Classics
Read Classics Classics in English
6,942 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 C1ClassicsThe International Auxiliary Language Esperanto: Grammar & CommentaryExplore the groundbreaking international language created to unite humanity beyond borders, offering a simple, logical grammar that enables effortless communication, translation, a…
Level C1ClassicsThe InterloperIn early 19th-century Scotland, the reserved and enigmatic Gilbert Speid arrives to claim an inheritance at the ancient Whanland estate, where the local lawyer senses a complex min…
Level C1ClassicsThe Interdependence of LiteratureExplore the rich tapestry of world literature as it weaves together ancient civilizations, from Babylonian and Hebrew texts to Greek, Roman, and beyond, revealing how cultures have…
Level C1ClassicsThe Intelligence Office (From "Mosses from an Old Manse")In a dim city office where every human longing is cataloged, a mysterious clerk listens to visitors seeking their true place in the world—whether a humble role or a throne—explorin…
Level C1ClassicsThe Inspector-GeneralCorruption runs rampant in a small Russian town thrown into chaos when officials mistake a visitor for an incognito inspector-general.
Level C1ClassicsThe Inside of the Cup — CompleteIn a rapidly changing Midwestern city, a steadfast patriarch clings to old values amid the rise of industrial prosperity and shifting social landscapes, challenging the comfort and…
Level C1ClassicsThe Innocents AbroadEmbark on a lively voyage across Europe and beyond with a curious band of American travelers, encountering eccentric characters, cultural clashes, and humorous misadventures as the…
Level B2ClassicsThe Inner Sisterhood: A Social Study in High ColorsIn a lively social season filled with parties and admirers, a young woman navigates the complexities of high society, longing for genuine connection amid the dazzling yet fickle wh…
Level C1ClassicsThe Inner ShrineA mother waits anxiously through the night, sensing an unseen danger looming over her son's seemingly perfect marriage in the glittering society of Paris.
Level C1ClassicsThe Inn at the Red OakIn a fading coastal town where prosperity has slipped away, the weathered Inn at the Red Oak stands as a relic of a bygone era.
Level C1ClassicsThe Inmate Of The Dungeon: 1894In a grim prison chamber, a gaunt, iron-willed convict is summoned unexpectedly before the State Prison Directors, sparking a tense confrontation that promises to reveal dark secre…
Level C1ClassicsThe Ink-Stain (Tache d'encre) — CompleteA young law student grapples with the monotony of his provincial upbringing and academic pursuits, until an unexpected event on December 10, 1884, promises to disrupt his uneventfu…
Level C1ClassicsThe Influence of Old Norse Literature on English LiteratureExplore the profound impact of Old Norse sagas and poetry on English literature, tracing their influence from Thomas Gray to William Morris and revealing a timeless connection that…
Level C1ClassicsThe InfernoA tormented soul battles doubt, suspicion, fear, and desire in a raw, autobiographical journey through madness and redemption.
Level C1ClassicsThe Infernal MarriageA dark god’s fiery chariot whisks a reluctant maiden beneath the earth to the shadowy realm of Hades, where she confronts eerie guardians, uneasy family ties, and the haunting pric…
Level C1ClassicsThe InevitableIn a bustling Roman boarding-house blending old charm and modern life, a solitary traveler arrives, sensing both the city's beauty and an uneasy forewarning.
Level B2ClassicsThe Indian's Hand: 1892Tensions rise in a frontier settlement as settlers dismiss warnings of returning Native Americans—until a violent raid shatters their fragile peace, leaving a mother haunted by the…
Level C1ClassicsThe Indian Lily and Other StoriesA wealthy retired officer navigates the complexities of passion and duty in Berlin, where secret rendezvous and social influence collide.
Level C1ClassicsThe Indeterminate Sentence: What Shall Be Done with the Criminal Class?Exploring the persistent challenge of the criminal class, this work examines society's failure to rehabilitate offenders and the economic and social costs of short-term incarcerati…
Level B2ClassicsThe Incubator BabyIn a garden where storks deliver babies from blossoming trees, the smallest infant, Marjorie, is unexpectedly carried to a strange new world inside an incubator, where she must nav…
Level C1ClassicsThe InconstantAmidst witty banter and social intrigues, a spirited group navigates friendship, love, and deception in a lively Parisian setting, where personal fortunes and follies intertwine wi…
Level C1ClassicsThe Inca of Perusalem: An Almost Historical ComediettaIn a sharp comedic playlet set against the backdrop of wartime fears and folly, an archdeacon struggles to curb his extravagant widowed daughter’s lavish lifestyle while satire gen…
Level C1ClassicsThe Impostures of ScapinCaught in a web of arranged marriages and secret loves, young Octave turns to the cunning servant Scapin, whose wit and trickery might be the only way out of his desperate predicam…
Level C1ClassicsThe ImpostorIn the frozen Canadian frontier, Rancher Witham battles harsh winters and mounting debts, clinging to fading hope as foreclosure threatens his land and future.
Level C1ClassicsThe Imported Bridegroom, and Other Stories of the New York GhettoIn the heart of New York's Jewish ghetto, Flora dreams of escaping tradition to marry a refined American doctor, defying her devout father's strict expectations.
Level C1ClassicsThe Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Comedy for Serious PeopleIn a lavish London flat, two charming bachelors navigate love, identity, and societal expectations with wit and satire, while their flirtations and family intrigues threaten to upe…
Level C1ClassicsThe ImperialistIn a small Canadian town, the mysterious Mother Beggarlegs captivates children and stirs local gossip with her gingerbread stall and secretive past.
Level C1ClassicsThe Impending Sword: A Novel (Vol. 2 of 3)An acclaimed actor-author leads a select troupe on a transatlantic journey to bring his celebrated plays to America, navigating the excitement and skepticism of critics and society…
Level B2ClassicsThe Impending Sword: A Novel (Vol. 1 of 3)In the bustling Empire City, two friends navigate high society’s glittering soirées, where wealth, charm, and intrigue intertwine beneath lavish parties and elegant façades.
Level C1ClassicsThe Immortals: Masterpieces of Fiction, Crowned by the French Academy — CompleteStep beyond Parisian façades and public spectacles to discover the intimate lives, motives, and souls of French society as revealed through its most celebrated novels crowned by th…
Level C1ClassicsThe Immortal; Or, One of the "Forty.": (L'immortel) - 1877A devoted historian faces the loss of his cherished archives and the disruptions of weekly visitors, forcing him into a cramped refuge where unexpected encounters challenge his ord…
Level C1ClassicsThe Immortal Moment: The Story of Kitty TailleurTwo siblings arrive at a seaside hotel, their youthful innocence and curiosity setting the stage for unexpected encounters and subtle adventures.
Level C1ClassicsThe Immortal LureA passionate artist in Venice grapples with betrayal and shattered dreams as he confronts the public exposure of a cherished muse, testing the boundaries between love, pride, and a…
Level B2ClassicsThe Imaginary InvalidA hypochondriac obsessed with his health navigates a world of costly treatments and meddling doctors, while his sharp-witted maid challenges his delusions and exposes the absurditi…
Level C1ClassicsThe Illustrious GaudissartA cunning commercial traveler navigates the clash between Parisian innovation and provincial tradition, using wit and eloquence to sell wares and ideas alike.
Level C1ClassicsThe Idol of the Blind: A NovelA woman waits nearly twenty years to marry the man she loves, only to find their long-delayed happiness tempered by poverty and quiet resignation.
Level C1ClassicsThe Idol of ParisIn a distinguished Parisian family, fifteen-year-old Esperance Darbois challenges the old-fashioned belief that children must obey their parents without question, sparking a passio…
Level C1ClassicsThe Idle Thoughts of an Idle FellowIndulge in the witty musings of a self-proclaimed expert on idleness, who reveals the art of doing nothing with surprising energy and humor, turning laziness into a delightful and…
Level C1ClassicsThe IdiotIn a quirky boarding house, the Idiot sparks lively debate by championing the charm and freedom of canal-boat living over traditional homes.
Level C1ClassicsThe HypocriteA charmingly cynical university student navigates the precarious balance between intellectual pretension and social deception, captivating an admiring circle while hiding his true…
Level C1ClassicsThe Hypnotic Experiment of Dr. Reeves, and Other StoriesA renowned but controversial doctor faces a life-or-death challenge when a young patient’s severe rheumatism of the heart resists all remedies.
Level C1ClassicsThe Husbands of EdithIn sunlit Paris, Brock savors leisurely mornings at the Hôtel Chatham, where chance encounters and old friends like Roxbury Medcroft promise to intertwine his cosmopolitan adventur…
Level C1ClassicsThe Husband's Story: A NovelA man reluctantly fulfills a friend's request to share a revealing manuscript, unfolding a tale that journeys from modest origins to the dazzling heights of New York’s elite societ…
Level C1ClassicsThe HuntressIn a tight-knit lakeside tribe, Bela defies tradition with her fierce independence and rebellious spirit, sparking scandal and fear among her people.
Level C1ClassicsThe Hungry Stones, and Other StoriesA weary tax collector takes up residence in a deserted marble palace once alive with joyous Persian maidens, only to find the eerie solitude slowly consuming him—and strange, haunt…
Level B2ClassicsThe Hungry Heart: A NovelNewlyweds Richard and Courtney return to the imposing Vaughan homestead, where romance meets the weight of family expectations and old resentments.
Level C1ClassicsThe HunchbackIn a bustling tavern, Sir Thomas Clifford and a lively group of gentlemen engage in spirited toasts and intrigue, setting the stage for a drama filled with wit, deception, and hidd…
Level C1ClassicsThe Humourous Story of Farmer Bumpkin's LawsuitA widow’s fight for justice drags on for years through endless trials and costly delays, exposing the flaws and frustrations of a legal system stacked against the poor.