Free History Books to Download in October 2025

The Christian religious tradition has shaped much of our world for two millennia. But separate from the practice of Christianity is the factual life of Jesus himself. In this groundbreaking study, philosopher and Nobel Peace Prize winner Albert Schweitzer delves into biblical text and historical evidence to deconstruct the many myths of Jesus’s life that have been propagated through the centuries. A seminal work, Schweitzer’s book brings into focus the social and political currents of Jesus’s time to rebut previous authors’ hypotheses and form an entirely new one of his own.

A milestone text in its time, Schweitzer’s book was so dominant that virtually no new scholarly investigations of the historical Jesus were published for decades after its initial release. Now, more than a century later, The Quest of the Historical Jesus remains the standard against which religious academic studies are measured.

An ancient Greek mercenary soldier’s account of leading an army on a dangerous march from Babylon to the Black Sea.

Hired by a Persian prince hoping to take the throne from his brother, Xenophon was one professional soldier in an army of many when disaster struck and their leaders were killed or captured, leaving them stranded. Along with two others chosen by their fellow soldiers, Xenophon would lead the army to safety on the “March of the Ten Thousand.” It was a harrowing journey, and they battled their way through harsh climates and hostile enemy territories—but eventually made it home. This memoir of the adventure, known for its clear language and directness, has become a classic for those interested in ancient Greek history and military culture.

In this classic memoir and travelogue, the Swedish explorer shares the story of his epic journey along the ancient Silk Road.

After a childhood spent reading tales of adventure in far-off places, Sven Hedin knew by the time he was twelve years old that he wanted to be an explorer. He lived in an age when maps still contained uncharted territories and he wished to travel to these mysterious destinations. By the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, he traveled along the Silk Road in Asia for three decades.

In My Life as an Explorer, Hedin recounts his journeys along the ancient route. He discovers long-lost cities, maps unfamiliar rivers, and finds himself in many life-threatening situations. He makes a perilous trek through the Taklamakan desert in China where his party runs dangerously low on water. He climbs treacherous mountains and evades ruthless bandits. He infiltrates Lhasa, the Tibetan city restricted from Westerners by penalty of death. And while he lives to tell the tale, his journey is not without sacrifice . . .

Originally published in 1926, Hedin’s story of real-life adventure was a worldwide bestseller. It delighted audiences then and continues to do so.