Many of our most popular resources last year were blogs and podcasts designed to help book-lovers find new titles and authors of interests. Of these resources, Five Books stood out from the pack. We were impressed by the sheer breadth of this resource, which provides book recommendations for genres ranging from contemporary fiction to philosophy, to neuroscience, to children's picture books. In addition, we love Five Books because of the sheer number of voices it brings to the table through interviews with a broad range of writers, scholars, and other experts. Finally, this blog is easy (and delightful) to browse, allowing readers to explore books by subject tags like baking & desserts, personality, and childhood favorites.
What are the five best books to read if you want to learn more about Henry VIII? Which five books exemplify the best of comic writing? What about the five best contemporary Scandinavian novels? Five Books has a simple premise: "We ask experts to recommend the best five books in their subject and explain their selection in an interview." The project is based in London and features a U.S. editor; thus, most (but not all) interview participants hail from these countries. Interviewees include authors, academics, entertainers, and public intellectuals. New interviews are released twice a week. Visitors can check out the latest and most recent interviews on the site's homepage and browse previous interviews by subject tags. While those looking for a new read or hoping to brush up on a particular subject or genre may be most attracted to the lists on this page, the interviews also offer an opportunity for readers to learn more about a variety of writers and thinkers.
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