The Library
Read Classic Literature in English
Learn English by reading the books worth reading. Every book is the complete text, labelled A2 to C2 — tap any word for an instant translation, hear natural audio narration, and save the vocabulary you meet as you go. Pick your level and start with a free sample.
Level A2AdventureThe Trojan HorseThe Greek myth of the wooden horse and the fall of Troy, told by Aeneas, retold in short, simple sentences for A1–A2 learners.
Level A2RomanceOrpheus and EurydiceThe Greek myth of Orpheus, the singer who went down to the land of the dead to bring back his wife Eurydice, retold in short, simple sentences for A1–A2 learners.
Level A2FantasyPerseus and MedusaThe Greek myth of Perseus, who went to the end of the world for the head of Medusa and saved Andromeda from a sea monster, retold in short, simple sentences for A1–A2 learners.
Level A2AdventureIcarusThe Greek myth of Daedalus the inventor, the Labyrinth, and his son Icarus, who flew too close to the sun, retold in short, simple sentences for A1–A2 learners.
Level C2RomanceSonnets from the PortugueseA weary singer finds her solitary world transformed by a princely heart whose music and presence awaken deep love and longing, defying distance, fate, and even death itself.
Level B2–C1RomanceKing Arthur and the Knights of the Round TableStep into a world of chivalry, magic, and noble quests with King Arthur and his legendary knights as they face battles, enchantments, and the search for the Holy Grail in a realm w…
Level C1–C2ClassicsOliver TwistBorn into hardship in a grim workhouse, an infant named Oliver Twist faces a harsh world from his very first breath.
Level C1–C2MysteryThe strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeA reserved lawyer investigates a sinister door linked to a chilling tale of a ruthless man trampling a child in a quiet London street, unveiling dark secrets lurking beneath the ci…
Level C1–C2MysteryThe Extraordinary Adventures of Arsène Lupin, Gentleman-BurglarAboard a transatlantic steamship, passengers learn that the elusive gentleman-burglar Arsène Lupin is hiding among them, sparking intrigue and suspicion during a five-day voyage fi…
Level C2RomanceLove and Freindship [sic]A young woman recounts her tumultuous life through letters, revealing beauty, talent, and misfortune in a quiet Welsh valley.
Level B2–C1RomanceBlow The Man Down: A Romance Of The CoastA captain aboard a luxurious yacht wrestles with an overwhelming, forbidden passion that breaks through his disciplined reserve, risking honor and sanity in a sudden, reckless embr…
Level B2–C1MysteryA Study in ScarletA wounded army doctor returns to London to rebuild his life and unexpectedly meets a brilliant, eccentric scientist with unparalleled knowledge.
Level C2ClassicsThe Brothers KaramazovThe classic classics novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
Level A2–B2PoetryA Child's Garden of VersesStevenson's beloved collection of short, musical poems about childhood — swings, shadows, ships, and bedtime.
Level C1–C2Science FictionA Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's CourtThe classic science-fiction novel by Mark Twain.
Level B2–C2Science FictionA Honeymoon in SpaceThe classic science-fiction novel by George Chetwynd Griffith.
Level B2–C2RomanceA Romance of Billy-Goat HillThe classic romance novel by Alice Caldwell Hegan Rice.
Level C2PhilosophyThe Works of Mr. George Gillespie (Vol. 1 of 2)The classic historical novel by George Gillespie.
Level C1–C2ClassicsA Tale of Two CitiesThe classic historical novel by Charles Dickens.
Level C1–C2RomanceA pair of blue eyesThe classic romance novel by Thomas Hardy.
Level B2–C2AdventureAdventures of Huckleberry FinnThe classic adventure novel by Mark Twain.
Level B1–C1FantasyAlice's Adventures in WonderlandDown the rabbit-hole into a logic-bending world of riddles and talking creatures.
Level A2–B2Children'sAndersen's Fairy TalesEighteen timeless tales including The Emperor's New Clothes, The Snow Queen, and The Little Match Girl.
Level C2RomanceAnna KareninaThe classic romance novel by Leo, graf Tolstoy.
Level B1–C1Children'sAnne of Green GablesThe classic historical novel by L.
Level B2–C1AdventureAround the World in Eighty DaysPhileas Fogg wagers his fortune on circling the globe in just eighty days.
Level C1–C2HistoricalAutobiography of Benjamin FranklinThe classic historical novel by Benjamin Franklin.
Level C2PhilosophyBeyond Good and EvilThe classic philosophy novel by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche.
Level C1–C2AdventureBidwell's Travels, from Wall Street to London Prison: Fifteen Years in SolitudeThe classic mystery novel by Austin Bidwell.
Level C2PhilosophyBiographia LiterariaThe classic philosophy novel by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
Level C1–C2RomanceCamille (La Dame aux Camilias)The classic romance novel by Alexandre Dumas.
Level C1–C2RomanceCarmenThe classic mystery novel by Prosper Mérimée.
Level B2–C2AdventureCatrionaThe classic romance novel by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Level C1–C2ClassicsCranfordThe classic classics novel by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell.
Level C1–C2ClassicsCrime and PunishmentThe classic mystery novel by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
Level C1–C2ClassicsDavid CopperfieldThe classic classics novel by Charles Dickens.
Level C1–C2HorrorDraculaLetters and journals trace a vampire's voyage from the Carpathians to London.
Level C1–C2HistoricalEighty Years and More; Reminiscences 1815-1897The classic historical novel by Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
Level C2RomanceEloisa : $b or, A series of original lettersThe classic romance novel by Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
Level A2–B2Children'sEnglish Fairy TalesClassic English folk tales collected by Joseph Jacobs — Jack and the Beanstalk, Tom Tit Tot, The Three Little Pigs and more.
Level C2PoetryErotica RomanaThe classic romance novel by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Level A2–B1Children'sFifty Famous Stories RetoldFifty short, famous stories from history and legend — King Alfred and the cakes, the sword of Damocles, and more — retold in plain English for young and new readers.
Level B2–C2HorrorFrankensteinA young scientist builds a living being from death — and abandons what he makes.
Level B2–C2MysteryFriday, the Thirteenth: A NovelThe classic mystery novel by Thomas William Lawson.
Level C1–C2ClassicsGreat ExpectationsThe classic classics novel by Charles Dickens.
Level A2–B2Children'sGrimms' Fairy TalesSixty-two beloved folk tales — from Hansel and Gretel to Rumpelstiltskin — retold in simple English.
Level C1–C2AdventureGulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the WorldThe classic adventure novel by Jonathan Swift.
Level C2ClassicsHistory of Tom Jones, a FoundlingThe classic classics novel by Henry Fielding.
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Why it works
Why read classics to learn English
Graded by real CEFR level
Every book is labelled B1, B2 or C1 so you can pick something that stretches you without overwhelming you.
Tap any word to translate
Touch a word or phrase to see it in your language instantly — no dictionary, no leaving the page.
Audio narration & pronunciation
Listen to clear, natural narration and read along to train your ear as well as your eye.
Vocabulary from your own reading
Save the words you meet; they become flashcards built from the books you actually read.
Questions