How to Put an alternatehistory.com Story on Kindle with calibre
You can put an alternatehistory.com story on your Kindle without using Amazon’s Send to Kindle service. First, download the thread as an EPUB with WP Downloader. You can then use calibre to convert the EPUB to AZW3 and transfer it to your Kindle over USB.
WP Downloader is a free browser-based tool. calibre is a free e-book manager for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
What you need
You will need:
- The alternatehistory.com story’s thread URL
- A computer with calibre
- Your Kindle e-reader
- A USB connection between the computer and Kindle
An alternatehistory.com story link usually looks like this:
https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/some-story-name.123456/WP Downloader collects the forum thread’s threadmarked chapters and combines them into one book. It downloads the whole story, not individual chapters or lists.
Step 1: Download the story with WP Downloader
Open the alternatehistory.com downloader and paste the story’s thread URL into the box. WP Downloader detects the site and prepares the book.
Choose EPUB as the output format. EPUB is free for everyone and can be imported into calibre. You can also choose whether to include the story’s images.
Public stories do not require an account. You can sign in with your alternatehistory.com account to reach members-only stories that the account can already read. WP Downloader uses your credentials only to fetch the story you requested.
WP Downloader can only download material available to your account. It does not bypass locked content, paywalls, or age restrictions.
Save the finished EPUB to your computer. For more help with this step, see how to download alternatehistory.com stories.
Step 2: Add the EPUB to calibre
Open calibre and select “Add books,” then choose the EPUB you downloaded.
The story will appear in your calibre library. You can edit its metadata or cover before transferring it. You can also check the EPUB or read it on your computer with calibre’s e-book viewer.
The viewer has a “Read aloud” feature if you prefer to listen on your computer.
Step 3: Convert the EPUB to AZW3
Select the story in your calibre library and choose the option to convert it. Set AZW3 as the output format.
WP Downloader does not create AZW3 or MOBI files. It creates the EPUB, and calibre converts that file to a Kindle format.
Kindle e-readers can open AZW3 files copied directly to the device, so AZW3 works well for this USB method. calibre can also convert EPUB files to formats such as MOBI or PDF, but these steps use AZW3.
Step 4: Connect your Kindle over USB
Connect your Kindle e-reader to the computer. After calibre recognizes it, select the converted story and choose “Send to device.”
calibre will transfer the book to the Kindle over USB. Once the transfer finishes, you can read the story offline on the e-reader.
The file moves directly from calibre to the connected Kindle, so this method does not use the Send to Kindle service.
USB transfer or Send to Kindle?
Both methods start with an EPUB downloaded from WP Downloader. The remaining steps are different.
For a USB transfer, calibre converts the EPUB to AZW3 and sends it directly to the connected Kindle. This method also lets you manage the book in your calibre library.
Amazon’s Send to Kindle service no longer accepts MOBI files. Kindle e-readers can still open MOBI and AZW3 files copied over USB.
To use Amazon’s service instead, follow the guide to send alternatehistory.com stories to Kindle. Kobo users can read how to read alternatehistory.com stories on Kobo.
Getting new chapters later
WP Downloader cannot update an EPUB that is already in your calibre library. If the thread gets new threadmarked chapters, download the whole story again.
Add the new EPUB to calibre, convert it to AZW3, and transfer that version to your Kindle over USB.
FAQ
Does WP Downloader create an AZW3 or MOBI file?
No. WP Downloader creates EPUB files for free and PDF files with a free Discord sign-in. calibre can convert the downloaded EPUB to AZW3 or MOBI.
Do I need an alternatehistory.com account?
Public stories do not require an account. Signing in is optional and lets WP Downloader reach members-only stories that your account can read.
Does WP Downloader download every post in the thread?
WP Downloader collects the threadmarked chapters and combines them into one book.
Can I transfer the EPUB directly to my Kindle?
For this method, add the EPUB to calibre, convert it to AZW3, and use “Send to device.”
Can calibre read the story aloud?
Yes. calibre’s e-book viewer has a “Read aloud” feature for listening to the downloaded book on your computer.