CEFR C2 · Proficient
Read Proficient Classics in English (C2)
11 books graded at CEFR C2 (proficient) — learn English by reading the stories worth reading at exactly your level. Tap any word for an instant translation, listen to the narration, and save the vocabulary you meet. Start with a free sample.
What are the best C2 books to read in English?
The best C2 books to read in English are well-known classics whose own language sits at that level — start with The Book-Bills of Narcissus: An Account Rendered by Richard Le Gallienne, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 01 (of 10) and The Book of Three Hundred Anecdotes: Historical, Literary, and Humorous—A New Selection. Each is the complete book, labelled CEFR C2 (proficient), with tap-to-translate, narration and saved vocabulary, so you read a real story while building the English you actually meet in it.
- 11
- books
| Title | Chapters | CEFR |
|---|---|---|
| The Bells, and Other Poems | 49 | C2 |
| Rhyme? and reason? | 35 | C2 |
| Rewards and Fairies | 34 | C2 |
| Le Corbeau = The Raven | 2 | C2 |
| Istar of Babylon: A Phantasy | 35 | C2 |
| General William Booth Enters into Heaven, and Other Poems | 1 | C2 |
| Gargantua and Pantagruel, Illustrated, Book 5 | 51 | C2 |
| Gargantua and Pantagruel, Illustrated, Book 3 | 57 | C2 |
| Bubbles of the Foam | 3 | C2 |
| A Mine of Faults | 2 | C2 |
| The Rámáyan of Válmíki, translated into English verse | 5 | C2 |
Level C2FantasyThe Bells, and Other PoemsImmerse yourself in haunting melodies and vivid visions as bells toll through joy, terror, and despair, weaving a spellbinding tapestry of sound and emotion.
Level C2FantasyRhyme? and reason?Dive into a whimsical collection of poems and riddles where nonsense and reason intertwine, guided by curious voices and playful rhythms that challenge the mind and delight the sen…
Level C2FantasyRewards and FairiesTwo siblings in the English countryside encounter Puck, the last of the fairies, who grants them the magical ability to see and converse with remarkable figures from England’s dist…
Level C2FantasyLe Corbeau = The RavenIn a midnight chamber haunted by sorrow for lost Lenore, a mysterious raven appears, its eerie presence stirring dreams and fears beyond mortal reckoning.
Level C2FantasyIstar of Babylon: A PhantasyA young Greek rhapsode, inspired by tales of the living goddess Istar of Babylon, embarks on a profound journey from Sicily to the ancient city itself, seeking to witness and worsh…
Level C2FantasyGeneral William Booth Enters into Heaven, and Other PoemsA bold and visionary march through heaven’s gates follows General William Booth as he leads society’s outcasts—lepers, convicts, and lost souls—into a transformed, radiant afterlif…
Level C2FantasyGargantua and Pantagruel, Illustrated, Book 5Embark on a fantastical voyage to mysterious islands inhabited by bizarre creatures and curious societies, where riddles, enchanted temples, and whimsical adventures challenge the…
Level C2FantasyGargantua and Pantagruel, Illustrated, Book 3Embark on a fantastical journey as Pantagruel transports a colony of Utopians to the strange land of Dipsody, while his companion Panurge wrestles with the complexities of marriage…
Level C2FantasyBubbles of the FoamJourney through an ancient Indian landscape where the Desert’s shifting mirages reflect life’s illusions and love’s fleeting ecstasies, revealing a world where reality blurs into d…
Level C2FantasyA Mine of FaultsIn a world where love and diplomacy entwine, a captivating woman becomes the center of a delicate game of craft and policy, revealing how imperfections ignite passion and power in…
Level C2PoetryThe Rámáyan of Válmíki, translated into English verseThe classic fantasy novel by Valmiki.