Top list: Classics and poetry

The Lone Star Ranger is a Western novel published by Zane Grey in 1915. It follows the life of Buck Duane, a man who becomes an outlaw and then redeems himself in the eyes of the law. The novel is a story of Texas in the period of the Seventies. After killing a man in self-defense, Buck Duane becomes an outlaw, a companion of the gunfighters and rustlers who live along the Texas border. In a camp on the Mexican side of the river, he finds a young girl held prisoner, and in attempting to rescue her, brings down upon himself the wrath of her captors and henceforth is forced to live a lonely life - hunted on one side by honest men, on the other by outlaws. The novel was adapted four times to film under the same title as the novel.

The novel is often referred to as part of the Purple Sage Trilogy, including "Riders Of The Purple Sage" (1912), "The Lone Star Ranger" (1915) and "The Border Legion" (1916).

Pearl Zane Grey (1872-1939) was an American author best known for his popular adventure novels and stories that presented an idealized image of the American frontier. Riders of the Purple Sage (1912) was his best-selling book. In addition to the success of his printed works, they later had second lives and continuing influence when adapted as films and television productions. As of 2012, 112 films, two television episodes, and a television series, Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater, had been made that were based loosely on his novels and short stories.

Grey became one of the first millionaire authors. With his veracity and emotional intensity, he connected with millions of readers worldwide, during peacetime and war, and inspired many Western writers who followed him. Zane Grey was a major force in shaping the myths of the Old West; his books and stories were adapted into other media, such as film and TV productions. He was the author of more than 90 books, some published posthumously and/or based on serials originally published in magazines. His total book sales exceed 40 million.

Grey wrote not only Westerns, but two hunting books, six children’s books, three baseball books, and eight fishing books. Many of them became bestsellers. It is estimated that he wrote over nine million words in his career. From 1917 to 1926, Grey was in the top ten best-seller list nine times, which required sales of over 100,000 copies each time. Even after his death, Harper had a stockpile of his manuscripts and continued to publish a new title each year until 1963. During the 1940s and afterward, as Grey's books were reprinted as paperbacks, his sales exploded.

Erle Stanley Gardner, prolific author of mystery novels and the Perry Mason series, said of Grey:

"[He] had the knack of tying his characters into the land, and the land into the story. There were other Western writers who had fast and furious action, but Zane Grey was the one who could make the action not only convincing but inevitable, and somehow you got the impression that the bigness of the country generated a bigness of character."

The three scientist Mr. Edward Malone, Mr. Peerless Jones and Professor Challenger come together to build a machine that can drill deep into the earth. When the machine’s construction is finally completed the drilling starts, and it will not stop until the earth’s mantle is reached. Everything goes well for the three men, until they reach something into the earth that threatens to destroy their excavation.

What is the reason for the excavation? What is threatening to destroy their mission and why? How is everything going to end? Will the three scientists manage to complete their goals, or it will all be one great failure?

This science fiction is the fourth Professor Challenger story and it was first published in 1928.

B. J. Harrison started his Classic Tales Podcast back in 2007, wanting to breathe new life into classic stories. He masterfully plays with a wide array of voices and accents and has since then produced over 500 audiobooks. Now in collaboration with SAGA Egmont, his engaging narration of these famous classics is available to readers everywhere.

Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (1859 - 1930) was a British medical doctor and writer. He is best known for the creation of the notorious characters of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Besides the many Holmes stories, Doyle’s work includes science and fantasy fiction, many plays, poetry, historical and non-fiction novels. He wrote his first Sherlock Holmes story at the age of twenty-seven and it was published in 1886.

This brand-new unabridged audio book of J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved is read by the BAFTA award-winning actor, director and author, Andy Serkis.The Hobbit

Bilbo Baggins is a hobbit who enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely travelling further than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End. But his contentment is disturbed when the wizard, Gandalf, and a company of thirteen dwarves arrive on his doorstep one day, to whisk him away on a journey ‘there and back again’. They have a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent, a large and very dangerous dragon…

The prelude to THE LORD OF THE RINGS, THE HOBBIT has sold many millions of copies since its publication in 1937, establishing itself as one of the most influential books of the twentieth century.

Summary, Analysis, and Review of Paul Kalanithi's When Breath Becomes Air PLEASE NOTE: This is a key takeaways and analysis of the book and NOT the original book. Start Publishing Notes' Summary, Analysis, and Review of Paul Kalanithi's When Breath Becomes Air includes a summary of the book, review, analysis & key takeaways, and a detailed About the Author section. PREVIEW: Dr. Paul Kalanithi's When Breath Becomes Air is an autobiographical account of his experience with Stage IV lung cancer. Part memoir, part guidebook, and part philosophical investigation, it is the story of his life, his work, and the difficult-but ultimately rewarding-process of coming to terms with his own death. The tragic ironies of Kalanithi's situation-a non-smoker with lung cancer, a young man with an aggressive terminal illness, a talented surgeon who fell ill before he could realize his potential, a new father whose daughter will never know him-could not pull at readers' heartstrings more if it had been engineered in a lab.

This brand-new unabridged audio book of , the third and final part of J. R. R. Tolkien’s epic adventure, , is read by the BAFTA award-winning actor, director and author, Andy Serkis.The Return of the KingThe Lord of the Rings

The armies of the Dark Lord are massing as his evil shadow spreads even wider. Men, Dwarves, Elves and Ents unite forces to battle against the Dark. Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam struggle further into Mordor in their heroic quest to destroy the One Ring.

The devastating conclusion of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic tale of adventure, begun in and .The Fellowship of the RingThe Two Towers

Jane Austen’s most popular novel, originally published in 1813, some seventeen years after it was first written, presents the Bennet family of Longbourn. Against the background of gossipy Mrs Bennet and the detached Mr Bennet, the quest is on for husbands for the five daughters. The spotlight falls on Elizabeth, second eldest, who is courted by Mr Darcy though initially she is more concerned with the fate of her other sisters. This marvellous account of family life in Regency England is read with vigour and style by Emilia Fox.

James Allen's literary essay and book As a Man Thinketh was originally published in 1903. The novel is written in terms of responsibility assumption, which is a doctrine that any person has complete responsibility for the events that happen to them. Every situation you are in is because of your choice, no other outside factors. Allen's novel takes this thought and acts as a guide for an individual to lead a more full and happy life, by using the power of thought to change one's life through a better attitude. Allen is quoted saying The price of the book is only one shilling, and it can be carried in the pocket and that it is a book that will help you help yourself.

In this literary classic, Fyodor Dostoevsky focuses on a nobleman whose gentle, childlike nature has earned him the nickname "the idiot," and presents a superb, panoramic view of mid-nineteenth-century Russian manners, morals, and philosophy.

This brand-new unabridged audio book of , the second part of J. R. R. Tolkien’s epic adventure, , is read by the BAFTA award-winning actor, director and author, Andy Serkis.The Two TowersThe Lord of the Rings

The company of the Ring is torn asunder. Frodo and Sam continue their journey alone down the great River Anduin – alone, that is, save for the mysterious creeping figure that follows wherever they go.

This continues the classic tale begun in , which reaches its awesome climax in .The Fellowship of the RingThe Return of the King

Prince Lyov Nikolayevitch Myshkin is one of the great characters in Russian literature. Is he a saint or just naïve? Is he an idealist or, as many in General Epanchin’s society feel, an ‘idiot’? Certainly his return to St Petersburg after years in a Swiss clinic has a dramatic effect on the beautiful Aglaia, youngest of the Epanchin daughters, and on the charismatic but wilful Nastasya Filippovna. As he paints a vivid picture of Russian society, Dostoyevsky shows how principles conflict with emotions – with tragic results.

A magnificent drama of vengeance, infidelity, and retribution, Anna Karenina portrays the moving story of people whose emotions conflict with the dominant social mores of their time.

This brand-new unabridged audio book of , the first part of J. R. R. Tolkien’s epic adventure, , is read by the BAFTA award-winning actor, director and author, Andy Serkis.The Fellowship of the RingThe Lord of the Rings

In a sleepy village in the Shire, a young hobbit is entrusted with an immense task. He must make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ruling Ring of Power – the only thing that prevents the Dark Lord Sauron’s evil dominion.

Thus begins J. R. R. Tolkien’s classic tale of adventure, which continues in and .The Two TowersThe Return of the King

These charming Japanese Fairy Tales were translated by Yei Theodora Ozaki in 1908. Although taken from actual Japanese folk stories, these Westernized versions are not literal translations. These stories combine fictitious creatures and magical animals with the lives of normal humans and provide an insight into a piece of ancient Japan.

The stories in this volume include: My Lord Bag of Rice, The Tongue-Cut Sparrow, The Story of Urashima Taro, the Fisher Lad

Rediscover one of the greatest love stories of all time with this new audio edition of Pride and Prejudice, masterfully narrated by actress Adjoa Andoh ('Bridgerton', 'Doctor Who').

Pride and Prejudice's prolific status as a beloved story is thanks to its dynamic, ever-evolving central characters, as well as the strength of the wit and satire wielded by Austen. It is a love story, yes, but it is also a profound critique of Georgian high society and the plight of women.

Without a male heir, the Bennet daughters risk losing their home and their income when their father, Mr Bennet, passes. To save the family, the sisters must marry - and most importantly, marry well. It is in this predicament that we find the smart and spirited Elizabeth Bennet, who despite pressure from her family, is determined to live and marry on her own terms. The arrival of the haughty, wealthy Mr Darcy who is impervious to her charms begins a timeless comedy of manners, and endless drama, where first impressions are just not what they seemed.

Pride and Prejudice is a classic tale with numerous screen adaptations, most notably the BBC’s TV adaptation starring Colin Firth and an Oscar-nominated film starring Keira Knightley.

British actress Adjoa Andoh has had a prolific career on both the stage and screen, from starring roles in the Royal Shakespeare Company and at the National Theatre to popular television Bridgerton and the Witcher. She now delivers a captivating performance, breathing new life into this much-loved novel.

There are few authors as iconic as Jane Austen (1775-1817). Her body of work contains some of the most beloved books and characters of all time which have been in print for over two hundred years and sold millions of copies worldwide.

Austen was a trailblazer, famed for her satire, her astute social commentary and her strong-willed, passionate heroines.

Her ability to wield humour with realism has found her favour with critics and readers for generations.

Her most famous works include Pride and Prejudice (1813), Emma (1816), Sense and Sensibility (1811) and Persuasion (1818), all of which have received success in adaptations for the screen, stage and radio.

Think and Grow Rich is a motivational personal development and selfhelp book written by Napoleon Hill and inspired by a suggestion from ScottishAmerican businessman Andrew Carnegie. While the title implies that this book deals only with how to achieve monetary wealth, the author explains that the philosophy taught in the book can be used to help individuals do or be almost anything they want in this world. For instance, Jim Murray (sportswriter) wrote that Think and Grow Rich was credited for Ken Norton's boxing upset of Muhammad Ali in 1973. The book was first published in 1937 during the Great Depression. At the time of Hill's death in 1970, Think and Grow Rich had sold 20 million copies. It remains the biggest seller of Napoleon Hill's books a perennial bestseller after 70 years (BusinessWeek Magazine's BestSeller List ranked Think and Grow Rich as the sixth bestselling paperback business book 70 years after it was first published). Think and Grow Rich is listed in John C. Maxwell's A Lifetime Must Read Books List.

Beautiful spirit, come with me

Over the blue enchanted sea:

Morn and evening thou canst play

In my garden, where the breeze

Warbles through the fruity trees;

No shadow falls upon the day:

There thy mother's arms await

Her cherished infant at the gate.

The Pulitzer Prize–winning classic of the American West that follows two aging Texas Rangers embarking on one last adventure. An epic of the frontier and rich with complex characters, Lonesome Dove is the grandest novel ever written about the last defiant wilderness.

Journey to the dusty little Texas town of Lonesome Dove and meet an unforgettable assortment of heroes and outlaws, whores and ladies, Indians and settlers. Richly authentic, beautifully written, always dramatic, Lonesome Dove is a book to make us laugh, weep, dream, and remember.

The forerunner to , tells the earlier history of Middle-earth, recounting the events of the First and Second Ages, and introducing some of the key characters, such as Galadriel, Elrond, Elendil and the Dark Lord, Sauron.The Lord of the RingsThe Silmarillion

The tales of The Silmarillion are set in an age when Morgoth, the first Dark Lord, dwelt in Middle-earth, and the High Elves made war upon him for the recovery of the Silmarils, the jewels containing the pure light of Valinor.

Included on the recording are several shorter works. The Ainulindalë is a myth of the Creation and in the Valaquenta the nature and powers of each of the gods is described. The Akallabêth recounts the downfall of the great island kingdom of Númenor at the end of the Second Age, and Of the Rings of Power tells of the great events at the end of the Third Age, as narrated in The Lord of the Rings.

This brand-new unabridged recording is read by the acclaimed actor, director and author, Andy Serkis.

A new recording of Ray Bradbury’s timeless classic Fahrenheit 451 narrated by Penn Badgley!

Nearly seventy years after its original publication, Ray Bradbury’s internationally acclaimed novel Fahrenheit 451 stands as a classic of world literature set in a bleak, dystopian future. Today its message has grown more relevant than ever before.

Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But when he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known.

Look for The Land of Sweet Forever, a posthumous collection of newly discovered short stories and previously published essays and magazine pieces by Harper Lee, coming October 21, 2025.

Voted America's Best-Loved Novel in PBS's The Great American Read

Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork of honor and injustice in the deep South—and the heroism of one man in the face of blind and violent hatred

One of the most cherished stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than forty million copies worldwide, served as the basis for an enormously popular motion picture, and was voted one of the best novels of the twentieth century by librarians across the country. A gripping, heart-wrenching, and wholly remarkable tale of coming-of-age in a South poisoned by virulent prejudice, it views a world of great beauty and savage inequities through the eyes of a young girl, as her father—a crusading local lawyer—risks everything to defend a black man unjustly accused of a terrible crime.