Classics
Read Classics Classics in English
1,241 classics books at CEFR A2 to C2 — learn English by reading the stories worth reading. Select any word for an instant translation, listen to the narration read the page aloud, and save the vocabulary you meet. Pick your level and start with a free sample.
What are the best classics classics to read in English as a learner?
The best classics classics for English learners are the well-known titles you can read in the original — start with Émile Zola, Novelist and Reformer: An Account of His Life & Work, Æschylos Tragedies and Fragments and Âmona; The Child; And The Beast; And Others: From "The Strange Adventure of James Shervinton, and Other Stories" - 1902. Each one is labelled with a CEFR level, any word you do not know is one selection away from a translation, and the narration reads the page aloud while it highlights the words.
- 1,241
- books
Level B2ClassicsThe Nine-TenthsIn a bustling printery alive with the clatter of presses and the laughter of young factory girls, Joe Blaine finds a fierce sense of belonging amid the smoke and machinery.
Level B2ClassicsThe Night ClubIn a lively Chelsea flat, a group of men form the Night Club—a Sunday gathering where storytelling reigns supreme and women are barred, sparking camaraderie, humor, and the challen…
Level B2ClassicsThe Nature FakerA heartbroken man turns from lost love to a passionate devotion to nature, creating a wild sanctuary where he finds solace among animals and landscapes.
Level B2ClassicsThe Music Master; Novelized from the PlayA once-celebrated conductor faces the harsh reality of fading passion and financial hardship, as his orchestra dismisses rehearsal before a crucial premiere.
Level B2ClassicsThe Mountain School-TeacherIn a rugged mountain wilderness where paths fade into forest, a young man ventures through ancient woods while a small boy struggles to protect his precious cargo on a slow-moving…
Level B2ClassicsThe Money GodsA struggling secretary envies his wealthy employer’s life until a playful game of hide and seek with the boss’s son leads him into the mysterious, shadowed depths of an ancestral h…
Level B2ClassicsThe Missionary Sheriff: Being incidents in the life of a plain man who tried to do his dutyA steadfast sheriff with a rugged past balances justice and kindness in a town where even the jail blossoms with care.
Level B2ClassicsThe MissionaryTwo boys clash fiercely over the affections of a spirited young girl aboard a homeward-bound liner, their rivalry echoing the wild instincts of tigers.
Level B2ClassicsThe Misfit Christmas PuddingsIn a bustling bakery on the eve of Christmas, the scent of festive treats fills the air as a mercenary baker and his tender-hearted daughter prepare for the holiday, weaving tales…
Level B2ClassicsThe Mintage: Being Ten Stories & One MoreA tender train journey unfolds as five German children, orphaned and alone, rely on the kindness of strangers to reach their grandmother in Chicago, revealing the quiet humanity wi…
Level B2ClassicsThe Mentor: Walter Scott, Vol. 4, Num. 15, Serial No. 115, September 15, 1916Amid the 1745 Scottish rebellion, English officer Edward Waverley finds his loyalty tested as he falls for Flora MacIvor and becomes entangled in Highland conflicts, facing charges…
Level B2ClassicsThe Memoirs of Mr. Charles J. YellowplushBorn to uncertain origins and raised amidst hardship, a young footman with gentlemanly aspirations navigates the shifting tides of London life, from schoolboy pranks to serving a m…
Level B2ClassicsThe Manager of the B. & A.: A NovelIn the quiet aftermath of a busy day at the struggling Buckhom and Antioch Railroad, a new manager named Oakley arrives, determined to bring order and prosperity to the neglected l…
Level B2ClassicsThe Man: A Story of To-dayIn a candid series of letters and chapters, a bold author challenges societal norms and reveals uncomfortable truths about the struggles between men and circumstances, exploring lo…
Level B2ClassicsThe Man with a ShadowIn a quiet Warwickshire rectory, tensions rise as a mysterious note and a forbidden kiss spark suspicions and secrets among the Salis family, threatening their peaceful existence w…
Level B2ClassicsThe Man Who Lost HimselfVictor Jones, a struggling entrepreneur in London, faces financial ruin after losing a crucial government contract, only to encounter a mysterious man with a strikingly familiar fa…
Level B2ClassicsThe Man That Corrupted HadleyburgIn the incorruptible town of Hadleyburg, a mysterious stranger leaves a sack of gold with a challenge that will test the town’s famed honesty and expose hidden truths in a clever g…
Level B2ClassicsThe Making of a PrigA rebellious young woman challenges the rigid expectations of her family and society while navigating the tensions between duty and personal freedom in a quiet rectory.
Level B2ClassicsThe Making of MaryA young girl wakes alone in an abandoned farmhouse, facing cold, hunger, and loneliness while discovering the remnants of a life left behind.
Level B2ClassicsThe Magnetic GirlTorn between scorn and curiosity, a young woman faces ridicule for the unexpected marriage proposal of Benjamin Morgan, a kind yet physically imperfect man.
Level B2ClassicsThe Lost Word: A Christmas Legend of Long AgoIn ancient Antioch, a young Christian candidate wrestles with doubts and disillusionment on Christmas morning, caught between his past wealth and his new faith.
Level B2ClassicsThe Lost ChildOn a bright Christmas Eve morning in Paris, the powerful and wealthy banker M.
Level B2ClassicsThe Log of the "Jolly Polly"A struggling novelist clings to fading fame when unexpected relatives from Massachusetts arrive, hinting at a mysterious connection that could change everything.
Level B2ClassicsThe Living Link: A NovelIn a quiet boarding school, Edith arrives to a tense silence and a mysterious summons from Miss Plympton, hinting at a terrible secret that will upend the lives of the young ladies…
Level B2ClassicsThe Little Vanities of Mrs. Whittaker: A NovelIn an era when women’s roles are limited, Regina Brown, a determined and educated young woman, wrestles with the confines of middle-class life and her desire for a meaningful purpo…
Level B2ClassicsThe Little Russian ServantA young Russian peasant girl named Mavra enters noble service as an embroiderer, stepping into a world of opulence and strict hierarchy where her skills and quiet presence catch th…
Level B2ClassicsThe Little Room, and Other StoriesA family returns to a remote Vermont farm haunted by the mystery of a vanished "little room" that exists only in memory and imagination, challenging the boundaries between reality…
Level B2ClassicsThe Little MissisIn a humble home filled with old memories and new hopes, Phebe wrestles with love, faith, and promises that may change her future forever.
Level B2ClassicsThe Little Lady of the Big HouseAwakening on his sprawling estate, Dick Forrest navigates a day of careful efficiency, tending prized livestock and overseeing his ambitious plans.
Level B2ClassicsThe Little Dream: An Allegory in Six ScenesIn a remote mountain hut, a daring climber prepares to conquer the formidable Great Horn at sunrise, forging an unexpected bond with Seelchen, a spirited local girl torn between he…
Level B2ClassicsThe Little City of Hope: A Christmas StoryA determined inventor struggles against skepticism and poverty to perfect his revolutionary Air-Motor, clinging to hope despite financial ruin and betrayal.
Level B2ClassicsThe Light That FailedTwo orphans endure harsh guardianship and find solace in secret pistol practice, forging a bond of resilience and defiance amid a world that offers them little kindness or comfort.
Level B2ClassicsThe Life of NancyAmidst the rustic charm bordering bustling Boston, a spirited young girl named Nancy embarks on her first city visit, encountering new faces and the excitement of unfamiliar sights…
Level B2ClassicsThe Lever: A NovelA chance encounter rekindles childhood friendship between Alice and Allen, setting the stage for a story of rekindled bonds, family dynamics, and the pursuit of justice in a world…
Level B2ClassicsThe Last of the Mortimers: A Story in Two VoicesTwo sisters confront family secrets and the mystery of a lost heir, Richard Arkwright Mortimer, as they navigate inheritance, identity, and the weight of their ancestral legacy.
Level B2ClassicsThe Last of the De Mullins: A Play Without a PrefaceAmid the fading grandeur of a centuries-old manor and the looming shadow of a family stroke, the De Mullins grapple with tradition, inheritance, and changing times in a quiet villa…
Level B2ClassicsThe Last of Their RaceIsla Mackinnon stands as the last hope for the ancient Castle of Achree, a crumbling Scottish estate steeped in legend and threatened by hardship.
Level B2ClassicsThe Last StetsonIn a mountain mill shadowed by a long-standing feud, a young boy named Isom navigates the tensions between rival families as old grudges resurface and danger lurks near.
Level B2ClassicsThe Last DitchA chance encounter on a river steamer introduces Romney to a mysterious woman draped in a rare yellow rug, whose fierce love for a child and untamed spirit challenge him to confron…
Level B2ClassicsThe Lady with the Dog and Other StoriesA chance encounter in a seaside town sparks an unexpected connection between Dmitri, a disenchanted family man, and Anna, a mysterious lady walking her dog alone, as they navigate…
Level B2ClassicsThe Lady from the SeaIn a serene fjord town, a mysterious woman haunted by the sea struggles between her past and present life as old acquaintances and new visitors stir long-buried desires and secrets…
Level B2ClassicsThe King's Threshold; and On Baile's StrandAn aging poet confronts the harsh pride and politics of King Guaire's court, where loyalty and art collide on the palace steps.
Level B2ClassicsThe Kentucky WarblerA young boy named Webster feels trapped by school and city life but is irresistibly drawn to the mysterious forest beyond his home, where nature's call promises adventure and a wor…
Level B2ClassicsThe Jucklins: A NovelAn awkward young man longs to prove himself in a society that mocks him, plotting a daring horse trade and a bold confrontation to earn respect and overcome his insecurities in nor…
Level B2ClassicsThe JamesonsA quiet village’s long-held tradition of no boarders is shattered when a well-to-do family opens their home to strangers from the city, stirring curiosity and upheaval among neighb…
Level B2ClassicsThe Jack-Knife ManA weathered man clings to his homemade shanty-boat, his only true home, despite tempting offers to sell it.
Level B2ClassicsThe Isles of SunsetAmidst towering sea cliffs and wild birds, a solitary fisherman named David wrestles with a divine calling after a mysterious vision urges him to follow a shining figure across the…
Level B2ClassicsThe Iron WomanIn a world where childhood means both command and rebellion, Elizabeth Ferguson reigns with fearless audacity, challenging family rules and social expectations while navigating the…