About Wider Reading
Wider Reading curates the great vintage academic textbooks by subject, compares second-hand prices across bookshops, and helps you plan your reading, wishlist and library.
How it works
Curated discovery
Textbooks chosen by hand for each subject, from first steps to mastery.
Price comparison
Search several second-hand bookshops and marketplaces at once and see the cheapest copies.
Wishlist
Keep the books you want and see when a copy is at its lowest price in months.
Basket
Plan a shop across sites: choose the copy you want of each book and see the total by shop.
Reading planner
Set a finish date or a number of pages a day, and keep a steady pace with a streak.
Library and stats
Catalogue your shelves and see them by subject, decade and author, and what they're worth.
More features coming soon
Accounts across devices, price alerts and recommendations from your own reading.
Questions
What is Wider Reading?
A guide to the great academic textbooks, old and new: reading lists chosen by hand for each subject, second-hand prices compared across shops, and tools to plan your reading and keep track of your books.
Do I need an account?
No. Browse as much as you like. The first time you save a book, a private guest account is made on this device, so your library and wishlist are kept. Accounts that work across devices are coming.
Where do the prices come from?
We search several second-hand bookshops and marketplaces and show the cheapest copies we find, with postage where the shop gives it. Prices are the last ones seen, so check the copy on the shop's page before you buy.
How are the books chosen?
Each one is picked for its quality and lasting value, with a note on why it's worth reading and which edition to look for. Reading paths show what to read first.
Do you sell books?
No. We link you to the shops, and you buy directly from them.
Is it free?
Yes, everything on the site is free to use.