Historical
Read Historical Classics in English
4,982 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 Zigzag Journeys in Northern Lands;: The Rhine to the Arctic; A Summer Trip of the Zigzag Club Through Holland, Germany, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, Yule-Tide Yarns and Youth. 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 C1HistoricalThe Infant's Skull; Or, The End of the World. A Tale of the MillenniumAmidst apocalyptic fears as the year 1000 approaches, a passionate encounter unfolds between Queen Blanche and Count Hugh, revealing love, betrayal, and looming doom in a world ant…
Level C1HistoricalThe Induna's WifeAmid the haunting remnants of a fierce Zulu battlefield, an old warrior arrives with tales of valor, sorcery, and survival that unveil the secrets of a nation’s past and the powerf…
Level C1HistoricalThe Indian queenAmid the fiery council-fires of the Iroquois, Mahaska—a half-white queen with fierce intellect and ambition—seeks to unite her people and assert her power by waging war against a r…
Level C1AdventureThe Indian Scout: A Story of the Aztec CityIn the shadowed prairies of the Far West, a daring Canadian scout and a fierce Comanche chief navigate secrets and alliances among Native tribes, revealing a world of tradition and…
Level C1AdventureThe Indian Princess; Or, La Belle SauvageAmidst early 19th-century America, a dramatic tale unfolds blending romance and adventure with the clash of cultures, as a noble Native American princess navigates loyalty, love, a…
Level C1AdventureThe Indian Chief: The Story of a RevolutionAmidst the haunting ruins of a once-thriving mission deep in the Mexican wilderness, three travelers—Count Louis, Valentine, and Don Cornelio—navigate treacherous alliances and the…
Level C1HistoricalThe Independent Statesmen, and Liberal Landlord: or a respectful tribute to T. W. Coke, M.P. for the County of NorfolkIn a candid tribute to T.
Level C1HistoricalThe Impudent Comedian, & OthersAmid the lively backdrop of St.
Level C1RomanceThe Imprudence of PrueOn a dark moorland evening, two women’s carriage is stopped by a bold highwayman demanding a kiss instead of gold—a daring encounter that promises romance, danger, and secrets lurk…
Level C1RomanceThe Impostor: A Tale of Old AnnapolisIn colonial Annapolis, the charming and clever Martha Stirling navigates courtship and intrigue amid the arrival of the handsome, mysterious Sir Edward Parkington, whose shipwrecke…
Level C1HistoricalThe Imperial CrownAs Constantinople falls in 1453, an old man in Nuremberg wrestles with the turmoil of empire and faith, capturing a world on the brink through the stirring sermons of a zealous fri…
Level C1HistoricalThe IdiotAmid the cold, misty Russian landscape, a chance encounter on a train introduces two young men: one recently returned from abroad, battling illness and uncertainty, the other a sha…
Level C1AdventureThe Hunters of the OzarkWhen a prized cow goes missing in the rugged frontier settlement of Greville, two boys set out on a hunt that leads them deep into the wild Ozark Mountains, where danger and advent…
Level C1AdventureThe Hunters of the HillsIn the wilderness of colonial New York, two boys and a rugged hunter navigate a vast lake, caught in the fierce struggle between French and English forces and the powerful Iroquois…
Level B2HistoricalThe Hunter Cats of ConnorloaA lonely gentleman, weakened by illness, settles in sunny California after years of wandering the world in search of health.
Level C1HistoricalThe Hunted Outlaw, or, Donald Morrison, the Canadian Rob RoyIn the remote Quebec wilderness, a respected man becomes the hunted outlaw, shattering the peaceful Highland community with a crime that defies all understanding.
Level C1HistoricalThe Humour of Homer and Other EssaysExplore fresh perspectives on Homer’s works through essays that blend historical research and lively analysis, revealing the human side of ancient texts and challenging traditional…
Level C1HistoricalThe Human DriftExplore humanity’s relentless migration driven by hunger and survival, tracing ancient drifts across continents and oceans as civilizations rise, clash, and fade in a vast saga of…
Level C1HistoricalThe Huguenot: A Tale of the French Protestants. Volumes I-IIIAmid the religious turmoil of seventeenth-century France, intertwined lives of Protestants and Catholics reveal how seemingly minor events ripple through history, shaping destinies…
Level C1FantasyThe House of the Wolfings: A Tale of the House of the Wolfings and All the Kindreds of the Mark Written in Prose and in VerseAmidst a vast, ancient forest lies the Mid-mark, a thriving clearing shaped by a fierce people skilled in iron and tillage.
Level C1RomanceThe House of the Wolf: A RomanceIn the tense summer of 1572, three brothers and their cousin Catherine face a stirring revelation and looming dangers at the French court, where loyalty, love, and the shadow of a…
Level C1HistoricalThe House of the Seven GablesA haunted mansion with seven gables looms over the Pyncheon family, cursed by past injustices and dark secrets rooted in colonial Salem.
Level C1RomanceThe House of de MaillyIn 1744 Paris, Count Claude de Mailly navigates treacherous court intrigues and forbidden desires as he grapples with his feelings for the proud and elusive Mme.
Level C1HistoricalThe House of Walderne: A Tale of the Cloister and the Forest in the Days of the Barons' WarsAmid the shadowed ruins of Walderne Castle, a medieval world of loyalty, faith, and mystery unfolds, blending the lives of knights, friars, and legends during the tumultuous Barons…
Level B2AdventureThe House of SpiesIn the dead of night, Jasper Benham confronts a daring stable break-in by ruthless horse thieves, setting off a pulse-pounding chase and a fight to protect what’s left from a ruthl…
Level C1HistoricalThe House of IslâmIn the Ottoman Empire, displaced Georgian and Circassian refugees seek sanctuary under Sultan Abdul Mejìd’s rule, sparking tensions and power struggles in a remote province where l…
Level C1HistoricalThe House of EgremontAmid the shifting tides of English history, the House of Egremont navigates royal favor, religious strife, and personal daring—from daring escapes with a platter of beans to secret…
Level B2FantasyThe House of Arden: A Story for ChildrenTwo children, Edred and Elfrida Arden, live in a once-grand but now crumbling family estate by the sea, struggling with the hardships of lost fortune and unwelcome lodgers.
Level C1HistoricalThe House of AdventureIn the silent dawn of a war-torn village, a weary soldier awakens alone, haunted by the death of his comrade and the memories of a fractured past.
Level C1MysteryThe House by the Church-YardIn a quaint Irish village where time and tradition collide, dark secrets stir beneath the fading charm of old Chapelizod.
Level C1HistoricalThe Hour and the Man, An Historical RomanceIn the sweltering heat of Saint Domingo, colonial tensions ignite as mulattoes demand the civil rights promised by revolutionary France, while white settlers resist fiercely, setti…
Level C1HistoricalThe Hour Will Come: A Tale of an Alpine Cloister. Volumes I and IIAmid the harsh, unyielding Alpine wilderness, a desperate mother braves a deadly snowstorm to protect her newborn, while a humble hospice stands as the sole refuge for lost souls i…
Level C1AdventureThe Hot SwampSet sail with Captain Arkal and Prince Bladud as they embark on a daring Mediterranean voyage in ancient times, navigating treacherous seas, fierce warriors, and the mysteries of o…
Level C1HistoricalThe Hosts of the LordIn a sun-drenched colonial outpost, British officers grapple with the complexities of control and understanding amid a swelling tide of pilgrims and political tension.
Level B2AdventureThe Hosts of the AirTrapped in the grim reality of World War I trenches, a young soldier wrestles with the brutal landscape and the memory of a distant love, while the thunder of artillery and the sha…
Level C1RomanceThe Honourable Mr. TawnishIn a world of duels, dog-fights, and high society intrigues, a young gentleman faces the scandal of a rebellious love that defies his family's plans—challenging honor, tradition, a…
Level C1RomanceThe Honour of Savelli: A RomanceIn a tense camp before Arezzo, a sharp betrayal shatters fragile peace among knights and nobles, entangling honor, friendship, and passion in a volatile Italian romance set against…
Level C1MysteryThe Honor of the NameIn post-Waterloo France, a tense village bristles with fear and resentment under the restored Bourbon monarchy, while a notorious local thief, Father Chupin, arrives with urgent ne…
Level C1HistoricalThe Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church: Containing the Sermones Catholici, or Homilies of Ælfric, in the Original Anglo-Saxon, with an English Version. Volume I.Explore the earliest sermons of the Anglo-Saxon Church, revealing the religious doctrines and language of a bygone era through the homilies attributed to Ælfric, archbishop of York…
Level B2HistoricalThe Homesteader: A NovelIn a struggling Indiana farming family, Agnes—a young woman marked by mysterious, captivating eyes—bears the weight of her family's future as they return home broken but determined…
Level C1HistoricalThe Homeric Hymns: A New Prose Translation; and Essays, Literary and MythologicalExplore the mysterious origins and varied purposes of the so-called Homeric Hymns through a new prose translation and insightful essays that delve into their literary and mythologi…
Level C1HistoricalThe Home and the WorldIn a traditional Rajah's house, a young bride navigates the tensions between old customs and modern ideals while discovering the depths of love, devotion, and her own identity in a…
Level C1HistoricalThe Home Life of PoeDiscover the intimate domestic world of Edgar Poe through the eyes of those who knew him best, revealing a side of the poet hidden from public view and correcting long-held misconc…
Level C1HistoricalThe Holy Isle: A Legend of Bardsey AbbeyA mystical journey transports you to Bardsey Isle a thousand years ago, where saints and monks in a radiant abbey sing eternal praises and guard a sacred legacy.
Level C1RomanceThe History of the Seven Wise Masters of RomeA young prince faces a deadly accusation from his stepmother, but seven wise sages weave tales to defend his innocence against her deceitful plots.
Level C1MysteryThe History of the Remarkable Life of John Sheppard: Containing a Particular Account of His Many Robberies and EscapesA young carpenter’s descent into crime unfolds through a series of daring robberies, escapes, and alliances with notorious accomplices in London’s shadowy underworld.
Level C1RomanceThe History of the Lady Betty StairIn 1798, amid the turmoil of revolution and exile, Lady Betty Stair navigates a world of court intrigue, old rivalries, and forbidden passions at the haunted palace of Holyrood, wh…
Level C1HistoricalThe History of the Devil, As Well Ancient as Modern: In Two PartsExplore the true origins and cunning escapades of the Devil, revealing his ancient fall, ongoing battles with humanity, and surprising follies.