I’m always looking for new recipes, so when I found out about ebook guru Morris Rosenthal’s list of “Free Classic Cookbooks for Kindle” I couldn’t resist. Classic, it turns out, means books that are in the public domain–no longer protected by copyright.

You’ll find books from the 19th and early 20th century with some as old as the 16th Century. Some stand the test of time. “Cassell’s Vegetarian Cookbook” (1875) includes recipes for carrot and lentil soups that seem straight out of today. And the “Chocolate and Cocoa Recipes Cookbook” (1909) includes Chocolate Glace Cake and Chocolate Souffle that would delight any modern chocoholic.

But the real joy of these cookbooks is the window they open on the evolution of cooking, society, and the role of women. If you love reading cookbooks, you’ll find a treasure trove here.