Gimme Five

One of the great things about working in the library is that you are constantly exposed to new things, you are always learning. Just today I came across a comment from an astute EPL patron on our library website which alerted me to a great new online resource for book recommendations. The website is called Five Books and each day features a different writer or expert recommending five books on a particular subject matter in which said writer is particularly well versed. So, for instance, Calvin Trillin recommends memoirs, Sophie Kinsella recommends chick lit, and Alison Weir recommends historical fiction. And unlike many book recommendation sites, you don’t just get a brief, pat listing of titles, but instead are treated to fascinating, in depth interviews with these learned experts expounding on their choices and why they chose them. The site is also handily organized so that you can browse the archives of lists by either subject matter or by region of the world you are interested in reading about. Just browsing over the site a bit this morning I’ve already come across a whole list of great new books to read, including several written by the experts themselves (thanks to informative biographies of the contributors and a helpful links feature directing users to their books). So if you’re looking for good book recommendations or are just an unapologetic list-junkie, check out Five Books. But users beware, your “To Read” list is about to get much longer. Thanks to EPL patron David G. for the tip!