Jump straight in
Your set text, or your next great read.
Every title opens in the reader with one tap — no account, no download, no paywall.
Read the classics with study notes and your own notes.
Pride and Prejudice, Hamlet, Jane Eyre and nearly 400 more — the full text, with study notes on the passages that matter and a voice to read it aloud.
Opens instantly in your browser. Sign in later only if you want your place saved across devices.
Why read here
Everything you need to actually understand it.
A plain e-book gives you the words. Austi gives you the words and the help.
Notes on the passages that matter
Passages with study notes are marked *. Open one for context, themes and tricky language, right where you need it.
Read Aloud
Listen while each sentence is highlighted as it's read. Choose the voice and speed, and let it carry on to the next page.
Bookmarks that follow you
Save places and quotes for your essay. Sign in and they sync across phone, tablet and laptop.
Share a passage
Send a link that opens on the exact line — handy for study groups, book clubs and classmates.
For teachers
Set the reading. See how it was read.
Two new tools built for classrooms, free to use with any text in the library.
Reading assignments New
Assign a chapter, story or annotation set to your Class with a due date. Students read on any device, write what they learned, and mark it complete. You see who's done, who's behind and what they said.
Reading reports & camera observations New
See each student's active reading time and how much of the assigned text was on screen, passage by passage. Students can also switch on an optional camera signal that estimates whether a face was visible during active reading, and whether they were facing the screen with their eyes open. No setup is needed, and camera images stay on the student's device.
| Student | Status | Sentence exposure |
|---|---|---|
| Ava M. | Complete | 88% |
| Noah T. | Complete | 74% |
| Mia K. | Reading | 61% |
| Leo R. | Complete | 23% |
| Isla P. | Not started | — |
Who it's for
Built for the way people really read the classics.
Most people meet these books because someone set them. We make that easier on both sides of the desk.
Get through the set text — and get it.
- Full text free, on your phone
- Notes explain the hard bits as you go
- Bookmark quotes for essays and exams
Set reading your class will actually do.
- Assign readings with a due date
- See who completed them — and how they read
- Optional face & gaze observations, processed on the device
- Share and upload your own annotation sets
The books you always meant to read.
- Novels, plays, short stories, poems and scripture
- Read aloud for commutes and walks
- Share passages to start the conversation
How it works
Reading in under ten seconds.
Pick a book
Choose from nearly 400 classics. It opens straight away in your browser.
Read with help
Turn on study notes, highlight, bookmark or hit play to listen.
Sign in if you like
Only needed to save progress and bookmarks across devices. Add it to your home screen to use it like an app.
Questions
Good to know
Is it really free?
Yes. Every text, the study notes and Read Aloud are free to use. There's nothing to buy and no trial that runs out.
Do I need an account?
No. You can read anything straight away. Signing in just saves your place and bookmarks so you can pick up on another device.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes — it runs in any modern browser on phone, tablet or computer. You can add it to your home screen and it behaves like an app, with no app-store download.
Where do the texts come from?
All books are public-domain editions, prepared for comfortable reading on screen, with study notes from Austi Classics and other public-domain sources.
Can I use it with my class?
Yes. Create a Class, invite students, then set reading assignments with due dates. Students read, comment on what they learned and mark each one complete. Read the classes guide.
How do face and gaze observations work?
Both are optional and only start if the student turns them on. Face observation estimates whether a face is visible to the camera during active reading time. Gaze observation estimates whether the student was facing the screen with their eyes open, with no setup or calibration. Neither tracks words or lines or proves reading, so use them alongside students' responses, never on their own. Camera images are processed on the device and never uploaded. Learn more.
"I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading!" — Jane Austen
Your next classic is one tap away.
Free, no sign-up, and it opens right here.