An online course that reads one book from cover to cover over three to five weeks. Rather than delivering a summary or a commentary, the lecturer acts as a guide, supporting readers so they can get through the book themselves.
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One live session a week for three to five weeks. Because each week's reading range is set in advance, participants never have to decide how far to read on their own.
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The sessions accompany the reading. Prompts are designed so that participants who haven't finished a week's range can still join the conversation.
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Before and after each session, a course-specific discussion board keeps the exchange going. Participants answer the lecturer's prompts and encounter each other's readings.
As a guide to books, engaging with readers.
The goal is not to summarise or explain the book. Your role is to help readers read it, enjoy it, and think more deeply — through lectures and questions.
Live lectures via Zoom, on-demand lectures via recording. You choose the schedule and can teach from anywhere.
Readers from all backgrounds join — not just academics. Your knowledge and perspective can reach people outside the university world.
We guarantee a minimum fee for every lecture, regardless of how many participants join. Your preparation deserves to be properly rewarded.
Please review the following requirements before applying.
Currently enrolled in or have completed a doctoral programme. Postdoctoral researchers and those working outside academia after completing a PhD are also welcome.
At least one peer-reviewed publication in your area of expertise.
Live lectures are held via Zoom with your camera on. We ask that you are comfortable appearing on screen.
Experience teaching students or the general public — university seminars, adjunct faculty positions, or public lectures — is a plus, but not required.
Lecture books are not strictly limited to your area of specialisation. Many of our lecturers range across adjacent fields: a Kant scholar teaching utilitarianism, for example. What matters is that you bring genuine depth and a researcher's eye to the text.
As research outreach, as a place to build teaching experience, or simply as a chance to sit with one book again — lecturers make use of it in their own way.
Many who have taught with The Five Books tell us it offered value beyond just a side income.
Reading a book from beginning to end is unusual even in university settings. Some lecturers find it a chance to revisit a book they hadn't returned to in years; others discover ways of reading they hadn't considered, through the questions and perspectives of readers. It becomes a learning experience for the lecturer too.
Some use it as a way to bring their current research to general readers. Whether as an outreach opportunity, a space to build teaching experience, or something else entirely — we'd love for you to participate in whatever form fits you.
Numbers that have grown steadily since we launched in 2020.
We guarantee a minimum fee for every lecture, regardless of enrollment. This allows researchers to teach any book — well-known or highly specialist — without financial risk.
Example: 4-week course priced at ¥8,000 per participant
With 25 participants you earn ¥148,000. Your earnings increase in proportion to the number of participants.
Your earnings = 74% × (participants × course price), or the minimum fee — whichever is higher.We work alongside you from application to launch — typically two to three months from the first meeting.
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Submit your application
Apply through the form. We're happy to talk before you apply, too.
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First meeting
We walk you through how The Five Books works and the thinking behind the course design. This is also where we discuss the book you'd like to take on.
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Register as a lecturer
Add your profile and field of research to the site.
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Write the syllabus
Decide how many sessions the book takes, and what each session covers and aims for. We work through book selection and structure with you.
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Set up payouts with Stripe
Register the account your payment goes to. It takes a few minutes.
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Pre-course meetings (usually two)
We go through how to run the sessions, and how to build a space participants find easy to join.
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Post an introduction to the discussion board
Introduce yourself on the board before the course opens, to make first contact with participants.
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Upload your materials
Upload slides and supplementary materials for each session to the course page, where participants can download them.
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Run the sessions
Live sessions over Zoom. Recordings are provided to participants on demand.
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Post the reading prompts
After each session, post one or two prompts to the discussion board. Include at least one that participants can answer even if they haven't finished the week's reading.
Whether you'd like to discuss a book you want to teach, or simply have questions about The Five Books, we're happy to talk. Pre-application enquiries are very welcome.