There is something mystical in physical books that an ebook can never replace.
Picture this: you’re browsing through an e-commerce store in India, eying those coveted O’Reilly paperback books, your excitement building. But hold that thought! There’s a hidden caveat that could dent your wallet and leave you unimpressed. The culprit? The official seller - notorious for peddling lackluster books at exorbitant prices. Don’t be fooled by their fancy facade — your hard-earned money deserves better!
Now, before you swear off your book-buying dreams, I'm here to reveal a game-changing solution that'll leave you with premium reads and extra cash in your pocket. It's time to roll up your sleeves and embark on a journey to book nirvana.
Step 1: Create an account on Oreilly
First things first, we’re sidestepping the Publisher and heading straight to the source. Forge yourself a dummy account on Oreilly.com, and voilà! You’ve unlocked 10 days of trial account bliss. Run into expiration trouble? A swift signup shuffle will sort you right out.
Step 2: Clone SafariBooks Git Repository
Clone this amazing git repo https://github.com/lorenzodifuccia/safaribooks and follow the below instructions
$ git clone https://github.com/lorenzodifuccia/safaribooks.git
Cloning into 'safaribooks'...
$ cd safaribooks/
$ pip3 install -r requirements.txt
$ python3 safaribooks.py --cred "account_mail@mail.com:password01" XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Provide the username and password of your account on oreilly.com followed by the Book ID.
The ID is the digits that you find in the URL of the book description page:
https://www.safaribooksonline.com/library/view/book-name/XXXXXXXXXXXXX/
Like: https://www.safaribooksonline.com/library/view/test-driven-development-with/9781491958698/
At the end of this step, you will have received a genuine and up-to-date epub copy of the book you are trying to read.
P.S: In case you are facing login issues in the script, have a look at this PR.
Step 3: Download and Install Calibre
Next stop, Calibre — a world of wonder masked by its humble UI. Drop your newly acquired ePub gem into Calibre’s treasure trove.
Step 4: Convert EPUB into PDF
Epub format internally uses HTML/CSS to represent the text, structure and format of the content document. It’s extremely customizable as it’s pretty flexible. Don’t like the font, you can change it. Don’t like the spacing, you can change it. Want to change the background, believe it or not, you can change it too.
PDFs on the other hand are static. It does not provide customizations but is extremely good for printing because it doesn’t change. You can print a pdf from any computer and they would come the same because pdf is sort of a digital paper. What you see is what you get.
If you need to print a book, you will most likely need its pdf version. So we would need to convert the epub into pdf. You need not download additional software and can use Calibre itself. I have written another article which provides a step-by-step way to do the same.
Step 5: Printing as a Service
The crescendo approaches, as your customized masterpiece yearns for the tactile embrace of paper. Enter online book printing services like Printster, your partner-in-printing. Get ready to call the shots — spiral binding for frugality? Check. Soft-cover lightness? Check. Hard-cover extravagance? Double check. With options galore and competitive pricing, your dream book metamorphoses into reality.
Look at that subtle off-white coloring. The tasteful thickness of it.
In my quest for bookish bliss, I ventured with 85 GSM Bond paper, a robust color cover, monochrome elegance, dual-sided splendor, and the pièce de résistance — hardcover binding. The result? An awe-inspiring tome at a fraction of Amazon’s asking price.
Cover image at its glory
Crisp off-white 85 GSM Paper at its beauty
Dear O’Reilly, if you’re listening, heed the plea: a new publisher is overdue.
Armed with this revelation, I hope you’re ready to embark on your budget-friendly book-buying escapades. Say goodbye to those inflated prices and lackluster editions — a brave new world of high-quality, wallet-happy reads awaits. Happy reading, and may your literary journey be ever-illuminating!
References
https://www.oreilly.com/
https://github.com/lorenzodifuccia/safaribooks
https://calibre-ebook.com/download
https://snehasishroy.medium.com/unleash-your-inner-pdf-whisperer-with-calibre-conquering-the-epub-to-pdf-expedition-da2a36b83e42?source=friends_link&sk=6b4fdca67d92ccd78bb9906c00bd5354
https://printster.in/
Disclaimer
The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only. The author and publisher of this article are not responsible for any actions taken based on the information presented herein. The content of this article does not constitute professional advice, and readers are advised to consult with appropriate professionals before making any decisions or taking any actions.
The references to specific companies, products, or services in this article are purely for illustrative purposes and do not constitute endorsements or recommendations. The author and publisher do not have any affiliation with the companies mentioned, and the information provided is based on publicly available sources as of the time of writing.
Readers are encouraged to independently verify the accuracy and relevance of the information provided in this article. Any reliance on the information contained in this article is at the reader’s own risk. The author and publisher disclaim any liability for any loss, damage, or inconvenience caused by reliance on the information provided herein.
