Fiction and journalistic literature enriches us with knowledge and always gives us food for thought. No wonder they say: a book is a person’s best friend, his assistant and savior. And if you learn English, then without reading books in the original at intermediate level certainly can't be avoided.

“If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.”

"If you can't enjoy reading a book over and over again, there's no point in reading it at all."

Unadapted literature at intermediate level and above offers you “living English in action”: as you read, you will see how words work with each other and, as far as possible, deviate from the grammatical rules of the language.

If your level is intermediate, then before choosing a book to read, answer 3 questions for yourself:

• What level of book do I need?
• What volume should the original book have?
• What book topics are suitable for the intermediate level?

By answering these questions, make a personal commitment to yourself. Let's look at the questions in more detail.

Compliance of the book in English with intermediate level

To begin with, you should find out what Intermediate level you have (low, medium, high), because it may turn out that the English text will be too difficult for a higher level. In this case, you will not get any pleasure or benefit from reading it.

A book that is too easy will mean that you are not going to level up and are in your comfort zone. For example, if your low intermediate level Preference should not be given to books at the pre-intermediate level, much less elementary.

Simple grammar structures and basic vocabulary will seem monotonous and boring to you. It's like playing in a sandbox, but as an adult: it's possible, but not interesting.

Important!

The book you choose should be a little more difficult than your current level. If your level is high intermediate, feel free to choose adapted literature marked upper-intermediate.

It is worth mentioning that an excellent option are parallel texts in English and Russian, which have become very popular recently. In our article you can find tips on reading literature with translation.

Volume of an English book for intermediate level

Always ask yourself truthfully how much time can you allocate to read a book.

For example, you have a long trip ahead. Think about how much time a day you can spend reading and, based on this, choose the number of pages.

On the other hand, perhaps you spend a lot of time at work or school, you have family obligations and you don’t have much free time, choose short stories, comics or even articles. In this case, a thick book will seem like an eternity to you and you will soon abandon it.

The volume of a modern story ranges from one to three author's pages, a story from two to eight pages. If the volume of the work is more than ten author's sheets, then they speak of a novel.

Also, before choosing a book, imagine when can you finish it. If you can't immediately name any time frame, then it's not quite the right book, at least for now.

Style and genre of books for intermediate level

Main rule: the book should be of interest to you. Choose a topic based on your personal preferences and hobbies. If you are good in general topics, but “float” in some narrowly focused ones, then put aside professional literature for now; you can return to it a little later.

For holiday reading, choose more serious literature, for example novels by English or American classics. Having free time will help you follow the plot line (there are usually several of them in a novel) and will give you the opportunity to focus on new words.

For reading without interruption from work, for example, on public transport, read stories and novellas in English small volume. It's better if they are comedy stories, which will set a positive mood for the whole day or help while away the way home.

Personal Commitment When You Read Original Books

To achieve concrete results, you need to make promises to yourself. For example, write down the following questions and answer them truthfully:

• How many pages will/can I read per day? - The answer may be approximate.
• When are you going to finish reading the book you have chosen? - The date must be specific.

Let's say you have a vacation ahead and you plan to finish a book by the end of the vacation. The book has 1075 pages, which you will read for 31 days. Those. you need to read 35 pages a day. Not that much, right?!

Thanks to this, you will be able to motivate yourself and control your promises reading English literature. Be sure to record whether you managed to invest within the promised time frame. This could be a simple mark on a wall calendar or a more detailed entry in a diary with unfamiliar words written down and translation.

You'll soon see that you're on the right path to improving your English.

50 books for intermediate level of English proficiency

The original book should bring you joy and pleasure. Each page you read brings from 10 to 50 new words and several live grammatical phrases to your passive vocabulary.

In the list of “50 best books in English” we tried to highlight books that are recommended for reading at the pre-intermediate level and above.

You can choose a book by genre (for enjoyable reading) and difficulty (for learning English).

50 best books in English

Title of the book in the original (year of first publication), Author	Book title	Genre	Difficulty
Paddington (1958), Thomas Michael Bond	Little Bear named Paddington	Tales and stories about animals	-
Alice in Wonderland (1865), Lewis Carroll	Alice in Wonderland	Children's literature, Fiction	Lots of mathematical, linguistic and philosophical jokes and allusions
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926), Agatha Christie	Murder of Roger Ackroyd	detective	Criminal vocabulary
About a boy (1998), Nick Hornby	My boy	Novel, Fiction	-
Winnie-The-Pooh and All, All, All (1926), A.A. Milne	Winnie the Pooh and everyone everything everything	Prose, children's story	-
Charlotte's web (1952), Alvin Brooks White	Charlotte's Web	Family, children's literature	-
1984 (1949), George Orwell	One thousand nine hundred eighty-four	Dystopian novel	Terminology from the field of political science
As Time Goes By (1998), Michael Walsh	Play it again, Sam	Novel	Military theme (partially)
Love Actual (2003), Richard Curtis	Real love	Novel	British English
Women In Business (2001), James Carl Evans	Women in business	Biography	-
The Chocolate War (1974), Robert Cormier	Chocolate War	Teen literature	Prohibited literature. May cause controversy.
The Graveyard Book (2008), Neil Gaiman	The story of the cemetery	Horror Literature, Children's Literature, Fantasy	-
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2011), Ransom Riggs	Home for Peculiar Children	Young Adult Literature, Fantasy	-
A Wrinkle in Time (1962), Madeleine L'Engle	A crack in time	Young Adult Literature, Science Fantasy	Science fiction vocabulary
The Book Thief (2005), Markus Zusak	Book thief	Novel, Historical genre, Fiction	Military theme
An American Tragedy (1925), Theodore Dreiser	American tragedy	novel, naturalism
The Catcher in the Rye (1951), Jerome Salinger	Catcher in the rye	Realism, Coming of Age Literature	Complex speech patterns, advanced vocabulary
Eragon (2003), Christopher Paolini	Eragon	Fantasy, Dystopia, Related searches	Book character names
The Fault in Our Stars (2012), John Green	The Fault in Our Stars	Teen literature	Heartbreaking story
The Giver (1993), Lois Lowry	Giving	Utopia and dystopia, Science fiction	Terminology
Emma (1815), Jane Austen	Emma	A novel of manners	Complex speech patterns, advanced vocabulary
Berlin Express (2010), Michael Austin	Berlin Express	War novel	Military theme
The Devil Wears Prada (2003), Lauren Weisberger	The Devil Wears Prada	novel	-
The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1995), Michael Crichton	The Lost World: Jurassic Park	Fantastic	Dinosaur names
My cousin Rachel (1951), Daphne du Maurier	My cousin Rachel	Romance, Romance, Detective	-
Bridget Jones's Diary (1996), Helen Fielding	Bridget Jones's Diary	Comedy novel
A Room with a View (1908), Edward Morgan Forster	Room with a view	Novel	British English
Three Men in a Boat (1889), Jerome K. Jerome	Three in the boat, not counting the dog	story	British English
The Enchanted Castle (1907), Edith Nasbit	Enchanted castle	novel	-
Misery (1987), Stephen King	Misery	Psychological horror	Stephen King's special style
The Bourne Identity (1980), Robert Ludlum	The Bourne Identity	Thriller, spy fiction	Crime and spy vocabulary
Moby Dick (1851), Herman Melville	Moby Dick	Adventure novel, Epic, Maritime literature	Marine terminology
The Adventures of Peter Pan (1904), James Matthew Barry	The Adventures of Peter Pan	Adventure novel	-
The Great Gatsby (1992), Francis Scott Fitzgerald	The Great Gatsby	Novel, Drama, Fiction	There are archaisms
Gone with the Wind (1936), Margaret Mitchell	Gone With the Wind	Historical novel	Military theme
One Day (2009), David Nichols	One day	Novel	A heartbreaking romance
On the Beach (1957), Alex Garland	Beach	Novel	-
Treasure island (1883), Robert Louis Stevenson	Treasure Island	Adventure novel, Young adult literature	-
Dracula (1897), Bram Stoker	Dracula	Horror literature, Gothic literature	Mystical vocabulary
Man from the South (1948), Roald Dahl	Man from the South	Fiction	Complex turns
For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940), Ernest Hemingway	For whom the Bell Tolls	Military prose	Military theme
The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890), Oscar Wilde	The Picture of Dorian Grey	Philosophical novel	Complex speech patterns, advanced vocabulary. Moral inconsistency of the author's statements.
Staying Together (2001), Judith Wilson	Stay together	Novel	-
The Time Traveler's Wife (2003), Audrey Niffeneger	The Time Traveler's Wife	novel, science fiction	Scientific terms
The Gift of the Magi (1905), O. Henry	Gifts of the Magi	Story	-
“Harry Potter” (series of novels since 1997), JK Rowling	Harry Potter	Novel, fantasy	Words made up by the author
The chronicles of Narnia (since 1950), Clive Staples Lewis	The Chronicles of Narnia	Fantasy	-
The twilight saga (2005-2008), Stephenie Meyer	Twilight	Romantic fantasy	-
The hunger games (2008), Suzanne Collins	The Hunger Games	Romance, post-apocalyptic	Words made up by the author
Girl in Translation (2011), Jin Kwok	Girl in translation	novel	Words related to Chinese culture.

10 must-read books in English (intermediate level)

Now let's stop at 10 books in English from this list that you should pay special attention to.

In each of these books you will find:

• New words for you on completely different topics and even jokes
• Interesting grammatical structures
• A sea of ​​colloquial phrases that we use in modern life
• Examples that you will not find in adapted English textbooks
• The experience of each hero that you can try on yourself

“The Murder of Roger Ackroyd”

"Everything is simple, if you arrange the facts methodically"

Genre: detective

The year of publishing: 1926

English: British

Undoubtedly, this book is ideal for fans of detective stories and mysterious, intricate stories.

The novel takes place in the fictional English village of Kings Abbot. The story is told from the perspective of Dr. James Sheppard, who becomes assistant to detective Hercule Poirot. Together they will have to solve the case of a strange murder that occurred in the area.

“For Whom the Bell Tolls”

"The sadness will dissipate as the sun rises. It is like a mist"

Genre: novel

The year of publishing: 1940

English: American

For Whom the Bell Tolls tells the story of Robert Jordan, a young American soldier sent behind Franco guerrilla lines during the Spanish Civil War on an important mission.

This story tells about the hardships and cruelty of the Civil War, if this is your taste, then you won’t find a better book - Ernest Hemingway was a talented writer and his works are popular to this day.

“Misery”

"In the darkness the mind is helpless and the logic is just a ghost"

Genre: novel; psychological thriller

The year of publishing: 1987

English: American

The king of horror, Stephen King, and his excellent work “Misery,” recognized as a world bestseller, will help you tickle your nerves.

The plot of the work is based on the relationship between two heroes of the book - the popular writer Paul Sheldon and his fan Annie Wilkes. Paul is seriously injured in a car accident. Former nurse Annie brings him to her home, where the writer receives painkillers and treatment. And then the most interesting thing happens!

“Girl in Translation”

“Louses were the only thing which overcame racial barriers”

Genre: novel

The year of publishing: 2011

English: American

The amazing story of schoolgirl Kimberly and her mother, who emigrated from Hong Kong to Brooklyn, USA. Not knowing the language and living in terrible conditions, they try to adapt to a new life. However, this test makes Kimbrely stronger and more determined.

Jean Kwok, being Chinese herself, perfectly described the clash of two different cultures - Eastern and Western.

“The Enchanted Castle”

“And yet there was time for many happenings”

Genre: fairy tale

The year of publishing: 1907

English: British

Fairy tales are written not only for children, but also for adults! You will see this by reading the magical story of Edith Nesbit. Despite the fact that the fairy tale was written more than a hundred years ago, it has not lost its relevance and liveliness.

The heroes of the fairy tales of the English writer Edith Nesbit are ordinary children who escaped from the city for the “open space” of the summer holidays. And immediately amazing adventures begin. A funny monster living in a sand pit or a ring found in a castle will fulfill any of their wishes. However, having received what they want, children find themselves in such incredible situations from which it is not easy to find a way out.

“The Catcher in the Rye”

"Girls. You never know what they"re going to think.”

Genre: novel

The year of publishing: 1951

English: American

The story tells about a 16-year-old American, his life and active position, namely, rejection of general canons and moral principles.

The Catcher in the Rye is one of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century, so it's not to be missed.

“The Time Traveler's Wife”

“Running is many things to me: survival, calmness, euphoria, solitude”

Genre: novel, science fiction

The year of publishing: 2003

English: American

In this novel you will find both a love story and fantasy.

It's a love story about a man with a genetic disorder that allows him to travel through time unpredictably, and his wife who must cope with his frequent and dangerous absences. The novel became a bestseller and received numerous awards, and was also adapted into a film adaptation.

“The Devil Wears Prada”

“The extra calories do not find place in their bodies, but occupy all their thoughts”

Genre: novel

The year of publishing: 2003

English: American

Do you love fashion, glossy magazines, designer clothes? The world bestseller by American writer Lauren Weisberger will lift the veil of secrecy for you - how does fashion work from the inside?

The novel tells about a young girl who comes to work for a fashion glossy magazine. But she couldn’t even think that her boss was a real tyrant in a skirt.

“An American Tragedy”

“People love money even more than good appearance”

Genre: novel, naturalism

The year of publishing: 1925

English: American

A long and tragic story of a young man, from a poor family, who aspired to wealth.

The theme of wealth and poverty is still relevant today; what sacrifices a person can make to get what he wants, whether he will side with good or evil.

“Three Men in a Boat” (Three in a boat, not counting the dog)

“I like work. It fascinates me. I am able to sit and look at it for hours"

Genre: story

The year of publishing: 1889

English: British

A wonderful humorous story about the journey of three men along the river. The book does not leave anyone indifferent to this day, although the story was written already in the 19th century!

Some tips on how to read books in the original at the intermediate level

Don't despair if you come across a lot of new words. Translate only those without which you cannot understand the essence of the sentence. Over time, you will see that they occur quite often and you will quickly remember them.

Most people buy books in English with great enthusiasm and motivation. Then, after reading three pages, they quit because everything seems very difficult to them.

Motivation disappears, and the book begins to gather dust on the shelf. You can find out how to avoid difficulties and not stop at the beginning of the journey in the article

• Read English as if it were your native language. This means you don't have to translate every word. When you read books in your native language, you also come across unfamiliar words that you don’t understand, but this does not prevent you from understanding the plot of the book. And don’t be upset if there are more such words than you expected. Remember that you are reading for pleasure, not as torture.
• Don't stop as soon as you come across a new word or phrase. Read to the end of the sentence or paragraph, or reread the previous sentence. Perhaps it will help you better understand the meaning of these words or phrases.
• As you read, underline phrases, words and expressions that you don't understand. Arm yourself with a dictionary to translate unfamiliar words and a notepad or notebook to write them down. But if you don’t use the dictionary too often, you may lose track of the plot and it will become uninteresting to read.
• Work actively with the dictionary, which you get as you read the book. Also learn the new words you have written down every day and a little at a time - do not accumulate them. Try to make up small stories and situations with new grammatical structures, words and phrases - this way you will remember them more quickly.
• Stay motivated! Be sure to write commitments to yourself and make it a habit not to break them. And read at least 20 pages a day.

Finally

Of course, this is not a complete list of books, but it is simply impossible to compile a complete one! remember, that reading books in the original at any level helps you not only develop spiritually, but also learn English with pleasure.

In contact with

In order to successfully master English, it is not enough just to memorize words and perform standard grammar exercises - you also need to use practical tools: books in a foreign language. Beginning linguists may argue that not everyone is able to read literature in the first stages of learning a language, since there is simply not enough knowledge for this. But no one forces you to pore over the original volumes of Shakespeare, because there is an excellent alternative - books adapted in English.

The benefits of “simplified” literature

An undeniable advantage of reading adapted works is the opportunity to learn to “work” with the language. This means replenishing vocabulary, studying the most common lexical expressions, and practicing the use of grammatical structures. And there is no need to be afraid that you will not understand a foreign text, because the works do not contain complex vocabulary and multi-level structures - for the convenience of the reader, everything is simplified here by replacing idioms, metaphors and colorful phrases with universal expressions that are understandable to everyone.

Often, adapted books are not just text, but also thematic dictionaries and grammar tasks that enable the reader to check how well he understands a particular chapter and understands the grammar. Therefore, by reading works, you not only learn from the text, but also train your skills.

An important advantage of such works is the fight against the language barrier. As you know, it can only be overcome with practice. In the process of reading, you get used to foreign vocabulary, expand your linguistic knowledge and gradually gain the courage to use foreign language in communication. And after a few months of such practice, you yourself will not notice how you have said goodbye to the fear of using the language.

Thus, adapted literature is an excellent choice for independent mastery of a foreign language. And to make training even more effective, combine it with other methods, which you can read about in the article “”.

What to do if your language level is low, but you want to read?

There are often situations when knowledge of a foreign language is very small, but the desire to read foreign books is very great. How to be in this case? There are some tips:

• start with small, light works - short stories, histories or even fairy tales;
• read online books and at the same time use a translator program to help;
• read bilingual works or both English and Russian.

Is it possible to use a dictionary?

There is an opinion that to effectively learn a foreign language, you need to look less at the dictionary and try to understand the meaning of words from the context. This statement is absolutely true, but not always rational and useful for beginning linguists. In some situations, you still can’t do without a dictionary.

For example, if the entire semantic load of a sentence is tied to a certain word and without understanding it it is impossible to grasp the essence of the passage. In this case, it is certainly more useful to look at the reference book than to guess and guess incorrectly. Or, for example, if a word appears on several pages in a row, it is probably universal and therefore useful to you in conversational practice, so it is better to find out its exact definition in the dictionary.

As we can see, there is meaning in “simplified” literature. Therefore, if you decide to take on books in English, adapted works are the best option for interesting and effective learning. So, don’t waste time and start looking for the very work that will help you improve your foreign language.

English prose, adapted for beginners and intermediates, from A2 to C1: books with which you will reach a new level!

Many people find reading to be a slow and rather tedious process. Learning English from TV series or songs is much more fun. But this is only at first glance! After all, if you delve deeper into the question, the advantages of this approach to learning a foreign language will become noticeable; We will begin our article with these advantages.

Why is it important to read English books in the original to effectively master the English language?

“The more that you read, the more that you’ll know.” The more that you know, the more places you’ll go.” -Dr. Seuss

“The more you read, the more you learn. The more you learn, the more places you will visit." - Dr. Seuss, American children's writer and cartoonist

Any English-speaking child will confirm: Dr. Seuss will not give bad advice. If you love to read, but are afraid to start with a long and full-length English novel, don't worry. There is a great variety of literature adapted specifically to your level of English proficiency. Yes, you will get a full idea of ​​the work of fiction a little later, but you can congratulate yourself on the first English book you read already starting at the Elementary level!

Reading is a great way to expand your vocabulary

Reading in a foreign language enriches our vocabulary, even if we ourselves do not realize it. Of course, in order for new vocabulary to be absorbed more effectively, it is better to read a book, writing down unfamiliar words and memorizing their translation. When choosing books to read, be guided by your learning goals: if you need spoken language, pay attention to modern “light” prose, but if you want to master special vocabulary, the most obvious advice is to read literature from your area of ​​professional interests.

Reading improves spelling

English spelling is full of mysteries and surprises. The spelling of many words defies logic: you just have to memorize them. And the best way to do this is to read more English-language literature so that the images of words are stored in memory.

Reading broadens your horizons

E-books and blogs, news sites and social media feeds: reading in the twenty-first century has reached a new level. A single information space makes it possible to learn about what is happening in the most remote corners of the world and to become familiar with the world’s cultural and scientific heritage.

The first book read in a foreign language is a powerful incentive to conquer new linguistic peaks

Listen to how you feel when you finish the last page of your first English novel: a wonderful feeling. “She reads Orwell in the original” - sounds proud! Any psychologist will tell you: motivation is important when performing any task. So don’t miss an opportunity to praise yourself once again, this one is not superfluous at all! :)

How to choose a book to read

• Select literature adapted to your level (see the list of recommended books for levels A2-C1 later in the article).
• Choose works according to your strengths: start with short stories, gradually moving on to larger literary forms.
• The more exciting the learning, the more effective it is: try to find books that are interesting to you. Suitable detective stories, thrillers, mysticism - or any other topic that awakens your imagination and makes you read the book to the end.

Children's books

If you only know a few hundred words in English, pay attention to children's literature: many children's books are also interesting for adults. In addition, children's literature, as a rule, is generously supplied with illustrations, which helps to understand the plot.

Interesting fact: the famous children's writer Dr. Seuss, who was discussed earlier in our article, wrote his best book The Cat in the Hat(“The Cat in the Hat”), using only 220 words. This list of children's first words was compiled by the publisher, obliging the author to use them in his work: everything to earn the love of the target audience!

Free English-language children's books can be found on the following resources:

Comics

Like children's literature, comics are a great way to start reading in an unfamiliar language. There are a great many genres of comics: there are comics for children, for adults, entertaining and educational.

Film scripts

One of the proven and effective methods of mastering a new language, recommended by many polyglots, is to read books in the target language that are already familiar in translation. The same applies to film adaptations: it is useful to read the scripts of the films you have watched. Advantages: the context is known, the plot is clear, you can guess the meaning of new words as the story progresses.

Books on personal development and professional literature

By reading books about personal development and professional specialized literature, you kill two birds with one stone: you study vocabulary that is relevant to you in English and learn new things on a topic that is important to you. If you are keenly interested in something, why not read about it in English? Another advantage of such literature: it is easier to read than fiction novels. The style is simpler, the vocabulary is limited to the topic under consideration.

3 “life hacks” for beginning readers of English literature

What to do if you don't understand 100% of what you read?

Calm down, this is quite natural. It is not necessary to understand every word, because context is king(king - context). If you have grasped the main idea of ​​the story, that is quite enough. Moreover, if you understand everything you read, most likely you took a book of too low a level for yourself. Try to find books where about 70% of the vocabulary will be familiar (the rest will have to be written out and learned).

Read aloud

It may seem strange, but reading has proven itself to be excellent in improving pronunciation and listening comprehension - if it is reading aloud. By reading aloud, you tune in to the sounds of the language you are learning. However, it is important to work on pronunciation in addition to reading, otherwise the incorrectly “guessed” pronunciation of a particular word can annoy you for years later.

Listen to audiobooks while reading

When learning English, in which the same combination of letters can be pronounced in a dozen different ways, it is very important to pay attention to the correct pronunciation of new words. We have already written about the book + audiobook format: when reading an English-language book, you listen to its audio version, voiced by native English speakers. Very convenient for learning pronunciation!

Books adapted for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels of English (A2-C1)

Level A2 - pre-threshold level (waystage level, elementary level)

The Hound of the Baskervilles

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Level: elementary
Genre: detective
Volume: OK. 45000 characters
English version: British

The well-known story, filmed dozens of times, about how a pet can become a real curse for a noble family. It's time to read it in the original!

The Fisherman and His Soul - The Fisherman and His Soul

Oscar Wilde

Level: elementary
Genre: romantic fairy tale
Volume: OK. 30000 characters
English version: British

A poignant romantic tale about the mad love of a dolphin fisherman and a mermaid.

Dracula - Dracula

Bram Stoker

Level: elementary
Genre: mysticism, horror
Volume: OK. 50000 characters
English version: British

A chilling story about eternal love and eternal damnation: that's where all the vampire sagas of our time come from.

The Million Pound Bank Note

Mark Twain

Level: elementary
Genre: adventures, humor
Volume: OK. 25000 characters
English version: American

A witty and instructive story about the exploits of a poor man with a million pound note in his pocket.

Mr Bean is in town - Mr. Bean In Town

Level: elementary
Genre: humor
Volume: OK. 20000 characters
English version: British

Mr. Bean will always find adventures for his wild little head! The eccentric eccentric continues to surprise and make the reader laugh.

Level B1 - threshold or intermediate level

FANTASTIC MR FOX

Roald Dahl

Level: average
Genre: fairy tale, humor
Volume: OK. 45000 characters
English version: American
Foxes and farmers are eternal enemies. Who will win this time?..

The Picture of Dorian Gray - The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde

Level: average
Genre: fiction
Volume: OK. 80000 characters
English version: British

What is more important, the beauty of the face or the beauty of the soul? An incredible story about a beautiful mask and the terrible essence of a person. Mr. Grey, weren’t you the prototype for the hero of “Fifty Shades of Grey”?..

Appointment With Death

Level: average
Genre: detective
Volume: OK. 125000 characters
English version: British

Christie, Poirot, detective. A must read!

Forrest Gump - Wikiwand Forrest Gump

John Escott

Level: average
Genre: drama
Volume: OK. 45000 characters
English version: American

A book about a man whose fate makes you believe in the impossible.

Three Men In a Boat

Jerome K. Jerome

Level: average
Genre: humor
Volume: OK. 50000 characters
English version: British

Three cheerful friends decided to go on a trip. What came of it - read in the original.

Intermediate level of English (intermediate, B1-B2)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Francis Scott Fitzgerald

Level: average
Genre: drama
Volume: OK. 45000 characters
English version: American

A fantastic story about a man who “lived in reverse.” But you've probably already seen the movie?..

George Orwell

Level: average
Genre: prose
Volume: OK. 150000 characters
English version: British

A landmark work of English literature that should definitely be included in the reading arsenal of every modern person. So that you don’t have to blush in polite society.

2001: A Space Odyssey - 2001: A Space Odyssey

Arthur Clarke

Level: average
Genre: Science fiction
Volume: OK. 150000 characters
English version: American

Spaceships, interplanetary travel, mysterious artifacts... Science fiction at its finest!

Gladiator - Gladiator

Dewey Gram

Level: average
Genre: historical novel
Volume: OK. 100000 characters
English version: American

This book will tell about the difficult fate of the Roman gladiator. That's who had a really difficult job!

Four Weddings and a Funeral - Four Weddings and a Funeral

Richard Curtis

Level: average
Genre: romance, humor
Volume: OK. 100000 characters
English version: British

The best way to understand the culture of a people is to study their customs. A funny, touching, slightly frivolous book by Richard Curtis tells about the love between a British man and an American against the backdrop of four weddings and, alas, one funeral. Is there hope for a happy ending? Read about it for yourself.

B2 - intermediate-advanced level (vantage or upper intermediate)

Misery - Misery

Stephen King

Level:
Genre: novel, thriller
Volume: OK. 120000 characters
English version: British

A novel about the relationship between a writer and an admirer of his talent, so eccentric that it’s even scary. The plot develops like in a fairy tale: the further it goes, the scarier it gets. But this is precisely why we love King.

A Murder Is Announced

Agatha Christie

Level: upper-intermediate
Genre: detective
Volume: OK. 140000 characters
English version: British

And again the grandmother of an English detective with a novel about a mysterious newspaper ad that indicates the exact day and hour of a future murder. Will it be possible to prevent the fatal event? You will read the answer to this question in clear English.

Airport

Arthur Hailey

Level: upper-intermediate
Genre: thriller
Volume: OK. 180000 characters
English version: British/Canadian

A disaster novel based on real events, fascinating even after half a century.

The Bourne Identity

Robert Ludlum

Level: upper-intermediate
Genre: thriller
Volume: OK. 100000 characters
English version: American

Off the coast of the Mediterranean, fishermen caught a wounded man who had completely lost his memory. This is the beginning of an exciting novel, which became the basis of one of the most successful film thrillers of our time.

The Talented Mr. Ripley

Patricia Highsmith

Level: upper-intermediate
Genre: detective, drama
Volume: OK. 130000 characters
English version: American

Tom Ripley is a 25-year-old young man who grew up without parents in an atmosphere of hatred and fear. Is it any wonder that his attitude towards the world and people is not particularly tender?..

Pip spends hours on end at the graves of his deceased parents. The older sister, with whom he lives, beats the boy mercilessly, and at the same time scolds her husband Joe for his kindness towards the boy. One day Pip meets a convict in the cemetery. He tells the guy to bring him food and drink. A boy secretly steals food from home. The next day the prisoner is caught by the police. The boy is soon visited by a lawyer, informing him that the secret patron is ready to pay for the boy’s studies and accommodation in London.

The newspapers are full of shocking news - a black worker killed his owner. Perhaps this news did not come as a shock to the residents of these places. Nobody loved the deceased. Mary was an openly despotic woman who considered white people to be masters and bosses, while the natives were for her only cheap labor. But she wasn't always like this. During her school years, when she lived far from the farm, she was quite a cheerful and energetic girl. It so happened that

Benjamin, a boy at heart, but a wizened old man in appearance, began to speak immediately after birth. The kids from the yard didn’t want to play with him, because an adult child had no interest in toys, and the activities in the kindergarten made him sleepy. Smart, inquisitive Benjamin tried to join the college, but the management took it as a joke, because old people are not allowed to study. Years passed. Parents began to notice that their son had turned from a grandfather into a handsome

Good-natured Silas Marner is engaged in weaving, trying to save a pretty penny to marry the girl he loves. One day a friend comes to him and asks to borrow a knife. A good deed will cost a man dearly. A friend, having stolen money from a community called the Calvinist Congregation, left evidence at the scene - a Marner knife. Silas is accused of theft, his girlfriend leaves him and marries his treacherous friend. The hero leaves his hometown to retire to a small village. Here he is

Aegeus is about to marry his cousin Berenice. He is flattered by the thought that his wife will be a beautiful, cheerful girl, radiating the light of the soul and vital energy. He is in love with her features, he is attracted by her shiny luxurious curls, slim figure and radiant smile. But such a girl does not remain for long. A terrible disease takes over her body, her beauty fades, her hair loses its shine, her eyes dim, she periodically falls into a lethargic sleep, and is seized by attacks.

Brothers Edward and Julian returned from the African wasteland to their native lands. The first one is less happy to lead his usual lifestyle due to his creepy appearance. This is how the curse placed on him affected him. A man does not want to hide from people for the rest of his life. He only looks like a monster in appearance, but in his soul the hero remains a man. Edward, hiding in the castle, summons Trench, who is a lawyer, to his chambers and orders him to bring an intelligent doctor. He is deceiving

A noble lady turns to the police with a request to return the stolen letter to her and punish the criminal. She casts a shadow of guilt on a certain Minister D, who was present in her house on the day of the theft. The attacker resorts to blackmail, which worries the victim even more. The prefect, on his personal instructions, sends a detachment of police officers to the minister's house. They search intensively for the document, using all the most famous search methods. There is no result. Distressed prefect turns to private investigator

The inhabitants of Ruritania are preparing for a significant celebration. Crown Prince Rudolf should soon sit on the throne. However, his arrogance, passion for alcohol and depraved lifestyle are clearly not welcomed by his subjects. His brother Michael, distinguished by his authority and ambition, evokes sympathy. He himself does not want to put up with the loss of his inheritance, so he intends to resort to usurpation. He does not want to remain in the shadow of the crown prince, so he skillfully uses harmful

France. Two spies meet during a baccarat tournament in a luxury hotel. The first is Le Chiffre, he is of Russian blood, the second is James Bond, a Briton. Bond is tasked with beating his opponent and getting all his money. But he loses all the money and turns to his contact Rene for help. A girl named Vesper is also involved in the case. Bond liked her with her pretty appearance. Le Chiffre eventually loses his last cent, but he doesn’t want to leave without money, so he starts

Walter Hartright plans to leave for a new job in Limmeridge, not knowing what passions await him in the Fairlie house. Shortly before leaving, he wanders along the night road, meeting along the way a thin woman dressed in a snow-white outfit. A conversation ensues between them, in which a friendly and slightly strange woman reports that she knew the late Mrs. Fairlie. She was her ward. The companion also mentions a certain baronet who is spreading evil around. Walter on

Walton is exploring the lands of the North Pole. He meets a man who introduces himself as Victor Frankenstein. The aristocrat ended up in these parts because of his curiosity and thirst to master alchemy. From a young age he was interested in the question of life and death. He set himself a goal - to create from inanimate flesh a living creature similar to a person, but much larger in size. turned out to be a giant. Out of fear, the scientist ran home from his laboratory. He was informed about

October has come with its cold days and long nights…. Halloween is coming… If you want to read a scary story in English, read “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving. It is adapted from the original story “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon” (1820) for the advanced readers by me, the hostess of EnglishStory. Enjoy English Classics!

If the text seems difficult to you, you can watch

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Get started now. Reading books in English will help you expand your vocabulary. However, read actively! It's better to try to remember an English word than to look it up in the dictionary every time! Today you will find the most interesting work of the founder of American literature, Washington Irving - his famous “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”. Reading a book online is very convenient. You can look up an unfamiliar word in the dictionary by double-clicking on it with the mouse. The text of the story is slightly shortened and adapted. “Advanced” level (for advanced students). There are also adapted books other levels that are possible.

Washington Irving. The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon (or the Legend of Sleepy Hollow)

A pleasing land of drowsy-head it was,

Of dreams that wave before the half-shut eye…

• glide (v) — flow quietly
• murmur- murmur
• lull (v)- lull
• quail- partridge
• woodpecker- woodpecker

Near the eastern shore of the Hudson, at the broad part of the Hudson river, there lies a small market-town called Greensburg, but which is more generally known by the name of Tarry Town. Not far from this town, perhaps about two miles, there is a little valley among the high hills. This is one of the quietest places in the whole world. A small brook glides through it, with just murmur enough to lul one to rest, and the occasional whistle of a quail or tapping of a woodpecker is almost the only sound that ever breaks in the complete calmness.

• inhabitants - inhabitants
• descendants- descendants
  
• pervade (v)- to penetrate
  
• are subject to- susceptible
  
• bound (v)- abound

From the quietness of the place and the peculiar character of its inhabitants who are descendants from the original Dutch settlers, this isolated valley has long been known by the name of SLEEPY HOLLOW. A drowsy, dreamy influence seems to hang over the land and to pervade the very atmosphere. Some people say that the place was bewitched by an old Indian chief during the early days of the settlement. Certain it is, the place still holds a spell over the minds of the good people, causing them to walk in a continual dreaminess. They are subject to trances and visions, and frequently see strange sights and hear music and voices in the air. The whole neighborhood bounds with local tales, haunted spots, and twilight superstitions; stars shoot and meteors glare more often across the valley than in any other part of the country, and the seems to make it the favorite nightmare place of her walks.

• apparition- vision
• Hessian trooper- cavalryman, native of Hesse (Germany)
• wide awake- awake
• inhale- inhale
• grow imaginative- imagination runs wild

The dominant spirit, however, that haunts this enchanted region is the apparition of a figure on horseback without a head. The ghost is said to be a Hessian trooper whose head had been carried away by a cannonball in a battle during the Revolutionary War, and who is ever seen by the country people hurrying along in the glow of night as if on the wings of the wind. He is sometimes seen in the valley but more often near a church at no great distance. Indeed, the body of the trooper is believed to have been buried in the churchyard, the ghost rides forth to the scene of battle in nightly search of his head, and that rushing speed with which he sometimes passes along the Hollow is due to his being in a hurry to get back to the churchyard before daybreak.

This spectrum is known all around the country by the name of the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow.

It is remarkable that strangers who ever come to the valley, however wide awake they may have been before they entered that sleepy region, they are sure in a little time to inhale the witching influence of the air and begin to grow imaginative- to dream dreams and see ghosts.

• weathercock- weather vane
• escaped from- escaped
• murmur- muttering
• bee-hive- hive
• urge (v)- spur on

In this valley some person by the name of Ichabod Crane was sent for the purpose of instructing the children. He was a schoolmaster. The nickname of Crane was suitable to his person. He was tall with narrow shoulders, long arms and legs, hands that stuck a mile out of his sleeves, feet that might have served for shovels. His head was small, with huge ears, large green glassy eyes, and a long nose, so that it looked like a weathercock perched upon the roof to tell which way the wind blew. To see him walking along a hill on a windy day, with his clothes bagging and fluttering about him, one might have mistaken him for some scarecrow escaped from a cornfield.

His school-house was a low building of one large room, made of logs, the windows partly glazed and partly patched with leaves of old copybooks. The school-house stood rather lonely just at the foot of a woody hill, with a brook running close by and a huge birch tree growing at one end of it. From here the low murmur of his pupils’ voices might be heard in a drowsy summer’s day like the hum of a bee-hive, interrupted now and then by the loud voice of the master in the tone of command, or by the appalling sound of the birch as he stated some naughty boy along the path of knowledge. Truth to say, he was an honest man, and ever bore in mind the golden rule, “Spare the rod and spoil the child.” Ichabod Crane’s scholars were certainly not spoiled.

• revenue- income
• provide (v)- provide
• maintenance- content
• boarded and lodged- ate and lived
• make hay- make hay

However he was not cruel; all this he called “doing his duty by their parents;” and he never gave a punishment without following it by the words that “he would remember it and thank him for it the longest day he had to live.”

When school-hours were over he was even the companion and playmate of the larger boys, and on holiday afternoons would accompany some of the smaller ones home who happened to have pretty sisters or good housewives. Indeed it was wise of him to keep on good terms with his pupils. The revenue arising from his school was small, and was not enough to provide him with daily bread, for he was a heavy eater and to help out his maintenance he was boarded and lodged at the houses of the farmers whose children he taught. With these he lived a week at a time, then going the rounds of the neighborhood with all his things tied up in a cotton handkerchief.

Also he assisted the farmers at their farms, helped to make hay, mended the fences, took the horses to water, drove the cows from pasture, and cut wood for the winter fire. He put aside all the dignity which he put on himself in his little empire, the school, and became wonderfully gentle and kind.

• half-iteran- semi-nomadic
• dim- dusk
• sheeted spectre - ghost in white robe
• shrink- shrink
• lest- so as not to
• would have passed a pleasant life of it- life would be wonderful
• a being- creature

The schoolmaster is generally a man of some importance in the female circle of a neighborhood, being considered a gentleman of superior taste. From his half-intendent life, also, he was a kind of traveling newspaper, carrying the local gossips from house to house, so that his appearance was always greeted with satisfaction. Besides, owing to his erudition and good education he was, considered a man any girl would marry. So, our schoolmaster was quite happy in the smiles of all the country girls.

He was pleased to pass long winter evenings with the old Dutch wives as they sat by the fire, with a row of apples roasting near the hearth, and listen to their marvellous tales of ghosts and goblins, and haunted fields, and haunted brooks, and haunted bridges, and haunted houses, and particularly of the headless horseman, or Galloping Hessian of the Hollow, as they sometimes called him.

But if there was a pleasure in all those tales in the cozy chimney-corner of a chamber full of a glow from the crackling wood-fire, and where, of course, no spectre dared to show its face, it was terrifying to remember them on the way home. What fearful shapes and shadows arose on his path amidst the dim of a snowy night! How often was he frightened by some shrub covered with snow, which, like a sheeted spectrum, appeared on his very path! How often did he shrink at the sound of his own steps, and dread to look over his shoulder, lest he should see some ghost coming close behind him! And how often was he thrown into complete dismay by some wind howling among the trees, in the idea that it was the Galloping Hessian on one of his nightly walks!

All these, however, were mere terrors of the night, phantoms of the mind that walk in darkness; yet daylight put an end to all these evils; and he would have passed a pleasant life of it, in spite of the devil and all his works, if his path had not been crossed by a being that causes more trouble to mortal man than ghosts, goblins, and the whole race of witches put together, and that was a WOMAN.

Also read this book online in English on the official websites:

Washington Irving “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” (in the original) at http://www.sleepyhollowcemetery.org/sleepy-hollow-country/the-legend/

Washington Irving “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” (intermediate) —->

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