Even if you don't have the time to sit and read a book, you can still enjoy quality literature by listening to audiobooks. And there are plenty of good free audiobooks out there.
Many sites now offer free audiobooks, including Amazon. However, in this article we take a look at the best free audiobooks on Loyal Books, which was formerly known as booksshouldbefree.
1. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
Published in 1719, Robinson Crusoe is considered to be one of the first English novels. It tells the story of a lost British castaway who is forced to spend 28 years on a Caribbean island before eventually being rescued.
Despite its age, Robinson Crusoe remains popular among adventure lovers; it includes tales of cannibals, wild animals, hunting, and the desolate loneliness that Crusoe faces throughout his ordeal.
2. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
The Scottish playwright and novelist Sir James Matthew Barrie was one of the foremost literary figures of the late 19th century.
Peter Pan had already featured in some of his works (such as 1901's Little White Bird) before Barrie penned the full-length play about the character in 1904. The book version didn't become available until 1911.
The original story is much less sanitized that the Disney adaptation that most people know and love. Suffice to say, if you've never read it, you're in for a shock.
3. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a series of 12 standalone stories. This free public domain audiobook includes all 12 releases which you can download individually.
The main protagonist is the title character. His friend and assistant, Dr. Watson, also features in every edition. Watson narrates all but four of the stories in the first-person.
4. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is one of American literature's greatest titles.
The famous children's book needs little introduction. It tells the story of Dorothy Gale as she's carried away from her home in Kansas by a tornado, ending up in the fantastical land of Oz. Scarecrows, lions, and wizards all feature heavily.
5. The Odyssey by Homer
Forget English literature. The Odyssey is one of the greatest masterpieces in human history. Written around 800 BC, it is the second-oldest surviving work of Western literature, bettered only by Homer's other epic play, The Iliad.
The Trojan war between the Greeks and the Trojans provides the backdrop for the tale. For anyone with a passing interest in ancient culture, this free audiobook is a must-listen.
6. The 9/11 Commission Report
Let's move away from fiction for a moment. If you want to listen to a good free audiobook about real-life events, we recommend The 9/11 Commission Report.
Officially titled the Krean Hamilton Commission, the book is an audio transcript of the committee's investigation into the terrorist attacks that devastated the United States in September 2001.
7. Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
Another of the best free audiobooks for adventure addicts is Gulliver's Travels. It was first published in 1726, less than a decade after the previous adventure novel we suggested, Robinson Crusoe. Critics frequently cite the book as one of the English language's finest works.
Lemuel Gulliver is the primary character. He is the surgeon---and later Captain---on several ships. The story follows his life as he's repeatedly shipwrecked, deserted, and cast adrift in far-flung corners of the globe.
8. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon
Another of the best non-fiction free audiobooks on Loyal Books is The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Despite its age, the book remains one of the foremost studies on Western civilization between the height of the Roman Empire to the fall of Byzantium.
Warning: This isn't for the faint-hearted. The book discusses 1500 years of history across six mammoth volumes.
9. Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
Moby-Dick is one of the most influential novels to come out of the American Renaissance. It tells the story of a sailor who seeks to exact his revenge on the sperm whale that bit off his leg.
Oddly, the book was a flop upon its initial release. When Melville died in 1891, it was out of print and largely forgotten. However, after receiving glowing reviews from William Faulkner and D.H. Lawrence, it slowly grew in popularity. By 1926, it had been adapted into a silent film. Today, reviewers regularly list it as one of the best books of all time.
10. Andersen's Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen
The Princess and the Pea, The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, The Wild Swans, The Snow Queen---Hans Christian Andersen is responsible for some of the most celebrated fairy tales in the world. Many parents still dutifully read them to young children today, almost 150 years after the author's death.
If you're looking for some free audiobooks to entertain your little 'uns on long trips, download this file and keep it handy. You won't regret it.
11. The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
With movies like Independence Day, Mars Attacks, and Starship Troopers---not to mention the endless stream of Marvel releases---it's easy to forget just how groundbreaking The War of the Worlds was when first published. Urban legend claims that when Orson Welles narrated a radio adaptation in 1938, millions of listeners in the US panicked, assuming it to be an actual event.
To date, the novel has never been out of print. It truly is one of the best public domain audiobooks you can download.
12. Relativity: The Special and General Theory by Albert Einstein
You don't need to be a science whizz to read (or listen to) Albert Einstein's seminal work. He wrote Relativity: The Special and General Theory for the general public. The physics concepts are explained clearly and concisely, and are almost entirely free from mathematical jargon.
So, if you can't tell your E=mc2 from your a2+b2=c2, make sure you download this free audiobook from Loyal Books.
How to Download Even More Free Audiobooks
Remember, this list of best free audiobooks only covers titles that are available on Loyal Books (formerly booksshouldbefree). They are all public domain audiobooks, making them free and legal to download.
If you want to download newer audiobooks for free, be sure to check out our other articles uncovering the best ways to listen to audiobooks for free and listing the best free audiobooks you can listen to online.