not the 6 Austen Illustrated editions. I have contacted Sourcebooks and let them know. I do not know how it is being handled at Amazon. I would assume the same way with a new ISBN and page for each book.
LikeLike
thank you!
LikeLike
I am a bit lost as well. If someone has done this, please give those of us who are a bit lost a clue please! Cannot find any deal on sourebooks.com or amazon.com. The price is listed, and afraid to grab something with my ‘one click’
Thanks much for letting us know about this, and for helping out the clueless!
LikeLike
Katrina, as I commented above, I was able to purchase and download all 10 sequels at B&N tonight.
There should be new pages and links to purchase and download the free eBooks at any of the online retailers that Sourcebooks has made arrangements with for this promotion.
Dont’ purchase the one’s with dollar amounts. You will be changed that amount. Search Amazon using the new ISBN’s for each book that I updated in my post.
LikeLike
As others have mentioned, the books are available at no cost today on Barnes & Noble but not on Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk. This is unfortunate because I have a Kindle and don’t want to download the Nook app for my PC. I want to read on my eBook reader rather than on my computer.
LikeLike
Well, I played around a bit and managed to download the first list of titles.
First, I downloaded the Nook program onto my PC . Note: you need to give credit card details. I also fudged my address details because you can only have a US address.
Secondly, by clicking the links on the book list on this blog post, you are taken to another page where the cost of each title is free. The download is very quick.
As for the illustrated editions of the Jane Austen novels, I am still clueless how to download these as part of this offer.
LikeLike
thanx marilyn for your info on the nook downloads.
did anyone try on amazon? i have a kindle…
LikeLike
I have not been able to get these free on Amazon, and I am reticent to give Barnes and Noble my credit card info…
LikeLike
oh come on… why only in u.s.!?!?!?!?
LikeLike
Why can’t we download the illustrated ebooks? Those are the ones I really wanted. What a pity.
LikeLike
I cannot download from the B&N site because I need an US address :(
LikeLike
Iris, you can download them from Amazon if you live in outside the US.
LikeLike
This page has links to all the 10 sequels listed above in various download formats (but not the Austen originals)
http://www.sourcebooks.com/component/content/article/63-marketing-and-publicity/1583-jane-austen.html
It looks like if you follow the links they are showing up as free with the exception of Kindle (Amazon) and Sony. (I’m in US) Maybe I’ll try the google version and see if I can read it on Kindle For PC?
LikeLike
update: Google ebooks are compatible with Nook and Sony Reader but not Kindle. You can read then on your PC though http://books.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=179849
LikeLike
update #2 – downloading from Google req’s a Google Payment acct, even for something that’s free. Not interested in giving them my CC info.
I’ll keep checking back during the day to see if the Amazon version becomes free (I’m using A. Grange’s Mr. Darcy’s Diary as my test case since it’s the only one I can recall hearing good things about off the top of my head)
LikeLike
ps – actually I’ve heard very good things about Lydia Bennets’ Story too but I already own it in h/c!
LikeLike
I just called amazon and they’re not aware of this promotion. All books written by Jane Austen are available for free all the time, but none of the other titles will be free today. bummer.
LikeLike
OOPS!
Amazon USA and UK do not mention the free books.
Neither Sourcebooks. I’ve tried search by ISBN numbera, without success.
At Barnes & Noble, even though I am customer (from Brazil), the warning is:
“You must reside within the United States to receive this item. We currently do not support international, U.S. territory or APO/FPO billing addresses.”
LikeLike
They are not free at Borders as of 7am Arizona time. But I went over to B&N and had no problems.
LikeLike
I hate living in France right now… I’ve tried for hours and it does not work. I am so frustrated I want to … do something.
LikeLike
I just contacted Amazon’s customer service and Hamish advised they are not participating in this but he was forwarding the question on.
LikeLike
I was excited about this offer. I was sad to be unable to get these titles for free on my Kindle today. I did accept the Nook PC application. However, I found B&N had buried 3 B&N Classic Books in my order! I e-mailed the Help Desk. Check your downloads after ordering.
LikeLike
I was able to get the sequels off of BN with my nook, with no problem. Still am unable to get the originals, which I would LOVE to have.
Are the ISBN’s listed above the new ones, or did I miss the post that had them?
Thanks~
LikeLike
Yes, Amazon UK do not mention the free books. Shame on Amazon UK!
LikeLike
Has anyone figured out if Amazon will offer the books free?
LikeLike
Barnes and Noble seems to have it all squared away (am liking them more and more these days), though I don’t know about the U.S. resident requirement, though.
As of 10 a.m. EST, both Amazon and Sourcebooks are still charging full price for the books.
LikeLike
Hi – I’m still having problems with B&N, both on my nook and online. Do you know the new isbn’s? And can you share?
Thanks~
LikeLike
HI, just FYI that all the books (including Jane Austen’s illustrated books) are all free on Apple’s iBooks app (except for Mansfield Park).
LikeLike
via Sourcebooks twitter around 11:15 EST:
“VERY sorry! Amazon, B&N & Sony fixing prices now. iBooks & Google correct. Sourcebooks.com up soon. http://bit.ly/h77KDF “
LikeLike
Laurel Ann,
Thanks for being patience with us! I appreciate the notes and the time that you put into this! Just downloaded the books! Will keep checking on the Illustrated ones too…
What a wonderful way to celebrate Jane’s Birthday… to curl up with a good book (or SEVERAL!).
Regards
LikeLike
I was able to download all the books, with the exception of Mansfield Park, for free last night using the iBook app for iPhone and iPod Touch (recent generations). Mansfield Park was listed at $.99. I hope the other sites get straightened out, because iBook isn’t the format I wanted.
LikeLike
By the way, the Mansfield Park ebook is 9781402256875. Also, did you see that Sourcebooks is now extending this until Friday?
LikeLike
I was so excited by Sourcebooks’ generosity this morning, and have wasted most of the day chasing around the internet trying to find where these chimerical ebooks can be found.
It amazes me that Barnes and Noble chase me across the Atlantic with e-flyers, dying to sell me stuff, yet apparently will not allow people without a US address to have the ebooks. I don’t think Jane Austen herself would have had a US address!
Found these but have not “tested” them as yet
http://manybooks.net/authors/austenja.html
LikeLike
Looks like B&N has it fixed, was able to get all of the books, and am all excited about it!
Thanks Sourcebooks, and Laurel Ann for letting us know this was out there!
LikeLike
Thank you, thank you! Merry Christmas to me!
LikeLike
I downloaded for my itouch and was charged at Amazon.
LikeLike
Now all is well with Amazon! I’m so thankful for these downloads!
LikeLike
Through Sourcebooks the first ten books show up as $0.00, but the illustrated Austen books show up as $0.99.
LikeLike
Also, is anyone else being charged a couple cents? I know a bit of change isn’t a big deal, but I was just wondering if I was the only one.
LikeLike
Okay, it looks like Amazon is good to go, now!!
Yay!!
LikeLike
I just downloaded most of them free on Amazon. They’re working now, except Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy. That price is still wrong, but it’ll probably change soon.
Jennifer
LikeLike
Just wanted to let you know that the isbn for Mansfield Park is incorrect, you have Persuasion’s in there instead. The correct isbn-13 is: 9781402256875.
LikeLike
Hi Bitsy – thanks for pointing this out. This list was from Sourcebooks and I did not proof it. My bad. It is fixed now.
LikeLike
Lauren,
These aren’t show up as free for our Google eBooks at my Indiebound site – do you know if I should be contacting Google about this? I’d love to feature them on our front homepage!
-Sarah Langlais
Keplers.com Manager
LikeLike
Amazon is up and running. I just DL all of them other than the Sharon Lathan book.
LikeLike
Yay! Downloaded the Nook for my PC and my iPhone and got the illustrated books. What fun!
Thanks Laurel Ann, Barnes & Noble and Sourcebooks for dragging me – at long last – into the 21st century.
LikeLike
UPDATE: thanks to everyone for your patience on the eBook downloads. This is from Beth at Sourcebooks at 8:00 am ET this morning.
I am SO sorry for all the confusion – it has been a busy morning and I have been trying to get the information correct. Please let your readers know the following:
First off let me sincerely apologize for all the confusion regarding the free offer of Jane Austen special edition titles as well as the 10 Austen inspired novels. Please extend this apology to your readers and followers as well.
We have been trying to fix the problem all morning. It takes a lot of cooperation from different parties to make the offer happen and it unfortunately it took some extra time to iron out the kinks.
Let me tell you know that iBooks and Google books currently have everything correct.
Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Sony are currently working to get their prices adjusted. They should be correct shortly. Sourcebooks.com will also have our books and the illustrated versions available for free within the next hour!
Because of this confusion we want to celebrate Jane Austen’s birthday an extra day! This offer will be good tomorrow as well. Again I am sorry for the confusion and thank you for being patient.
Hope everything is squared away by now. With the extra day, everyone should get there free eBooks.
It does appear that you must have a US billing address to qualify for the free download. This is the requirement of the individual online retailers because of International copyright laws.
Ebooks are different than ordering physical books that are shipped from the US. There are copyright restrictions even though these books are free. It is based on where the publisher is declaring business – so Sourcebooks is a US company and can only sell eBooks, free or otherwise, to US billing addresses. I know this because I sell eReaders at Barnes & Noble and these questions arise.
So, out of the US readers, I am very sorry if you got your hopes up. These are International copyright laws beyond the control of Sourcebooks and the online retailers. They are not being “prejudice” against our foreign friends. It is just what it is in the digital world.
I have updated all the download links to the 6 Austen illustrated editions to download at Barnes & Noble. Enjoy everyone – and Happy Birthday to Jane!
Cheers, Laurel Ann
LikeLike
I don’t really think that it’s a copyright thing for all of them. At Amazon I can download most of them, I think two of them comes up as not accessible in my region (Europe). The “free” books do cost 2.30 which seems to be standard Amazon charge for “VAT & free international wireless delivery”. Still much cheaper than usual.
LikeLike
Hi Kira, I am so happy that you are able to download the books from Europe. Huzzah!
Amazon has an International presence. They are doing business in many countries, so this may be why you can download them. Barnes & Noble is a US based retailer. They can only sell eBooks to customers with US billing addresses.
I apologize to my readers. I do not know all of the payment and shipping requirements to all of the online retailers that are offering the free downloads and do not purport to be an authority on anything – so everyone – please check out the requirements wherever you want to download the books.
Thanks, Laurel Ann
LikeLike
well ladies, i’m so so thankful for all the new comments but it is seriously annoying to live in europe! why is there a kindle store if i cannot download from everywhere as it is actually supposed to be!?
did anyone of you download these books for kindle? is it possible to get copies?
i bought a kindle to read such books, but getting them in europe is not possible!
many greetings
and a lovely ja-birthday, especially to the lady herself!
emm
LikeLike
Emmeline, please see the comments above by Kira. She was able to download the books and she lives in Europe.
LikeLike
thank you laurel ann, i will try…
your very patient!
have a lovely ja-day!
LikeLike
oh the copyright… i didnt know that… *sigh
i thought something just doesnt work.
thanx laurel ann for the comment… showed up after i wrote my comment…
LikeLike
I have no idea what I am doing as far as the application for the computer. I downloaded it, I think. I did install the Nook. on my MAC. I was going to put it on my netbook, but my son has been using it and it won’t connect to the internet. Afraid I will need a trip to the Geek Squad.
I “bought” the books at Barnes and Noble but now don’t know how to open them. Will have to wait for my oldest daughter to come home and help me out.
Is it any wonder I prefer print books?
Thanks for letting us know about this event.
LikeLike
Some people on facebook have found that Amazon now has the books for free. Not sure how long they’ll last. Here’s the link to one Kindle ebook to start things off for my fellow Kindle users: http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Darcy-Takes-Wife-ebook/dp/B0023EF9O8
One way to find the other books is to look at the top “selling” Kindle books which include both free and paid:
US & non-UK: http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text
UK only: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/bestsellers/digital-text
I’m downloading them as fast as I can find them before they go away!
LikeLike
As others have already said, Amazon now has the free ebooks for the Kindle up and running. Not sure how long they will last. For those in the U.S. at least, here are the links:
Eliza’s Daughter by Joan Aiken
Darcys & the Bingleys by Marsha Altman
Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll
What Would Jane Austen Do? by Laurie Brown
Pemberley Chronicles by Rebecca Ann Collins
The Other Mr. Darcy by Monica Fairview
Mr. Darcy’s Diary by Amanda Grange
Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One by Sharon Lathan
Lydia Bennet’s Story by Jane Odiwe
Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy by Abigail Reynolds
LikeLike
The Sourcebook link that you provided was wonderful! From there, you can be taken to whatever reader, and have the chance to get these fabulous books for free for one more day! Yay! Now, I have them on two different readers… in case of solar flares or something bizarre like that ;)!
Again, Laurel Ann, thank you for your effort and for all things Jane!
LikeLike
Here are the links to the illustrated versions of the Jane Austen novels for the Kindle from Amazon.com. These links work in the U.S. and may work elsewhere outside the UK. The free deal may not last so please download them while you can!
Sense and Sensibility: The Illustrated Edition
Pride and Prejudice: The Illustrated Edition
Mansfield Park: The Illustrated Edition
Emma: The Illustrated Edition
Northanger Abbey: The Illustrated Edition
Persuasion: The Illustrated Edition
LikeLike