7 Classic English Authors That Don’t Use Profanity (and Their Superb Reads)

Published by Slanted Bookshelf Team on

Many people are looking for adult books that provide an excellent story without the profanity. Some authors that provide this content are hard to find. That’s why we compiled this list of Classic English authors that don’t use profanity.

These authors produced not only classic works of art, with beautiful literature, but also uplifting stories of heroic journeys, pure romances, and moral tales. So here is our list of clean English fiction authors and some of their best works.

Definitive List of Classic English Fiction Authors That Don’t Use Profanity

1. Jane Austen

Jane Austen was an Oxford educated writer and daughter of an Anglican Rector. She is known for her tales of romance, which mirror her personal life. Tragically, Austin fell in love with a suitor, Tom Lefroy, who was not considered a suitable spouse by her family due to financial impracticalities. As a result, their families kept them apart and they never married. Later in life, Jane received a formal proposal from another man, but never married him either, as there was no attraction. In her own lifetime, Pride and Prejudice was the only book that brought her success. All of her works are magnificent pieces of writing, but Pride and Prejudice is considered one of the best sociological studies about early nineteen century British loyalty and society. You may know it from the Hollywood film starring Kiera Knightley. Check out some of her other works too. They are all enchanting in their own way. You will recognize her characters in your own life. 

Top Books By Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Emma


2. Agatha Christie


Agatha Christie was one of the best writers of the 20th century. She has been called “The Queen of Crime,” due to her spectacularly good crime thrillers. If you like detective novels like Sherlock Holmes, or putting together a puzzle of mysterious personalities, you will love Agatha Christie. Her plots unfold with twists and turns, revealing her genius. Additionally, her writing is like a time capsule of the early 1900s. For example, in one of her books, a character purchases a car for 15 pounds! Multiple books of hers have been made into major movies – Murder on the Orient Express, Crooked House, And Then There Were None, to name a few. Here are some quick, clean, and engrossing reads. Some of her books, like And Then There Were None, have been censored as the world has become more intolerant of racial slurs. At different points in time, the book was called Ten Little Niggers, and at another point, Ten Little Indians.

Top Books By Agatha Christie
Miss Marple Mysteries, Hercule Poirot Mystery Series (32 books), Superintendent Battles, Tommy & Tuppence, And Then There Were None


3. G.K. Chesterton 

Chesterton was a poet, philosopher, dramatist, journalist, orator, literary critic, biographer, lay theologian and Christian apologist. He wrote a mix of fiction and nonfiction – with some of his books delving into Christian Theology. Chesterton had a big influence on many other authors of both fantasy and detective novels, including JRR Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings. G.K. Chesterton was a prolific English author, and a master when it came to paradoxes. His top fiction books fall in the mystery and philosophical thriller genres. In addition to being highly enjoyable, they are always profound. One of them, the Father Brown Series, is now a PBS series available on Amazon Prime video.  

Top Books By G.K. Chesterton
Father Brown Mystery Series, The Man Who Was Thursday


4. Charles Dickens


Charles Dickens has many personal experiences infused into his novels. He grew up in a family that was constantly in financial trouble. When his father was sent to debtor’s prison, Charles was forced to work at a warehouse as a child. As a result, many of his stories revolve around poor, destitute children – oftentimes orphans. The style of writing and the language are not of this time, so it may take some getting used to. Either way, Dickens wrote tales of humanity that are painfully relevant to our time today. The Tale of Two Cities starts with his famous quote, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”  Oliver Twist, recommended on this list, was made into a well-known movie. Dickens is also the author of the holiday classic, A Christmas Carol.

Top Books By Charles Dickens
Great Expectations, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist


5. Jules Verne

Jules Verne was actually a French author, but his writing had such an impact on all of Europe, that we included him in the list. Each of his books revolve around fantastic journeys, chronicled in painstaking detail. Verne has many delightful tales of adventure that can be devoured in a day or two. The way in which his journeys are recorded and described is almost as if it were a real-life expedition that had been reported in a journal. If you are a scientifically-minded person, you will love these books. You may be familiar with the movies based on these titles, but his characters go much deeper than what Hollywood portrays.

Top Books By Jules Verne
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Around the World in 80 Days, Journey to the Center of the Earth


6. Robert Louis Stevenson


Stevenson was a prolific writer and traveler. In his adulthood he chartered a yacht to visit many islands in the South Pacific – Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand, and Samoa. He did this because he sought the thrill of adventure, but also because he sought warmer climates for health reasons. Robert was a celebrity in his own time, and admired by many other writers. You will recognize this clean writer as the creator of Long John Silver, Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Rum, and 15 men on a dead man’s chest – all from the novel, Treasure Island. Stevenson’s plots move swiftly, but are stocked full of a cast of characters that will long remain in your mind and heart. His books are absolutely brilliant; you won’t be able to put them down. And although films have been adapted from his stories, they just don’t do him justice.

Top Books By Robert Louis Stevenson
Treasure Island, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde


7. J.R.R Tolkien

Tolkien’s stories are well-known legendary blockbuster movies that were produced by Peter Jackson. Be prepared for rich and warm tales of sacrifice, endurance, perseverance, and truth. The Lord of the Rings trilogy will exceed your wildest, highest expectations and remain popular as long as civilization stands. It is a fantastic adventure classic and linguistically charged fantasy narrative. J.R.R. Tolkien was a devout Christian, and his stories are infused with Christian imagery. Be prepared for a journey – a long, transformative journey that there will never be a full return from. This journey will mark both you, the reader and the characters, leaving you both changed. For a reader interested in fantasy, we cannot recommend enough that your immersive yourself into the world of Middle Earth


Top Books By J.R.R Tolkien
The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King


I hope you found your next great read to sink your teeth into! If you are interested in more books like these, check out our list of Top Contemporary Authors that Don’t Use Profanity and Top Classic American Authors That Don’t Use Profanity

Categories: Fiction Books

1 Comment

To or Mik · November 26, 2021 at 2:44 pm

I just put ‘And then there were none’ down because GD is used. Additionally I had the same experience with a Tale of Two Cities some time ago. Who is determining that these are clean books?

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