Now Arriving On the New York Subway: Free E-Books, Timed For Your Commute (betanews.com) 44

Posted by msmash on Monday August 29, 2016 @02:31PM from the free-ebooks dept.

Brian Fagioli, writing for BetaNews:Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of New York has announced a new promotion called "Subway Reads," which leverages the free Wi-Fi connectivity provided at the NYC subway. This initiative will help straphangers get some relief from the other nonsense by enabling them to bury themselves in a free Penguin Random House e-book short or excerpt. "As part of 'Subway Reads', Penguin Random House created a special platform to offer subway customers free access to five full-length e-shorts, including High Heat, a Jack Reacher novella by Lee Child; F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic short story, The Diamond As Big As The Ritz; 3 Truths and A Lie, a short story by Lisa Gardner; The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe; and At the Reunion Buffet by Alexander McCall Smith," says the New York State Government.Sounds like a good thing. What's your thought?

Now Arriving On the New York Subway: Free E-Books, Timed For Your Commute

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- Re: Says you. (Score:2)
  
  by WarJolt ( 990309 ) writes:
  
  There is no such thing as free.
  Either you're paying it theough taxes, which I have a problem with or you're paying it through ads. Either way the government is deciding what you read which usually is either a bunch of dribble or some propoganda disguised as a story. I say no. Buy your own books and read your own shit.
  - - Re: (Score:2)
      
      by wonkey_monkey ( 2592601 ) writes:
      
      Subject: Dribble?
      Comment: Dribble?
      Double Dribble.
- - Re: (Score:2)
    
    by Meski ( 774546 ) writes:
    
    Most 'business books' end up being fiction. Goto Amazon, search business books. THe top ten hits were all semifictional rubbish.
- That's Fine for The Tourists, I Guess... (Score:2)
  
  by RobotRunAmok ( 595286 ) writes:
  
  But it's that "other nonsense" for which we New Yorkers are riding the subway in the first place...
- Re: (Score:2)
  
  by known_coward_69 ( 4151743 ) writes:
  
  well, they have A Visit from the Goon Squad which was pretty awesome
Dumb (Score:2, Flamebait)

by LichtSpektren ( 4201985 ) writes:

In other words, these select publishers get free advertising, courtesy of the tax payers of New York City subsidizing them. Which authors didn't make the cut and which politicians do they have to butter to get the subsidy?
Not too long... (Score:2)

by unixisc ( 2429386 ) writes:

... before passengers start stealing the ebooks in question
- Re:Not too long... (Score:5, Funny)
  
  by RobotRunAmok ( 595286 ) writes: on Monday August 29, 2016 @03:10PM (#52791627)
  
  Yeah, I've been trying to glom myself a copy of that "Rue Morgue" story on the torrents for months now, and they're saying NYC is just giving copies away for free???? S-uhhh-WEEEET!
  
  - Re: (Score:1)
    
    by CmdrTamale ( 3528239 ) writes:
    
    Despite the extended wooshing sound, I would like to suggest that gutenberg.org is your friend, sailor:
    http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2147 [gutenberg.org]
    --
    Cheap, Fast, Good -- you have selected "None of the Above"?
- Re: (Score:2)
  
  by Meski ( 774546 ) writes:
  
  I guess erotica has its place :)
How about ... (Score:2)

by PPH ( 736903 ) writes:

... newspaper excerpts? Advantage: Nothing for the hobos to sleep under on benches.
- Re: (Score:3)
  
  by RobotRunAmok ( 595286 ) writes:
  
  >>Advantage: Nothing for the hobos to sleep under on benches.
  ...and that's an advantage because...?
Thanks Penguin!! (Score:5, Insightful)

by Comboman ( 895500 ) writes: on Monday August 29, 2016 @03:10PM (#52791625)

Penguin Random House created a special platform to offer subway customers free access to five full-length e-shorts, including F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic short story, The Diamond As Big As The RitzThe Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe.
Wow! Thanks so much for giving me "free" access to five whole stories including two that have been in the public domain for decades!

- - Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
    
    by Anonymous Coward writes:
    
    The people you claim are leftist, aren't even on the left politically. But I think we can agree there are liars and hypocrites out there, and they are pushing their agenda onto us.
More targets for the pickpockets... (Score:1)

by Anonymous Coward writes:

People absorbed in their portables, unaware of what's happening around them.
Pickpocket heaven!
- NYC Subway (Score:2)
  
  by SeattleLawGuy ( 4561077 ) writes:
  
  People absorbed in their portables, unaware of what's happening around them.
  Pickpocket heaven!
  Yes, but the delta between 4.1 million people who aren't paying attention and 4.2 million people who aren't paying attention doesn't exactly change whether it's a target-rich environment.
  (over 4.3 million people ride the subway every day, according to Google.)
Death of human interaction (Score:5, Funny)

by swillden ( 191260 ) writes: <shawn-ds@willden.org> on Monday August 29, 2016 @03:34PM (#52791789) Journal

Just another nail in the coffin of real human interaction. Now, instead of engaging in witty banter, sharing touching and heart-rending personal experiences, and forming life-long new friendships, subway riders will all be staring at their phone screens.
Oh, wait...

- Re: (Score:3)
  
  by Hevel-Varik ( 2700923 ) writes:
  
  Your're not from NY are you?
  - Re: (Score:2)
    
    by Hevel-Varik ( 2700923 ) writes:
    
    oh missed the last sentence, never mind ...
One little New York problem... (Score:1)

by Applehu Akbar ( 2968043 ) writes:

This is a neat idea, but won't it just put a lot more iPads out there in the open for the gangbangers to grab?
This would be great in Tokyo, though.
Poetry in Motion (Score:2)

by mveloso ( 325617 ) writes:

Why not bring back the poetry-in-motion ads, except make them longer?
Comment removed (Score:3)

by account_deleted ( 4530225 ) writes: on Monday August 29, 2016 @10:48PM (#52794097)

Comment removed based on user account deletion

No need to get on the subway or even be in NYC (Score:1)

by No Longer an AC ( 4611353 ) writes:

Everything is on their website: [subwayreadsny.com]

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Now Arriving On the New York Subway: Free E-Books, Timed For Your Commute (betanews.com) 44

Now Arriving On the New York Subway: Free E-Books, Timed For Your Commute More Login

Now Arriving On the New York Subway: Free E-Books, Timed For Your Commute

Re: Says you. (Score:2)

Re: (Score:2)

Re: (Score:2)

That's Fine for The Tourists, I Guess... (Score:2)

Re: (Score:2)

Dumb (Score:2, Flamebait)

Not too long... (Score:2)

Re:Not too long... (Score:5, Funny)

Re: (Score:1)

Re: (Score:2)

How about ... (Score:2)

Re: (Score:3)

Thanks Penguin!! (Score:5, Insightful)

Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

More targets for the pickpockets... (Score:1)

NYC Subway (Score:2)

Death of human interaction (Score:5, Funny)

Re: (Score:3)

Re: (Score:2)

One little New York problem... (Score:1)

Poetry in Motion (Score:2)

Comment removed (Score:3)

No need to get on the subway or even be in NYC (Score:1)

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