diff --git a/lib/decentralised_book_index/metadata/author.ex b/lib/decentralised_book_index/metadata/author.ex
index dc40677..0c7fa35 100644
--- a/lib/decentralised_book_index/metadata/author.ex
+++ b/lib/decentralised_book_index/metadata/author.ex
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ defmodule DecentralisedBookIndex.Metadata.Author do
   require Ash.Query
   alias DecentralisedBookIndex.Metadata
 
+  @brief_description_length 20
+  @brief_description_max_length @brief_description_length + 3
+
   json_api do
     type "author"
   end
@@ -241,4 +244,16 @@ defmodule DecentralisedBookIndex.Metadata.Author do
 
     has_many :author_role, Metadata.AuthorRole
   end
+
+  calculations do
+    calculate :brief_description,
+              :string,
+              expr(
+                if(string_length(description) <= @brief_description_max_length) do
+                  description
+                else
+                  fragment("substr(?, 1, ?)", description, @brief_description_length) <> "..."
+                end
+              )
+  end
 end
diff --git a/lib/decentralised_book_index/metadata/book.ex b/lib/decentralised_book_index/metadata/book.ex
index ad72b07..2ca0014 100644
--- a/lib/decentralised_book_index/metadata/book.ex
+++ b/lib/decentralised_book_index/metadata/book.ex
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ defmodule DecentralisedBookIndex.Metadata.Book do
   require Ash.Query
   alias DecentralisedBookIndex.Metadata
 
+  @brief_description_length 20
+  @brief_description_max_length @brief_description_length + 3
+
   json_api do
     type "book"
   end
@@ -366,4 +369,16 @@ defmodule DecentralisedBookIndex.Metadata.Book do
       public? true
     end
   end
+
+  calculations do
+    calculate :brief_description,
+              :string,
+              expr(
+                if(string_length(description) <= @brief_description_max_length) do
+                  description
+                else
+                  fragment("substr(?, 1, ?)", description, @brief_description_length) <> "..."
+                end
+              )
+  end
 end
diff --git a/lib/decentralised_book_index_web/live/author_live/index.ex b/lib/decentralised_book_index_web/live/author_live/index.ex
index 1cdddf2..34487d2 100644
--- a/lib/decentralised_book_index_web/live/author_live/index.ex
+++ b/lib/decentralised_book_index_web/live/author_live/index.ex
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ defmodule DecentralisedBookIndexWeb.AuthorLive.Index do
     page =
       Metadata.search_author!(
         search_query,
+        load: [:brief_description],
         query: [sort_input: sort_by],
         page: page_params ++ [count: true],
         actor: socket.assigns.current_user
diff --git a/lib/decentralised_book_index_web/live/book_live/index.ex b/lib/decentralised_book_index_web/live/book_live/index.ex
index fe8297f..d97dc23 100644
--- a/lib/decentralised_book_index_web/live/book_live/index.ex
+++ b/lib/decentralised_book_index_web/live/book_live/index.ex
@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@ defmodule DecentralisedBookIndexWeb.BookLive.Index do
       "title" ->
         Metadata.search_book!(
           search_query,
+          load: [:brief_description],
           query: [sort_input: sort_by],
           page: page_params ++ [count: true],
           actor: actor
@@ -198,6 +199,7 @@ defmodule DecentralisedBookIndexWeb.BookLive.Index do
         Metadata.search_book_by_bid!(
           type,
           search_query,
+          load: [:brief_description],
           query: [sort_input: sort_by],
           page: page_params ++ [count: true],
           actor: actor
diff --git a/test/decentralised_book_index/metadata/author_test.exs b/test/decentralised_book_index/metadata/author_test.exs
index 55d7410..7ce58ad 100644
--- a/test/decentralised_book_index/metadata/author_test.exs
+++ b/test/decentralised_book_index/metadata/author_test.exs
@@ -128,4 +128,21 @@ defmodule DecentralisedBookIndex.Metadata.AuthorTest do
       assert author.avatar_url == avatar_url
     end
   end
+
+  describe "calculate a brief description" do
+    test "a short description is already enough" do
+      description = "Amazing!"
+      assert description == Ash.calculate!(Metadata.Author, :brief_description,
+                                           refs: %{description: description})
+    end
+
+    test "a long description is too much" do
+      description = "Etiam laoreet quam sed arcu. Donec at pede. Pellentesque tristique imperdiet tortor."
+      brief = "Etiam laoreet quam s..."
+
+      assert String.length(brief) == 23
+      assert brief == Ash.calculate!(Metadata.Author, :brief_description,
+                                     refs: %{description: description})
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/test/decentralised_book_index/metadata/book_test.exs b/test/decentralised_book_index/metadata/book_test.exs
index 6a57c1d..26037e0 100644
--- a/test/decentralised_book_index/metadata/book_test.exs
+++ b/test/decentralised_book_index/metadata/book_test.exs
@@ -273,4 +273,21 @@ defmodule DecentralisedBookIndex.Metadata.BookTest do
       assert book.cover_image_url == cover_image_url
     end
   end
+
+  describe "calculate a brief description" do
+    test "a short description is already enough" do
+      description = "Amazing!"
+      assert description == Ash.calculate!(Metadata.Book, :brief_description,
+                                           refs: %{description: description})
+    end
+
+    test "a long description is too much" do
+      description = "Etiam laoreet quam sed arcu. Donec at pede. Pellentesque tristique imperdiet tortor."
+      brief = "Etiam laoreet quam s..."
+
+      assert String.length(brief) == 23
+      assert brief == Ash.calculate!(Metadata.Book, :brief_description,
+                                     refs: %{description: description})
+    end
+  end
 end