Persona 5 Guide: How to Read Books & Where to Get Them

In Persona 5 reading books is one of the many activities that you can do to increase stats like knowledge and guts.  The game will introduce you to reading on the subway, where you’ll read a magazine when getting the chance to sit down, but there are other times that you’ll have the chance to read.

First though, you need books and there are a couple of places to get them. The first place to get books to read, and this should be pretty logical, is at the school library.  Just go to the library, which is on the third floor of the school.  To check out a book, it must be a school day, and you must talk with the librarian who will give you a list of books that you can borrow and read.   In the Library there is a reading table.  If the table is open you can sit down and read there.

The second place that you can read is at your home, downstairs in Cafe Leblanc. Right near the entrance to cafe, next to the payphone there is a stack of books which you can pick up and read at the bar.  However, you’ll need to build your library of books to read and the easiest way to do this is by visiting the bookstore in Shibuya (Central Street) or borrowing from the school.  Any books that you have that you’ve bought or borrowed will show up here.  Selecting one will automatically begin the reading process.  You won’t finish the book in a single sitting. How many sittings it takes to read a book is shown by the number of tickets next to it in the menu.  You can pick up reading again when you have another opportunity, once you have completed a book you will gain knowledge points for doing so.

Another spot where you’ll be able to read is if you find a seat on the subway.  If you are in the middle of reading a book, you will automatically read it on your way to school on some rides.  This happens whether or not you are in the middle of reading a book, so be sure to start reading books at the shop then finish them on the train without wasting much time.

Having trouble with other areas in the game?  Check out some of our other guides for Persona 5.