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 C1HistoricalMain Currents in Nineteenth Century Literature - 5. The Romantic School in FranceExplore the vibrant literary and political upheavals in France from 1824 to 1828, where the rise of the bourgeoisie and the clash between tradition and modernity shape a generation…
Level C1HistoricalMain Currents in Nineteenth Century Literature - 4. Naturalism in EnglandExplore the rise of Naturalism in early 19th-century English literature as it challenges classical conventions, ignites patriotic spirit, and champions the voices of common people…
Level C1HistoricalMain Currents in Nineteenth Century Literature - 3. The Reaction in FranceExplore the clash between tradition and reason as France grapples with restoring authority after the Revolution, revealing how religion, politics, and society intertwine in a drama…
Level C1HistoricalMain Currents in Nineteenth Century Literature - 2. The Romantic School in GermanyDive into the intricate world of the German Romantic School, where literature intertwines with life’s deepest emotions and cultural currents.
Level C1HistoricalMain Currents in Nineteenth Century Literature - 1. The Emigrant LiteratureExplore the turbulent literary landscape of early nineteenth-century Europe, where revolutionary ideals clash with fading Enlightenment values, tracing the rise and fall of key mov…
Level B2HistoricalMaid SallyAn overworked girl named Sally escapes her harsh reality through enchanting fairy tales and fleeting dreams of a magical place.
Level C1RomanceMaid MarianIn a forest abbey, a wedding is violently interrupted when the bride’s noble lover is accused of treason and drawn into a desperate fight for love and honor.
Level C1RomanceMaid Margaret of GallowayBound to a harsh convent against her will, a spirited young noblewoman wrestles with the stifling life imposed upon her and dreams of reclaiming the freedom and love she was denied…
Level B2HistoricalMadge Morton's SecretIn a sunlit Virginia orchard, Madge Morton escapes into her book, oblivious to visitors and urgent messages, until the promise of a chance encounter sends her racing against time t…
Level C1HistoricalMademoiselle FifiIn occupied France, a defiant Prussian major disrupts the uneasy calm of a country estate, stirring tensions that reveal the complex interplay of power, pride, and resistance durin…
Level C1HistoricalMadame MidasA battered boat drifts toward a wild, blood-red coastline where two men seek freedom amid the savage cliffs and crashing waves.
Level C1RomanceMadame Flirt: A Romance of 'The Beggar's Opera'In the gritty streets of St.
Level C1RomanceMadam ConstantiaAmid the turbulent backdrop of the American War of Independence, a British officer recounts his harrowing and unexpected experiences in the Carolinas, revealing the personal and po…
Level C1HistoricalMad BarbaraA young girl discovers her father’s mysterious murder in a quiet autumn garden, clutching a cryptic golden chain that may unlock dark secrets.
Level B2AdventureMad Anthony's scouts; or, The rangers of KentuckyTwo seasoned frontiersmen forge an uneasy alliance in the untamed Kentucky wilderness, each hiding secrets amid the dangers of the forest and the threat of hostile forces.
Level C1HistoricalMackinac and Lake StoriesAmidst the dawn assault on Mackinac Island in 1812, a young Canadian voyageur deserts his British captors and seeks refuge in a mysterious cave where a sleeping woman waits, igniti…
Level C1RomanceMacariaA young man shoulders the burden of supporting his ailing cousin and mother amid financial hardship, driven by unyielding ambition and love.
Level C1HistoricalLà-basIn a sharp debate on naturalism's limits and the soul's mysteries, a troubled thinker wrestles with art's purpose and the search for meaning beyond mere materialism, setting the st…
Level C1HistoricalLysbeth, a Tale of the DutchAmid the winter festivities of 16th-century Leyden, Lysbeth van Hout, a wealthy and admired young heiress, navigates the perils of a tyrannical era, where faith and freedom hang in…
Level C1HistoricalLuxury--Gluttony: Two of the Seven Cardinal SinsAmid the luxurious halls of the Élysée-Bourbon, young Count Frantz navigates the intrigues and temptations of Parisian high society, where bravery and innocence clash with the sedu…
Level B2HistoricalLuke WaltonAmid the bustling streets of Chicago, a principled newsboy named Luke Walton faces a test of honesty when a generous stranger entrusts him with a five-dollar bill.
Level B2RomanceLucy HardingA group of determined American women embarks on a journey to St.
Level C1AdventureLuck at the Diamond FieldsA tense journey to the Diamond Fields brings together a diverse, uneasy group of passengers, including a determined English governess facing hardship and a notorious local with a s…
Level B1HistoricalLucia Rudini: Somewhere in ItalyIn a hilltop Italian village surrounded by ancient walls, spirited Lucia Rudini navigates the tensions of war and daily life, guarding her beloved goats and engaging with soldiers…
Level C1RomanceLovers' Saint Ruth's, and Three Other TalesIn a quiet English village, a chance reunion sparks a journey into the past, where ancient ruins and whispered legends of Lovers' Saint Ruth's reveal secrets of love, loss, and his…
Level C1HistoricalLoveday's historyAmid the upheaval of religious reforms, a young orphan girl’s life is upended when her destined convent is dissolved, forcing her into a world of new guardians and uncertain future…
Level C1RomanceLove-at-armsIn a tense mountain hideout, six nobles await a secret visitor whose arrival is shadowed by danger and betrayal.
Level C1RomanceLove's labor wonAt a grand reception in the new American Republic, the captivating Marguerite De Lancie commands attention with her striking beauty and fierce independence, navigating a world of p…
Level C1RomanceLove under FireCaught behind enemy lines with crucial intelligence to deliver, a lone soldier risks everything amid whispers of danger and duty.
Level B2RomanceLove and tea: A comedy-drama of colonial times in two actsIn a colonial village torn by revolution, a tea-loving spinster’s secret habit sparks conflict and romance as her niece’s engagement to a fiery Minuteman challenges loyalties.
Level C1RomanceLove and Life: An Old Story in Eighteenth Century CostumeIn eighteenth-century England, a maiden named Psyche is whisked away to a mysterious palace by a secretive husband whose love and identity remain hidden—until curiosity and jealous…
Level C1HistoricalLove Among the RuinsIn a forest ablaze with betrayal and violence, a young woman kneels amid the ruins of her fallen family, caught in the deadly feud that has shattered her world.
Level B2AdventureLouise de la VallièreAmid the intrigue-filled court of 1661 France, a young woman named Louise de la Vallière navigates love, loyalty, and danger as the legendary D’Artagnan and his companions face pol…
Level C1HistoricalLouisa of Prussia and Her Times: A Historical NovelAmid the terror of Napoleon’s relentless advance on Vienna, the city reels under news of defeat and betrayal as imperial coffins roll through the streets.
Level B2AdventureLost with Lieutenant Pike: How from the Pawnee Village the boy named Scar Head marched with the young American Chief clear into the Snowy Mountains; how in the dead of winter they searched for the Lost River and thought that they had found it; and how the Spanish Soldiery came upon them and took them down to Santa Fé of New Mexico, where another surprise awaited themA young lieutenant leads a daring expedition through the snowy mountains in search of the legendary Lost River, facing starvation, freezing cold, and the threat of Spanish soldiers…
Level B2AdventureLost in the Cañon: The Story of Sam Willett's Adventures on the Great Colorado of the WestIn the rugged wilderness of Southwestern Colorado, a young hunter named Sam Willett and his companions brave towering cliffs and scarce resources to capture a rare mountain bighorn…
Level B2HistoricalLost GipIn the sweltering alleys of London’s East End, a compassionate boy named Sandy clings to the fragile hope embodied in a newborn baby girl amidst poverty and despair.
Level B2RomanceLorraine: A RomanceIn the shadowed forests of Lorraine, a fierce young woman confronts strangers mapping her land, suspecting a brewing war across the border.
Level B2AdventureLords of the World: A story of the fall of Carthage and CorinthAs Carthage faces its final days against the rising power of Rome, a sacred ship races homeward, pursued by a relentless Roman warship.
Level C1AdventureLords of the NorthIn the early 19th century, fur traders and voyageurs of the North-West Company navigate fierce rivalries and untamed wilderness, shaping a vast empire from the Atlantic to the Paci…
Level C1AdventureLord Tony's Wife: An Adventure of the Scarlet PimpernelPassion ignites in pre-revolutionary Nantes as Pierre rallies villagers to revolt against aristocratic tyranny, fueled by injustice and the burning desire for equality.
Level C1RomanceLord Montagu's Page: An Historical RomanceIn the turbulent seventeenth century, loyalty, love, and ambition intertwine as a young page navigates the intrigues and passions surrounding Lord Montagu’s world.
Level C1AdventureLone Pine: The Story of a Lost MineUnder the silver moon of a New Mexican pueblo, young lovers Felipe and Josefa face a desperate countdown as Josefa's father arranges a forced marriage.
Level C1HistoricalLondon Pride, Or, When the World Was YoungerAmid the bitter turmoil of England’s civil war, a weary cavalier and his young daughter flee to exile, carrying the weight of lost honor, shattered loyalty, and a kingdom in mourni…
Level C1AdventureLolóma, or two years in cannibal-land: A story of old FijiJourney into the heart of old Fiji, where ancient customs thrive and cannibal tribes rule the land, as one man chronicles a vanishing world untouched by civilization and filled wit…
Level B1AdventureLodrix, the Little Lake DwellerIn a hidden lake village high in the mountains, young Lodrix, son of the chief, faces the threat of war as the Bear tribe plans to burn their homes.
Level C1RomanceLochinvar: A NovelAmid the wild lands of Galloway in 1685, a strong-willed widow stirs unrest at Balmaghie House, where a silent gardener resists the charms of a determined handmaiden, setting the s…
Level C1AdventureLoaves and fishesAmid the brutal siege of Saragossa, a resourceful young captain embarks alone on a perilous mission to find salt in the Pyrenees' rugged hills, where danger and unexpected encounte…