Top list: Classics and poetry

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.

4.8 (2066)

The Fellowship of the Ring

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The Fellowship of the Ring


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

4.0 (14)

Autobiography of Red

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Autobiography of Red


In her first novel in verse, Anne Carson bridges the gap between classicism and the modern, poetry and prose, with a volcanic journey into the soul of a winged red monster named Geryon.

4.2 (312)

Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass

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Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass


The New York Times bestselling debut book of poetry from Lana Del Rey, Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass.

“Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass is the title poem of the book and the first poem I wrote of many. Some of which came to me in their entirety, which I dictated and then typed out, and some that I worked laboriously picking apart each word to make the perfect poem. They are eclectic and honest and not trying to be anything other than what they are and for that reason I’m proud of them, especially because the spirit in which they were written was very authentic.” —Lana Del Rey

Lana’s breathtaking first book solidifies her further as “the essential writer of her times” (The Atlantic). The collection features more than thirty poems, many exclusive to the book: Never to Heaven, The Land of 1,000 Fires, Past the Bushes Cypress Thriving, LA Who Am I to Love You?, Tessa DiPietro, Happy, Paradise Is Very Fragile, Bare Feet on Linoleum, and many more. This beautiful hardcover edition showcases Lana’s typewritten manuscript pages alongside her original photography. The result is an extraordinary poetic landscape that reflects the unguarded spirit of its creator.

Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass is also brought to life in an unprecedented spoken word audiobook which features Lana Del Rey reading fourteen select poems from the book accompanied by music from Grammy Award–winning musician Jack Antonoff.

4.8 (1482)

The Two Towers

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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

4.0 (24)

Women : A Novel

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Women : A Novel


Low-life writer and unrepentant alcoholic Henry Chinaski was born to survive. After decades of slacking off at low-paying dead-end jobs, blowing his cash on booze and women, and scrimping by in flea-bitten apartments, Chinaski sees his poetic star rising at last. Now, at fifty, he is reveling in his sudden rock-star life, running three hundred hangovers a year, and maintaining a sex life that would cripple Casanova.

With all of Bukowski's trademark humor and gritty, dark honesty, this 1978 follow-up to Post Office and Factotum is an uncompromising account of life on the edge.

4.1 (27)

Carmilla

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Carmilla


Carmilla is a Gothic novella by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu. First published in 1871 as a serial narrative in The Dark Blue, it tells the story of a young woman's susceptibility to the attentions of a female vampire named Carmilla. Carmilla predates Bram Stoker's Dracula by 26 years, and has been adapted many times for cinema.

5.0 (2)

The Seven Dials Mystery :

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The Seven Dials Mystery :


Dive into the heart of intrigue and suspense with Agatha Christie’s The Seven Dials Mystery. This classic whodunit takes listeners into a web of secrets, mysterious societies, and unexpected twists, where every clue leads closer to danger.

When a practical joke at the manor house of Chimneys takes a deadly turn, the discovery of a murdered guest and a strange clock point to a deeper conspiracy. Bundle Brent, a spirited and clever heroine, sets out to unravel the enigma of the Seven Dials Club—a shadowy group whose motives remain shrouded in mystery. As Bundle pieces together cryptic clues and faces growing peril, she discovers that the truth may come at a shocking price.

Filled with Christie’s signature blend of wit, intrigue, and memorable characters, The Seven Dials Mystery is a masterful tale of deception and discovery. Perfect for fans of classic detective fiction, this audiobook will keep you riveted until its thrilling conclusion.

3.8 (17)

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal

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A Lady’s Guide to Scandal


‘Sophie Irwin is an exciting and original voice. She's a must-buy author for me.’ Taylor Jenkins Reid

‘A delicious Regency romp for fans of Bridgerton.’ Red

‘Scandal, art and romance – this is the best Regency romp set in Bath since Persuasion!’ Good Housekeeping

A lifetime of duty

Widowed at just seven-and-twenty from her marriage of convenience, Eliza, now Countess of Somerset, is bequeathed a fortune, hers to keep – provided she can steer clear of scandal.

The promise of love

The last thing she expects is to be torn between two very different men – a face from the past, whose loss she’s always mourned, and a roguish poet, who scorns convention.

A taste of freedom

But a lady’s reputation is fragile and with jealous eyes on Eliza’s fortune, it will only take one whisper of gossip for her to lose it all…

Escape with the most delightful, historical romance of the year from the Sunday Times bestselling author Sophie Irwin!

‘A very modern sensibility, witty and fun’ Adele Parks

‘Fans of Bridgerton will enjoy this well-observed Regency story with a plucky protagonist.’ Candis

‘A delicious Regency romp for fans of Bridgerton.’ Red

Readers are LOVING A Lady’s Guide to Scandal:

‘LOVED this’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘An excellent, delightful, refreshing Regency Romance’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘What an absolute treat’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Inhaled it. Loved it’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Fun, light and romantic’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘20 stars out of 5!! This book was a balm to my soul’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘It is going to become a go-to favourite’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘An absolute must read for fans of Regency romance’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘So enjoyable, unpredictable, wonderful characters, just SO GOOD’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Sophie Irwin – she is such a fresh, fun, witty writer in this space. I'd read anything she wrote’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sophie Irwin's book 'A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 09-05-2022.

3.0 (3)

dear inner child

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dear inner child


dear inner child is a poignant collection of poetry and prose that delves into the profound exploration of healing the wounds carried by the inner child. Through evocative verse and heartfelt prose, this book offers a glimpse into the resilience of the human spirit and the power of self-discovery and healing. Ultimately, dear inner child is an ode to resilience, transformation, and the triumph of the human spirit. It serves as a beacon of hope, encouraging readers to embark on their own healing journey, acknowledging their inner child, and emerging stronger, wiser, and more compassionate. Through poetry, this book invites individuals to confront their pain, find solace in their words, and discover the strength to heal the wounds of their past.

4.0 (230)

Of Mice and Men

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Of Mice and Men


John Steinbeck (1902 – 1968) was the winner of the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature. The novella ‘Of Mice and Men’ (1937) is the story of two migrant field workers in California during the Great Depression. Two friends, George Milton and the strong but simple-minded Lennie Small, share a dream of owning their own piece of land. When they get jobs on a ranch in the Salinas Valley, the fulfilment of their dream seems to be within reach. Then tragedy strikes. The themes include kindness, the bonds of friendship and the cruelty of this world.

4.4 (17)

Pandora's Jar : Women in the Greek Myths

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Pandora's Jar : Women in the Greek Myths


'Funny, sharp explications of what these sometimes not-very-nice women were up to, and how they sometimes made idiots of . . . but read on!' – Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid's Tale

This audio edition is expertly and enthusiastically read by the author, Natalie Haynes.

The Greek myths are among the world's most important cultural building blocks and they have been retold many times, but rarely do they focus on the remarkable women at the heart of these ancient stories.

Stories of gods and monsters are the mainstay of epic poetry and Greek tragedy, from Homer to Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, from the Trojan War to Jason and the Argonauts. And still, today, a wealth of novels, plays and films draw their inspiration from stories first told almost three thousand years ago. But modern tellers of Greek myth have usually been men, and have routinely shown little interest in telling women’s stories. And when they do, those women are often painted as monstrous, vengeful or just plain evil. But Pandora – the first woman, who according to legend unloosed chaos upon the world – was not a villain, and even Medea and Phaedra have more nuanced stories than generations of retellings might indicate.

Now, in Pandora's Jar: Women in the Greek Myths, Natalie Haynes – broadcaster, writer and passionate classicist – redresses this imbalance. Taking Pandora and her jar (the box came later) as the starting point, she puts the women of the Greek myths on equal footing with the menfolk. After millennia of stories telling of gods and men, be they Zeus or Agamemnon, Paris or Odysseus, Oedipus or Jason, the voices that sing from these pages are those of Hera, Athena and Artemis, and of Clytemnestra, Jocasta, Eurydice and Penelope.

3.7 (53)

The Unbearable Lightness of Being : A Novel

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The Unbearable Lightness of Being : A Novel


When The Unbearable Lightness of Being was first published in English, it was hailed as ""a work of the boldest mastery, originality, and richness"" by critic Elizabeth Hardwick and named one of the best books of 1984 by the New York Times Book Review. It went on to win the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction and quickly became an international bestseller. Twenty years later, the novel has established itself as a modern classic. To commemorate the anniversary of its first English-language publication, HarperCollins is proud to offer a special hardcover edition.

A young woman in love with a man torn between his love for her and his incorrigible womanizing; one of his mistresses and her humbly faithful lover -- these are the two couples whose story is told in this masterful novel.

Controlled by day, Tereza's jealousy awakens by night, transformed into ineffably sad death-dreams, while Tomas, a successful surgeon, alternates loving devotion to the dependent Tereza with the ardent pursuit of other women. Sabina, an independent, free-spirited artist, lives her life as a series of betrayals -- of parents, husband, country, love itself -- whereas her lover, the intellectual Franz, loses all because of his earnest goodness and fidelity.

In a world in which lives are shaped by irrevocable choices and by fortuitous events, a world in which everything occurs but once, existence seems to lose its substance, its weight. Hence we feel, says the novelist, ""the unbearable lightness of being"" -- not only as the consequence of our private acts but also in the public sphere, and the two inevitably intertwine.

This magnificent novel encompasses the extremes of comedy and tragedy, and embraces, it seems, all aspects of human existence. It juxtaposes geographically distant places (Prague, Geneva, Paris, Thailand, the United States, a forlorn Bohemian village); brilliant and playful reflections (on ""eternal return,"" on kitsch, on man and animals -- Tomas and Tereza have a beloved doe named Karenin); and a variety of styles (from the farcical to the elegiac) to take its place as perhaps the major achievement of one of the world's truly great writers.

3.8 (56)

Fahrenheit 451 : A Novel

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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.

4.5 (14)

Siddhartha

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Siddhartha


Siddhartha is a 1922 novel by Hermann Hesse that deals with the spiritual journey of self-discovery of a man named Siddhartha during the time of the Gautam Buddha. The book, Hesse's ninth novel, was written in German, in a simple, lyrical style. It was published in the U.S. in 1951 and became influential during the 1960s. Hesse dedicated the first part of it to Romain Rolland and the second part to Wilhelm Gundert, his cousin.

The word Siddhartha is made up of two words in Sanskrit language, siddha (achieved) + artha (what was searched for), which together means "he who has found meaning (of existence)" or "he who has attained his goals". In fact, the Buddha's own name, before his renunciation, was Siddhartha Gautam, Prince of Kapilavastu. In this book, the Buddha is referred to as "Gotama".

5.0 (1)

J. Robert Oppenheimer: A short biography : 5 Minutes: Short on time – long on info!

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J. Robert Oppenheimer: A short biography : 5 Minutes: Short on time – long on info!


J. Robert Oppenheimer, father of the atomic bomb: Life and work in a short biography! Everything you need to know, brief and concise. Infotainment, education and entertainment at its best!

4.0 (15)

The Richest Man in Babylon

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The Richest Man in Babylon


Beloved by millions, this timeless classic holds the key to all you desire and everything you wish to accomplish. This is the book that reveals the secret to personal wealth.

The Success Secrets of the Ancients—

An Assured Road to Happiness and Prosperity

Countless readers have been helped by the famous "Babylonian parables," hailed as the greatest of all inspirational works on the subject of thrift, financial planning, and personal wealth. In language as simple as that found in the Bible, these fascinating and informative stories set you on a sure path to prosperity and its accompanying joys. Acclaimed as a modern-day classic, this celebrated bestseller offers an understanding of—and a solution to—your personal financial problems that will guide you through a lifetime. This is the book that holds the secrets to keeping your money—and making more.

The Richest Man in Babylon

Read it and recommend it to loved ones—

and get on the road to riches.

MORE THAN TWO MILLION BOOKS SOLD

4.0 (1)

Enchiridion

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Enchiridion


Contains Active Table of Contents (HTML) and in the end of book include a bonus link to the free audiobook.

Although he was born into slavery and endured a permanent physical disability, Epictetus (ca. 50–ca. 130 AD) maintained that all people are free to control their lives and to live in harmony with nature. We will always be happy, he argued, if we learn to desire that things should be exactly as they are. After attaining his freedom, Epictetus spent his entire career teaching philosophy and advising a daily regimen of self-examination. His pupil Arrianus later collected and published the master's lecture notes; the Enchiridion, or Manual, is a distillation of Epictetus' teachings and an instructional manual for a tranquil life. Full of practical advice, this work offers guidelines for those seeking contentment as well as for those who have already made some progress in that direction

4.3 (7)

Heart of the Sun Warrior

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Heart of the Sun Warrior


THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

‘Epic, romantic, and enthralling from start to finish’ Stephanie Garber

The stunning conclusion to the Celestial Kingdom Duology

Those forged through fire form the strongest blades.

After winning her mother’s freedom from the Emperor, Xingyin lives peacefully at home on the moon. But that fragile peace is threatened by a strange new magic –Xingyin is determined to keep clear of danger, but the discovery of a shocking truth forces her to flee her home once more.

Xingyin and her companions venture across the Immortal Realm, encountering cunning monarchs, legendary creatures, beloved friends and bitter foes on their travels. As an unspeakable terror sweeps the realm – Xingyin must uncover the truth of her heart and rise against this evil before it destroys everything she holds dear, and all she has grown to love…

Inspired by the legend of Chang’e the Moon Goddess, this is the sequel to Sue Lynn Tan’s captivating debut, DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS.

In the second book in the Celestial Kingdom Duology, Tan weaves Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of love and family, immortals and magic – penning a modern classic sure to enchant.

4.8 (805)

The Return of the King

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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

3.6 (19)

I Would Leave Me If I Could. : A Collection of Poetry

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I Would Leave Me If I Could. : A Collection of Poetry


NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Grammy Award–nominated, platinum-selling musician Halsey is heralded as one of the most compelling voices of their generation. In I Would Leave Me If I Could, they reveal never-before-seen poetry of longing, love, and the nuances of bipolar disorder.

In this debut collection, Halsey bares their soul. Bringing the same artistry found in their lyrics, Halsey’s poems delve into the highs and lows of doomed relationships, family ties, sexuality, and mental illness. More hand grenades than confessions, these autobiographical poems explore and dismantle conventional notions of what it means to be a feminist in search of power.

Masterful as it is raw, passionate, and profound, I Would Leave Me If I Could signals the arrival of an essential voice.

Book cover painting, American Woman, by the author.