Best free books for Kindle: classics to read for free

We love Kindle ereaders because they make reading so clutter-free. There's no need to fill your house or flat with paper books, and you don't have to wait days for them to turn up in the post either.

There's another mega benefit too. Loads of classic reads are available to read on Kindles, for free.

This is because the books have come out of copyright, meaning they can be reproduced freely. You'll still see plenty of out-of-copyright books selling for money, but a great many can be downloaded for free, including plenty of flat-out classics.

In the list below you'll find our selection of the must-not-miss literary classics, from the likes of Charles Dickens and the Brontë clan, as well as some slightly newer picks.

Brush up on Stoker, lose yourself in some of the best children's stories from E. Nesbit and Anna Sewell, rediscover a classic you've avoided since school days or stumble on a new favourite. It's time to get downloading.

Please note: these are all free on the UK site - please check your country for availability. Some of the free titles require you to have a Prime subscription.

Best free Kindle books

Robinson Crusoe, By Daniel Defoe: at AmazonAnother title that fits the "What do you mean, you haven't read it?!" list. In addition to being a trader, journalist and spy, Daniel Defoe (no, not that Spider-Man guy) wrote several hundred novels - of which this is the most famous. Fleeing his parents' wishes for him to have a dull career, Crusoe boards a boat bound on a sea voyage from Hull. There follows a shipwreck, cannibals and the original wanderlust adventure.

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A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens: at AmazonYou don't have to save this story for a turgid December (though it clearly befits a winter setting). A tale of moral improvement, social lessons and ghosts (he had to get the readers in somehow), A Christmas Carol is as relevant in the success-driven world of contemporary Britain as it was in 1843.

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Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley: at Amazon

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The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde, By Robert Louis Stevenson: at AmazonAnother from the gothic canon, Stevenson's tale of a scientist who pushes the laws of nature too far still manages to grip modern readers. And it's a lot less camp than countless TV and film adaptations have made it.

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Dracula, by Bram Stoker: at AmazonThe definitive vampire novel, Stoker's seminal work has a hand (or fang) in pretty much every blood sucking story you've ever encountered. A monster of a book, even if it does tail off towards the end.

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Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson: at AmazonBe honest - you're more familiar with the Muppet version than the original aren't you? Well now you've no excuses: Stevenson's tale of treasure, pirates and exploring the unknown still ripples with addictive prose and vivid imagery. Immediate escapism.

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Moby Dick, by Herman Melville: at AmazonAn American monster - Captain Ahab's obsession with the great white whale consumes his entire existence, leading to him putting his own life and that of his crew in danger as he hunts Moby Dick across the seas. A pub quiz necessity.

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The Great Gatsby, By F Scott Fitzgerald: at AmazonIf you've been meaning to read the novel that inspired last year's glitzy big screen adaptation, now's your chance. Fitzgerald's novel plays out a little more mutely than Luhrmann's lavish offering, but it's still a superb window into the stale state of the 1920's American dream.

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The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde: at AmazonWilde's only novel is a dark, twisting affair, offset by his familiarly flowery prose. Pages drip with wit and intelligence, allowing readers to escape to the glow of Victorian high life before shattering them with some supernatural skulduggery. The only frustration of the ebook edition is that you can't dogear the pages with the best quotes.

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The Raven, by Edgar Allan Poe: at AmazonThe Raven is a pillar of gothic literature. An unnamed narrator sits alone in his chamber when a rapping at the door heralds the entry of the eponymous raven. A lyrical read to add some atmosphere to your daily commute.

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The Jungle Book, by Rudyard Kipling: at AmazonNo, it's not a kid's book. Well - it is - but it's a seriously dark, poetically magnificent one thoroughly deserving of your mature attention. You play Pokémon GO for goodness sake. The story of Mowgli, the young orphan raised by wolves, is brimming with philosophical musings and ethical ponderings that are still razor sharp all these years on.

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The Railway Children, By E. Nesbit: at AmazonThe Railway Children is a classic children's story originally serialised back in 1905, but was then published as a book in the same year. It has since been adapted several times too, as a film, radio play and TV series. It follows the story of three siblings, Roberta, Peter and Phyllis, who move to the countryside near a railway line when their father is wrongfully imprisoned.

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The Complete Works of Shakespeare by William Shakespeare: at AmazonYou can pay for the complete works of Shakespeare, or just download this free version. This is largely a collection of plays, rather than novels, but with more than 5000 pages from the most famous writer of them all inside, it will keep you busy. Classics to start with include Othello, Romeo & Juliet and Macbeth.

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Black Beauty, By Anna Sewell: at AmazonWith more than 50 million copies sold, Black Beauty is one of the best-selling books of all time. This classic novel is narrated by a horse, Black Beauty. The story follows his tumultuous life, from his early days as a carefree foal to a hardworking cab horse in Victorian England. He has different owners over the years, some kind and some cruel. The book is poignant, teaching readers about care for animals and empathy, which is why it's a fantastic book for all ages.

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Death in Venice, by Thomas Mann: at AmazonThe most famous of all of Thomas Mann's works is a novella in which a 50-year old man pursues a 14-year-old boy. It's a book about homosexual passion, and while it contains some autobiographical inspiration, Mann was in his 30s when the book was published.

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Wuthering Heights, by Emily Brontë: at AmazonNot read Wuthering Heights? Rid your mind of the sloppy period romance you're no doubt conjuring up - Emily Brontë's dark, bold story of love and jealousy is a heart-wrenching brute of a novel. You'll need to schedule in a trip to the Yorkshire moors once you're done.

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Pay nothing for a month!

Get 30 days of Kindle Unlimited for free: at AmazonKindle Unlimited is Amazon's subscription service to e-books. Sign up and you a month free and access to thousands of titles.

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