Historical
Read Historical Classics in English
4,637 historical 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 historical classics to read in English as a learner?
The best historical classics for English learners are the well-known titles you can read in the original — start with Thorstein of the mere, Thoroughbreds and Thomas Lord Cromwell. 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.
- 4,637
- books
Level C1HistoricalThe Gipsy: A Tale (Vols I & II)In an English forest at a turning point in history, two riders approach a hidden gypsy encampment, revealing a mysterious tribe whose nomadic existence contrasts with the evolving…
Level B2AdventureThe Gilpins and their Fortunes: A Story of Early Days in AustraliaTwo brothers leave their English farming home to seek fortune and build a new life in bustling, young Sydney, Australia.
Level C1AdventureThe Ghost KingsAmidst the harsh landscapes of Zululand, a young girl named Rachel Dove mourns her lost child while ancient curses and tribal legends stir in the shadows, hinting at powers and sec…
Level C1RomanceThe Geste of Duke JocelynIn a medieval world where beauty and bravery clash, an unusual duke hides behind a jester’s cap and bells, his scarred face softened only by a radiant smile, as he embarks on a rom…
Level C1HistoricalThe Germany and the Agricola of TacitusExplore the fierce spirit and customs of ancient Germanic tribes alongside a detailed tribute to a revered Roman governor in these vivid historical accounts, blending cultural insi…
Level C1HistoricalThe German Pioneers: A Tale of the MohawkAmidst prejudice and hardship in 1758 New York, starving German immigrants arrive by ship, stirring tension among locals.
Level B2HistoricalThe German Lieutenant, and Other StoriesAmid the aftermath of the 1870 Battle of Sedan, a reserve lieutenant and geologist finds himself confined in a quaint French town, torn between the harsh realities of war and the s…
Level C1HistoricalThe German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 10: Prince Otto Von Bismarck, Count Helmuth Von Moltke, Ferdinand LassalleExplore the intertwined lives of Otto von Bismarck, Count Helmuth von Moltke, and Ferdinand Lassalle as they shape German history through letters, speeches, and military campaigns,…
Level B2AdventureThe Gentleman: A Romance of the SeaA lone figure stands on the cliff’s edge, gazing across a moonlit sea that separates invaders from a stubborn island nation.
Level C2HistoricalThe GeniusIn 1840 Russia, Princess Sophia, trapped in a loveless marriage, prays desperately for a child to ease her loneliness—when a mysterious, radiant visitor appears, offering a chance…
Level B2HistoricalThe Gayton Scholarship: A School StoryRivalry ignites among schoolboys competing for the prestigious Gayton Scholarship, with spirited races, unexpected mishaps, and the watchful eye of an important inspector setting t…
Level C1RomanceThe Gathering of Brother HilariusA young novice monk wrestles with his longing for the untamed forest beyond the monastery walls, where the serene peace of cloistered life meets the mysterious call of the natural…
Level C1HistoricalThe Garden of SwordsIn 1870 Strasbourg, the wedding of Beatrix Hamilton, an English bride, to soldier Edmond Lefort draws a vibrant crowd steeped in history, memory, and whispered secrets, as old bond…
Level C1HistoricalThe Garden of MemoriesIn 1703 Sussex, the proud Elmacott family tends their exquisite garden while war calls their sons to battle.
Level B2HistoricalThe Galley Slave's Ring; or, The Family of Lebrenn: A Tale of The French Revolution of 1848Amidst the turbulent days leading to the French Revolution of 1848, a humble linen draper and his Breton family navigate the clash of old and new principles sweeping Paris.
Level C1HistoricalThe Future of English PoetryExplore the uncertain future of English poetry as it navigates cycles of innovation and decline, grappling with the challenge of fresh expression in a rapidly evolving literary lan…
Level C1HistoricalThe Further Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green, an Oxford Under-Graduate: Being a Continuation of "The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green, an Oxford Freshman"An innocent and credulous country youth returns to Oxford, navigating the challenges and lessons of university life with newfound experience and enduring simplicity.
Level B2AdventureThe Fur-Seal's Tooth: A Story of Alaskan AdventureA spirited young athlete from New England, burdened by a careless streak, finds himself penniless and adrift in a foreign land.
Level B2AdventureThe Fur Bringers: A Story of the Canadian NorthwestTensions flare between two partners in the remote Canadian Northwest as the stirrings of June fever ignite restless tempers and uneasy alliances.
Level B2AdventureThe Fugitives: The Tyrant Queen of MadagascarThree fugitives race through Madagascar's perilous wilderness, pursued by deadly foes and forced to navigate treacherous cliffs and shattered paths.
Level C1HistoricalThe FrontiersmenIn a fortified pioneer stockade, young Peninnah molds bullets by firelight as war with the Cherokee looms outside, blending courage and tender love with the fierce fight for surviv…
Level C1AdventureThe Frontier Fort: Or, Stirring Times in the North West Territory of British AmericaA spirited party journeys across the vast, flower-strewn prairies of the North-West Territory, navigating untamed landscapes and uncertain futures while aspiring to transform wilde…
Level B2RomanceThe Frontier Angel: A Romance of Kentucky Rangers' LifeIn a perilous frontier town near the Ohio River, young Marian Abbot prepares to journey westward on a flat-boat, leaving behind her beloved Russel Mansfield amid threats from reneg…
Level B2MysteryThe FrontierTensions rise as the German frontier post near the circus of the Butte-aux-Loups is repeatedly felled, hinting at brewing conflict.
Level C1HistoricalThe Friendly Daemon, or the Generous Apparition: Being a True Narrative of a Miraculous Cure, Newly Perform'd Upon That Famous Deaf and Dumb Gentleman, Dr. Duncan Campbel, by a Familiar Spirit That Appear'd to Him in a White Surplice, Like a Cathedral Singing BoyA renowned physician is struck by a debilitating affliction that disrupts his mind and body, leaving him unable to practice his art.
Level C1HistoricalThe Friendly Club and Other PortraitsStep into post-Revolutionary Connecticut, where a spirited group of young poets and thinkers gather in smoky taverns, weaving literary brilliance and patriotic dreams that illumina…
Level C1HistoricalThe Friar's Daughter: A Story of the American Occupation of the PhilippinesAmidst the twilight of Spanish rule in Manila, Ambrosia, the daughter of a friar, stands at a crossroads of tradition and revolution as her lover Camillo returns from exile to join…
Level C1HistoricalThe French in Algiers: The Soldier of the Foreign Legion; and The Prisoners of Abd-el-KaderA young lieutenant leaves a dull garrison life to join the French Foreign Legion in Algeria, facing relentless desert battles and harsh conditions under a fierce new governor.
Level B2HistoricalThe French TwinsIn war-torn Rheims, a devoted mother cleans her beloved cathedral while her twin children prepare for Confirmation, embodying the courage and hope of a family striving to protect t…
Level C1HistoricalThe French Prisoners of Norman Cross: A TaleIn 1808, weary French soldiers captured at the Battle of Vimiero are marched to the bleak Norman Cross Barracks, a grim prison camp where hope and freedom feel as distant as the ba…
Level C1AdventureThe Freebooters: A Story of the Texan WarIn the untamed forests of Spanish America, Fray Antonio navigates a world of danger, deception, and shifting loyalties amid the looming conflict of the Texan War.
Level C1HistoricalThe Freebooters of the WildernessIn the rugged American West of 1909-1910, government rangers and lawmen battle ruthless freebooters who steal timber, destroy livestock, and defy the law, risking their lives to pr…
Level B2AdventureThe Free Rangers: A Story of the Early Days Along the MississippiIn the vast, untamed wilderness along the Mississippi, a skilled young woodsman known as Shif’less Sol embraces the wild, ready to protect his land and people amidst nature’s grand…
Level C1RomanceThe Free Lances: A Romance of the Mexican ValleyIn the tense lead-up to the Texas Revolution, a determined young Irishman answers the call to volunteer, meeting Cris Rock, a towering Texan with a fierce spirit and a plan to rall…
Level C1HistoricalThe Fourteenth of July, and Danton: Two Plays of the French RevolutionDive into the tumultuous world of the French Revolution, where fervent ideals clash with the harsh realities of power and sacrifice, bringing to life the struggles and passions tha…
Level C1HistoricalThe Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseIn a Paris garden fraught with the anxious buzz of impending war, a passionate reunion unfolds between lovers separated by continents and seasons.
Level C1RomanceThe Four FeathersAmidst tales of war and valor, young Harry Feversham grapples with his heritage and the weight of expectations as he joins a gathering of hardened veterans, eager to prove himself…
Level C1MysteryThe Four Corners of the WorldA solitary soldier retreats to a mysterious Elizabethan house, his secretive behavior puzzling old acquaintances.
Level B2HistoricalThe Foundling of the WreckAmidst the treacherous storms near the fledgling city of St.
Level B2HistoricalThe Fortunes of Philippa: A School StorySent away from her tropical paradise to England for a proper education, Philippa faces the challenge of adapting to a new world, new customs, and the companions she’s never known—a…
Level C1HistoricalThe Fortunes of Perkin Warbeck: a romanceAmid the aftermath of the Wars of the Roses, a mysterious fugitive claims royal blood and challenges the throne, weaving a tale of intrigue, loyalty, and danger across England, Sco…
Level C1HistoricalThe Fortunes of NigelIn the turbulent reign of James I, a benevolent goldsmith’s legacy shapes the fate of a wayward nobleman, caught between fading chivalry and rising modernity.
Level C1AdventureThe Fortunes of Hector O'Halloran, and His Man, Mark Antony O'TooleAmid the fierce storms and political unrest of 1795 Ireland, a noble family clings to their ancestral home on a rugged cliff.
Level C1HistoricalThe Fortunes of GarinIn the shadowed cathedral of Roche-de-Frêne, young Garin de Castel-Noir seeks a divine sign to choose his destiny—whether to serve the Church or take up arms as a knight amid a wor…
Level C1HistoricalThe Fortune of the RougonsAmid the political upheaval of the Second Empire, the ambitious Rougon family seeks fortune and influence, setting the stage for a sprawling saga of power, ambition, and social cha…
Level C1AdventureThe Fortunate Mistress (Parts 1 and 2): or a History of the Life of Mademoiselle de Beleau Known by the Name of the Lady RoxanaA woman rises from humble beginnings to become the notorious Lady Roxana, navigating a world of shifting fortunes, secret liaisons, and court intrigues during the reign of King Cha…
Level C1MysteryThe Forsaken Inn: A NovelA weary traveler seeks refuge from a storm near a decaying inn rumored to be haunted, only to uncover unsettling secrets hidden within its walls through a mysterious manuscript lef…
Level C1HistoricalThe Forlorn Hope: A Tale of Old ChelseaIn the tranquil grounds of Chelsea Hospital, aging veterans reflect on their valorous pasts and the legacy of a compassionate queen who secured their refuge.