Classics
Read Classics Classics in English
5,467 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.
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Level C1ClassicsVisionariesIn the glittering world of a Parisian concert hall, Alixe Van Kuyp grapples with doubt and desire as her husband’s ambitious tone-poem faces the ruthless scrutiny of a keen-eyed cr…
Level C1ClassicsVirginibus Puerisque, and Other PapersExploring the fears and hopes surrounding marriage, these essays delve into the complexities of human relationships, the sacrifices of love, and the bittersweet ties that bind us t…
Level C1ClassicsVirginiaIn 1884 Virginia Pendleton navigates the delicate social world of Dinwiddie Academy, where youthful beauty and steadfast resolve intertwine amid the fragrant gardens and rigid expe…
Level C1ClassicsVirgin SoilIn a Russia on the brink of change, youthful dreamers grapple with fatalism and desire, while a visionary woman challenges silence and tradition, revealing the nation’s deep social…
Level C1ClassicsVirgilExplore the enduring influence of Virgil, whose poetry captivated ancient Rome and medieval Europe alike, blending legend and magic with timeless tales of heroes and empires.
Level C1ClassicsViolet Osborne, Volume 3 (of 3)As Lionel returns home with grand ambitions to improve the world, he enlists Ida and Violet in launching a pioneering school for servant girls, blending moral, intellectual, and pr…
Level C1ClassicsViolet Osborne, Volume 2 (of 3)In a tranquil English village, Violet Osborne embraces a fresh start, finding beauty and kindness in her new home and its people.
Level C1ClassicsViolet Osborne, Volume 1 (of 3)On her birthday, Violet Osborne navigates social expectations with charm and kindness, balancing family affections and youthful plans at a lively gathering.
Level C1ClassicsViolet Forster's LoverIn a tense game of poker among English officers, a dropped card sparks a fierce accusation of cheating, igniting a conflict that threatens honor and friendship.
Level C1ClassicsVineta, the Phantom CityA resolute widow returns from exile to raise her son amidst the fading splendor of a coastal retreat, confronting family tensions and the heavy legacy of a lost cause.
Level C1ClassicsVilla Rubein, and Other StoriesEnter a world where vivid characters and sharp observations intertwine, revealing glimpses of human nature and artistic truth through stories inspired by real-life figures and deep…
Level C1ClassicsVilla Elsa: A Story of German Family LifeIn the tense calm before World War I, an American observer delves into the intimate daily life of a typical German family, revealing the complexities behind a nation seen as both c…
Level C1ClassicsVignettes: A Miniature Journal of Whim and SentimentBask in the sun-drenched rhythms of a fading French village, where vivid characters like Jeanne-Marie Latou reveal tales of love, loss, and journeys from dusty rooftops to bustling…
Level C1ClassicsVignettes of Manhattan; Outlines in Local ColorExplore the vibrant life and diverse characters of Manhattan through a dozen evocative vignettes, each capturing a month in the city's evolving story—a heartfelt tribute to New Yor…
Level C1ClassicsViews and OpinionsA sharp critique of modern society exposes the emptiness behind its glamorous façade, contrasting fleeting fashion with true elegance and questioning the moral compass of those in…
Level C1ClassicsVictory: An Island TaleOn a remote island, the detached Axel Heyst confronts unforeseen threats that challenge his stoic detachment and force him to confront the unpredictable forces of fate, passion, an…
Level C1ClassicsVictorian Short Stories: Stories of Successful MarriagesA Lancashire salesman and his gentle wife navigate the challenges of relocating to London, confronting social snobbery and family tensions as they strive to build a comfortable, lo…
Level C1ClassicsVictorian Short Stories of Troubled MarriagesIn a stifling colonial marriage, Mrs.
Level C1ClassicsVictor's Triumph: Sequel to A Beautiful FiendA young woman haunted by a tragic past clings to a fragile refuge in a country house, weaving desperate webs to hide her secrets while grappling with lost love and the hope of rede…
Level C1ClassicsVictor Hugo: His Life and WorkBorn amidst the rise and fall of Napoleon, a young genius emerges to revive French poetry and literature with unmatched vigor.
Level C1ClassicsVictor HugoExplore the life and legacy of a towering 19th-century poet whose work transcends literature to heal and inspire, blending youthful passion with profound social justice and artisti…
Level C1ClassicsVice Versa; or, A Lesson to FathersA stern merchant faces an unusual challenge as his son returns to boarding school, forcing him to confront the awkward tensions of fatherhood amid rigid Victorian decorum and his o…
Level C1ClassicsVesty of the BasinsIn a rugged coastal community where social ranks shape every interaction, the humble Basins folk gather in a battered schoolhouse for their Sunday meetin’.
Level C1ClassicsVestigia. Vol. II.Caught between secret dangers and forbidden alliances, Dino navigates a world of suspicion and sacrifice, where every letter and glance could alter his fate.
Level C1ClassicsVestigia. Vol. I.A young government clerk faces sudden dismissal from his telegraph office job amid the dull routine and whispered intrigues of 19th-century Leghorn.
Level C1ClassicsVery woman (Sixtine)A chance meeting under ancient firs sparks a delicate game of wit and desire between a worldly widow and a contemplative writer, each hiding truths beneath artful conversation and…
Level C1ClassicsVergil: A BiographyExplore the life behind the legendary poet as his early, personal poems reveal the struggles, ambitions, and growth that shaped the creation of the Georgics and the Aeneid, set aga…
Level C1ClassicsVerena in the Midst: A Kind of a StoryAn active woman faces a long, immobilizing recovery after a serious spinal injury at her ancestral home, sparking a heartfelt exchange of letters among friends and family navigatin…
Level C1ClassicsVera; Or, The NihilistsIn the snowy Russian countryside, a family awaits news of a lost son studying in Moscow, while political unrest brews as prisoners in chains—labeled Nihilists—arrive at a local inn…
Level C1ClassicsVera, the MediumAn aging tycoon clings to his fading empire amid a transforming city, while reporters and insiders probe the truth behind rumors of his imminent death—unveiling a world where wealt…
Level C1ClassicsVera NevillIn a vicarage shaped by a demanding mother-in-law and a gentle wife’s sacrifices, Vera Nevill arrives to challenge the uneasy family peace, stirring hidden tensions in this portrai…
Level C1ClassicsVenus in FursA provocative exploration of desire and domination unfolds as a man surrenders himself to the will of a mysterious woman clad in furs, challenging conventional notions of love, pow…
Level C1ClassicsVenus in Boston: A Romance of City LifeIn the biting cold of a Boston winter, a young fruit seller faces hunger and hardship while caring for her blind grandfather and little brother.
Level C1ClassicsVendetta: A Story of One ForgottenDeclared dead by cholera yet very much alive, Fabio Romani hides in the depths of a South American forest, ready to reveal a dark tale of betrayal, vengeance, and the terrifying co…
Level C1ClassicsVeiled WomenIn the sunlit rooftops of Cairo, slave-girls share whispered secrets and ancient tales about love, power, and faith, while tensions rise over forbidden desires and clashing culture…
Level C1ClassicsVautrin: A Drama in Five ActsIn post-Napoleonic Paris, a duchess clings to the hope that a mysterious young man is her long-lost son, igniting intrigue and dangerous rivalries within aristocratic circles.
Level C1ClassicsVassall Morton: A NovelAt Harvard, Vassall Morton juggles the legacy of his influential family and the weight of expectations while navigating academic life and friendship.
Level C1ClassicsVashti; Or, Until Death Us Do PartA young woman anxiously awaits the arrival of the new master of Grassmere, whose unexpected return stirs memories and tensions in the quiet household.
Level C1ClassicsVanitas: Polite StoriesIn a moonlit Venetian drawing-room, a worldly host and her circle of intriguing guests reveal the delicate tensions between frivolity and deeper sorrows, exploring how idle lives c…
Level C1ClassicsVanishing Roads and Other EssaysJourney along vanishing roads that seem woven into nature itself, where each winding path stirs the soul and beckons toward mysterious, eternal destinations beyond the visible worl…
Level C1ClassicsVandover and the BruteHaunted by fragmented memories and the loss of his mother, Vandover navigates a restless youth shadowed by his father's relentless return to business in San Francisco.
Level C1ClassicsVan ZornIn a New York artist’s studio, tensions simmer among friends as they navigate ambition, jealousy, and the enigmatic Van Zorn, whose charm and fortune cast a shadow over their lives…
Level C1ClassicsValerieBorn into the fading glory of Napoleonic France, Valerie recounts the trials of a proud young woman navigating love, loss, and society’s sneers after being cast adrift at seventeen…
Level C1ClassicsValentine M'Clutchy, The Irish Agent: The Works of William Carleton, Volume TwoExplore the vivid tapestry of 19th-century Irish life through the eyes of Valentine M'Clutchy, an Irish agent navigating the complexities of loyalty, justice, and social strife ami…
Level C1ClassicsVal SinestraIn a world of wealth and social expectations, Julie Gonzola’s exotic beauty masks a turbulent heart torn between two fiercely competing suitors—one refined, one wild—while her secr…
Level C1ClassicsVain oblationsA missionary’s harrowing tale unfolds amid the brutal realities of African wilderness, where Mary Bradford, a determined New England woman, faces unimaginable physical and spiritua…
Level C1ClassicsVain Fortune: A NovelA struggling playwright trapped in dreary lodgings dreams of success while wrestling with his unfinished play and harsh critiques of contemporary drama.
Level C1ClassicsVailima Letters: Being Correspondence Addressed by Robert Louis Stevenson to Sidney Colvin, November 1890-October 1894Discover the intimate correspondence of a literary genius, sharing candid reflections on creativity, friendship, and the trials of an artist’s life from 1890 to 1894.