The Library
Read Classic Literature in English
Learn English by reading the books worth reading. Every book is the complete text, labelled A2 to C2 — tap any word for an instant translation, hear natural audio narration, and save the vocabulary you meet as you go. Pick your level and start with a free sample.
Level C1ClassicsThe Eulogy of Richard JefferiesA vivid memoir tracing the life of Richard Jefferies, a humble yet gifted nature writer who, despite poverty and illness, captures the beauty of rural England with unmatched eloque…
Level B2ClassicsThe Eternal FeminineA spirited young woman navigates the quirky challenges of daily life, from reclaiming a lost handbag to learning the ropes of banking, all while asserting her independence and wit…
Level C1ClassicsThe Eternal CityIn the chilly streets of London’s Italian quarter, a poor boy clings to survival with his accordion and a caged squirrel, navigating hardship and harsh realities.
Level B2ClassicsThe Esperanto Teacher: A Simple Course for Non-GrammariansUnlock the fundamentals of Esperanto with straightforward lessons designed for those unfamiliar with grammar.
Level C2ClassicsThe Esperantist, Vol. 2, No. 3Dive into the mysterious "Chapel of Bones" in Malta, where human remains form haunting, intricate mosaics blending beauty and mortality, and explore the vibrant world of Esperanto’…
Level C2ClassicsThe Esperantist, Vol. 2, No. 2Dive into the vibrant world of Esperanto advocacy and historical drama, featuring gripping tales like Henry Tudor’s bold entry into Shrewsbury.
Level C1ClassicsThe Esperantist, Vol. 1, No. 9Dive into the world of Esperanto as enthusiasts share news, resources, and strategies to spread this international language, from typewriters equipped for Esperanto to youth educat…
Level B2ClassicsThe Esperantist, Vol. 1, No. 6Explore the rise of Esperanto, an international language designed for easy learning and global communication, through discussions, lessons, and the passionate efforts of early 20th…
Level C1ClassicsThe Esperantist, Vol. 1, No. 5Explore the vibrant world of Esperanto advocacy in this early 20th-century gazette, featuring debates on language reforms, community news, and tools for learning the international…
Level C1ClassicsThe Esperantist, Vol. 1, No. 4Discover the passionate efforts of the London Esperanto Club as they champion a universal language to unite diverse nations, overcoming prejudice and ignorance with hope and determ…
Level C1ClassicsThe Esperantist, Vol. 1, No. 3Dive into the early 20th-century movement to spread Esperanto, featuring heartfelt testimonials, practical resources, and community efforts to unite speakers worldwide through a sh…
Level C2ClassicsThe Esperantist, Vol. 1, No. 14Dive into the vibrant world of Esperanto with this international gazette, featuring bilingual articles, language lessons, and updates on the spread of the universal language that a…
Level C1ClassicsThe Esperantist, Vol. 1, No. 13Dive into the vibrant world of Esperanto advocacy with insights on international communication, organizational challenges, and cultural connections, including a Himalayan monk's em…
Level C1ClassicsThe Esperantist, Vol. 1, No. 12Join a pioneering community united by Esperanto, as this gazette spreads the international language that bridges nations, shares knowledge, and fosters global connection through ar…
Level C2ClassicsThe Esperantist, Vol. 1, No. 10In a shadowed forest, a wealthy merchant embarks on a risky journey home with a large sum of money, despite his family's fearful warnings.
Level B2ClassicsThe Esperantist, Vol. 1, No. 1A passionate call to unite humanity through Esperanto, this gazette champions the international language as a simple, necessary tool for global communication and cooperation in the…
Level C1ClassicsThe Esperantist, CompleteDiscover the passionate movement behind Esperanto, a universal language designed to unite people across nations with ease and hope.
Level B2ClassicsThe Escape; Or, A Leap For Freedom: A Drama, in Five ActsIn a Southern household shadowed by slavery, tensions rise as a doctor’s ambitions clash with rigid social hierarchies and the lives of enslaved people intertwine with those of the…
Level C1ClassicsThe Entire March Family TrilogyA newly married couple embarks on a quiet wedding journey through America, navigating love, regret, and the unpredictable storms of both nature and life.
Level C1ClassicsThe Entail; or, The Lairds of GrippyIn a richly drawn Scottish landscape, the tangled inheritance of the Grippy estate unravels through vivid characters and sharp social insight, revealing the complex ties that bind…
Level C1ClassicsThe English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 4 (of 5)Dive into the rugged borderlands where honor clashes with betrayal in ballads like Hobie Noble's tale of exile, loyalty, and daring escapes.
Level C1ClassicsThe English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 3 (of 5)Dive into the rugged world of border ballads where a defiant young hunter, Johnie Cock, defies game laws, battles seven foresters, and relies on a loyal bird to send messages to hi…
Level C1ClassicsThe English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 2 (of 5)Discover the rich tapestry of English and Scottish ballads, where ancient tales of miracles, folklore, and legendary heroes come alive through captivating narratives and timeless s…
Level C1ClassicsThe English and Scottish popular ballads, volume 1 (of 5)Dive into a rich collection of English and Scottish ballads painstakingly gathered from manuscripts and oral traditions, revealing centuries-old tales preserved through dedicated s…
ClassicsThe English Spy: An Original Work Characteristic, Satirical, And Humorous.: Comprising Scenes And Sketches In Every Rank Of Society, Being Portraits Drawn From The LifeDive into a sharp, satirical journey through every social rank of early 19th-century England, where wit and humor expose the quirks of school life, city society, and the literary w…
Level C1ClassicsThe English Rogue: Described in the Life of Meriton Latroon, a Witty ExtravagantFollow the wild exploits of Meriton Latroon, whose witty extravagance and roguish adventures reveal the raw, unvarnished face of vice amid licentious times, blending candid confess…
Level C1ClassicsThe English Rogue: Continued in the Life of Meriton Latroon, and Other Extravagants, Comprehending the most Eminent Cheats of Both Sexes: The Third PartIn a world rife with deceit and vice, cunning Mrs.
Level B2ClassicsThe English Orphans; Or, A Home in the New WorldA family torn by estrangement and hardship leaves England behind, seeking a new life in America aboard the Windermere.
Level C1ClassicsThe English Mail-Coach and Joan of ArcExperience the thrilling rush of the English mail-coach's relentless journey and delve into a vivid, dreamlike exploration of Joan of Arc's vision, blending motion, mortality, and…
Level C1ClassicsThe End of the TetherCaptain Whalley commands the aging steamer Sofala on a familiar, unchanging coastal route through the Far East, haunted by a lifetime of daring voyages now reduced to a monotonous…
Level B2ClassicsThe Enchanted CanyonIn the gritty slums of New York’s MacDougal Street, a tough, red-haired boy named Nucky struggles between the pull of poverty, crime, and the hope for a better life—caught in a wor…
Level C1ClassicsThe Empty SackAn aging bank clerk faces the harsh realities of business when his request for a raise is met with cold efficiency and tough decisions.
Level B2ClassicsThe Emperor of PortugalliaA poor farmer faces the harsh realities of life and fatherhood when his wife gives birth amid storms and hardship, challenging his hopes for a better future and his place in the wo…
Level C1ClassicsThe Emigrants Of Ahadarra: The Works of William Carleton, Volume TwoA weary father and his daughter visit a wealthy but neglectful farmer’s estate, where abundance is marred by slovenliness and decay.
Level C1ClassicsThe Emblems of Fidelity: A Comedy in LettersAn esteemed English novelist and a rising American writer exchange witty letters blending literary camaraderie with charming requests, revealing a garden of kinship, creativity, an…
Level C1ClassicsThe EmancipatedIn sunlit Naples, a young English widow wrestles with exile, fading health, and the sharp tensions of family and faith.
Level C1ClassicsThe Elm-tree on the MallIn a richly detailed salon of a Cardinal-Archbishop, power and piety intertwine as church leaders navigate political unrest and personal ambitions.
Level C1ClassicsThe Eleven Comedies, Volume 2An old Athenian juryman’s obsession with the courts traps him in a comic battle of wills with his son, who locks him indoors to break his addiction—sparking wild escape attempts an…
Level C1ClassicsThe Eleven Comedies, Volume 1Dive into a world of biting satire, political intrigue, and uproarious farce as eleven ancient comedies expose the follies, scandals, and personalities of Athenian life with sharp…
Level C1ClassicsThe ElevatorIn a finely detailed Boston drawing-room, a Christmas dinner gathers a mix of anxious hosts and quirky guests, where social tensions simmer beneath polite conversation and unexpect…
Level C1ClassicsThe Elect LadyIn a modest Scottish farmhouse kitchen, a spirited exchange unfolds between a laird’s daughter and a farmer’s son as they navigate class, creativity, and the delicate unveiling of…
Level B2ClassicsThe Eldest SonA worried squire contemplates the future of his family estate as his eldest son, now thirty-four, remains indifferent to the pressing duty of marriage and succession.
Level C1ClassicsThe Eldest SonIn a grand oak-paneled hall teeming with family tensions and secrets, a young lady's-maid navigates the complex social world of the Cheshire household, where engagements, scandals,…
Level C1ClassicsThe Elder Brother: The Works of Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher (Volume 2 of 10)A young noblewoman’s indulgent father urges her to escape the idle life of luxury and embrace wholesome exercise and knowledge, setting the stage for a comedy of wit, duty, and soc…
Level C1ClassicsThe Efficiency ExpertA college athlete celebrated for his sports victories faces a crucial challenge when the university demands he improve his failing academics or risk expulsion.
Level C1ClassicsThe Editor's Relations with the Young Contributor (from Literature and Life)An editor reflects on the vital, often challenging relationship with young literary contributors, revealing the delicate balance of hope, patience, and high standards that shape em…
Level C1ClassicsThe Edda, Volume 2: The Heroic Mythology of the North: Popular Studies in Mythology, Romance, and Folklore, No. 13Ancient Northern heroes and legends come alive through intertwined tales of smiths, swan-maidens, and vengeance, revealing a rich tapestry of Germanic myths preserved in haunting p…
Level C1ClassicsThe Edda, Volume 1: The Divine Mythology of the North: Popular Studies in Mythology, Romance, and Folklore, No. 12Delve into the ancient Norse myths and heroic poems preserved in the Icelandic Eddas, where gods and legendary heroes come to life through vivid narrative and timeless verse.
Why it works
Why read classics to learn English
Graded by real CEFR level
Every book is labelled B1, B2 or C1 so you can pick something that stretches you without overwhelming you.
Tap any word to translate
Touch a word or phrase to see it in your language instantly — no dictionary, no leaving the page.
Audio narration & pronunciation
Listen to clear, natural narration and read along to train your ear as well as your eye.
Vocabulary from your own reading
Save the words you meet; they become flashcards built from the books you actually read.
Questions
Learning English by reading
Reading exposes you to real grammar, vocabulary and phrasing in context — far more memorably than word lists. With instant translation and audio on every page, you stay in the story instead of stalling on unknown words, which is what builds fluency.
Choose a book one notch above where you feel comfortable: B1 if you read everyday English, B2 if you can follow longer articles, C1 for literary prose. You can always tap words you don’t know — a little stretch is exactly how you level up.
Sample chapters are free to read with no account. To read a full book — with tap-to-translate, audio narration and saved progress — you start your trial at quiz.nikmas.studio.
Not for sample chapters — they open with no signup. To read a whole book you start your trial at quiz.nikmas.studio, which keeps your vocabulary and place across devices.