20 Free English Books
These English books are yours to download and won’t cost you a penny. Best of all, they’re legally free English books. Their copyright has expired and are now considered to be “public domain” and free for anyone to use. You can enjoy them on an eBook reader, your computer, phone, or tablet.
I usually recommend news or blog articles to my students because they give you more practical, current language. However, if you really want to sink your teeth into a story, enter a different world, and go on a longer, more significant literary journey, then you might only be satisfied with a novel.
These books are all free and sourced from Project Gutenberg. I have specifically chosen novels that are relatively easy to read, and are largely free from overly complicated, outdated language. You won’t find any Shakespeare on this list! I’ve relied a bit on my own personal experience too. I was a terrible reader when I was younger and had an extremely difficult time reading novels (ironic that I’m now an English teacher). Let’s just say that reading never came easy to me, and it remained an absolute chore for my adolescence. Now, I absolutely love reading books and I’d like to help you get off to a good start by offering these books which I personally find relatively easy to read. Enjoy!
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway is a great place to start if you want to read a classic English novel and you are learning English as a second language. Hemingway didn’t like fanciful writing or adjectives and preferred clear simple prose, which makes reading these an absolute breeze.
Mark Twain
Mark Twain’s books have been part of elemtary and high school curriculum for ages, leaving most North Americans with fond childhood memories of his books. If kids can enjoy his novels, then so can you. The stories are light, fun, and engrossing.
F. Scott Fitzgerald
If you loved the movie and wondered about reading the original novel, here’s your chance.
Jack London
London’s books are exciting and adventurous. They’re perfect for you if love nature or dogs.
Oscar Wilde
The language in Wilde’s books can be a bit more challenging and old fashioned, but with a little dictionary work they can be quite enjoyable.
Various
These books may be a bit old fashioned in their use of language, but are still readable and fun. Plus, the stories are still well known. After all, who hasn’t heard of Sherlock Holmes? Believe it or not, the Voltaire is actually the easiest, fastest read in this group. Give it a read, and then you can brag to everyone that you read Voltaire.
For more free English learning resources and grammar tips, visit my English Learning Resources Centre.
