English novels and short stories

If you like to read, then reading English books is excellent for vocabulary and grammar - as long as you like the book and it's a good level for you.

It wasn't easy to find 15 great books for adults in clear English. However, I think we've succeeded. Click the pictures to see a sample page.

You can probably read an English version of any favourite book. For example, international classics like The Leopard by Giuseppe di Lampedusa, or Maupassant's short stories. It's much easier to read a book you already know and love.

Section 1: Ten books to read without a dictionary - maybe!

The Alchemist

by Paolo Coelho

 

Short. A spiritual story about a young shepherd.

The Pearl

by John Steinbeck

 

Short. A sad book about a poor family in Mexico.

The Old Man and the Sea

by Ernest Hemingway

Short. Sad again; the story of a Cuban fisherman.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

by Mark Haddon

A "coming of age" story with an autistic hero.

The Da Vinci Code

by Dan Brown

This was the first real book I read in French without a dictionary.