Classics
Read Classics Classics in English
4,277 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 Morituri: Three One-Act Plays: Teja—Fritzchen—The Eternal Masculine, Moriah's Mourning and Other Half-Hour Sketches and More toasts: Jokes, stories and quotations. 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.
- 4,277
- books
Level C1ClassicsThe Altar FireA profound exploration of suffering and the soul’s resilience reveals the hidden strength in pain and the shared humanity of those who endure it.
Level C1ClassicsThe AlkahestIn a tranquil Flemish town, where tradition and architecture reveal the secrets of its people’s steady, sensuous happiness, explore the steady pulse of a society shaped by history,…
Level C1ClassicsThe AlhambraStep into the enchanted Alhambra, a Moorish palace where history and legend intertwine amid sunlit gardens and shadowed courts.
Level B2ClassicsThe Alchemist's SecretAn aging widower clings to hope as he makes his nightly trek to the post office, waiting for a letter from his long-lost daughter Sallie who vanished fifteen years ago.
Level C1ClassicsThe AlchemistEnter the world of a bold, combative playwright navigating the fierce rivalry and intrigue of Elizabethan theater, where ambition, talent, and personal struggles collide amidst the…
Level C1ClassicsThe Albany Depot : a FarceAt a bustling train depot, Mrs.
Level C1ClassicsThe Aftermath; Or, Gleanings from a Busy Life: Called upon the outer cover, for purposes of sale, Caliban's Guide to LettersStep into the disciplined life of Dr.
Level B2ClassicsThe Affable StrangerA man finds liberation by pouring his worries into a book, freeing himself from life's burdens and embracing the carefree rhythms of nature during harvest time.
Level C1ClassicsThe Advocate: A NovelIn early 19th-century Montreal, a sharp-witted advocate wrestles with love, marriage, and duty as he navigates complex relationships and moral dilemmas, all while preparing for a p…
Level C1ClassicsThe Adventures of an Ugly GirlShunned for her plain looks and overshadowed by a beautiful sister, a sensitive girl braces herself for the arrival of her father’s new wife, hoping for the first time to find a tr…
Level C1ClassicsThe Adventures of a Widow: A NovelIn a rapidly changing New York, Bond Street's genteel past clashes with a dark, unsolved murder that shakes the city's social order.
Level B2ClassicsThe Adventures of a SuburbaniteA couple escapes city flats for a country house, but Isobel struggles with the eerie silence of solitude and longs for the comforting presence of neighbors—real or imagined.
Level C1ClassicsThe Adventures of My Cousin SmoothA sharp-witted merchant from Cape Cod embarks on a mission to Washington, aiming to advance universal rights and challenge the era’s monarchies through common sense and the go-ahea…
Level C1ClassicsThe Adventures of Hugh TrevorTorn between family pride and personal choice, a young man navigates the tumult of social expectations and intellectual growth.
Level C1ClassicsThe Adventures of Elizabeth in RügenA woman sets out to explore the enchanting island of Rügen on foot, seeking freedom and connection with nature despite societal expectations and companionship refusals.
Level C1ClassicsThe Adventure of Living : a Subjective AutobiographyAn intimate journey through life’s ironies and adventures, this autobiography captures vivid travels from Jerusalem to Cairo and New York, blending personal memories with reflectio…
Level C1ClassicsThe Admirable CrichtonIn a grand Mayfair house, a sharp-witted aristocrat and his impeccable butler navigate class boundaries and social expectations, setting the stage for a surprising upheaval that ch…
Level C1ClassicsThe Admirable Bashville; Or, Constancy Unrewarded: Being the Novel of Cashel Byron's Profession Done into a Stage Play in Three Acts and in Blank Verse, with a Note on Modern Prize FightingIn a swift, blank verse adaptation, a young author battles copyright law to stage his tale of Cashel Byron, a professional prizefighter navigating honor and hardship in the ring an…
Level B2ClassicsThe Actress' Daughter: A NovelOn a stormy Christmas Eve, the stern and unyielding Miss Jerusha Skamp battles a lazy maid and a mischievous cat while maintaining strict order in her rigid New England household,…
Level C1ClassicsThe Acorn-Planter: A California Forest Play (1916)In a primeval forest, Red Cloud, the wise leader of the Nishinam tribe, champions a life of growth and abundance against the warlike Shaman and War Chief.
Level C1ClassicsThe AcharniansFed up with war's endless misery, an Athenian farmer boldly seeks a private peace treaty to save his land and family, challenging the city's war-hungry leaders in a sharp, satirica…
Level C1ClassicsThe AbsenteeIn a sharp social satire, an Irish lord returns home in disguise to confront absentee landlords neglecting their tenants while chasing English high society’s approval, revealing th…
Level C1ClassicsThe Abandoned Farmers: His Humorous Account of a Retreat from the City to the FarmA couple escapes city life to pursue their dream of owning an abandoned New England farm, diving into humorous trials and unexpected adventures as they restore the land and homeste…
Level C1ClassicsThe Abandoned FarmerA delicate boy’s health prompts his parents to consider uprooting their urban life for a rustic farm, sparking hopes and doubts about trading city comforts for the unpredictability…
Level C1ClassicsThe 13th District: A Story of a CandidateA weary candidate returns to a raucous welcome from his loyal supporters in a bustling district, where political battles have tested his endurance and spirit.
Level C1ClassicsThe 'Mind the Paint' Girl: A Comedy in Four ActsIn London’s theatrical world, Lily Parradell’s drawing room becomes the stage for wit, romance, and social intrigue as friends and admirers converge amid flowers and gifts, reveali…
Level B2ClassicsThe $30,000 Bequest, and Other StoriesIn a close-knit Western town, a humble bookkeeper and his wife receive news of a $30,000 inheritance—with strict conditions that test their resolve and dreams, sparking hope, secre…
Level B2ClassicsThe "Genius"In a bustling Midwestern town, Eugene Witla grows up under the watchful eye of his hardworking family, navigating the hopes and struggles of American life in the late 19th century.
Level C1ClassicsThe "Characters" of Jean de La BruyèreSharp and insightful portraits reveal the quirks, follies, and passions that shape human nature, exposing the timeless vices and virtues of society.
Level B2ClassicsThat Unfortunate Marriage, Vol. 2After months away, May returns home to find her grandmother's health fading and old friends tangled in new intrigues; amidst whispered rumors and unspoken feelings, she must naviga…
Level C1ClassicsThat Unfortunate Marriage, Vol. 1After a scandalous elopement and a failed military career, Augustus Cheffington faces the harsh judgments of society and family while struggling to secure a respectable place for h…
Level C1ClassicsThat StickA modest clerk’s life is transformed overnight when he unexpectedly inherits property, stirring hope and change for his devoted fiancée, a humble governess.![Cover of That Reminds Me: A Collection of Tales Worth Telling by Anonymous [Compiler]](https://dsx1pat3ljtul.cloudfront.net/books/daf5nioe1ofc73dhbk0g.webp)
Level C1ClassicsThat Reminds Me: A Collection of Tales Worth TellingDive into a lively collection of witty anecdotes and humorous tales that reveal the quirks and character of American life, blending truth and jest to entertain and enlighten reader…
Level C1ClassicsThat Printer of Udell's: A Story of the Middle WestA determined young man escapes a harsh childhood of poverty and neglect, setting out to build a better life amid the struggles of a bustling Midwestern town.
Level B2ClassicsThat Mother-in-Law of MineA newlywed man’s idyllic honeymoon is disrupted when his charming wife’s mother joins their summer trip—and threatens to haunt their married life forever.
Level C1ClassicsThat Lass O' Lowrie's: 1877In the harsh coal-mining town of Riggan, Joan Lowrie, a fiercely independent pit-girl, defies the brutal world around her, while a compassionate engineer and a troubled clergyman s…
Level C1ClassicsThat Boy of Norcott'sA young boy’s custody becomes the battleground between estranged parents, revealing the turmoil of a fractured marriage and the consequences of a scandalous union between a soldier…
Level B2ClassicsThat Awful Letter: A Comedy for GirlsWhen a city girl learns her father wants to invite a rustic cousin to visit, she panics—worried the country girl’s manners and clothes will ruin her chances with high society.
Level B2ClassicsThankful's InheritanceCaught in a fierce storm on a treacherous coastal road, a widow embarks on a daunting journey to claim her late uncle’s inheritance in the remote village of East Wellmouth, where t…
Level C1ClassicsThackerayana: Notes and AnecdotesDiscover the intimate world of a beloved novelist through his personal sketches, school memories, and reading notes, revealing the humor, character, and inspirations behind his tim…
Level C1ClassicsThackerayExplore the paradoxes of English character and genius through an insightful examination of Thackeray’s life and legacy, revealing how truth is often grasped by the wrong end and ho…
Level C1ClassicsThackerayExplore the life of a renowned English writer whose journey from a challenging childhood in India to literary fame is revealed through anecdotes and personal reflections, illuminat…
Level B2ClassicsTh' Barrel OrganAs autumn deepens over the wild Forest of Rossendale, a solitary wanderer climbs moorland paths to a remote quarryman’s cottage, where rustic tales and the serene beauty of nature…
Level C1ClassicsTestimony of the Sonnets as to the Authorship of the Shakespearean Plays and PoemsExplore a provocative analysis suggesting the Shakespearean Sonnets were penned not by Shakespeare himself, but by a hidden poet whose intimate emotions and struggles are unveiled…
Level C1ClassicsTerryAn introverted bacteriology lecturer endures the awkwardness of a high-society dinner party, revealing the quiet struggles behind a reserved exterior in a world of dazzling persona…
Level C1ClassicsTerence's Andrian, a comedy, in five actsIn ancient Athens, tangled romances and mistaken identities collide in a witty comedy where love and social customs challenge youthful hearts and clever minds alike.
Level C1ClassicsTenterhooksIn a London flat, family dynamics unfold around the birth of Aspasia Matilda, a child whose name sparks playful rivalry and subtle tensions.
Level B2ClassicsTensionAuntie Iris’s sudden success as a published author sparks excitement and chaos in a genteel household, revealing family tensions and social awkwardness beneath the surface.