Check off your bucket list! Timeless classics and legendary characters—all in one place. Whether you're drawn to literary giants or searching for a poetic masterpiece, you'll find the most popular classics here.
Top list: Classics and poetry
The Hobbit
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.
The Two Towers
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
Pride and Prejudice
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.
To Kill a Mockingbird
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.
The Return of the King
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
Animal Farm
In this 1945 novella, barnyard animals rise up against the oppressive rule of human farmers and set about to create a better world for themselves. When two pigs, Snowball and Napoleon, emerge as leaders of the new collective, a schism is created with dire implications for the erstwhile utopia. George Orwell's satirical story of Revolutionary Russia and Stalinism is a classic of anti-authoritarianism protest literature.
Fahrenheit 451 : A Novel
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.
The Silmarillion
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.
Voyager
Diana Gabaldon’s magnificent historical saga, begun with Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber, continues with this New York Times bestseller. Set in the intriguing Scotland of 200 years ago, the third installment in the romantic adventures of Jamie and Claire is as compelling as the first.
Now that Claire knows Jamie survived the slaughter at Culloden, she is faced with the most difficult decision of her life. She aches to travel back through time again to find the love of her life, but, in order to do that, she must leave their daughter behind. It has been 20 years since she and
Jamie were forced to separate. Can she risk everything, maybe even her life, on a gamble that their love has withstood the long, rigorous test of time?
Metamorphosis - Audiobook
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka is a haunting and thought-provoking novella that delves into themes of alienation, identity, and the human condition. The story begins with Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman, waking up one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect. This surreal event triggers a cascade of personal and familial upheavals as Gregor struggles to adapt to his new reality.
As Gregor's condition isolates him from society and his family, Kafka masterfully explores the fragility of human relationships and the burden of societal expectations. The novella's sparse, yet evocative prose immerses readers in a world where the absurd becomes a lens for examining profound existential questions.
The Metamorphosis remains one of the most celebrated works of modernist literature, offering a timeless exploration of the boundaries of humanity, the nature of compassion, and the search for meaning in an indifferent world.
No Longer Human. Confessions Of A Faulty Man
No Longer Human (1948, Ningen Shikkaku / A Shameful Life / Confessions of a Faulty Man) was an attack on the traditions of Japan, capturing the postwar crisis of Japanese cultural identity. Framed by an epilogue and prologue, the story is told in the form three notebooks left by Ōba Yōzō, whose calm exterior hides his tormented soul.
Osamu Dazai was a Japanese author who is considered one of the foremost fiction writers of 20th century Japan. A number of his most popular works, such as Shayō (The Setting Sun) and Ningen Shikkaku (No Longer Human), are considered modern-day classics in Japan.
Japanese novelist and a master storyteller, who became at the end of World War II the literary voice and literary hero of his generation. Dazai's life ended in double-suicide with his married mistress. In many books Dazai used biographical material from his own family background, and made his self-destructive life the subject of his books.
Famous works of the author Osamu Dazai: The Setting Sun, Run, Melos!, Winter's firework, I heard it in this way, No Longer Human, Good-Bye.
The Game of Life and How to Play it
With her classic book, THE GAME OF LIFE AND HOW TO PLAY IT, Florence Scovel Shinn established herself as one of the most down-to-earth, practical, and helpful prosperity writers of her era. With a timeless message and the ability to explain success principles and how they work in an entertaining style, her writings are still considered the leaders in prosperity literature today.
White Nights
"White Nights" is the story about a melancholic daydreamer, who spends his life idling in St. Petersburg and indulging in existential questions. He is so much in a world of his own that any actual real-life encounter leaves him bewildered and numb. Dostoevsky’s powerful and detailed psychological portrait makes the reader identify with the protagonist, who cannot but seek means of consoling him. One day a random encounter takes place and the story takes a surprising turn – only to leave the reader gasping for breath once the final pages come. Highly recommended for people who often feels the need to find an alternative to the grey and stifling everyday life.
Fyodor Dostoevsky was a famous Russian writer of novels, short stories, and essays. A connoisseur of the troubled human psyche and the relationships between the individuals, Dostoevsky’s oeuvre covers a large area of subjects: politics, religion, social issues, philosophy, and the uncharted realms of the psychological. He is most famous for the novels "Crime and Punishment", "The Idiot", and "The Brothers Karamazov". His literary legacy was met with mixed feelings, but remains gargantuan in its influence.
The Gate
This moving and deceptively simple story, a melancholy tale shot through with glimmers of joy, beauty, and gentle wit, is an understated masterpiece by one of Japan's greatest writers.
Thunderball : A James Bond Novel
JAMES BOND IS HOT ON THE TRAIL OF TWO STOLEN ATOM BOMBS
Upon M’s insistence, James Bond takes a two-week respite in a secluded natural health spa. But amid the bland teas and tasteless yogurts Bond stumbles onto the trail of a lethal man with ties to a new secret organization called SPECTRE. When SPECTRE hijacks two A-bombs, a frantic global search for the weapons ensues, and M’s hunch that the plane containing the bombs will make a clean drop into the ocean sends Bond to the Bahamas to investigate.
On the island paradise, 007 finds a wealthy pleasure seeker’s treasure hunt and meets Domino Vitali, the gorgeous mistress of Emilio Largo, otherwise known as SPECTRE’s Number 1. But as powerful as he is, Emilio works for someone else: Ernst Stavro Blofeld, a peculiar man with a deadly creative mind.
Rebecca : The classic gothic thriller
A brand-new recording of the classic work, narrated by Holliday Grainger, star of The Borgias and The Capture.
On a trip to the South of France, a shy young woman falls in love with Maxim de Winter, a handsome widower. Although his proposal comes as a surprise, she happily agrees to marry him. But as they arrive at her husband's home, Manderley, a change comes over Maxim, and the young bride is filled with dread. Friendless in the isolated mansion, she realises that she barely knows him. In every corner of every room is the phantom of his beautiful first wife, Rebecca, and the new Mrs de Winter walks in her shadow.
Not since Jane Eyre has a heroine faced such difficulty with the other woman. An international bestseller, Rebecca is the haunting story of a young girl consumed by love and the struggle to find her identity.
'Rebecca is a masterpiece' GUARDIAN
'Excellent entertainment . . . du Maurier created a scale by which modern women can measure their feelings' STEPHEN KING
1356
Go with God and Fight Like the Devil. A fascinating hero and the pursuit of a sword with mythical power – this is the remarkable new novel by Britain’s master storyteller, which culminates at the Battle of Poitiers in 1356.
The Hundred Years War rages on and the bloodiest battles are yet to be fought. Across France, towns are closing their gates, the crops are burning and the country stands alert to danger. The English army, victorious at the Battle of Crécy and led by the Black Prince, is invading again and the French are hunting them down.
Thomas of Hookton, an English archer known as Le Bâtard, is under orders to seek out the lost sword of St Peter, a weapon said to grant certain victory to whoever possesses her. As the outnumbered English army becomes trapped near the town of Poitiers, Thomas, his men and his sworn enemies meet in an extraordinary confrontation that ignites one of the greatest battles of all time.
Marry a Stranger
Stacey is married to Dr. Martin Guelder knowing that he has taken her under his wing as, practically, his housekeeper. A perfectly simple arrangement – or is it? She discovers that she has stronger feelings for him than she should. Should Stacey follow her feelings for him, or accept her place? The romantic novel from 20th century written under a pseudonym of Ida Pollock, Susan Barrie, is a gripping tale of difficult, yet romantic fates.
A must-read for fans of literary romance and surprising twists of fate.
Susan Barrie is a pseudonym of Ida Pollock (1908 – 2013), a highly successful British writer of over 125 romance novels translated into numerous languages and published across the world. Ida Pollock has sold millions of copies over her 90-year career.
Pollock began writing when she was 10 years old. Ida has travelled widely, living in several different countries. She continues to be popular amongst both her devoted fan base and new readers alike. Pollock has been referred to as the "world's oldest novelist" who was still active at 105 and continued writing until her death.
On the occasion of her 105th birthday, Pollock was appointed honorary vice-president of the Romantic Novelists' Association, having been one of its founding members.
Ida Pollock wrote in a wide variety of pseudonyms: Joan M. Allen, Susan Barrie, Pamela Kent, Averil Ives, Anita Charles, Barbara Rowan, Jane Beaufort, Rose Burghley, Mary Whistler and Marguerite Bell.
Fool’s Assassin
'Fantasy as it ought to be written' GEORGE R.R. MARTIN
Tom Badgerlock has been living peaceably in the manor house at Withywoods with his beloved wife Molly these many years, the estate a reward to his family for loyal service to the crown.
But behind the facade of respectable middle-age lies a turbulent and violent past. For Tom Badgerlock is actually FitzChivalry Farseer, bastard scion of the Farseer line, convicted user of Beast-magic, and assassin. A man who has risked much for his king and lost more…
On a shelf in his den sits a triptych carved in memory stone of a man, a wolf and a fool. Once, these three were inseparable friends: Fitz, Nighteyes and the Fool. But one is long dead, and one long-missing.
Then one Winterfest night a messenger arrives to seek out Fitz, but mysteriously disappears, leaving nothing but a blood-trail. What was the message? Who was the sender? And what has happened to the messenger?
Suddenly Fitz's violent old life erupts into the peace of his new world, and nothing and no one is safe.
1984
George Orwell's nineteen Eighty-Four is one of the most definitive texts of modern literature. Set in Oceania, one of the three inter-continental superstate that divided the world among themselves after a global war, Orwell's masterful critique of the political structures of the time, works itself out through the story of Winston Smith, a man caught in the webs of a dystopian future, and his clandestine love affair with Julia, a young woman he meets during the course of his work for the government. As much as it is an entertaining read, nineteen Eighty-Four is also a brilliant, and more importantly, a timeless satirical attack on the social and political structures of the world.