Open Shelf
Reading guides for public-domain classics—pick a book, get a plan, open a legal copy.
Guides
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Fiction & Classics
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Who it's for This book suits readers curious about modernist literature, coming-of-age…
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Fiction & Classics
A Modest Proposal
Who it's for This short essay suits readers who enjoy satire, classic essays, and…
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Mystery & Adventure
A Study in Scarlet
Who it's for This book suits readers who want to meet Sherlock Holmes at the very start,…
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Fiction & Classics
Anna Karenina
Who it's for This novel is for readers who are interested in 19th-century Russian…
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Fiction & Classics
Pride and Prejudice
Who it's for This novel suits readers who enjoy stories about marriage, money, and…
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Children & Young Readers
A Christmas Carol in Prose; Being a Ghost Story of Christmas
This guide is for young readers, families reading together, and anyone who wants a short…
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Children & Young Readers
Peter Pan : $b [Peter and Wendy]
This guide is for children, young readers, and adults who want to revisit a classic. The…
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Mystery & Adventure
The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
This guide is for readers who enjoy mystery, gothic atmosphere, and psychological…
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Science & Nature
A Tale of Two Cities
This guide is for readers who want to explore a classic British novel and the world of…
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Philosophy & Ideas
The Analects of Confucius (Legge)
A historical English translation useful for search and citation. For Chinese readers,…
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Economics & Society
The Wealth of Nations
A cornerstone of economic thought. Skim key chapters on division of labour and markets…
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Science & Nature
On the Origin of Species
A foundational science text for history-of-ideas readers. Supplement with modern biology…
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Fiction & Classics
Moby Dick
Obsession, the sea, and digressions—challenging but iconic. Read chapter by chapter…
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Fiction & Classics
Dracula
Epistolary vampire fiction that defined a genre. Read the public-domain English text…
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Science Fiction
The War of the Worlds
An early invasion narrative that shaped later science fiction. Pair it with modern SF to…
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Children & Young Readers
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Language play that rewards both children and adults. Gutenberg offers multiple formats…
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Mystery & Adventure
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Short mysteries with clear plotting—ideal for building an English reading habit.…
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Science Fiction
Frankenstein
"Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley is often called a founding work of science fiction. Read…
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Full path →A gentle start in English classics
Short-to-medium public-domain reads in a sensible order—finish one, then level up.