Amazon has finally launched the new Kindle Lending Library! If you have a Prime membership, you can borrow thousands of new books for free. There are limits to the service, but it’s great news for Kindle readers who want a constant stream of free books. Happy reading!
The World Factbook 2010
By the Central Intelligence Agency
Published annually by the CIA, the World Factbook is a collection of information about every country in the world. It includes maps and covers topics like culture, government, and history.
Project Gutenberg has a Kindle version of the 2010 Factbook. You can also download this year’s Factbook directly from the CIA’s website, but you’ll need to convert the files or just read it on your computer. (Note: Some 2011 versions are being sold on Amazon, but I can’t recommend any of them.)
Aftershock: The Blast That Shook Psycho Platoon
By T. Christian Miller, Daniel Zwerdling
This short book is an intriguing examination of a growing epidemic among American troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. With the regrettably high rate of road-side bombs affecting troops, increasing numbers of them are falling prey to the combination of traumatic brain injuries (concussions) and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Aftershock discusses these “invisible” war wounds in both a general context and in the specific cases of five soldiers who were injured by a bomb in 2009. This free book is recommended for people who are interested in psychology and the effects of our current wars.