Whenever I download a free book on my Nook, part of me feels like I am abusing the system – the system of making sure that renumeration for books used and appreciated gets back to authors, publishers, and booksellers.
But it is just so easy on a Nook!
So far today, I have already downloaded free works by Ann Radcliffe, David Ricardo, John Keats, Andrew Marvell, Alexander Pope, John Dryden. Granted, I did also pick up this weekend $16 (plus tax) worth of histories on medieval and renaissance Florence from Capitol Hill Books this weekend. But I do not doubt the total dollars spent on books will ultimately go down. While this may be good for me, is it good for literature?
the coffee philosopher 
Not really. I don’t know about all David Ricardo, but all those other ones are dead. The best thing you can do for literature is to read them and tell others to do the same.