The present perfect is the most difficult tense to understand in English, in my opinion. Sometimes it can be used interchangeably with the simple past with no distinguishable difference in meaning. Other times, there is a clear difference in meaning. In your example, there is no significant difference in meaning between the two sentences. In general, the present perfect is used when the past event is still relevant to the present moment. So #1 is relevant to the coversation we're having. #2 is just a statement of fact of a finished event in the past. Here's where there there is a clear difference in meaning: I lived in Germany for two years. (I don't live there anymore.) I have lived in Germany for two years. (I still live there.) It may be easier to understand a potential difference in your example if I put it in question form. Have you ever read that book? (at any time in your life) Did you ever read that book? (finish the task) As you can see, the difference in this case is negligible.