free autobiography books on kindle

Free Ebooks
Email Signup
For Authors
Biographies & Memoirs

Solving Cold Cases: True Crime Stories that Took Years to Crack (True Crime Cold Cases Solved Book 1)

Popular Books
Science Fiction
Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Religion & Spirituality
Business & Money
Crafts, Hobbies & Home
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender
Literature & Fiction
Teen & Young Adult
Children's eBooks
Cookbooks, Food & Wine
Health, Fitness & Dieting
Arts & Photography
Comics & Graphic Novels
Education & Teaching
Professional & Technical
Parenting & Relationships
Literary Fiction
Computers & Technology
Humor & Entertainment
Politics & Social Sciences
Sports & Outdoors
Classic eBooks
Science & Math
Foreign Languages
Engineering & Transportation
Centsless Books
Privacy Policy

We'll send you more free ebooks and exclusive content.

You'll be able to fill your Kindle in no time without paying a dime! Just sign up below.

1-16 of over 50,000 results Sort by: Bestselling Price: Low to high Price: High to low Avg. customer review Publication date Best Sellers Sort by: Bestselling Go

If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood

Fortune's Child: A Novel of Empress Theodora (The Theodora Duology Book 1)

The Boy Who Drew Auschwitz: A Powerful True Story of Hope and Survival

More results.

Everything I Know About Love: A Memoir

The Amish Wife: Unraveling the Lies, Secrets, and Conspiracy That Let a Killer Go Free

The Unpersuadables: Adventures with the Enemies of Science

It's Not About You: A Brief Guide to a Meaningful Life

Don't Call Me Jupiter — Book One "Tightrope": Memoir of a Reluctant Hippie Kid

Poisoned Blood: A True Story of Murder, Passion, and an Astonishing Hoax

Finding Me: An Oprah's Book Club Pick

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed

Notable Figures in English History: Illuminating the Lives and Impact of England’s Prominent Icons Across the Centuries (Curious Histories Collection)

The Painted Pink Dress: A Daughter’s Story of Family, Betrayal, and Her Search for the Truth

Love's Blood: The Shocking True Story of a Teenager Who Would Do Anything for the Older Man She Loved—Even Kill Her Whole Family

American Mother: The true story of a troubled family, motherhood, and the cyanide poisonings that shook the world (Dangerous Women - True Crime Stories)

Don't Call Me Jupiter — Book Two "Lightning Crashes": Memoir of a Reluctant Hippie Kid

Kindle Unlimited Eligible
Kindle Store
Kindle eBooks
Biographies & Memoirs
Arts & Literature Biographies
Cultural & Regional Biographies
Historical Biographies
Biographies about Notable People
Professional & Academic Biographies
Biography Reference & Collections
Specific Groups Biographies eBooks
Sports Biographies
True Accounts
4 Stars & Up & Up
All Discounts
Today's Deals
Chinese (Traditional)
Prime Reading Eligible
Word Wise Enabled
Last 30 days
Last 90 days
Coming Soon

Amazon and Our Planet
Modern Slavery Statement
Investor Relations
Press Releases
Amazon Science
Sell on Amazon
Supply to Amazon
Become an Affiliate
Protect & Build Your Brand
Sell on Amazon Handmade
Advertise Your Products
Independently Publish with Us
Host an Amazon Hub
Amazon.ca Rewards Mastercard
Shop with Points
Reload Your Balance
Amazon Currency Converter
Amazon Cash
Shipping Rates & Policies
Amazon Prime
Returns Are Easy
Manage your Content and Devices
Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
Registry & Gift List
Customer Service

Conditions of Use
Privacy Notice
Interest-Based Ads
Amazon.com.ca ULC | 40 King Street W 47th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5H 3Y2 |1-877-586-3230

Register Free
Free Publications

Must Read Autobiography Collection!

Discover the power of the story of some of the most well-known people.

We're offering our best-selling collection of autobiohraphy for FREE! Download the collection today!

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin | Biography

By Benjamin Franklin. Although the American Founding Father lived 84 years, (1706-1790), his autobiography covers the first 51 years of his life, (1706-1757), reflecting on his life as a printer; an inventor; a scientist; and politician. Includes an introduction by Charles W. Eliot; a time line; and related links.

An Ordinary Man: The Autobiography of Harold Cunningham

Harold Cunningham | Biography

Most autobiographies are written to make the writer seem more or better than he is. Rough edges are smoothed, frailties glossed over, sins forgotten. Rare is the man who dares write his life for what it was. Rare is the man who dares write as he speaks, without pretension. Rare is the simple story, plainly told, and rarer still is a true story told honestly. Harold's story is both.

Autobiography

John Stuart Mill | Biography

The autobiography of noted British philosopher and economist, John Stuart Mill (1806-1873).

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave

Frederick Douglass | Biography

Autobiographical novel by abolitionist, author, and reformer Frederick Douglass. One of America's most prominent figures in African-American and United States history, Douglass' autobiography historically has been used for teaching the concepts of freedom and social development.

Helen of Troy

Andrew Lang | Children's Classics

From the bestselling author of the "Autobiography of Henry VIII", "Memoirs of Cleopatra", and "Mary, Called Magdalene" among others, comes a lush, seductive novel of the legendary beauty whose face "launched a thousand ships"; the mythical woman who was Helen of Troy.

The Works of Abraham Lincoln V. VII (1908)

Abraham Lincoln | History (Academic)

The Works of Abraham Lincoln. V. VII- Letters and telegrams, messages to Congress, military orders, autobiography, etc. The Original Books Collection. Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. Lincoln successfully led his country through its greatest constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union while ending slavery, and promoting economic and financial modernization.

An Autobiography

Catherine Helen Spence | Biography

Autobiography of Catherine Helen Spence that includes her previously unpublished diary,along with some of her correspondence.

Inch Time Foot Gem - An Autobiography of Richard Clarke

Richard Clarke | Biography

This is an autobiography of Richard Clarke. Richard lived a life adapting to change. Born in Oklahoma with roots from Texas, moving to San Jose, CA long before it became Silicon Valley, working in a number of Silicon Valley Companies, and then retiring first to South India, then Mexico. One long-time thread in his life is his search for meaning and a spiritual investigation that spans more than 50 years. Richard currently teaches meditation, writes on spiritual and other subjects, and provides a weekly newsletter on science, technology and medical news.

Autobiography of a Duffer

Santosh Jha | Humor

A witty, but insightful narration of ‘normal’ and ‘orderly’ cultural realisms of contemporary world, from the perspective of a young duffer. This duffer believes; a normal person should know how this world looks to a stupid, whom the world loves to label ‘abnormal’ and ‘disordered’, to truly visualize realities of benchmarking. This duffer’s wife asked him to make it different; he truly does it!

The Story of My Heart: An Autobiography

Richard Jefferies | Biography

The Story of My Heart is an autobiography, first published in 1883, by English nature writer, essayist and journalist Richard Jefferies. It is no true autobiography, but the story of a soul's awakening. Richard Jefferies describes how, leaving aside all the preconceptions of past and future, he placed himself in the eternal Now, and allowed the Now to become his soul's only guide and source of nourishment. Thus freed from the usual blocks to awareness, Jefferies' senses became windows for his soul, through which the natural world could be seen in its true, dazzling brilliance. Jefferies describes how this vision reflected back into his consciousness an awareness of his soul's eternity, and its immense, unquenchable longing and love for what he called 'soul-life'.

Up from Slavery: An Autobiography

B.T. Washington | Biography

Long revered as one of the greatest American autobiographies ever written by the 19th Century African-American businessman, activist, and educator, Booker T. (Taliaferro) Washington. Download the FREE e-Book version today!

Autobiography of Yogini in Short Mamta Kulkarni

Mamta Kulkarni | Biography

This Book is not an attempt from me to show you how to do Meditation or its techniques or how to do Pranayama or Asanas as you already have one ''Yoga Sutras of Patanjali-by B.K.S IYENGAR but to actually cementing your first base as without which all your Asanas will just remain mere a warm up exercise and your Meditation just a mere small contained peace.but far from actual Meditation as this all come to their actuality by gathering as many strong virtues by which your Character becomes qualified by an enlighten Master to part you with that Knowledge by which you break this Cycle of Birth-Death-Decay and garland yourself with crown of immortality.

Autobiography and Selected Essays

Biography based on the life and letters of noted English biologist, Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-1895).

Glimpses of Autobiography

Roy T. James | Biography

A bunch of people and their characters, a flurry of happenings and my observations, scenes that would have found a place in my autobiography, if ever I wrote one.

Anatomy Of Amazing Lyrics! Autobiography

Adam Stark | Biography

Complete anthology of everything I have written! My accomplishments and inventions are completely explained. I prove scientifically, and provide evidence to prove that I am one of the greatest writers of all time when it comes to technical skill! Everything I show you is publicly available on the internet, and this book provides the time-stamps. I have broken down barriers in the English language!

Jane Eyre: An Autobiography

Charlotte Bronte | Romance Classics

A poor, abused orphan named Jane uses her cleverness and perseverance to win the love of the man she loves.

The Autobiography of Methuselah

John Kendrick Bangs | Religion

Having recently passed into what my great-grandson Shem calls my Anecdotage, it has occurred to me that perhaps some of the recollections of a more or less extended existence upon this globular mass of dust and water that we are pleased to call the earth, may prove of interest to posterity, and I have accordingly, at the earnest solicitation of my grandson, Noah, and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japhet, consented to put them into permanent literary form. In view of the facts that at this writing, ink and paper and pens have not as yet been invented, and that we have no capable stenographers among our village folk, and that because of my advanced years I should find great difficulty in producing my manuscript on a type-writing machine with my gouty fingers—for, of the luscious fluid of the gra...

The Days of My Life: An Autobiography

Mrs. Oliphant | Biography

Margaret Oliphant Wilson Oliphant (n e Margaret Oliphant Wilson) (4 April 1828 - 25 June 1897), was a Scottish novelist and historical writer, who usually wrote as Mrs. Oliphant. Her fictional works encompass "domestic realism, the historical novel and tales of the supernatural". *Life* The daughter of Francis W. Wilson (c.1788-1858), a clerk, and his wife, Margaret Oliphant (c.1789-1854), she was born at Wallyford, near Musselburgh, East Lothian, and spent her childhood at Lasswade (near Dalkeith), Glasgow and Liverpool. As a girl, she constantly experimented with writing. In 1849 she had her first novel published: Passages in the Life of Mrs. Margaret Maitland. This dealt with the Scottish Free Church movement, with which Mr. and Mrs. Wilson both sympathised, and met with some success. It was followed by Caleb Field in 1851, the year in which she met the publisher William Blackwood in Edinburgh and was invited to contribute to the famous Blackwood's Magazine. The connection was to last for her whole lifetime, during which she contributed well over 100 articles, including a critique of the character of Arthur Dimmesdale in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. In May 1852, she married her cousin, Frank Wilson Oliphant, at Birkenhead, and settled at Harrington Square in London. An artist working mainly in stained glass, her husband had delicate health, and three of their six children died in infancy, while the father himself developed alarming symptoms of tuberculosis, then known as consumption. For the sake of his health they moved in January 1859 to Florence, and then to Rome, where Frank Oliphant died. His wife, left almost entirely without resources, returned to England and took up the burden of supporting her three remaining children by her own literary activity.She had now become a popular writer, and worked with amazing industry to sustain her position. Unfortunately, her home life was full of sorrow and disappointment. In January 1864 her only remaining daughter Maggie died in Rome, and was buried in her father's grave. Her brother, who had emigrated to Canada, was shortly afterwards involved in financial ruin, and Mrs. Oliphant offered a home to him and his children, and added their support to her already heavy responsibilities.In 1866 she settled at Windsor to be near her sons who were being educated at Eton. That year, her second cousin, Annie Louisa Walker, came to live with her as a companion-housekeeper. 3] This was her home for the rest of her life, and for more than thirty years she pursued a varied literary career with courage scarcely broken by a series of the gravest troubles. The ambitions she cherished for her sons were unfulfilled. Cyril Francis, the elder, died in 1890, leaving a Life of Alfred de Musset, incorporated in his mother's Foreign Classics for English Readers, The younger, Francis (whom she called "Cecco"), collaborated with her in the Victorian Age of English Literature and won a position at the British Museum, but was rejected by Sir Andrew Clark, a famous physician. Cecco died in 1894. With the last of her children lost to her, she had but little further interest in life. Her health steadily declined, and she died at Wimbledon, London, on 25 June 1897.In the 1880s she was the literary mentor of the Irish novelist Emily Lawless. During this time Oliphant wrote several works of supernatural fiction, including the long ghost story A Beleaguered City (1880) and several short tales, including "The Open Door" and "Old Lady Mary".

Leo Tolstoy | Fiction Classics

Autobiography. Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, commonly referred to in English as Leo Tolstoy, was a Russian novelist, writer, essayist, philosopher, Christian anarchist, pacifist, educational reformer, moral thinker, and an influential member of the Tolstoy family. As a fiction writer Tolstoy is widely regarded as one of the greatest of all novelists, particularly noted for his masterpieces War and Peace and Anna Karenina; in their scope, breadth and realistic depiction of Russian life, the two books stand at the peak of realistic fiction. As a moral philosopher he was notable for his ideas on nonviolent resistance through his work The Kingdom of God is Within You, which in turn influenced such twentieth-century figures as Mohandas K. Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Wade Welch | Biography

Autobiography which tells quite a tale of family secrets and hidden truths, Federal interference, and my commitment to telling the ugly story, resulting in a unique spiritual experience involving the influence from the other dimension.

This is my Story, This is my Song [5th ed]

Alasdair Gordon | Religious

I describe this booklet as the Reminiscences and Musings of a Maverick Presbyterian. It is made up of two parts. Part 1 (This is my Story) is a brief autobiography, concentrating mainly on my long and ambivalent relationship with the Church of Scotland. Part 2 (This is my Song) is a personal (and somewhat opinionated) commentary on the state of the Kirk today and how I see its development in the future. In this fifth (and final) edition I have considerably expanded and updated the original text.

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself

Harriet A. Jacobs | Mystery Classics

The Classic book Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself by Harriet A. Jacobs. A true autobiography of a slave who later won her liberty. Initially portions of her stories where published in the New-York Tribune, but many of her narratives which involved rape were too much for the general public. It is an extremely powerful description of an important part of American history.

Journey of My Life

Ganga N Prasad | Biography

Journey of My Life is an autobiography which is my first publication and it is dedicated to my parents, grandparents, my late husband, my children and grandchildren.

Seeing the Big Picture

John C. Dean | Biography

"Seeing the Big Picture" is the autobiography of John C. Dean, the engineer who proved the take over of the US in 1963 by a shadow government represented by puppet presidents who followed: LBJ, Nixon, Ford, GHW Bush, and GW Bush. These presidents all had prior knowledge of the assassination of JFK and in all but one case, took direct action to kill JFK or cover up how he was killed with the Oswald allegation. John performed a detailed forensic ballistic analysis to account for all the missed shots,and wounds known for the actual assassination. He provides visual proof in this with his reprocessing of the old photos/movie frames, and most important, makes his whole life transparent to the reader while showing his fabulous art and other creations too precious to pass up. Enjoy your trip.

Memories and Adventures

Arthur Conan Doyle | Biography

This autobiography of Arthur Conan Doyle describes the varied aspects of his professional life as a doctor, sportsman, adventurer, political campaigner and author. It recounts the many true adventures that befell him and his relationship with such figures as Oscar Wilde, Kipling and Arthur Balfour.

The Journey Of My Life So Far

Faisal Babangida | Biography

This Autobiography have been written to show the public the type of person Kevi Girma Peter.

Presents from Whitley

Alissa Pinson | Biography

This autobiography includes the tragic death of her father along with the death of her baby girl, Whitley Reese.

A political pilgrim in Europe

Ethel Snowden | Politics

In these days everybody is writing his memories. Disappointed politicians decline to be forgotten. Successful and unsuccessful generals refuse to be neglected. People of all sorts and conditions insist on being heard. The most intimate affairs of a life are laid bare in order to arrest public attention. Intolerable to most is the fear that the world will go past him. Nobody will willingly let himself die. This is the conclusion to which one is driven by the publication during the last two years of a vast mass of autobiography.

This is My Story, This is My Song [4th ed]

I describe this booklet as the Reminiscences and Musings of a Maverick Presbyterian. It is made up of two parts. Part 1 (This is my Story) is a brief autobiography concentrating mainly on my long and ambivalent relationship with the Church of Scotland. Part 2 (This is my Song) is a personal (and somewhat opinionated) commentary on the state of the Kirk today and how I see its development in the future. In this fourth edition I have further expanded and updated the original text.

My Only Crime Was Being Born Vol.1

J. P. Weber | Biography

My autobiography tells of a sage, ironic, funny life that is too strange not to be true. So many crazy things happened to me that I just had to write about them. I have Asperger's Syndrome which makes me do crazy things sometime (once in a long movie line I turned to nobody in particular and said: "What this needs is another outbreak of the black plague so the lines wouldn't be so long!" People look at you strangely when you do this. This book uses Mark Twain's formula for writing an autobiography - each chapter is based on a strange, usually sad incident in my life. One great of happiness - I met my wife as a pen pal living in Hong Kong. We wrote back and for her letters drip of love, I had to marry her and we are coming on our 29th anniversary. Read my bio. Laugh, cry and sigh...

Six Years of Melbourne: July 2002 to April 2008

Maurice HT Ling | Biography

I left Singapore on July 5, 2002, to Melbourne, Australia, in pursue of my tertiary/university education at The University of Melbourne – to do a Bachelor of Science. There was much trepidation and anxiety as the day drew close to leave Singapore. Little did I expect that very same feelings was felt when I moved back to Singapore on April 2, 2008. Almost 6 full years of my life was in Melbourne – it is a second home to me and I am very much at ease there. For the tribulations and gifts that it had given me, I am truly glad that I made this move. The life in Melbourne is something that I do not wish to forget but the river of time is slowly grinding away the memories. To stem this normalcy, I decided to write down as much as I can recall into this autobiography.

The Man Within

Ross Shultz | Religious

We have been doing the same thing over and over with different names and different titles but God is still trying to talk to us and we are so wrapped up in ‘religion’ that we can’t hear what He is trying to say worldwide. Anybody that wants to criticize me with their comments is welcome to do so in the comment box below, I take it as a compliment. The Man Within is the historic autobiography of a knuckle-head growing up in the 50’s and 60’s. The story starts with a devastating disease, moves into the foolishness of my teenage years, and the immaturity of being a young adult. God has opened my eyes to the illusions of what we call “church” and has uncovered to me a truth regarding the transparency of the rites and rituals of today.

Knights of the Art

Amy Steedman | Biography

Author Amy Steed man presents 18 autobiographies of the world's most famous painters, with focus on their stories, and how they learned to put new life into Art by creating the most beautiful paintings that the world has ever known.

Reed Anthony, Cowman

Andy Adams | Biography

An Autobiography (1907), Adams breathes life into the story of a Texas cowboy who becomes a wealthy and influential cattleman.

Recollections of a Long Life

Theodore Ledyard Cuyler | Science (Academic)

Recollections of a Long Life, an Autobiography by Theodore Ledyard Cuyler.

Moll Flanders

Daniel Defoe | Fiction Classics

Purports to be the autobiography of the daughter of a woman who had been transported to Virginia for theft after her child's birth. The child is brought up in the house of the mayor of Colchester. The story relates her seduction, her marriages and liaisons, and her visit to Virginia.

Odyssey to Opportunity

Roger R. Fernández | Travel

Roger's Odyssey reflects his personal striving to share in the opportunities present for all in America, but which for many, prove unattainable. This autobiography represents his commitment to the ideals which have given shape and meaning to his life. This is what makes Odyssey a story worth reading—and remembering. Alfredo Miguel de Pablo, Colegio Hispánico Miguel de Unamuno, Salamanca, Spain

This is My Story, This is My Song [3rd ed]

I describe this booklet as the Reminiscences and Musings of a Maverick Presbyterian. It is made up of two parts. Part 1 (This is my Story) is a brief autobiography concentrating mainly on my long and ambivalent relationship with the Church of Scotland. Part 2 (This is my Song) is a personal (and somewhat opinionated) commentary on the state of the Kirk today and how I see its development in the future. In this third edition I have further expanded and updated the original text.

Up from Slavery

Booker T Washington | Memoirs & Biography

The autobiography of a great American who began life as a slave. The reader is given an extraordinary look into a vanished way of life.

A Bridge Too Far

Bryan Britton | Biography

An autobiography of one South African's experiences growing up in Apartheid riddled South Africa. Between 1948 and 1994 South Africa was abhorred by the world because of it's dreadful separate development policies. Life however had to go on for South Africa's multi cultured citizens. Here is one man's account of those draconian days.

Will You Be A Horse For God

R. Brian Richards | Religious

Will You Be A Horse For God-is the disciplined disciple who is serious for God.Reverend Brian Richards.a.i.p.c.[M.A.C.A.] Missionary raising funds by selling his progressive autobiography e-books and hard copy books that teaching the revivals that have taken place over the past 25 years around the world, mixed with the teaching of the word of God for evangelism to Asia Minor countries.Revbrian is now invited to minister in Pakistan, India, Himalayas, Kenya, and with donations from faithful persons, and the purchase of a book you can help make this possible to work with the missionary evangelism to one of these countries. Thank you. http://divineconnexionsofchrist.com/wpx2

Legacy | Drama

An autobiography of a boy in love with his best friend.

This Is My Story, This Is My Song

This is my Story, This is my Song (2nd ed}

I describe this booklet as the Reminiscences and Musings of a Maverick Presbyterian. It is made up of two parts. Part 1 (This is my Story) is a brief autobiography, concentrating mainly on my long and ambivalent relationship with the Church of Scotland. Part 2 (This is my Song) is a personal (and somewhat opinionated) commentary on the state of the Kirk today and how I see its development in the future. In this second edition I have considerably expanded and updated the original text.

River Mother

justin spring | Fiction

RIVER MOTHER: the Face of the Sphinx is a fictional autobiography of an extraordinary Nubian female shaman/leader whose face becomes the face of the Sphinx. The story is set in the Proto-Egyptian Mother Goddess period c. 6000 B.C. and is told by River Mother herself. She begins by describing her birth and early life in a hunter/gatherer tribe in Nubia and then the shamanic training and prophetic visions that eventually drive her to journey to the Nile delta where she becomes a great visionary leader whose impact on the lives of the delta’s inhabitants eventually bring them to honor her as a living Goddess by carving her face on a cliff in Giza.

Rider Haggard: His Extraordinary Life and Colonial Work

Geoffrey Clarke | Biography

There is no excuse needed for basing this biography of Sir Henry Rider Haggard on the personal account of his literary life given in his own words in his autobiography, The Days of My Life. There can be no truer biography than that given by the first hand witness, the author himself. Of course, in my book, I have used memories provided by other family members, friends and colleagues to supplement his very full, subjective life story. In terms of the methodology in this biography, I have employed traditional literary criticism allied with qualitative approaches to research, such as family letters, portraits on canvas, evidence from correspondence between Haggard and other authors, handwriting in the original texts to discern authorship, sampling, observation, and period plate photographs.

The Best of British Genocide Part 1 - Immaculate Conception

Philip Wylie | Biography

This is a unique autobiography written in an individualistic style. Phil Wylie states that in relation to the book that it may seem “stranger than fiction”. This crossed my mind as I read it. It is a real “page-turner” with the family history covering the post-British Empire period. The book is written by a highly intelligent person, but through the lens of a person with a late diagnosis of Aspergers Syndrome in adult life. The occupational and interpersonal stresses caused by the Aspergers Syndrome are well illustrated in this book. Mental health professionals working in the area of autism and adult psychiatry, psychologists and the lay reader interested in Aspergers Syndrome will find the book hugely rewarding. I felt the book illustrated creativity I described in my own book called "Geni".

Robinson Crusoe

Daniel Defoe | Children's Classics

When Robinson Crusoe is shipwrecked on a deserted island , he builds a house, grows crops, and saves the life of a native.

Other Great Book Lists

All about women empowerment.

Spring Book Collection

Cookies and Sweets For Valentine's Day

Valentine's Baking Recipes

The Millers Guide - Quick and Easy Tips to Milling, Storing, and Baking

Erotica Book Collection Vol. 2

Erotica Book Collection Vol. 1

Romance Book Collection Vol. 1

Motivational Books for 2024

Self-improvement & Motivation

Best Books to Read on Christmas

Browse all Book Lists

Free Online Biography Books, Memoirs & Autobiographies in Pdf & ePub

Latest Books First Earlier Books First EPUB Books Only KINDLE Books Only Grid View List View

The fascinating lives of others are lived again

If you want to learn more about a famous person or just get into the detail of someone else’s life, then you can download a memoir or biography book (and autobiography books) from obooko.

Autobiography books give us the real account of what actually happened as the author is also the main character. We get a true window into someone else’s world. Take a look at Life in the Shadows of a Corporate Lawyer to get the story of the struggles of a lawyer with alcohol problems at time when getting corporate counsel positions was very difficult unless you were part of the old boy’s network.

Sometimes a biography will give us a perspective of a world changing event from someone who was there. Singing Magic tells the story of a Canadian girl who moved to South Africa during the ending of apartheid and brings us a fresh view of what real, normal people were going through at this time of change. We gain insight to what things were really like, unedited by news media.

There is no better way to satisfy your curiosity about other people than reading a book about them. Learn how they think and what drives them to do the things they do and use that knowledge to influence your own life – in some cases memoir books can be like having your own mentor, laying out the values to follow. In other cases, it might be a lesson in what not to do.

There are many biography books at obooko and this just gives a flavour of the diverse range of online story books that are available. Some will inspire you to want to do great things, others will make you sad and want to cry. Maybe some will make you angry enough to shout. What is certain is that you will get something to keep you wanting to turn the page and read more. Download these memoir and biography books from obooko today.

All titles in this category are legally licensed for free download in PDF ePub, & Kindle Formats.

20 of the Best Places to Get FREE Kindle Books

Join Discovery, the new community for book lovers

Trust book recommendations from real people, not robots 🤓

Blog – Posted on Monday, Sep 16

20 of the best places to get free kindle books.

We’re all about directing you to your next glorious read at Reedsy Discovery. Looking for the next audiobooks that will turn your road trip into an epic adventure? We’ve got you covered. Want a book that will tide you over between Stranger Things seasons? Check these out. Creating a list of books you absolutely need to read in your lifetime? This list will come in handy!

Our newest list is perhaps one of the most useful ones we’ve featured yet! Because it will open not one, but twenty potential doors to free reading for you. Without further ado, here are our top picks of places to find free Kindle books.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of great books out there, you can also take our 30-second quiz below to narrow it down quickly and get a personalized book recommendation 😉

Which book should you read next?

Discover the perfect book for you. Takes 30 seconds!

Where to find free ebooks for Kindle

When it comes to scoring free Kindle books, there are two main groups of readers: those with Amazon Prime, and those without. If you have a Prime account, Amazon offers a number of ways to bury your nose in an ebook at no cost — well, other than the cost of your Prime account, of course, which you might already have for the handy one/two-day shipping perk.

But for Prime-less readers who typically wait 10-12 business days for Amazon packages to arrive, there are still a number of ways to find free Kindle books. Let’s start with those.

1. Amazon Best Sellers - Top 100 Free Ebooks

Sometimes it just makes sense to go straight to the source. If you’re a fan of genre fiction, the list of 100 best selling free Kindle books on Amazon will be for you. There are romance, crime thrillers, and urban fantasy abound, and downloading your free copy is never more than two clicks away as you browse your way through.

Check it out if: nothing quite conjures up the same level excitement for you as the words “free,” “genre,” and “fiction.”

2. Free Popular Classics

This section of Amazon’s Kindle bookstore includes both free and low-priced classics — currently Les Misérables and A Tale of Two Cities tops the list — as well as a number of translated classics, particularly Arabic and Russian editions. Been a while since you read Ivanhoe ? This list has got you covered. Lost your old copy of David Copperfield ? Download the ebook free here.

Check it out if: there’s something poetic to you about consuming literature that was written centuries ago on a piece of technology only a little over a decade old.

3. Overdrive

Popular children’s TV show Arthur told us: “Having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card.” We’d like to add an addendum to that pearl of wisdom that reads: “Reading free Kindle books isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card at a library that works with Overdrive .”

Overdrive allows book-lovers to access free ebooks and audiobooks — including new releases or current best sellers — through their local libraries. At the moment, Overdrive is partnered with more than 30,000 libraries in 40 countries. See if that includes one near you with their library locator tool !

Check it out if: obtaining your driver’s license was far less exciting than pocketing your first library card.

4. Project Gutenberg

This is another good pick for lovers of classic literature. It boasts over 60,000 ebooks, most of which are older titles with expired US copyright. The best part: Project Gutenberg is powered by thousands of volunteers who digitize the books so the rest of us can enjoy them for free.

Check it out if: you enjoy both gratis reads and gothic banners.

5. Weber Books Kindle Buffet

Every day, the kind folks at Weber Books post several top picks for free or discounted Kindle books, including a blurb for each book and the download link. You can also subscribe to their list and have their recommendations delivered directly to your inbox each morning.

Check it out if: you prefer to be directed towards books, instead of perusing them on your own.

6. The eReader Cafe

Like the other aggregators on this list, The eReader Cafe posts new listings every day for free Kindle — and also free Nook — books. The handy rating shown at the top of each listing will help you find your next read if you’re a four-star only kind of bibliophile.

Check it out if: you think nothing quite goes with free novels like a cup of joe.

7. Free Kindle Books & Tips

New free and discounted ebooks is the name of the game with this site ! An added bonus, though, is their search feature, which lets you search for gratis reads based on whatever keyword you want.

Check it out if: you want to subscribe to a newsletter about free ebooks.

8. Many Books

While many of the other sites in this post have a fairly basic-looking interface, Many Books has a definite leg up in the aesthetics department — making it not only a useful site for finding no-charge novels, but also one you’ll enjoy using.

Check it out if: you want the option to search for no-charge reads by genre.

9. DigiLibraries

As their site professes, “ DigiLibraries.com offers a digital source of free eBooks for any taste, a vast range of titles in digital format and our free eBooks collection is growing all the time.” As with Many Books, one of the handy functions of this site is to search by genre and category.

Check it out if: you want to be able to download titles in either EPUB, PDF, or MOBI formats.

10. Centsless Books

What sets Centsless Books apart from the rest of the gang is their newsletter, delivered every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, promising freebies, gift cards, and giveaways. Seriously, who doesn’t want to wake up three times a week to the prospect of book-ish goodies?

Check it out if: you sometimes go to Costco just for the samples — this site has your love of “free” covered.

11. BookBub

BookBub is something of a household name in the world of ebooks. As their site boasts:

BookBub is a free service that helps millions of readers discover books they'll love while providing publishers and authors with a way to drive sales and find new fans. Upon joining, members receive unbeatable deals selected by our expert editorial team, handpicked recommendations from people they trust, and real-time updates from their favorite authors.”

Check it out if: you don’t want to be limited in terms of genres — BookBub has a wide variety of categories.

12. Freebooksy

Free Kindle and Nooks books are advertised on Freebooksy , as well as no-charge reads from Kobo, Google, and Apple. It’s a free book-lovers paradise! Make sure to check-in often as new titles are posted every day — and sometimes several of them go up at once.

Check it out if: you have an insatiable hunger for complimentary ebooks on a daily basis.

13. One Hundred Free Books

One Hundred Free Books alerts you to the latest limited-time free books in the Kindle store. Quick false advertising disclaimer, though: One Hundred Free Books is actually home to a number closer to 7,000 books.

Check it out if: you’re all about getting in on limited-time offers.

14. Free Books Hub

Variety is the spice of life, and Free Books Hub knows it. That’s why they offer a number of different lists: dollar books, featured free Kindle books, free Prime books, and free Smashwords books.

Check it out if: you’re an Amazon Prime member who wants an aggregator all for themselves.

15. Ebook Daily

Three new free Kindle books are added to a range of different genres every day on the Ebook Daily site. The best part? You can sign up for a free account and set your preferences for personalized reading recommendations on the regular.

Check it out if: you enjoy the personal touch.

16. PixelScroll

Perhaps you’re not completely committed to free books exclusively. Perhaps you’re also interested in no-charge audiobooks, or are willing to spend a few dollars on a heavily discounted — and typically pricey — piece of literature. Pixel Scroll to the rescue! Their pick of the days, featured deals, and bargain features will give you all of the above.

Check it out if: your purse strings aren’t irrevocably locked, and are willing to budge just a little.

If you have Amazon Prime

Signing up for AmazonPrime ($99/year) to read for free is a bit of an oxymoron. Prime itself isn’t free, so technically the reading you do through the program isn’t free either. But if you work your way through enough of the titles that are available at no extra-charge to Prime customers — then the membership really does end up paying for itself! So if you’re someone who’s looking to consume more mainstream content in the cheapest way possible, you and Amazon Prime will likely get along nicely.

17. Prime Reading

We get it –– you love your Kindle but you don’t want to be tied down to just one ereader. Prime Reading not only offers thousands of free books, magazines, comics, and more, it also allows you to read this content on any device. Our favorite part: Prime Reading includes books with Audible narration, meaning you can switch back and forth between reading and listening to your chosen titles .

18. Kindle Singles

Kindle Singles offers a vast variety of reporting, essays, memoirs, narratives, and short stories that serve to entertain and educate. We believe that short fiction and non-fiction is an ever-increasingly popular form of literature, and Kindle Singles is a great place to start! And, of course, it’s free from Prime members.

19. First Reads

Love to be the first in the know? You’ll like First Reads . It gives Amazon Prime members two free pre-release (and typically highly anticipated) books every month. There’s a number of different genres you can choose from, including thriller, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, psychological thriller, true crime, suspense, fantasy, and children’s.

20. Kindle Unlimited

This is another “not technically free” option, but again, if you do enough reading, it ends up being worth the cost. Kindle Unlimited is widely known as “the Netflix for books,” as it allows people to read as much as they’d like in exchange for the cost of a monthly subscription — $9.99/month.

Kindle Unlimited is separate from Amazon Prime — the latter is Amazon’s premium subscription service for all products, while the former deals exclusively with books.

While Kindle Unlimited is currently home to about 1.5 million books, many of the titles are from self-published authors, so it’s important to weigh your reading expectations against what the program offers before signing up. Check out our Kindle Unlimited 101 post for a full rundown of the service!

Have an ePub file you want to convert to MOBI to read on your Kindle ereader? Try out our totally free ePub to MOBI converter!

Continue reading

12 Best Kurt Vonnegut Books, Ranked By Reading Order

Our guide to the essential Kurt Vonnegut books that cement his reputation as one of literature’s funniest and most profound writers.

33 Best Vampire Books to Sink Your Teeth Into

From the reported reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer to the explosive success of Twilight, there’s no question about it: vampires are “in” right now. At once dangerous, bloodthirsty, and sensual, vampires are the perfect villains to mesmerize both protagonists an...

How to Find Kindle Unlimited Audiobooks (And 20 of Our Favorites)

We all love reading, but with more people working from home than ever before and screen time at all time high, giving your eyes a break is extra important — and that’s where audiobooks come in.

Heard about Reedsy Discovery?

Trust real people, not robots, to give you book recommendations.

Or sign up with an

Or sign up with your social account

Submit your book
Reviewer directory

We made a writing app for you

Yes, you! Write. Format. Export for ebook and print. 100% free, always.

$5K DREAM JOB 💸

Home > Sales

Amazon: FREE Kindle eBooks (Biographies, History, & More)

Hip2Save may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you via trusted partners and affiliate links in this post. Prices and availability are accurate as of time posted. Read our full disclosure policy here .

Need some new reading material for the summer?

Hop on over to Amazon where you can score select Kindle eBooks for FREE!

Keep in mind that if you don’t have a Kindle, you can still read books on your computer or other mobile devices with the FREE Kindle Reading Apps found here .

Score these Kindle eBooks for FREE…

Alexander The Great: A History From Beginning To End
Greek Mythology: A Concise Guide to Ancient Gods, Heroes, Beliefs and Myths of Greek Mythology
Titanic: The Story Of The Unsinkable Ship

Battle of Waterloo: A History From Beginning to End
Thomas Jefferson: A Life From Beginning to End
Rosa Parks: The Woman Who Ignited a Movement

Mayan Civilization: A History From Beginning to End
Nikola Tesla: A Life From Beginning to End
Leonardo da Vinci: A Life From Beginning to End

Keep your device charged through all your reading…

Don't miss these.

FREE Lowe’s Fall Flower (Reserve Yours Today!)

Try SiriusXM FREE for 3 Months (No Credit Card Needed!)

Rechargeable Clip-On Book Light Just $10.99 on Amazon | Thousands of 5-Star Reviews

HEPA Air Purifier Just $41.96 Shipped on Amazon | Great for Larger Rooms

Thanks, got them all!!

Awesome! Enjoy your reading!

Thanks for posting these specific free Kindle books! I think the Mayan Civilization book will be very interesting. I regularly check the “Top 100 Free Kindle Books” for many subjects, but I don’t find all the good ones. 🙂

Sign up for a Hip2Save account (it's free) to access all of the awesome features!

Remember Me

Don't have an account? Register

Forgot Password

Become a hip2save insider.

Don't Miss Out! Join our large community of insiders - it's totally free! Once you join, you'll be able to save & share your favorite deals, rate posts and recipes and add items to your HipList and Cookbook! What are ya waiting for?!

Already have an account? Login

Thank you for rating!

Would you also like to leave us a comment?

Vote: Reader’s Choice
Meta Quest 4
Google Pixel 9
Google Pixel 8a
Apple Vision Pro 2
Nintendo Switch 2
Samsung Galaxy Ring
Yellowstone Season 6
Recall an Email in Outlook
Stranger Things Season 5

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

The best free Kindle books for 2022

With Amazon’s Kindle , you can tote around a book for your every mood and location, all day every day, without putting a load on your back or shoulder. Engage in a little light reading for the checkout counter, a more serious and engrossing work for the airport lounge, catch-up reading for your school assignments on the train, or something to occupy you at the cafe. The fact that you can carry multiple books conveniently in a lightweight tablet gives you an excuse to put away your smartphone, at least for a while.

A note before you begin

Jump straight to a category, books for kids, science fiction & fantasy, historical and historical fiction, mystery, thriller, and suspense, action and adventure, politically-charged, philosophy and science, frequently asked questions (faqs).

Amazon’s Kindle, the most popular e-book reader in existence, has been around since 2007, and that means kids have grown up with them. Even though Amazon has made a slew of more general-use tablets over the years — most recently, the Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition and Amazon Fire HD 10 — the Kindle deservedly remains the company’s flagship.

The Mystery of Smugglers Cove by Paul Moxham

Paul Moxham’s The Mystery of Smugglers Cove is an interesting middle-grade-level mystery for kids who love suspenseful, adventurous stories. Set in 1950’s Britain, it offers a page-turning thrill ride featuring a bunch of kids getting caught up in unexpected adventures. Fans of the Nancy Drew and The Famous Five series particularly enjoy this book as it covers a similar detective-action theme. The best part? At just 165 pages, it’s a quick read so kids can enjoy the story without getting bored.

Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie

Inspired by Barrie’s friendship with the Llewelyn Davies family, Peter and Wendy is essentially the classic tale of Peter Pan, a boy who can fly and whisks a group of young children away to Neverland. All the usual suspects make their debut (Tiger Lily, Tinker Bell, the Lost Boys, Captain Hook, etc.).

Project Gutenberg

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

There are very few people who are oblivious to Dorothy’s cyclone-fueled romps in Oz with Wicked Witch of the West, yet revisiting the Kansas native’s harrowing quest for the Emerald City is always somehow reassuring. The Tin Woodman, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow all add to Baum’s descriptive and vivid world. Victor Fleming’s music doesn’t quite do the novel the justice it deserves.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

A touchstone in the realm of children’s literature, Burnett’s classic has been adapted time and time again for both the stage and the big screen. It revolves around heroine Mary Lenno, an orphan who’s shipped off from her colonial India to live on a dingy county estate in Yorkshire. There she learns the healing power of friendship through plant cultivation in her secret garden. So heartwarming, yet insightful.

Grimm’s Fairy Tales by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

The Brothers Grimm wrote fairy tales that were aptly, rather grim, but many of the beloved tales have undergone edits and numerous alterations to the point where they’ve become suitable for children rather than the darker stories they once were. You know the tales — Rapunzel, Cinderella, Hansel, and Gretel — but there are also plenty of great standouts that weren’t made into animated films.

Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Taking place in grubby Victorian New York, Little Lord Fauntleroy is a rags-to-riches story about a young boy named Cedric, who unexpectedly becomes royalty. While Cedric is whisked away to England by his grandfather to learn the ins and outs of the aristocracy, he ultimately manages to teach his grandfather to become a more compassionate leader.

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Rudyard Kipling

It should go without saying, kids love animals. Kipling’s tale, culled as a stand-alone story from The Jungle Book , follows a valiant mongoose who works to defend his adopted family of British colonials from a menacing pair of cobras upon their arrival in India. Sure, you may need to explain some of the subtle Victorianisms to younger audiences, but the harrowing story exhibits some of the most vibrant and sharp personifications of any novel in existence.

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

As one of my favorite childhood books, it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside knowing Grahame’s classic is readily available free of charge. It’s about four anthropomorphized animals — Toad, Mole, Rat, and Badger — and their various escapades in the English countryside. It’s chock-full of adventure, companionship, and moral reasoning, written by the former secretary of the Bank of England as bedtime stories for his son Alistair.

A Grateful Heart – A Colorful Rhyming Book Teaching Kids About Gratitude by Solape Adebajo and Wuraola Fagbamiye

A Grateful Heart is a gorgeous illustrated book created with younger kids in mind. It includes a short set of rhyming words on gratitude to encourage children to learn about gratefulness. It is quite interactive, including a word puzzle on gratitude for kids who prefer hands-on learning, nine ways of saying thank you for kids who are learning how to communicate, and numerous cute illustrations for visual learners.

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

First published in 1895, The Time Machine is considered one of the earliest science fiction novels, and the first of the time travel subgenre. The Time Traveller (a nameless Victorian scientist) is sent back to the year 802,701 by his steampunk-esque time machine. He finds a world peopled by the fairylike Eloi and the subterranean Morlocks, who prey on the Eloi. If you enjoy the book, check out the 1960 movie — we’d give the 2002 remake with Guy Pearce and singer Samantha Mumba a wide berth.

City of Endless Night by M. M. (Milo Milton) Hastings

This prescient dystopian novel, written by an American at the end of World War I and published in 1919, depicts the city of Berlin more than a century later when millions of people live underground as the city wages war with the rest of the world. Life is not pleasant. Food is strictly rationed for workers, religion is banned, and the population is tightly controlled via eugenics. What’s the natural response to all this misery? Revolution, of course, in the form of a young American chemist who infiltrates this closed society. Much of the plot predicts elements of Germany’s resurgence, the rise of fascism, Nazi ideology, and the concept of a master race, and is seen as a precursor of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis , Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World , and other classics of the genre.

The Legend of King Arthur and His Knights by Sir James Knowles

The true origins and subsequent merits of the late King Arthur are controversial, to say the least. Knowles’ version of the legendary British leader is considered one of the most revered, though, grounded in knights, damsels, and a sword most peculiarly wedged into a stone. The older language can be cumbersome, the repetitiveness a bit drab, yet the source material remains a poignant take on Middle Ages. Camelot doesn’t do it justice.

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne

It was a toss-up between Twenty Thousand and Journey to the Center of the Earth , with the latter possibly losing due to the terrible film with Brendan Fraser back in ’08. However, Verne is renowned for his work in the sci-fi field, in both prose and creativity, and Captain Nemo’s trek through the Antarctic ice shelves, the Red Sea, and other fictional and real-world locations is extremely engrossing. This is one of those classic books everyone should read.

The Scarlet Plague by Jack London

The Call of the Wild

Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott

If you’re looking for a philosophical novel that dabbles in math and exists in a two-dimensional fantasy realm where all inhabitants are geometric shapes, then Flatland is surely for you. It’s a satirical look on society and class distinctions in Victorian England, with one inhabitant trying to grapple with the concept of third and fourth dimensions, but it’s still laid out in a manner that is easy to grasp no matter your knowledge of the field.

Project Gutenberg Google

The Cosmic Computer by H. Beam Piper

Piper may have committed suicide in 1964 — often attributed to financial woes and marital problems — but not before he wrote a series of stellar short stories and several novels in the sci-fi vein. Cosmic Computer , one of his last, is about a struggling, poverty-stricken post-war society that believes its survival depends on finding a computer known as MERLIN. The problem is, returning colonist Conn Maxwell knows otherwise. Troublesome.

The Crystal Crypt by Philip K. Dick

Thirty-one pages don’t make a marathon of a book, but Dick’s novels have inspired everything from Blade Runner to The Adjustment Bureau . In the novel, Mars and Earth hang on the verge of war. The last ship bound for Earth is stopped by Martian soldiers searching for three saboteurs who supposedly destroyed a Martian city. The three aren’t found, but it doesn’t mean those harboring the secrets of the Martian city’s demise aren’t on board.

The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle

It’s impossible to ignore the similarities between Doyle’s work and Spielberg’s. However, the Victorian-era The Lost World offers a greater scientific basis than the blockbuster film created nearly a century later, even if it does see a young journalist and a small team scouring a remote Amazonian plateau in search of dinosaurs and other prehistoric beings. Doyle’s prose is dry and somewhat stale, whether he’s describing a band of ape-like humanoids or rehashing the genius exploits of Professor Challenger, but his tone is anything but.

The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806 by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark

Living in Portland, you can’t turn a city corner without being reminded of Lewis and Clark’s fabled journey across the Northwest. They traversed a nation with the aid of Shoshone guide Sacajawea in the early 1800s, chronicling all the flora, fauna, tribal encounters, and vast landscapes they encountered along their journey. The language can be difficult to decipher at times, but it’s a richly detailed account of our nation’s early natural history and exploration. There are plenty of other great history books if you’re looking for more options, though.

Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was always renowned for his eccentric and intriguing personality, whether he was dabbling in electricity, drinking beer, or serving as Postmaster General of the United States. Needless to say, he remains a hallmark of American history more than 200 years after his death. His autobiography offers personal stories, exploits, and general insights into his life in the days before the American Revolution, making it an excellent non-fiction book worth reading.

Theodore Roosevelt, An Autobiography by Theodore Roosevelt

There are few people involved today that boast a background as sprawling and diverse as good ol’ Teddy Roosevelt . He was the leader of the Republican Party and the short-lived Bull Moose Party of 1912, as well as an acclaimed naturalist, cowboy, hunter, author, and soldier in the Spanish-American War. The man is considered an American legend for both his exploits in office and outside of it — and his autobiography tells it all. We’ve found more of the best biographies if you’re looking for something similar.

The Life of Buffalo Bill: An Autobiography by William Frederick Cody

Buffalo Bill is one of the most iconic and colorful characters epitomizing the American Old West. Although he was a plainsman, buffalo hunter, and scout (who had his Medal of Honor revoked and reinstated years later), his claim to fame was his Wild West show. His deeds were many, his prejudices few, and his autobiography follows his story from the time of his birth in 1846 until he was 44 years old. It’s not all of his life’s work, but it’s the foundation.

Google Project Gutenberg

Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana Jr.

After being stricken by measles and subsequent vision damage while attending Harvard, Dana enlisted as a sailor on a two-year voyage around Cape Horn on the brig Pilgrim. He kept a diary of his travels along the way, known as Two Years Before the Mast , and filled it with passages of practical naval jargon, animated imagery, and some of the first descriptions of 1830s California. However, it’s more so a historical tale than one of adventure.

Night and Day by Virginia Woolf

One of Virginia Woolf’s earlier works, Night and Day explores the lives of two women in Edwardian London. Night and Day is a nuanced exploration of the political and personal lives of women in the early 20th century. While some of Woolf’s later novels can be a challenge, Night and Day is an excellent read.

Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain

The Mississippi River had a profound and pivotal on Twain from the time he was a little boy until his death in 1910. Life on the Mississippi is a memoir, a steamboat-era novel that summarizes the river’s discovery by Hernando de Soto in 1541, Twain’s time as a steamboat pilot, and his eye-opening return to the river many years after industry and greed had befallen upon the surrounding banks. It revels in Twain’s knack for observation while providing a backdrop for the author’s classic tales.

South: The Story of Shackleton’s Expedition by Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton

It seems like almost all stories coming out of Antarctica either deal with penguins, polar bears, or survival. Being a first-hand account of 28 men marooned on polar ice following a nearly fatal shipwreck in unforgiving waters, Shackleton’s tale represents the third option. It recaps the journey, from Shackleton’s burning desires to traverse Antarctica to the subsequent catastrophe and ensuing struggle to survive, albeit with descriptive prowess and sea-log flare.

The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne

You may not have expected the author of Winnie the Pooh to write a crime novel, but he did, and it’s a good one — although this is the only one he ever wrote. This is an excellent locked-room mystery set at a country house. During a dinner party one of the guests, the black sheep of the family, is found murdered by a shot to the head. Comedic at times, rational and by-the-book at others, Milne follows the chief inspector and his sidekick as they interrogate guests to solve the crime.

The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by James Hogg

Published anonymously in 1824, nothing can prepare you for this deliciously clever gothic mystery book about the rivalry between two brothers in 17th-century Edinburgh and a powerful stranger known as Gil-Martin who stirs it all up. It’s a work of metafiction that delves into the psyche of religious fanaticism and presents a series of supposedly discovered documents, challenging you to unravel the enigma and make sense of what happened.

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad

An increasingly nightmarish journey on a steamboat in the Congo turns into a disturbing journey into the human psyche. This novella served as the inspiration for the thriller movie Apocalypse Now , which shifted the action to Vietnam and Cambodia during the Vietnam War, instead of 19th-century Africa. It’s a haunting tale, as a steamboat captain, Marlow, struggles up the river to find the insane Kurtz. Later criticized as a xenophobic dehumanization of Africans, it reflects colonial attitudes.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Doyle did not invent the fictional detective archetype — that arguably goes to Edgar Allen Poe — but he certainly helped bring it to the mainstream with this classic mystery book . The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes encapsulates 12 original tales featuring Holmes first published in The Strand Magazine, including classics like A Scandal in Bohemia and The Adventure of the Red-Headed League . Holmes’ astute reasoning and knack for forensics are fleshed out in easily digestible snippets only Doyle could write.

The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan

As the first of five novels featuring the beloved action-hero Richard Hannay, Buchan’s Thirty-Nine Steps has long been heralded for creating the man-on-the-run character we often see in literature and blockbuster films. It follows a retired mining engineer who becomes wrapped up in an international plot upon discovering a body in his home and fleeing for his native Scotland. It offers a short read, with a tense introduction into the world of espionage novels.

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

Collin’s classic is a must if you’re looking for a tale of mistaken identity encased in a shroud of mystery. It’s considered among the first mystery novels ever written, incorporating elements of Gothic horror and psychological realism, and narrated by multiple characters. The book opens with teacher Walter Hartright encountering a mysterious woman in white upon a London road, but it unravels into a sensational love affair with subtle undercurrents of political commentary.

The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie

Having written more than 80 detective novels during her lifetime, it’s safe to say Agatha Christie is considered a household name when it comes to the genre. Her second novel, The Secret Adversary , introduces the reader to Tommy and Tuppence, two characters who reoccur in other Christie tales down the line. Their goal? To find a woman who vanishes with government documents — and without becoming completely entrenched in a tangle of secret intelligence, false evidence, and dubious affairs.

The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allen Poe

Considered the first detective story ever written, the short tale is centered on a man named C. Auguste Dupin and his work to unravel the mystery surrounding a baffling double murder on a fictional street in Paris. Although numerous witnesses heard the suspect, no one can seem to agree on the language spoken, and the only other piece of apparent evidence is a lone strand of hair Dupin believes to be nonhuman. It’s captivating despite its age and serves as a prototype for numerous fictional detectives.

Murder on the Mind by L.L. Bartlett

It’s not surprising Murder on the Mind is a fitting title given the book’s main protagonist, Jeff Resnick, gains the ability to see murders happen through a series of psychic visions after sustaining a traumatic brain injury during a mugging. He, along with his brother, sets forth to investigate the crimes and unravel the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of his brother’s banker and another unsuspecting victim. It’s stark and well-paced, with twists to match.

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Dostoyevsky’s second novel following his return from exile in Siberia proposes more moral quandaries than any mystery or suspense novel on our roundup. It revolves around a penniless man named Rodion Raskolnikov who executes a plot to kill a corrupt pawnbroker to alleviate his financial woes and rid the world of corruption. Is murder warranted if it serves a higher purpose? It’s tough to say, but Dostoyevsky’s wordy tale and elegant style leave the question open.

The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster

If you like your tragedies bloody and grim, look no further than the Elizabethan playwrights, particularly John Webster. His play The Duchess of Malfi is a gruesome tale of corruption and the perils of being a woman in a world dominated by men. The central characters are Antonio, a man of low birth but high character, and the smart, kindly Duchess, with whom he falls in love and marries in secret. When the Duchess’ brothers discover the marriage, they decide to end it, violently.

Volpone by Ben Jonson

Jonson’s most performed play, Volpone (or The Fox ), is a brutal satire of greed and lust set in Venice. The plot centers around The Fox, a Venetian gentleman on his deathbed, and the action follows a series of men who attempt to gain his favor to win his fortune.

The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss

First published in 1812, The Swiss Family Robinson tells the tale of a family of Swiss immigrants who are shipwrecked on an island in the East Indies en route to Australia. Spanning over 10 years we follow their life on the island as they survive and thrive, building a treehouse and rescuing a young woman shipwrecked on another part of the island. We’re not sure whether the 1960 Disney movie of the book will be to everyone’s tastes, but it’s certainly fun.

Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift

Published in 1726, Gulliver’s Travels is a classic satirical travel narrative that digs at many aspects of 18th-century life. This tale appeals not only to adults, but children too, and is said to be the inspiration for George Orwell’s Animal Farm . It tells the story of Gulliver in four parts — at the start of the novel, he’s shipwrecked on the island of Lilliput, where the inhabitants are just six inches tall. Many of us are only familiar with the first part of the novel, which has been the focus for countless movie, TV, and stage adaptations.

Project Gutenberg Google

Moby Dick by Herman Melville

This awe-inspiring adventure concerns Captain Ahab’s obsession with the great white whale, an obsession so powerful and furious that it consumes him. Melville captures that spirit so well that “white whale” has passed into common usage to describe something you’ve been searching for obsessively. Having served on whaling ships, Melville paints a detailed picture of life at sea in pursuit of whales, largely for oil that was used in lamps, soap, and many other products. This classic book is also packed with references and clever narrative techniques that have proven very influential in the years since its publication in 1851.

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

They say revenge is a dish best served cold, and Dumas’ story of the false imprisonment and vengeance of Edmond Dantes is one of the coldest. Wrongfully imprisoned by his best friend and various conspirators, Dantes vows to escape the confines of Château d’If, unearth the treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo and reclaim what was once his. It’s one of Dumas’ most famous works alongside The Three Musketeers , and for once, we actually enjoy the 2002 movie that goes with it.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

Stevenson’s classic is described as “buccaneers and buried gold,” but that’s not all it is. Yes, it helped set the bar for iconic pirate stereotypes — treasure maps marked with the letter “X,” tropical islands, etc. — but it’s characters like Long John Silver that add a level of complexity and moral depth to an otherwise straightforward children’s tale. Plus, it’s filled with historical allusions and wry, moral commentary that should entertain adults and young audiences alike.

The Call of the Wild by Jack London

It’s hard to argue Call of the Wild isn’t Jack London’s magnum opus. Based on London’s experiences as a prospector in the Klondike, it follows a St. Bernard-Scotch Collie named Buck who is stolen, sold, and forced to survive as a sled dog in the harsh realities of the Arctic. It’s an endearing story, awash with themes of moral good doing and loyalty, and filled with London’s incredibly descriptive accounts of the terrain during the bustling gold rush of the late 1800s.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

Huckleberry Finn gets a lot of hype, but it’s the prequel that helped set the stage for later acts. It carries a somber note amid the air of Twain’s iconic humor and English vernacular, recounting the tale of a young boy growing up on the Mississippi and the various escapades he encountered doing so. Although it often revels in the innocence of childhood and bittersweet nostalgia, it’s still teeming with adult themes and the harsh realities of slavery, starvation, and murder.

Google Project Gutenberg

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

We will probably never know the inspiration for Defoe’s classic castaway tale, but it has certainly inspired an abundance of film adaptations and literary spinoffs. The main character, Robinson Crusoe, becomes stranded on a desert island following an intense storm at sea, equipped with no more than a pipe, a knife, and an inch of tobacco. Needless to say, 24 years pass before he confronts anyone, and when he does, it’s certainly not with open arms.

The Shunned House by H.P. Lovecraft

Written in 1924, The Shunned House is considered by many to be one of Lovecraft’s finest early novellas and an important work for anyone interested in his development as a writer. Written while he lived with his wife in Brooklyn, and nostalgic for Rhode Island, it tells the tale of a notorious house that’s an object of fascination for the narrator. He collects lore that his uncle, Dr. Elihu Whipple, has gathered about the house, including details on a number of strange, unexplained deaths and sicknesses. It’s a short read at just 33 pages, but a haunting one and a must for Lovecraft fans.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

No more Twilight . Stoker’s novel defined the classic vampire, epitomizing Gothic horror and solidifying the character as one of the most iconic horror icons for years to come. The novel is written in an epistolary format as a series of letters and diary entries, among other things, and follows Dracula’s move from Transylvania to England and his confrontations with Professor Van Helsing and Jonathan Harker. You’ve seen the classic horror movie Nosferatu , but Stoker’s vision of this horror book kicked it all off.

Dead Scary: The Ghost Who Refused To Leave by Sally Gould

As the title suggests, this is a chilling tale of a boy who encounters a bossy ghost who refuses to leave the house. The story is action-packed in an age-appropriate manner so young kids can enjoy it freely. The plot includes various magical and gripping concepts like spirits, inheritance, sharing, and conflict. The language and the general difficulty level are ideal for middle-grade readers, but younger kids can also enjoy it with some help.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Shelley wrote and published Frankenstein by the time she turned 21. That’s a remarkable feat by any standard, especially given the lasting impression the novel had on the world of sci-fi, horror, and countless other genres. It’s centered around scientist Victor Frankenstein and the monster he creates in his laboratory, along with the repercussions of abandoning the grotesque life he created.

The King in Yellow by Robert W. Chambers

Although only the first four tales in Chamber’s classic novel fall under the “horror” genre, they do so with macabre zest. The King in Yellow refers to a forbidden play that’s interwoven within the short stories from which madness and corruption befall upon its readers. Two of the stories take place in 1920s America, two in Paris, but all four focus on self-indulgent artists with their own shortcomings. Chambers’ seminal work and vague, evocative prose likely spurred H.P. Lovecraft and others.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Mad scientists were one of the catapults of the horror genre, so it’s not surprising that Stevenson’s tale about a deranged doctor with split personalities, one good and one evil, made our list. It’s a psychological fantasy of sorts, culled from the modern theories of evolution and class at the time, and burgeoning with examinations of the duality of human nature and insights regarding Victorian-era culture. Still, many argue and provide merit that Dr. Jekyll is more multifaceted than most make him out to be, and to say he has a dual personality is overly simplistic.

Project Gutenberg

The Monk: A Romance by M.G. Lewis

“Scandalous” and “obscene” were two words commonly spurred by Lewis’ lurid story of a villainous priest succumbing to temptation and overly violent impulses. Like numerous Gothic works of the time, it deals with how even the most moral of characters can be corrupted — in this case a priest who has sex with a young girl disguised as a boy and further delves into other sensational acts of sorcery, incest, torture, murder, and deceit.

The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen

You’ll be quickly absorbed in this supernatural tale that begins with a strange medical experiment and then takes a turn to delve into pagan Britain and ancient gods. It’s a novella where much is left to the imagination, but it unfolds beautifully and builds the suspense toward an unforgettably creepy climax. This atmospheric horror classic from the 1890s inspired H.P. Lovecraft, among others, and it was widely denounced when it was first published.

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

Sinclair’s muckraking socialist novel isn’t exactly uplifting. It’s a brutally realistic depiction of poverty, extreme working conditions, and the prevalent hopelessness that engulfed the working class of the Chicago stockyards. It may focus on Jurgis Rudkus, a Lithuanian immigrant, but it is partly based on Sinclair’s seven-week stint working incognito in the Chicago meatpacking business as part of an investigative piece on behalf of his newspaper. The soul-crushing atrocities and horrendous accounts of the meat industry were so alarming they even spurred federal investigations in 1904.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin

One of the first great novels in the Southern literary canon, The Awakening is complex yet beautiful. The novel focuses on the life of Edna Pontellier and her enlightened but unorthodox views on the socioeconomic status of women in the South. The Awakening is an insightful novel that explores a woman’s changing thoughts about her place in society at the beginning of the 20th century.

The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois

To put it simply, The Souls of Black Folk is an insightful examination of African-American life at the turn of the 20th century. It was and still is a momentous piece of sociological literature written as part of a semi-autobiographical essay looking at life after the Emancipation Proclamation. Du Bois’ prose is articulate and eloquent — whether addressing neoslavery, traditional music, or what he coins the “double consciousness” of the African American psyche — and serves as both historical analysis and a harrowing piece of social-political commentary that’s difficult to ignore.

The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison

We don’t know about you, but portions of The Federalist Papers were mandatory high school reading for us on more than one occasion. The collection consists of 85 brilliant and eye-opening essays that delve into the establishment of various rules of governance and the promotion of the U.S. Constitution. Forged by three of the nation’s Founding Fathers, the papers have been political and historical landmarks ever since their initial release in late 1787 and early 1788. Like the Constitution, however, they’re open to interpretation, mentioned nearly 300 times in varying Supreme Court decisions.

The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli

Although The Prince wasn’t officially published until 1532, five years after Machiavelli’s death, a version of the treatise appears to have circulated almost 20 years prior. It’s regarded as one of the first and finest works of political philosophy, deeply rooted in Machiavelli’s fascination and political drive, and is considered a somewhat practical and straightforward guide on how to obtain power and become the ideal ruler. Perhaps the work is a political satire (following it to a tee could essentially undo someone in power), but nonetheless, the term “Machiavellian” didn’t arise from thin air.

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

The Reign of Terror during the onset of the French Revolution was a tumultuous and incredibly violent affair (17,000 deaths by guillotine is no laughing matter). Dickens’ classic tale of revolution and brash political upheaval features a love-laced plot, whirling around exiled French aristocrat Charles Darnay, English lawyer Syndey Carton and their indiscriminate fall at the hands of the revolution. Unlike other Dickens novels, it’s mostly devoid of humor, instead centered on providing political context that is both vividly alluring and dishearteningly frightening. Again, we truly doubt it was “the best of times.”

The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

History is littered with political manuscripts and philosophers proposing their theories on class struggle and political dichotomy, but few of them carry the weighty influence of Marx and Friedrich Engels’ in-depth examination and critique of capitalism. It argues with labor comes wealth, which in turn increases the gap between economic classes with one becoming the ruling one at the expense of the others. It lays down the theories and goals behind the movement, outlined rather vividly, and proposes complete revolution as the only way to overhaul an unstable governmental and class structure.

Common Sense by Thomas Paine

Paine’s Common Sense is proof that writing to the people, for the people, is sometimes the way to go. The pamphlet, published anonymously in 1776 during the beginning of the American Revolution, presented an astute argument for the colonies to break free of British rule and establish their own independent republican government. It was written to be tangible and easily digestible, appealing to a mass audience of common people who were often left out of the political dialogue, and helped convince its readership a land that upholds personal freedoms and lacks hereditary kingship isn’t that bad.

The Art of War by Sun Tzu

Have you ever heard of China’s Seven Military Classics? Didn’t think so, but you’ve likely heard of The Art of War . Sun Tzu, a high-ranking military general and strategist, composed the treatise as early as 2nd century B.C., simultaneously solidifying the work as one of the most definitive and influential strategy books of all time. It’s divided into 13 chapters, each outlining a different aspect of warfare, and showcasing Tzu’s emphasis on the perils of war and its embodiment as a necessary evil to be carried out when no other alternatives exist. This is one of the best war novels you’ll find.

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

You can think about it today, or like Margaret Mitchell’s anti-heroine Scarlett O’Hara, you can think about it tomorrow. Frankly, my dear, we don’t give a damn — just don’t skip this classic romance set in the antebellum South with the backdrop of the Civil War and the struggle of the Reconstruction. Gone With The Wind is epic, not only in the sweep of its storyline but also in length. It won the National Book Award for Most Distinguished Novel of 1936 and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1937 and is gripping from start to finish. And then there’s the movie — but we digress.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Austen’s Pride and Prejudice has been making audiences swoon for who knows how long and has led to many adaptations — even one involving zombies . It recounts the tale of Elizabeth Bennett, one of five sisters with a mother hellbent on them marrying rich, and Fitzwilliam Darcy, an arrogantly wealthy English gentleman. What unfolds between them is a beguiling and lively courtship that is as charming as it is witty, filled with Austen’s keen humor and social commentary on marriage and manners, among other things. Plus, it has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide, offering further encouragement for you to download the title.

Roderick Hudson by Henry James

Roderick Hudson was Henry James’ first novel, originally published as a serial in The Atlantic Monthly. The book explores the lives of a sculptor named Roderick Hudson and Rowland Mallet, his single male benefactor. During their travels to Europe, the two experience a number of hardships and failed relationships. An undercurrent of unrequited love appears to exist between the two, leading to an absolutely devastating ending.

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare

You’ve seen the stage adaptation and the modern Leonardo DiCaprio spinoff. Now it’s time to read the real deal. It’s arguably the romance novel, Shakespeare’s quintessential tale of star-crossed lovers plagued by their feuding families, the Montagues and Capulets. It’s written in Shakespeare’s iconic poetic dramatic structure, featuring some of the most memorable characters in literature and a balcony scene that has been hammered into our heads since we were children. It really is beautiful and enthralling, though, with an ending that epitomizes the meaning of tragedy and doomed love.

Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

It wasn’t Leroux’s initial edition of The Phantom of the Opera that garnered all the praise and fanfare, but the 1925 film depiction and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical. However, the original tale about the Phantom living below the opera houses all the core elements of the latter adaptations: a menacing figure presiding over the opera, a talented chorus girl, and an enchanting childhood sweetheart that comes between them. It’s a Gothic love triangle fit for all time, aloft with dark, theatrical color and Leroux’s gift for creating rich characters with whom you sympathize, fall in love, and despise.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Just because one Brontë is not enough. Wuthering Heights is set in the stormy moors of England during the early 1800s and is centered on a love that is disturbingly fierce and vividly dark. It’s told through a series of flashbacks recorded in a diary, chronicling Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff’s inseparable childhood and the ensuing turbulent, and vengeful, events that violently whittle away at a love doomed from the beginning. Despite being her first and only novel, Brontë’s prose is fluid and poetic, draped in lucid descriptions of the moorland and the characters who call it home.

To Catch a Bad Guy by Marie Astor

Everyone knows dating in the workplace can cause … complications. Astor’s novel takes that into consideration and then some, spinning a tale about an undercover crime investigator who finds himself infatuated with an employee of the prominent New York investment firm he is looking to bust. It’s the first book in the Janet Maple Series, patchy and grammatically flawed, but it has enough clever moments and spry, romantic wit to make it well worth the nonexistent price.

Amazon Google

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Let’s be honest, adultery today doesn’t quite resonate with the same woeful shame it does in the harsh, Protestant community of Hawthorne’s memorizing narrative of legalism and sin. It spotlights a young, intelligent and thoughtful woman named Hester Prynne, who is publicly ostracized and forced to wear a piece of fabric in the shape of the letter “A” after having an illegitimate birth resulting from an affair with a minister while her husband is overseas. It’s dramatic and inspiring, rooted in a character that undergoes ample scorn only to retain her dignity and beauty in the end.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

Russian author Leo Tolstoy knows all too well that we cannot help who we love. In his second acclaimed novel, the beautiful and passionate Anna Karenina leaves her husband when she falls head over heels for a wealthy army officer named Count Vronsky. Insecurities arise, with Karenina’s paranoid and jealous fits — among other things — tearing the marriage apart, and heartbreak ensues. The story regarding Konstantin Levin also contrasts alongside Karenina’s — heart-wrenching in a different way, but it’s teeming with many of the same undercurrents of societal values and carnal desire.

The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin

Darwin’s The Origin of Species is one of the few pieces of scientific literature that is actually readable, not to mention one of the most influential. It essentially built the foundation on which the concept of evolutionary biology is based, providing evidence from his voyage on the HMS Beagle, and expanded on the theories he and Alfred Russel Wallace helped conceive. The initial text was highly controversial, both in the scientific and the religious fields, but it demanded attention given Darwin’s standing in the scientific community. It’s a warranted read, no matter your beliefs on the origin of the species.

The Seven Valleys and the Four Valleys by Bahá’u’lláh

Technically two distinct books written by the founder of the Bahá’í Faith, the novels serve as an examination of the soul through the various spiritual stages of life (love, knowledge, unity, true poverty, etc.) upon the “Right Path.” The mystically charged text, written around the time Bahá’u’lláh quit his job and began endlessly wandering Iraqi Kurdistan, features highly poetic prose that has often been misconstrued when translated from its native Persian. Still, it’s intellectually stimulating and presents intriguing ruminations on life you may not have thought to ponder.

Walden by Henry David Thoreau

The exact reasons for Thoreau’s two-year stay in a cabin near a small pond in Massachusetts have always been shrouded in mystery. Whatever the reasoning, the American transcendentalist produced a remarkable account of his experiences, condensed into a single calendar year swarming with insights and contemplative revelations emphasizing solitude, self-reliance, and mankind’s affinity for the natural world. Thoreau is a brilliant writer who seemingly has little trouble combining autobiographic details with an apt and poignant social critique of Western civilization.

The Trial by Franz Kafka

It’s been estimated that Kafka burned nearly 90 percent of his work during his lifetime. Nonetheless, The Trial was published the year following his death, though never completed. The story revolves around Joseph K, a respectable chief financial officer at an undisclosed bank, and his arrest and subsequent prosecution for a crime that is never revealed to him or the reader. It’s a frighteningly dark, satirical novel that’s borderline surreal and fraught with unclear meaning.

The Republic of Plato by Plato

The ideal state is far harder to implement than it is to envision. Plato’s Socratic dialogue, written circa 380 B.C., examines a spectrum of assorted topics ranging from society and morality to education and philosophy. It also highlights the nature of reality, the just and unjust man, and Plato’s theory of Forms. It, along with several others, help develop political theory and add further fuel to a period already swimming with philosophical debates. There’s no doubt that it will make you think, but comprehending it in full may be a different story.

Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

Countless books deal with self-discovery and our spiritual journey through life, but Hesse’s ninth novel is one of the most celebrated and well-known in all of literature. The novel begins with the main protagonist, Siddhartha, voluntarily leaving his prosperous Brahman life for one more contemplative and full of meaning. He relinquishes his processions and conceives a son, but later relapses into a life of materialism until he finds salvation and enlightenment in the presence of a river. The novel’s simple, lyrical style renders it both praiseworthy and understandable, with heavy leanings on the concept of Om.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Dorian Gray is a chic, young man of wealth and beauty who, under the influence of a nobleman, decides to sell his soul and embark on an immoral path to retain his fleeting youth. In doing so, he hopes to outlast a portrait painted of him by artist Basil Hallward, but soon finds the painting a mere reflection of his debauched acts and hedonistic sins. Wilde was a major proponent of the aestheticism movement, emphasizing the beauty of art over its educational and societal value, and his novel is evidence of that. It was scandalous for the time, resulting in strict censorship, but remained distinctly Wilde nonetheless.

Einstein’s Theories of Relativity and Gravitation by James Malcolm Bird

Einstein was a brilliant physicist — that much is indisputable. While working at the Patent Office in Bern, Switzerland, he devised what would become the bedrock of modern physics and some of the most influential theories ever created. The novel focuses on and details how the universe might function, including the concept of curved space-time, and disassembles Newton’s theory of time and space. Despite what you might think, it’s relatively (pun not intended) boiled down for amateur and professional scientific audiences alike.

Concerning Human Understanding by John Locke

Sectioned into four books, Locke’s foray into the realm of human knowledge and basic understanding proposes the mind as a blank slate that becomes gradually more complex and intricate as we grow and expose ourselves to new experiences. The essay represents one of the principal sources of empiricism in philosophy, the idea that our knowledge is primarily derived from sensory experiences we encounter, and thus counters the theory that knowledge and traditions are innate. It’s a theory that holds a great deal of water and makes for an insightful read.

Emma by Jane Austen

Said to be the funniest of Austen’s novels, Emma is set in the fictional town of Highbury in the early 19th century. The story centers on a young woman, Emma Woodhouse, who seems to have somewhat misplaced confidence in her matchmaking abilities. Many romantic misadventures ensue, and the humor never wanes throughout.

My Man Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

The best part of short stories is the brevity, whether good or bad. My Man Jeeves is a comical collection of eight short stories originally published in various U.K. magazines before its initial release as a book. Half of the stories are centered on silly escapades of the good-hearted aristocrat Bertie Wooster and his loveable valet Jeeves, while others concern Reggie Pepper (a similar character to Wooster). The formula for the stories is essentially the same — Jeeves always manages to save Wooster’s moronic neck — but the appeal lies in Wodehouse’s dry, British humor, and intellectual wit.

Roughing It by Mark Twain

Twain was fabled for embedding autobiographical accounts of his wanderlust years within his fictional works. Published in 1872, Roughing It chronicles Twain’s raucous journey throughout the American West with his brother, intertwining realistic stories of his travels with the developing rough-hewn, ironic humor that would later become synonymous with his name and most beloved works. It delves into his stints as a gold miner, a reporter, and a lecturer as his stagecoach travels through Nevada and his side trip to Hawaii. Plus, it’s 10 times shorter than the Autobiography of Mark Twain: Volume 1 .

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

Sure, Wilde penned his one and only novel in 1890, but it was his later works that helped him become the acclaimed playwright we recognize him as today. The Importance of Being Earnest is the embodiment of satire, a humorous examination of Victorian-era manners and marriage laced with rapid-fire wit and an eccentric cast of epigrams. It revolves around two refined gentlemen who adopt fake personas with the goal of dazzling their respected love interest. Unlike his novel, the play’s debut marked a high point in Wilde’s career and was met with a sea of critical acclaim and universal praise.

The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare

If there ever was a Shakespeare play that relied on language to carry the plot more so than any other theme, it would be The Taming of the Shrew . It’s the tale of Lucentio and Petruchio, two young men seeking to wed two wealthy sisters they encounter in the Italian city of Padua. However, trouble arises when Lucientio discovers that he can not marry the women he loves unless her ill-tempered and verbally aggressive older sister is wed — that’s where Petruchio comes into play. Although it’s been seen as misogynistic and patriarchal, it’s also one of Shakespeare’s most boisterous and comical plays, steeped with sharp-tongued banter and rhetoric.

The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne

If Laurence Sterne wasn’t well-read, he certainly makes us believe he is. His novel, a humorously rich satire regarding Tristram Shandy’s life story, is aloft with references to philosophical theories and allusions reminiscent of 17th-century metaphysical poets. The humor is bawdy and brash, whether focusing on Tristram Shandy’s rational father or his military-obsessed uncle, but frequently finds itself intertwined in bouts of digression regarding sex, insults, and philosophical dilemmas. It’s entertaining, amusing, and showcases a narrative just as inventive today as it was when it was released in the 1760s.

Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Chivalry is arguably on its way out, but it would likely never cease if the country gentlemen Don Quixote and his cunning squire Sancho Panza had anything to do with it. Saavedra’s classic canonical novel remains one of the most influential of the Spanish Golden Age and follows a retired country gentleman who takes up his lance on a dubious — and undeniably lengthy — quest to subdue the evils of the world. It’s playful, loaded with irony and delusion, and has been considered one of the first modern novels for more than 400 years.

The Raven (Illustrated) by Edgar Allan Poe

The Raven tells a haunting tale of love, loss, and loneliness in a dialog between a man and a monosyllabic raven whose only word is, “Nevermore.” This poem, first published in popular magazines, shot its author to considerable fame, if not fortune. The e-book also includes line drawing illustrations.

The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot

T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land is the defining poem of modernism, and for good reason. Broken into five sections and dense with allusions, homages, and various languages, the poem conveys the feelings of a world shattered by World War I and the cultural upheavals of the 20th century. It also contains some of Eliot’s most striking lines, including the opening “April is the cruelest month …”

The Complete Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Percy Shelley was one of the great figures in the Romantic movement , running in the same circles as figures such as Lord Byron and John Keats, and his poetry stands as some of the most iconic of the era, swelling with gorgeous imagery and masterful arrangements. This collection includes some of his most famous works, like the sonnet Ozymandias , as well as longer pieces like Prometheus Unbound .

Lyrical Ballads by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth

Long before John Lennon and Paul McCartney, William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge were the great lyrical duo of the age, publishing Lyrical Ballads and kicking off the Romantic movement. These poems, written in vernacular English, offer a glimpse into the lives of country folk and the beauty of nature.

Paradise Lost by John Milton

Written in the wake of the English Civil War and the Restoration of the monarchy, John Milton’s Paradise Lost is an epic poem that chronicles the aftermath following Satan’s rebellion against God, and his later plan to corrupt Adam and Eve. It is a work of staggering power (and length) written in blank verse — and the magnum opus of one of England’s greatest poets.

One of the foundational texts of English literature, Beowulf follows the titular hero, a Geat who comes to the aid of the Danish king Hrothgar, whose land is besieged by the monster Grendel. Beowulf is a majestic work, one sure to please any reader who enjoys tales of heroes rending limbs from monsters.

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Richard Morris

There are plenty of stories that make up Arthurian legend, but one of the most famous is the tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight . The poem follows Gawain, one of Arthur’s knights, as he embarks on a journey to fulfill his side of a lost bet. Along the way, he must withstand the temptation to break his vows and the chivalric code.

The Iliad by Homer

Set near the end of the Trojan War, The Iliad is the story of the rage of Achilles, the greatest of the Greek heroes. The story begins with Achilles’ dispute with the petty king Agamemnon and builds up to his fateful duel with the Trojan prince Hector. Like all Greek myths, it is a story of complicated, oft-flawed people, and the disastrous consequences of their actions. This is one of the best poetry books of all time.

Shakespeare’s Sonnets by William Shakespeare

Every high school curriculum over the years assigns grumpy English students with the terrifying, borderline Herculean feat of creating a sonnet. Not all of us can be as adept as Shakespeare, who wrote 154 breathtaking sonnets that are some of the most beautiful poems on Earth.

Shakespeare’s sonnets cover various subjects, too, often toying with and subverting common topics such as love, gender, and the artist’s role.

The Odyssey by Homer

Even 2,700 years later, we still can’t help but recount one of the most legendary stories in historical literature about Odysseus. The epic poem, a follow-up to the Iliad , traces Odysseus’s 10-year return voyage to Ithaca following the Trojan War.

This particular storyline is designed for a broad audience and is filled with tantalizing rendezvous with sirens, intense battles with cyclops, and grievous losses of suitors. The writing style is dactylic hexameter paired with a non-linear plot that includes intriguing Greek mythology and folklore.

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

The influential and undoubtedly erotic work of Walt Whitman doesn’t require a drawn-out introduction. Although only 12 poems are included in the first edition of the collection, it took Whitman the majority of his life to write. He finally finished the same year he passed away.

Consecutive editions stockpiled a whopping 400 poems, organized into a variety of volumes and each offering content applicable to specific times in Whitman’s life. They span a wide range of topics, including but not limited to American romanticism, the machinery age, and nature. But those are only a few of many. Song of Myself and Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking are two of Whitman’s most famous works included within this timeless compilation.

Which e-book format is suitable for Kindle?

Kindle apps and devices work with Amazon’s proprietary e-book formats including AZW and AZW3 (also called KF8). Books designed specifically for Kindle are often available in these formats. Other Kindle-friendly e-book formats include MOBI (based on Mobipocket), and PDF. Many e-books are available in an EPUB format but Kindle can’t read them. However, you can easily convert EPUB files to MOBI or PDF through free online converters. The PDF format will allow you to access the book on various devices (without a Kindle) since most devices can read a PDF file.

What are the best websites for downloading free Kindle books?

Project Gutenberg : It’s a large repository of free public domain e-books. You can find almost any classics and even a few select newer books. You can’t download the books directly, but the upside is you get access to 60,000+ e-books in almost all genres for free.

Amazon’s Free Kindle E-books

Book Lending : If you would rather borrow books than download them permanently, Book Lending may be an excellent option for you. It is a free library-like service where you can lend and borrow from a wide selection of titles. Books are only available for 14 days after you borrow, so it is a great motivator for procrastinators.

Is downloading free e-books legal?

Whether downloading free e-books is legal depends on where you are downloading them from. Using public domain content from sites like Project Gutenberg is legal. Websites like Book Lending, BookBub, and Internet Archive offer copyright-free books that you can download legally. The problem arises when you access or download e-books from shady sites. If a relatively unknown website is offering the latest book that just hit the shelves for free, it may be a scam or a virus bait. Stick to official sources like Amazon’s free e-book library and the aforementioned websites so you can enjoy your e-books without getting into trouble.

Editors’ Recommendations

Best Kindle deals: Get Kindle Unlimited for free
The best Android tablets in 2024: the 11 best ones you can buy
The 6 best tablets for kids in 2024
The 10 best apps for a second phone number in 2024
Audible free trial: Listen to best-sellers free for 30 days

When it comes to e-readers, there’s not a name more iconic than the Amazon Kindle. Fast-forward to modern times, and now there’s plenty of competition to choose from. Companies like Nook, Kobo, and Boox produce excellent e-screens, but often, nothing beats the O.G. And considering that the Kindle brand is just as reliable, reputable, and feature-packed as ever, why would one say no to a good thing?

The only trouble now is picking the Kindle that’s best for your wants and needs. Some Kindle devices are small and designed for paperback-style page flipping, while other versions look and feel more like proper tablets than e-readers.

Entertainment

Netflix is one of the most popular streaming platforms for all things movies and TV shows. Home to an immense library of titles, the Netflix archive is constantly changing and evolving, and so are the many ways you can use your Netflix account.

For instance, did you know you can access region-locked Netflix shows and flicks by using a VPN? Or that you can disable that pesky Autoplay feature? There are tons of Netflix hacks, tips, and tricks out there, so we’ve gone ahead and rounded up all of our favorites! Expand your streaming with a VPN

Smartwatches put important notifications from our phones on our wrists, track our health and fitness, and some can even stream music and make calls. The world's best-known technology brands make them, but a smartwatch is also a fashion statement, and some of the biggest names in watchmaking are on board, giving you a massive amount of choice when it comes time to buy one. Which one is the best?

For most people, we think the Apple Watch Series 9 is the best smartwatch, but only if you own an iPhone. We know there are just as many Android phone fans out there, and since the Apple Watch only works with an iPhone, you'll want the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6.

Select your cookie preferences

We use cookies and similar tools that are necessary to enable you to make purchases, to enhance your shopping experiences and to provide our services, as detailed in our Cookie notice . We also use these cookies to understand how customers use our services (for example, by measuring site visits) so we can make improvements.

If you agree, we'll also use cookies to complement your shopping experience across the Amazon stores as described in our Cookie notice . Your choice applies to using first-party and third-party advertising cookies on this service. Cookies store or access standard device information such as a unique identifier. The 96 third parties who use cookies on this service do so for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalized ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products. Click "Decline" to reject, or "Customise" to make more detailed advertising choices, or learn more. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences , as described in the Cookie notice. To learn more about how and for what purposes Amazon uses personal information (such as Amazon Store order history), please visit our Privacy notice .

1-16 of over 50,000 results for "autobiographies" Sort by: Featured Price: Low to high Price: High to low Avg. Customer review Publication date Best Sellers Sort by: Featured Go

This Much is True: 'There's never been a memoir so packed with eye-popping, hilarious and candid stories' DAILY MAIL

Berserker!: The deeply moving and brilliantly funny memoir from one of Britain's most beloved comedians

Let's Do It: The Authorised Biography of Victoria Wood

More results.

Gloves Off: Tyson Fury Autobiography

Parky: My Autobiography: A Full and Funny Life

The Twat Files: A hilarious sort-of memoir of mistakes, mishaps and mess-ups

Pru and Me: The Amazing Marriage of Prunella Scales and Timothy West

Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing: The powerful memoir from the beloved star of Friends

Kammy: The Funny and Moving Autobiography by the Broadcasting Legend

A Del of a Life: The hilarious #1 bestseller from the national treasure

A Life in Football: My Autobiography

Madly, Deeply: The Alan Rickman Diaries

Tina Turner: My Love Story (Official Autobiography)

The Prison Doctor: My time inside Britain’s most notorious jails. THE HONEST, UNBELIEVABLE TRUE STORY AND A SUNDAY TIMES BEST SELLING AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Rod: The Autobiography

One: My Autobiography: The Sunday Times bestseller

Do you need help.

Kindle Unlimited Eligible
Prime Reading Eligible
Any Department
Kindle Store
Kindle Newsstand
Kindle Singles
Kindle eBooks
All Discounts
Today's Deals
eBooks with Audible Audiobook
Great on Kindle Eligible
Word Wise Enabled
Last 30 days
Last 90 days
Coming Soon

UK Modern Slavery Statement
Amazon Science
Sell on Amazon
Sell on Amazon Business
Sell on Amazon Handmade
Associates Programme
Fulfilment by Amazon
Seller Fulfilled Prime
Advertise Your Products
Independently Publish with Us
Host an Amazon Hub
› See More Make Money with Us
The Amazon Barclaycard
Credit Card
Amazon Money Store
Amazon Currency Converter
Payment Methods Help
Shop with Points
Top Up Your Account
Top Up Your Account in Store
COVID-19 and Amazon
Track Packages or View Orders
Delivery Rates & Policies
Returns & Replacements
Manage Your Content and Devices
Amazon Mobile App
Customer Service
Accessibility

Conditions of Use & Sale
Privacy Notice
Cookies Notice
Interest-Based Ads Notice

IMAGES

Here are 15 best Kindle Unlimited books of all time
Set the Boy Free: The Autobiography PDF Free Download or Read Online
Best Autobiography Books You Should Read Atleast Once
autobiography Book Cover Template
Best Autobiography Books You Should Read Atleast Once
Autobiography by Morrissey

COMMENTS

Amazon.com: Free Memoirs For Kindle: Kindle Store
Book 1 of 4: Memoir Saga | by Tina Soctoy | Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC 111 Kindle Edition $000 Free with Kindle Unlimited membership Join Now Available instantly Or $0.00 to buy
Amazon.co.uk: Free Kindle Autobiographies: Kindle Store
Online shopping from a great selection at Kindle Store Store.
Amazon.com: Free Kindle Books Biography
Dwight Eisenhower Biography: A Life of Service and Strategy - The Military and Presidential Legacy of Dwight D. Eisenhower (The Series of History, Biography, and Memoirs) Part of: The Series of History, Biography, and Memoirs (4 books) Kindle $000 Free with Kindle Unlimited membership Join Now Available instantly Or $0.00 to buy Other format: Paperback Amazon.com: free kindle books biography
Centsless Books
Myths, Legends & History: 9 books in 1. CentslessBooks has thousands of bestselling free Kindle books, changing every day! We have thousands of free Kindle books in dozens of your favorite genres!
Amazon.com: Biographies Free Books
Roger Federer: The Boy Who Became A Tennis Legend: Illustrated biography for kids: Children's book (Sports biographies for kids) Part of: Sports biographies for kids (16 books) Kindle. $000. Free with Kindle Unlimited membership Join Now. Available instantly.
Amazon.co.uk: Free Kindle Books Biography And Autobiography
17-32 of 216 results for "free kindle books biography and autobiography"
Amazon.com.au: Free Biographies
Janis Joplin: A Life from Beginning to End (Biographies of Musicians) by Hourly History. 214. Kindle. $000. Free with Kindle Unlimited membership Learn More. Available instantly. Or $3.99 to buy. Other formats: Audible Audiobook , Paperback.
Free eBooks, Biography, eBooks & NOOK
Explore our list of Free eBooks, Biography, eBooks & NOOK at Barnes & Noble®. Get your order fast and stress free with free curbside pickup.
Amazon.ca: Kindle Unlimited Eligible
Online shopping for Kindle Store from a great selection of Memoirs, Leaders & Notable People, Arts & Literature, Professionals & Academics, Specific Groups, Historical & more at everyday low prices.
Must Read Autobiography Collection
Take a look at this collection of autobiography that is completely free to download and read. Download any of the Books for FREE. Available in ePub, PDF and Kindle formats. Enjoy!
Best Free Kindle Books (423 books)
The best reads available for free (or were available for free) for the Kindle. flag All Votes Add Books To This List
Amazon.com: Free Kindle Biographies
The Unauthorized Biography of Liz Cheney: An Untold Story of A Political Thriller of Courage, Conviction, and the Woman Who Dared to Stand Against the Tide. by Brian Bennington. 2. Kindle. $000. Free with Kindle Unlimited membership Join Now. Available instantly. Or $0.00 to buy. Other formats: Hardcover , Paperback.
Best 62+ Biography & Autobiography Books (Free PDF Download)
Download and read our FREE biographies, autobiographies, memoirs and life story books. All legally Licensed for instant download in PDF ePub, & Kindle formats.
Amazon.co.uk: Free Autobiography Books
Kindle Edition. £766. Print List Price: £8.99. Available instantly. An Autobiography. Bond and Free: or, Yearnings for Freedom, from My Green Brier House.: Being the Story of My Life in Bondage, and My Life in Freedom.
20 of the Best Places to Get FREE Kindle Books
Discover 20 sites where you can download free kindle books of various genres and categories. Learn how to find and enjoy thousands of ebooks for free.
Amazon: FREE Kindle eBooks (Biographies, History, & More)
Score these Kindle eBooks for FREE…. Alexander The Great: A History From Beginning To End. Greek Mythology: A Concise Guide to Ancient Gods, Heroes, Beliefs and Myths of Greek Mythology. Titanic: The Story Of The Unsinkable Ship. Battle of Waterloo: A History From Beginning to End. Thomas Jefferson: A Life From Beginning to End.
25 Best Autobiographies to Read in 2024
The best autobiographies give you a first-person peek into the lives of some of the world's most extraordinary people.
Free eBooks, Biography
Explore our list of Free eBooks, Biography at Barnes & Noble®. Get your order fast and stress free with free curbside pickup.
Amazon.com: Free Ebooks Nonfiction Biographies
Part of: Inspiring Sports Biographies For Kids - 20 Illustrated Stories Of Sporting Legends (10 books) | by Lunar Press | Aug 8, 2024 Kindle $000 Free with Kindle Unlimited membership Join Now Available instantly Or $0.00 to buy Paperback $1099 FREE delivery Thu, Aug 22 on $35 of items shipped by Amazon Ages: 7 years and up
The best free Kindle books for 2022
You shouldn't always have to pay for a good read. We've rounded up a selection of free books for Kindle that are available via promotion or public domain.
Amazon.co.uk: Autobiographies
Online shopping for Kindle Store from a great selection of Nonfiction, eBooks in Foreign Languages, Literature & Fiction, Romance, Business & Investing & more at everyday low prices.
Explore
Explore the lives and stories of fascinating people with Kindle books on biographies and memoirs. Find best sellers, new releases, and more at low prices.
Amazon.co.uk: Autobiographies: Kindle Store
Online shopping from a great selection at Kindle Store Store.
Amazon.com: Morgan Bridges: books, biography, latest update
Listen to Books & Original Audio Performances: Box Office Mojo Find Movie Box Office Data : Goodreads Book reviews & recommendations: IMDb Movies, TV & Celebrities: IMDbPro Get Info Entertainment Professionals Need: Kindle Direct Publishing Indie Digital & Print Publishing Made Easy Amazon Photos Unlimited Photo Storage Free With Prime: Prime ...
Amazon.com: Stacey Brutger: books, biography, latest update
Listen to Books & Original Audio Performances: Box Office Mojo Find Movie Box Office Data : Goodreads Book reviews & recommendations: IMDb Movies, TV & Celebrities: IMDbPro Get Info Entertainment Professionals Need: Kindle Direct Publishing Indie Digital & Print Publishing Made Easy Amazon Photos Unlimited Photo Storage Free With Prime: Prime ...