Five Books has been a favourite reading discovery site of mine for a few years. Twice a week, an expert in a given field is asked to select five books on a related topic, and then explains that selection in an often-enlightening short interview.
I’ve never failed to come away from an interview with some new insights or a great book recommendation (or both). And if you’re new to the site, there’s almost 2,000 interviews in the backlog!
Want somewhere to start?
- The overview of all experts interviewed for Five Books is a big list, but a great place to find a topic or expert you already know and love as a jumping-off point.
- The most recommended books across all interviews might not give you any surprises at first (War and Peace, Middlemarch, Nineteen Eighty-Four), but after a short scroll, it becomes more interesting.
- Books like the ones you already love (books like other books) is another illuminating ‘meta section’ of the site, reminding me of another recent post I made: “If you like to play [computer game], then try [book]”.
- For the parents, there are plenty of interviews and recommendations. I’m currently reviewing the popular book series for kids section, which offers ideas for all ages.