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 C1Science FictionThe Great War of 189-: A ForecastTensions escalate across Europe after an assassination attempt on Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria, igniting fears of an imminent continental war.
Level C1Science FictionThe Great Stone of SardisA futuristic ocean liner splits into two floating hulls connected by a ball-and-socket joint, ensuring a smooth voyage across the Atlantic.
Level C1FantasyThe Gray NunAt a royal carnival, a young diplomat encounters a mysterious gray-clad nun whose intense, silent gaze and wild, ghostly dance ignite a thrilling and eerie intrigue that blurs the…
Level C1FantasyThe Golden Book of SpringfieldIn New Springfield, a young minister inspired by the visionary teachings of Alexander Campbell dreams of a united Christian future, while a devoted florist honors the pioneering sp…
Level C1FantasyThe Gnomes of the Saline Mountains: A Fantastic NarrativeAmid the grand floral regatta on the shimmering Traunsee, an enchanting lady appears in a mysterious lotus gondola, captivating all with her otherworldly beauty.
Level C1Science FictionThe Glory of IpplingIn a galaxy where machines and human precision collide, a cultural envoy struggles to command awe and reverence through a dazzling spectacle, only to face unexpected chaos that cha…
Level C1FantasyThe Ghost: A Modern FantasyA young medical graduate fresh to London navigates the city's glittering social scene, encountering the dazzling and enigmatic Sullivan Smith, a celebrated composer whose recogniti…
Level C1FantasyThe Ghost in the Tower: An Episode in JacobiaOn a bleak winter’s night in Michigan, a lonely water tower becomes the eerie haunt of a mysterious ghost visible only to a single visitor.
Level C1FantasyThe Ghost ShipA mysterious city reveals itself to be more than mere streets and houses, hinting at a hidden puzzle beneath reality’s surface.
Level C1MysteryThe Gentleman Who Vanished: A Psychological PhantasyOn a sweltering London night, two friends gamble away fortunes amid tension and bitter rivalry.
Level C1Science FictionThe Food of the Gods and How It Came to EarthTwo unassuming scientists stumble upon a mysterious substance they call the Food of the Gods, promising groundbreaking change.
Level C1FantasyThe Flying InnIn a seaside town teetering between tradition and change, a mysterious orator challenges the very roots of English culture and its inns, blending humor, exotic ideas, and a quest f…
Level C1FantasyThe Fixed PeriodIn the prosperous colony of Britannula, a radical law mandates a "Fixed Period"—a predetermined end to old age—to prevent the burdens of infirmity and poverty.
Level C1Science FictionThe First Men in the MoonWhen a down-on-his-luck playwright retreats to a quiet coastal village, an unexpected meeting with the enigmatic Mr.
Level C1MysteryThe False GodsA determined reporter navigates rival secret societies obsessed with Egyptian mysteries and the reincarnation of a famed theosophist, seeking a sensational scoop amid intrigue, riv…
Level C1FantasyThe Fall of the House of UsherA visitor arrives at the eerie House of Usher, summoned by a childhood friend plagued by mysterious illness and mental torment.
Level C1FantasyThe Fairy LatchkeyPhilomène Isolde lives a quiet, ordinary life in a modest London home, longing for the magic and adventure found in her beloved storybooks.
Level C1FantasyThe English at the North Pole: Part I of the Adventures of Captain HatterasA mysterious brig, the Forward, prepares for a daring expedition to uncharted polar seas, sparking speculation and intrigue among sailors about its secretive captain and perilous d…
Level C1FantasyThe Enchanted TypewriterAn old typewriter discovered in a dusty attic begins to mysteriously type on its own, revealing astonishing messages linked to the great Shakespeare himself.
Level C1FantasyThe Elixir of LifeIn a lavish Ferrara palace, Don Juan Belvidero hosts a decadent banquet surrounded by enigmatic women whose beauty conceals passionate secrets, setting the stage for a tale entwine…
Level C1Science FictionThe Einstein See-SawAn engineer down on his luck discovers a mysterious desk that vanishes and reappears, bringing with it groundbreaking scientific papers on relativity and the manipulation of tensor…
Level C1MysteryThe Dunwich horrorIn a remote Massachusetts village shrouded in decay and ancient dread, eerie stone circles and dark legends hint at sinister forces lurking beyond the natural world.
Level C1FantasyThe Dreamer of DreamsIn a majestic northern kingdom, a gifted young painter loses his inspiration after a mysterious dream of elusive eyes, sparking a quest to reclaim his art and sanity amidst royal i…
Level C1FantasyThe Dream-God, or, A Singular Evolvement of Thought in SleepUnder the spell of morphine, a bedridden man embarks on a surreal aerial journey with the Spirit of Morphine, soaring over cities, oceans, and the Arctic, encountering wondrous sig…
Level C1MysteryThe Double LifeA mysterious chest arrives, containing memoirs that reveal a startling secret: a man’s identity linked to a notorious criminal and hidden treasures scattered across Paris.
Level C1FantasyThe Doors of DeathA dying man confronts the mystery of death and the nature of heaven while reflecting on his family’s dark past and the unsettling possibility of being buried alive.
Level C1Science FictionThe Door in the Wall, and Other StoriesA man haunted by a mysterious Door in the Wall reveals a secret from childhood that offers a glimpse into a realm of beauty and happiness beyond ordinary life, challenging the boun…
Level C1Science FictionThe DoomsmanA young marksman contemplates a mysterious shadow on the horizon from a fortified, primitive shoreline—where ancient wilderness meets unexpected technology.
Level C1Science FictionThe Doom of LondonAn unprecedented Arctic blizzard traps London in snow and ice, severing communication and threatening famine and chaos.
Level C1Science FictionThe Diamond LensA passionate microscopist discovers a hidden universe teeming with mysterious life beneath the smallest drops of water, unlocking wonders invisible to the naked eye and embarking o…
Level C1Science FictionThe Devil-Tree of El Dorado: A NovelAn uncharted tropical mountain, Roraima, rises as a mysterious table-land teeming with unknown flora and fauna, isolated for ages.
Level C1FantasyThe Devil's Motor: A FantasyAt the stroke of midnight, a fiery demon commands a colossal motorcar, racing between Earth and Heaven and unleashing devastation on humanity’s greed and vice.
Level C1FantasyThe Devil's Elixir, Vol. 2 (of 2)A tormented monk grapples with an all-consuming love for the enchanting Aurelia, whose beauty and mysterious allure captivate the court of Berlin.
Level C1FantasyThe Devil's Elixir, Vol. 1 (of 2)A solitary childhood near a haunted baronial estate unravels a tale of mysterious visions, penitence, and supernatural visitants tied to a sacred convent and a miraculous lime-tree…
Level C1Science FictionThe Devil in IronOn the mysterious isle of Xapur, a fisherman awakens an ancient, preserved warrior with a deadly glare and unnatural strength, unleashing a menace beyond human power amid forgotten…
Level C1Science FictionThe Description of a New World, Called the Blazing-WorldA desperate merchant kidnaps a noblewoman, only to be swept by a tempestuous voyage to the icy pole where their vessel mysteriously crosses into a fantastical new world.
Level C1FantasyThe Death Ship: A Strange Story, Vol. 3 (of 3)Stranded aboard the eerie Flying Dutchman, a cursed ship haunted by ghostly sailors, a master mariner clings to hope and love while navigating a voyage steeped in doom and despair.
Level C1FantasyThe Death Ship: A Strange Story, Vol. 2 (of 3)Trapped aboard the eerie Flying Dutchman, a sailor and a captive woman plot a daring escape from the ghostly crew and endless sea.
Level C1Science FictionThe Death From OrionAn outlaw imprisoned and doomed faces a deadly choice: retrieve the lost Jewels of Orion from a crashed ship in deep space to save his condemned comrades, or watch them die.
Level C1Science FictionThe Dawn of AllAwakening in a hospital with fragmented memories, a scholar pieces together his lost days amid a turbulent society where ancient beliefs clash with modern thought.
Level C1FantasyThe Crock of GoldIn a shadowy pine wood, two philosophers and their enigmatic wives navigate a world where wisdom, curses, and swapped children intertwine, while mysterious creatures and playful sp…
Level C1Science FictionThe Crack of DoomA mysterious society challenges the very nature of the universe as a disillusioned traveler encounters a brilliant, enigmatic man whose radical ideas promise to change everything h…
Level C1Science FictionThe Cosmic CourtshipOn her twenty-first birthday, Miriam Mayne soars above a transformed New York City, mastering the art of personal flight in a future where subterranean cities and gleaming marble p…
Level C1FantasyThe Consolidator; or, Memoirs of Sundry Transactions from the World in the MoonExplore a fantastical journey bridging the earthly realms and the moon, where empires rise through innovation, trade flourishes across wild frontiers, and ancient Eastern wisdom ch…
Level C1Science FictionThe ConnoisseurIn a future where human lives are bartered like commodities, a man negotiates for a young girl’s future with rare treasures from a dying spaceship—challenging the value of both obj…
Level C1FantasyThe Complete Poetical Works of Edgar Allan Poe: Including Essays on PoetryDive into the hauntingly beautiful world of Edgar Allan Poe's poetry, enriched with rare, unpublished verses and insightful biographical notes that reveal the tortured genius behin…
Level C1Science FictionThe Coming RaceAn adventurous explorer descends into a mysterious mine, uncovering a hidden underground world illuminated by artificial lights and echoing with unknown voices—challenging the limi…
Level C1Science FictionThe Clockwork ManAs a cricket match falters under the distraction of a bizarre, windmill-armed figure, a doctor’s frustration spirals into a deeper mystery.
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.