Latest Book Recommendations

The best books on Longtermism, recommended by Will MacAskill

Will MacAskill

There is so much suffering in today's world it's hard to focus attention on future generations, but that's exactly what we should be doing, says Will MacAskill, a leader of the effective altruism movement. Here, he introduces books that contributed to his thinking about the long-term future and the "silent billions" who are not yet able to speak for themselves.

Recent Recommendations

David Greenberg

The best Richard Nixon books, recommended by Rutgers historian David Greenberg
“His supporters saw in him a wholesomeness that helped propel his success”
Jenny Bhatt

The Best South Asian Novels in Translation, recommended by writer and translator Jenny Bhatt
“South Asia has hundreds of languages, ‘mother tongues,’ and dialects”
 
Gwen Adshead

Books on the Psychology of Killing, recommended by forensic psychiatrist and bestselling author Gwen Adshead
“Once I began to spend time with people who had killed, I learned that killing is often highly contextual”

Most Popular Expert Interviews

Frank Wynne

The Best World Literature: The 2022 International Booker Prize Shortlist, recommended by translator Frank Wynne
“There’s a tendency to think of fiction in translation as some sort of cod liver oil, something ‘good for you’”
Elizabeth Laird

The Best Historical Fiction: The 2022 Walter Scott Prize Shortlist, recommended by Elizabeth Laird, one of the prize’s judges
“We’re finding now that many writers, some with long and distinguished careers behind them, are looking to the past for inspiration”
Massimo Pigliucci

Philosopher Massimo Pigliucci recommends the best books on Stoicism
"One of the most rewarding things that has happened to me since I started writing about it is the constant flow of testimonies to the fact that it really helps people"

Nietzsche expert Brian Leiter recommends the best Nietzsche books
“When he writes about suffering he’s not a tourist”
Michele Cobb

Michele Cobb, executive director of the Audio Publishers Association, talks us through the 2022 shortlist for ‘audiobook of the year’
“With audio, I’m more willing to give myself over to what the narrator’s doing”
Carole Hillenbrand

The best history books: the 2022 Wolfson Prize shortlist, recommended by Wolfson judge Carole Hillenbrand
“There is one book about God, one about Turkey, one about the United States, and then two about medieval England”
Brenna Hassett

The best books on Anthropology, recommended by biological anthropologist Brenna Hassett
“Very few people realize how interesting teeth are”
Noga Arikha

Books on Philosophy, Science and the Body, recommended by philosopher and historian of ideas Noga Arikha
“You really can’t understand humanity without understanding animals and their embodiment”
Jonathan Wolff

The best books on Political Philosophy, recommended by Jonathan Wolff

Most Recommended Books

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright
Plato's Republic
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
wealth of nations
Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
Dracula by Bram Stoker

Discover more books like the books you already love

Books like...
Stranger Things

Books like...
Where the Crawdads Sing

Books like...
Dune

Books like...
The Hunger Games

Books like...
The Song of Achilles

Books like...
Heartstopper

Recent Reader Lists

Our aim is to make Five Books the place to go to on the web for book recommendations, arranged by topic. Help us achieve our goal by making a reading list on a subject you know a lot about. These lists have been created by our readers using our new interactive tool. Browse them all, or make your own.

Top Books for Property Investors, recommended by Daisy Reynolds

Next Level Landlord: Join the top 5% and develop HMOs and co-living spaces where tenants stay and pa
by Matt Baker

The Complete Guide to Property Investment: How to survive & thrive in the new world of buy-to-let
by Rob Dix

UK Property Investment For Complete Beginners: A Real Estate Investment Case Study
by Andy Wen

Property Investment: The Essential Rules (Minack Chronicles)
by Samantha Collett

The Book on Rental Property Investing: How to Create Wealth With Intelligent Buy and Hold Real Estat
by Brandon Turner

Physics and Consciousness, recommended by Kristal James

Return to the Absolute: Bridging the gap between Physics and Consciousness
by Calvin McCoard

The Spiritual Implications of Quantum Physics: Reflections on the Nature of Science, Reality and Par
by Jeff Carreira

How to Change Your Universe: A practical guide to living the greatest life possible – in the great
by Jon Gabriel

Awaken to Your True Self: Why You're Still Stuck and How to Break Through
by Andrew Daniel

Destination New Earth: A Blueprint to 5D Consciousness
by Alex Marcoux, Donna Mazzitelli & Shauna Kalicki

Support Five Books

Five Books interviews are expensive to produce, please support us by .