Can I read my Kindle books on Mint?

[abrogard]

I just bought a couple of kindle books from amazon - ie. bought ebooks which makes the kindle by default, I think?
Went to install Kindle and have found, I think, that there's no kindle reader for mint.
So there's amazon looking at me and showing my 'library' and me here can't read any of it?
Must I go to windows, download from the library somehow and then transfer to mint here?

[AZgl1800]

all you need is the URL link to your Kindle Library.
Amazon does NOT care what OS you use, just that you have a Browser.

I use a separate browser from my Firefox daily driver browser.
for me, I use Vivaldi

the Amazon info follows: make appropriate changes for yourself.

Kindle link is:
https://read.amazon.com/kindle-library

the Kindle has a separate Email:

jtcraigjr_12456789098765@kindle.com > your Kindle username here:
Type : Kindle PaperWhite
Serial number : 90xcvbnmj4930U721234
Device registered on : September 16, 2019
John's Kindle
---
my Kindle PaperWhite 7th Generation
Model# DP75SDI

Email :
jtcraigjr_512345678900034d@kindle.com

[abrogard]

Yep, thanks for that.
I found a reader alright. at 'read.amazon.com' or something like that. a cloud reader.
I would like to find a reader that's like kindle desktop inasmuch as it enables me to download the books for offline reading.
wasn't clear in my own head what i wanted when I posted, but that's it.

[AZgl1800]

I just now made a short Screen Video of how the Amazon cloud looks when linked to the Amazon Library,

I have over 500+ books so you won't see that many scroll by.

I end up with a single page view of text from a random book waiting for me to read it.


https://youtu.be/k_wv9TiK0fw

this should give you an idea of what it can look like for you.
you can size the text fonts as you want,
you can have it look like a book open, page to the left and to the right.

I prefer a single large screen.
I just press the right arrow to go to next page.

pg down works too

[abrogard]

Yep, that's good, thank you. Perhaps I should try that Vivaldi browser. I'd never heard of it.
What I'm after is offline reading is the thing.

[AZgl1800]

Yep, that's good, thank you. Perhaps I should try that Vivaldi browser. I'd never heard of it.
What I'm after is offline reading is the thing.

my preference is my Kindle PaperWhite,
it has 79 pages of eBooks loaded on it.

I do NOT like the newer versions of the Kindle eReader,
full of junk I have no use for,
Games, etc....

all I want is to read books in peace, where I am, w/o the distraction of the Internet.
When my daughter and I leave the house, it goes with me.
When she is shopping for groceries, or gee gaws,
I sit in the car happily engrossed in my eReader.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

...my preference is my Kindle PaperWhite,
it has 79 pages of eBooks loaded on it.

I do NOT like the newer versions of the Kindle eReader,
full of junk I have no use for,
Games, etc....

all I want is to read books in peace, where I am, w/o the distraction of the Internet.
When my daughter and I leave the house, it goes with me.
When she is shopping for groceries, or gee gaws,
I sit in the car happily engrossed in my eReader.


eReader.jpg

RANT ALERT! I had to get the Paperwhite several years (over a decade?) after my old five button died. I loved that old five button; it was so easy to use and, until the day it died (may it rest in peace), it was very reliable.

I frequently curse at the Paperwhite because of its miserable, misbegotten, no good for nothing, cotton' pickin', stinkin', rotten, stupid,idiotic touch screen (I would be more accurate but Mama told me not to use those words)! Touch screens (and touchpads) and I do not get along well and, based on the way they respond so erratically to my touch, they hate me with the same intensity I loathe and despise them.

The stupid thing would decide to install updates at the strangest times, whether I wanted it to or not, and, more often than not, the updates would break something. I finally got fed up with the update Baloney Sausage and shut its WiFi off (I later shut off WiFi at home and use only Ethernet) and download new books to my computer and side load them to the Paperwhite via USB. Except for that abominable touch screen, it works OK now.

It appears that every new version of the Kindles require downloading different versions of books to side load because dear, sweet Amazon keeps changing their paranoid DRM schemes, bless their hearts (you SSA Southerners will know exactly what I meant by that). With all the e-books I have, getting a new Kindle would be a nightmare since I can download books only one at a time (Amazon's web page designers and software developers out suck commercial shop vacs) and I have hundreds, if not over a thousand, e-books (at my age, I could literally die of old age before I finished downloading every book one at a time) so, to reduce the wear and tear on the Paperwhite I'm stuck with, I read my books from Amazon's cloud reader since darling Amazon can't be "bothered" to develop a Kindle for Linux app. I save the Kindle for when I'm away from the house.

Rant over. You are now being returned to your regularly scheduled thread.

@AZgl1800 What happened to your avatar? Did the poor dog die?

[AZgl1800]

@AZgl1800 What happened to your avatar? Did the poor dog die?

I liked the old girl a lot, and keep her in safe hiding, to be used again.
BUT, when you look at my prose under my Avatar,
I thought I needed to put up the State Flag to go with it.

PaperWhite:
Updates occur when they damn will please, not when you want them.
ala MicroSloth

I don't use the 5 button model, looked at it, don't want it,
I stay with the old original format touchscreen,
it does what want.

I once had to replace the PaperWhite,
I used my laptop to upload my library into the new replacement all at once.

[Danbor]

Just so I understand here.
After all is said and done, the answer is NO, one cannot read a kindle book in Linux Mint?
One can browse a kindle book with a web browser while online, but you can't copy a book from a kindle paperwhite to the computer and read it there?

[AZgl1800]

Just so I understand here.
After all is said and done, the answer is NO, one cannot read a kindle book in Linux Mint?
One can browse a kindle book with a web browser while online, but you can't copy a book from a kindle paperwhite to the computer and read it there?

the kindle format can be converted to a format that can be read Offline using Calibre using the "Save to Disk" option

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Just so I understand here.
After all is said and done, the answer is NO, one cannot read a kindle book in Linux Mint?
One can browse a kindle book with a web browser while online, but you can't copy a book from a kindle paperwhite to the computer and read it there?

the kindle format can be converted to a format that can be read Offline using Calibre using the "Save to Disk" option

Calibre.jpg

I used to use Calibre a decade or two back but dropped it because of the almost weekly updates that kept gradually changing it into something different and the arrogant elitists on its forum (the developer was OK but there were others...). I tried the extension for converting Kindle books to a readable version back then but it would cut the ends off of chapters. Mayhap its different now but I haven't had the time to try to fool around with it.

[Danbor]

So it may be possible, if Calibre works as advertised. Good to know.
I personally prefer just using the kindle for reading, but following the thread I didn't see any clear cut answer to the question.

[RIH]

Calibre works as it should, it is an excellent book cataloguing and conversion system.
If you don't need to use Kindle equipment then Calibre has its' own reader that works perfectly with Linux.

Code: Select all

sudo -v && wget -nv -O- https://download.calibre-ebook.com/linux-installer.sh | sudo sh /dev/stdin

into a terminal (followed by your password) is the best way of installing it on Mint..

[Random Person]

Hi fellows. Not sure if it's helpful, but I manage to create a script to install the Kindle Reader App version 1.39.65323 with WINE. You may give it a try. Anyway, it allows me to read my book on Mint. At least, until some kind soul find a way to run the 2.x versions on Linux or Amazon finally release a compatible app.

install-kindle.sh

Code: Select all

#!/bin/bash

# Script to install WINE and Amazon Kindle Reader App in a Ubuntu based machine
# Data: 2024-02-19
# Based on: https://blog.wistly.net/amazon-kindle-on-linux

# Print text inside a boxed border.
box_title() {
    local len=$((${#1}+2))

    printf "\n╔"
    printf -- "═%.0s" $(seq 1 $len)
    printf "╗\n║ $1 ║\n╚"
    printf -- "═%.0s" $(seq 1 $len)
    printf "╝\n\n"
}

main() {
    local home=$(sudo -u $(logname) xdg-user-dir HOME)
    local desktop=$(sudo -u $(logname) xdg-user-dir DESKTOP)
    local wine_version=9.0.0.0~jammy-1
    local mono_version=8.1.0
    local gecko_version=2.47.4
    local kindle_version=1.39.65323
    
    box_title "Install Kindle"

    if [[ ! `id -u` -eq "0" ]]; then
        echo
        echo "Use: sudo bash install-kindle.sh"
        echo
    else
        # Install WINE
        dpkg --add-architecture i386
        mkdir -pm755 /etc/apt/keyrings
        wget -O /etc/apt/keyrings/winehq-archive.key https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/winehq.key
        wget -NP /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/dists/jammy/winehq-jammy.sources
        apt update
        apt install --install-recommends winehq-stable=$wine_version -y

        # Create required pre-existing folders
        mkdir -p $home/.cache/wine
        mkdir -p $home/.wine/drive_c/users/$(logname)/AppData/Local/Amazon/Kindle

        # Download Mono
        wget -O $home/.cache/wine/wine-mono-$mono_version-x86.msi https://dl.winehq.org/wine/wine-mono/$mono_version/wine-mono-$mono_version-x86.msi
        
        # Download Gecko
        wget -O $home/.cache/wine/wine-gecko-$gecko_version-x86.msi https://dl.winehq.org/wine/wine-gecko/$gecko_version/wine-gecko-$gecko_version-x86.msi
        wget -O $home/.cache/wine/wine-gecko-$gecko_version-x86_64.msi https://dl.winehq.org/wine/wine-gecko/$gecko_version/wine-gecko-$gecko_version-x86_64.msi
        
        
        # Downlaod Kindle for PC
        wget -O /tmp/KindleForPC-installer-$kindle_version.exe https://s3.amazonaws.com/kindleforpc/${kindle_version##*"."}/KindleForPC-installer-$kindle_version.exe

        # Give ownership of the files to the user
        
        chown -R $(logname):$(logname) $home/.wine
        chown -R $(logname):$(logname) $home/.cache/wine
        chown -R $(logname):$(logname) $home/.cache/wine/wine-mono-$mono_version-x86.msi
        chown -R $(logname):$(logname) $home/.cache/wine/wine-gecko-$gecko_version-x86.msi
        chown -R $(logname):$(logname) $home/.cache/wine/wine-gecko-$gecko_version-x86_64.msi
        chown -R $(logname):$(logname) /tmp/KindleForPC-installer-$kindle_version.exe
        
        # Configure Windows version
        sudo -u $(logname) winecfg -v win7
              
        # Install Kindle for PC
        sudo -u $(logname) wine /tmp/KindleForPC-installer-$kindle_version.exe

        # Wait until Kindle App be closed
        local pid=$(pgrep -f "Kindle.exe")
        tail --pid=$pid -f /dev/null

        # Configure Windows version
        sudo -u $(logname) winecfg -v win10

        # Removes unwanted link file from desktop
        rm -f "$desktop/Kindle.lnk" 

        echo
        echo "Wine and Kindle installed."        
        echo
        
    fi
}

main "$@"

[MikeNovember]

Hi,

You have here a page with several solutions allowing to read kindle ebooks (mobi format) on your computer:
https://askubuntu.com/questions/26492/i ... mobi-files

Regards,

MN

[bumpus]

Dont forget there is a "Kindle for Android" and linux has Waydroid. I have gotten it working in current MINT with cinnamon. Once you have Waydroid installed, you sideload the latest Kindle4Android apk and use that.

Of course this isnt universal. Any 64bit android requires your processor support SSE4.2 standard. Meaning most if not all i3, i5, i7 and later. Also celerons, least the ones that came with win10 or newer. Maybe farther back, dont know. Assume also AMD equivalent processors.

Also will say right now I booted it on an old HP Stream cloudbook with celeron from usb SSD. Linux was fine, Waydroid took long time to load, I could use Android version Firefox browser, when I clicked on the Kindle app, up pops the kindle splash screen with the boy reading under a tree.... and stopped there. Same usb install works fine on i5 and i7. I dont have an i3 to know. But just saying this solution has it quirks.

So what can you do if you have a celeron. Well again if it supports SSE4.2, you can use some variation of Android x86_64 directly, bare metal direct install. I tried PrimeOS 2.1.3 on it (Android 11). No problem opening the Kindle for Android app and letting me have access to my Kindle library. Like WINE, Waydroid is not an exact science. But Waydroid uses Lineage Android like some use on rooted phones. Real Android, not an approximation. I think BlissOS 14 uses same lineage as Waydroid, maybe made by same developers???

Oh I will also mention a quirk in installing Waydroid, there is a script that downloads the android image files from Sourceforge. For me it would download then fail saying something didnt match. But I downloaded the same img files using a browser, unzipped them, and installed using Waydroid method for custom android images described on their website. It works. Oh and since Kindle is an ARM android app, you will need to run the Waydroid script to download and install the Houdini library. This script works. If you use some version Android x86 directly it will already include Houdini. Both PrimeOS 2.1.3 and BlissOS v14 are Android 11 for x86. I like the PrimeOS desktop better than the BlissOS//Waydroid one. Easier with mouse and keyboard than the BlissOS version. Of course Android made for touchscreen so if you have a touchscreen, lucky you.

Oh one other thing about Kindle in Waydroid. On the lineage desktop, in settings and display, set display to first notch for size to get Kindle to open full screen, the default setting will open Kindle in tiny cell phone size box. In the Kindle app you can set font and background color, etc.

Depends how much you want to be able to read Kindle books offline without windows. If you dont care about that, probably easiest to just read them in a browser online.

Hopefully somebody will once again get latest series Kindle for PC working in WINE. At one point Kindle for PC in WINE wanted to update to one of the 2.3.x versions and i let it. It would load, but the library was blank. If you try to install v2.3 directly, it wont even load.

Nice thing about Waydroid, it uses an actual open source version Android, whereas WINE uses an approximation of windows trying not to violate any microsoft copyrights, etc.

[bumpus]

Oh there is another way, if your android phone has at least Android 9, think that is minimum for current Kindle for Android, install it on your phone. Then install adb and scrcpy via apt-get on your linux, this will mirror your phone screen and let you interact with computer mouse and keyboard. If you set phone sideways for landscape view, then on linux computer screen, you can maximize this to fill the screen. There you go, makes phone app actually usable without squinting. If you have an android phone that can install latest Kindle this is easier than installing Waydroid.

[Random Person]

Hopefully somebody will once again get latest series Kindle for PC working in WINE. At one point Kindle for PC in WINE wanted to update to one of the 2.3.x versions and i let it. It would load, but the library was blank. If you try to install v2.3 directly, it won't even load.

Actually, the main problem with 2.x version is the "KRFDynamic.dll". More details in this link: https://forum.winehq.org/viewtopic.php?p=142767
Until someone find a way to initialize it with WINE, we are stuck with 1.x versions.
I tried Anbox and Waydroid before but concluded which WINE is more lightweight and responsive compared to them. Despite this, using Anbox or Waydroid will ensure more compatible and updated versions of the app.

[bumpus]

Hopefully somebody will once again get latest series Kindle for PC working in WINE. At one point Kindle for PC in WINE wanted to update to one of the 2.3.x versions and i let it. It would load, but the library was blank. If you try to install v2.3 directly, it won't even load.

Actually, the main problem with 2.x version is the "KRFDynamic.dll". More details in this link: https://forum.winehq.org/viewtopic.php?p=142767
Until someone find a way to initialize it with WINE, we are stuck with 1.x versions.
I tried Anbox and Waydroid before but concluded which WINE is more lightweight and responsive compared to them. Despite this, using on Anbox or Waydroid will ensure more compatible and updated versions of the app.

It depends on your computer. On an old i7 laptop I have, I can get to Kindle library faster via Waydroid than I can via WINE. On the celeron I have not so much. And on any computer once I got to Kindle library via some variation of Android, no problem registering with Amazon account and downloading or reading books. No sluggishness at all.

Now thinking about it, the HP Stream is one of those crappy cloudbooks made as cheap as humanly possible and I had to boot via usb cause of wonky internal eMMC. If you have a celeron computer with real internal SSD and more RAM, then.... maybe Kindle can load via Waydroid. Its just marginal. But I could boot PrimeOS install from USB and no problem getting to Kindle library and using it on the Stream. I suppose one could install PrimeOS (or BlissOS) in a linux VM though if I remember about VM's this requires healthy amount RAM to work very well. But that also is alternative to Waydroid.

And as much as I am loathe to suggest it, will briefly mention I found an "unofficial" heavily pruned version win10 called Tiny10, I mean its a 900MB iso. There is a 32bit version that is only 600MB. And yes it will run latest Kindle for PC. If you have a computer that is old enough not to meet the SSE4.2 standard, then this unfortunately is probably only viable route to take. Yes like say I tried it on an ancient computer and it works. But I really, really wanted an open source way of doing this. I do boot windows to do taxes once a year, simply cause it is once a year and not worth fighting with WINE for one time use.

Oh and if you want yet another possiblitlity there is a Kindle for MAC. And somewhere I ran across a Ubuntu pkg with QEMU and script that downloads a late version of MACos. LOL I think the guy that made the pkg just wanted to prove it could be done.

Oh and one other way though probably least viable. Some guy got BlueStacks working on WINE. Even he admits he got very lucky, just the right version linux, right version WINE, and right version BlueStacks. And it was slow. But then this is bascially an ereader we are talking here. I think the planets must all just aligned for him cause I tried it with version WINE he used and version BlueStaks and nope didnt work. you can search, sure his blog show up. lot people claim you cant run BlueStacks in WINE, well he did it. But like say have to have everything exactly like he had I think. Not very practical.

[bumpus]

https://github.com/artem78/AutoScreenshot

Here is an interesting little linux app.... Just going to the online Kindle reader page with browser, putting it full screen and setting the AutoScreenshot to take a pic every 1 seconds or whatever is comfortable for you. And even manually advancing the pages, when you hear the optional "camera click" , advance the page. Well you soon have a directory of images, viewable in order in any image viewer. Nomacs even lets you view them as a slide show at speed comfortable to you or use Image Magick to make them into a pdf and view in pdf viewer or then Calibre to make the pdf into an epub. Now remember this is series images, not text, so you wont have as much control of font, etc if you make it into an epub.



Yes you can automate the page turning with another tool called xdotool and little script. Take bit experimenting to make it work with your particular screen size, etc. You will have to map your screen so you can tell it where to click and make timing work with AutoScreenshot. Anyway this is way to save a book and read it offline in linux with no WINE and no Waydroid and no Kindle ereader apps or gizmos. No having to de-DRM anything.

Where there is a will there is a way. Now images take more space than a regular epub file, but it not big deal, the example page above is 113kb.