Why us?
We've all seen those intimidating lists of "1001 books to read before you die", or "the 100 best books, as chosen by people who read 100 books a year".
That's not us. We think you should enjoy the books you read, wherever you are as a reader. This is a place for those of you who are looking to get into reading, back into reading, or just to find something new.
We've created lists with a difference. These are lists you can complete, that are ten books long, not hundreds. We've grouped them by genre or topic, so you can start from something you once read and liked, and find more like it.
Does that mean we don't have great books on the list? No. We're not hiding the classics, you'll find plenty of those here. But the lists aren’t meant to be comprehensive, they’re meant to help get you reading and reading more. Why these books?
All the books on our lists should be available from a good bookstore (and if you’re based near St. Albans, can we recommend Books On The Hill?). We try to make each list as varied as possible, so you'll find a mix of voices, old and new, award-winners and something a bit different, books in translation, and usually a non-fiction one in there if that floats your boat. The lists are meant to be accessible, whether you're new to a genre or an old hand looking for something different. But they're a starting point, not the full picture.
Take science fiction: over 400 books have been shortlisted for or won Best Novel at the Hugo Awards, the big prize for science fiction and fantasy, and hundreds more for the Hugos' other awards. We're recommending ten in SciFi, many of which weren’t even nominated. But they're ten you can use to find out whether you enjoy the genre, so you can carry on exploring elsewhere.
Do we think you should read every book on a list? No. Some will appeal to you and others won't. Do we think you should give a book a go, even if you're not sure about it? Yes. We've seen people love books they'd never otherwise have picked up.
But the point isn't to read everything because you can't. If you're currently reading three or four books a year and want to get that up to ten, we already have decades of books for you. The point is to get into reading and see where it takes you.
Keep track of your reading, if you want
Mark what you've read, what you're reading and what's next. Log your progress, keep a private reading journal, add your own books and set yourself a target for the year. See how it works.
Want to talk about it?
After all, what's the point of reading a great book if you can't share it? And if you hated it, why not talk about what you didn't like, or why you didn't finish it?
- We run regular events, in real life and online, each discussing a genre rather than a single book. See what's on →
- We can have a chat and put together a list just for you.
- We run short courses, four great books in eight weeks, to really kickstart your reading.
- And we can arrange private sessions, online or in person, so you can really talk about what you've just read: what you enjoyed and what you didn't.
Get in touch to ask about a list of your own, a course or a private session.
We hope this can become a small part of your reading life.