Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft Corporation, is one of the most influential tech entrepreneurs and philanthropists of our time. Born in 1955 in Seattle, Washington, Gates demonstrated early interest and aptitude in computer programming, which led him to drop out of Harvard University to pursue his vision of personal computing for every household. Under his leadership, Microsoft became a dominant player in the tech industry, revolutionizing software development and accessibility with products like Windows and Office. Since stepping down from Microsoft, Gates has dedicated much of his vast fortune to global health, education, and climate change initiatives through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
❝Reading is still the main way that I both learn new things and test my understanding.❞ — Bill Gates
Gates is well-known for his dedication to reading and learning, often discussing books on his personal blog and sharing annual reading lists that span a range of topics from public health to climate change and political history. His avid reading habits are part of a broader commitment to lifelong learning and understanding complex global issues. Gates credits reading not only as a source of knowledge but also as a way to test his understanding and to challenge his assumptions. His reflective approach to reading emphasizes the importance of being informed and remaining curious about the world.
Bill Gates' Favorite Books
Last Updated: June 2024
Seveneves: A Novel
Author: Neal Stephenson
Publisher: William Morrow
Date: May 19th, 2015
Stephenson's science fiction epic begins with the moon exploding and mankind facing extinction, detailing humanity's desperate efforts to ensure survival by sending an ark of survivors into space, leading to unforeseen consequences thousands of years later.
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
Author: J. D. Vance
Publisher: Harper
Date: Jun 28th, 2016
Vance's memoir offers a probing look at the struggles of America's white working class through his personal story of growing up in a poor Appalachian family, highlighting the social, economic, and cultural pressures that affect this community.
Energy and Civilization: A History
Author: Vaclav Smil
Publisher: Mit Pr
Date: Dec 21st, 2024
Smil provides a comprehensive account of how energy transformations and consumption have shaped human history, from pre-agricultural times to the present industrial world, emphasizing the inextricable link between energy and the advancement of civilization.
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String Theory: David Foster Wallace on Tennis
Author: David Foster Wallace
Publisher: Library of America
Date: May 10th, 2016
This collection of essays showcases Wallace's deep affinity for tennis, where he combines his personal experience and professional insight to explore the beauty and complexity of the sport with his characteristic wit and intelligence.
Eradication: Ridding the World of Diseases Forever?
Author: Nancy Leys Stepan
Publisher: Cornell University Press
Date: Sep 29th, 2011
Stepan examines the historical and scientific pursuit of disease eradication, discussing the medical and ethical challenges of these programs, and questioning whether eradication is always a practical or humane policy.
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Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup
Author: John Carreyrou
Publisher: Vintage
Date: Jan 28th, 2020
This investigative account exposes the dramatic rise and scandalous fall of Theranos, the biotech startup headed by Elizabeth Holmes, who deceived investors and the public about a revolutionary blood-testing technology that never actually worked.
Business Adventures: Twelve Classic Tales from the World of Wall Street
Author: John Brooks
Publisher: Open Road Media
Date: Oct 7th, 2014
This collection of New Yorker essays by John Brooks provides insightful and engaging narratives about pivotal events and characters in American corporate history, making complex business situations accessible and entertaining.
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
Author: Michelle Alexander
Publisher: The New Press
Date: Jan 7th, 2020
Alexander argues that the War on Drugs has created a new racial underclass in America, as systemic racial discrimination in the criminal justice system has effectively disenfranchised millions of African Americans.
The Women: A Novel
Author: Kristin Hannah
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Date: Feb 6th, 2024
This novel by Kristin Hannah explores the lives and dynamics of several generations of women within a family, showcasing their struggles, strengths, and profound connections as they navigate various challenges through the decades.
The World Until Yesterday: What Can We Learn from Traditional Societies?
Author: Jared Diamond
Publisher: Viking
Date: Dec 31st, 2012
Diamond draws lessons from the lifestyles and experiences of traditional societies—covering conflict resolution, childcare, elder care, and food habits—to offer insights into how modern societies might address similar challenges.
Capital in the Twenty First Century
Author: Thomas Piketty
Publisher: Belknap Press: An Imprint of Harvard University Press
Date: Dec 21st, 2024
This influential book analyzes wealth concentration and distribution over the past 250 years and argues that the rate of capital return in developed countries is persistently greater than the rate of economic growth, leading to increasing inequality.
The Power to Compete: An Economist and an Entrepreneur on Revitalizing Japan in the Global Economy
Author: Hiroshi Mikitani
Publisher: Wiley
Date: Nov 10th, 2014
This dialogue between father and son, one an economist and the other an entrepreneur, explores the challenges facing Japan's economy and proposes innovative solutions to revive its global competitiveness.
The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company
Author: Robert Iger
Publisher: Random House
Date: Sep 23rd, 2019
Robert Iger shares the leadership insights and principles he gleaned during his tenure as CEO of Disney, detailing his pivotal decisions and the acquisitions that helped shape the future of the media and entertainment giant.
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Why Does College Cost So Much?
Author: Robert B. Archibald
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Date: Nov 17th, 2010
This book investigates the reasons behind the soaring costs of higher education in the U.S., analyzing factors like technological change, labor intensity, and governmental support, and dispelling some common myths about the sources of rising tuition.
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Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Author: Yuval Noah Harari
Publisher: Harper
Date: Feb 10th, 2015
Yuval Noah Harari provides a compelling overview of the history of our species from the emergence of ancient human tribes to the present day, exploring how biology and history have defined us.
Leonardo da Vinci
Author: Walter Isaacson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date: Oct 17th, 2017
Isaacson provides a detailed biography of Leonardo da Vinci, examining his extraordinary genius in art, science, and technology, driven by insatiable curiosity about the world and an unparalleled ability to observe and imagine.
The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir
Author: Thi Bui
Publisher: Abrams ComicArts
Date: Mar 7th, 2017
This graphic memoir recounts Thi Bui's journey as a Vietnamese refugee to the United States, exploring the complex themes of family, identity, and displacement while tracing her family's history through decades of tumultuous changes.
Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World--and Why Things Are Better Than You Think
Author: Hans Rosling
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Date: Apr 3rd, 2018
Rosling encourages a more fact-based world view by challenging common misconceptions and biases about global development, revealing data that shows how much the world has improved in terms of health, wealth, and education.
The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History
Author: John M. Barry
Publisher: Viking Adult
Date: Feb 9th, 2004
Barry provides a gripping narrative of the 1918 flu pandemic that killed millions around the world, detailing its origins, its global impact, and the scientific struggle to contain and understand the virus.
The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World
Author: Melinda French Gates
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Date: Apr 23rd, 2019
Melinda Gates offers compelling insights into how empowering women can lead to transformative improvements across societies worldwide.
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Moonwalking With Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything
Author: Joshua Foer
Publisher: Penguin Books
Date: Mar 3rd, 2011
Foer recounts his journey from journalist covering the U.S. Memory Championship to becoming a participant in the event, exploring the techniques of the contestants and the scientific foundations of human memory.
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Super Freakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance
Author: Steven D. Levitt
Publisher: William Morrow
Date: Oct 20th, 2009
A continuation of their first book, Levitt and Dubner use economic theories to explore counterintuitive hypotheses and offer unconventional analysis on various social, moral, and economic issues.
An American Marriage
Author: Tayari Jones
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Date: Feb 6th, 2018
Tayari Jones tells a poignant story of a newlywed African American couple whose lives are shattered when the husband is wrongly imprisoned, exploring themes of love, loyalty, race, and injustice.
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Nine Pints: A Journey Through the Money, Medicine, and Mysteries of Blood
Author: Rose George
Publisher: Metropolitan Books
Date: Oct 23rd, 2018
George delves into the vital, often surprising role blood plays in medicine, history, and business, exploring everything from revolutionary medical breakthroughs to the dark history of trade and exploitation.
The Rosie Project: A Novel
Author: Graeme Simsion
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date: Oct 1st, 2013
This charming and witty novel follows the socially awkward geneticist Don Tillman as he designs a scientific survey to find the perfect wife, only to have his best-laid plans upended by the spontaneous and unpredictable Rosie.
The Myth of the Strong Leader: Political Leadership in the Modern Age
Author: Archie Brown
Publisher: Basic Books
Date: Apr 8th, 2014
Brown challenges the widespread belief that strong, decisive leaders are the most successful and beneficial, using detailed political analysis to argue that collaborative and flexible leadership often results in more sustainable and democratic governance.
Prepared: What Kids Need for a Fulfilled Life
Author: Diane Tavenner
Publisher: Crown Currency
Date: Sep 17th, 2019
Diane Tavenner, founder of the successful Summit Public Schools, shares her educational philosophy and practical tools for parents to help children become self-motivated, competent, and resilient individuals prepared for success.
The Fever: How Malaria Has Ruled Humankind for 500,000 Years
Author: Sonia Shah
Publisher: Sarah Crichton Books
Date: Jul 6th, 2010
Shah explores the complex history of malaria, its impact on human civilization, and the ongoing efforts to control and eradicate a disease that continues to affect millions of people worldwide.
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City
Author: Matthew Desmond
Publisher: Crown
Date: Mar 1st, 2016
Through the lens of eight families in Milwaukee, Desmond provides a groundbreaking ethnographic study of poverty and economic exploitation in American cities, revealing the impact of eviction on the lives of the urban poor and its role in perpetuating systemic inequality.
When Breath Becomes Air
Author: Paul Kalanithi
Publisher: Random House
Date: Jan 12th, 2016
This poignant memoir follows the life of neurosurgeon Paul Kalanithi after being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, reflecting on his quest to understand the meaning of life when facing death.
Should We Eat Meat?: Evolution and Consequences of Modern Carnivory
Author: Vaclav Smil
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
Date: May 28th, 2013
Smil provides a comprehensive analysis of meat consumption across the globe, examining its history, the implications of meat production on health and the environment, and the ethical considerations of eating animals.
Educated: A Memoir
Author: Tara Westover
Publisher: Random House
Date: Feb 20th, 2018
This memoir recounts Westover's struggle to educate herself beyond her isolated and survivalist upbringing in Idaho, showcasing her journey from home-schooling without formal education to earning a PhD from Cambridge University.
The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail-But Some Don't
Author: Nate Silver
Publisher: Penguin Press
Date: Dec 21st, 2024
Silver examines the world of prediction, investigating a variety of fields including baseball, politics, and weather forecasting to explore why some predictions succeed and many others fail, emphasizing the importance of statistical and probabilistic thinking in increasing prediction accuracy.
The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism
Author: Doris Kearns Goodwin
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date: Nov 5th, 2013
Goodwin details the close friendship and subsequent political rivalry between Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft, set against the backdrop of the progressive era and the rise of investigative journalism.
The Idealist: Jeffrey Sachs and the Quest to End Poverty
Author: Nina Munk
Publisher: Doubleday
Date: Sep 10th, 2013
Munk provides a detailed, critical examination of economist Jeffrey Sachs's ambitious project to end global poverty through targeted investments in health, agriculture, and education in Africa, highlighting both the successes and significant challenges.
Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words
Author: Randall Munroe
Publisher: Dey Street Books
Date: Nov 24th, 2015
Randall Munroe uses line drawings and only the thousand most common English words to explain how various scientific and mechanical processes work.
Reinventing American Health Care: How the Affordable Care Act Will Improve Our Terribly Complex, Blatantly Unjust, Outrageously Expensive, Grossly Inefficient, Error Prone System
Author: Ezekiel J. Emanuel
Publisher: PublicAffairs
Date: Mar 4th, 2014
Emanuel provides an in-depth analysis of the U.S. health care system and the effects of the Affordable Care Act, offering insights into the future of health care reform in America.
Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World
Author: Mark Miodownik
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Date: May 27th, 2014
Miodownik delves into the fascinating world of materials science, revealing how everyday objects like paper, glass, and plastic are constructed and why they behave the way they do.
How Asia Works: Success and Failure in the World's Most Dynamic Region
Author: Joe Studwell
Publisher: Grove Press
Date: Jun 25th, 2013
Studwell analyzes the economic policies of Asian countries to determine why some nations, like Japan, South Korea, and China, have experienced spectacular growth, while others have lagged behind, highlighting strategies in agriculture, manufacturing, and finance that contribute to success.
Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True
Author: Richard Dawkins
Publisher: Bantam
Date: Dec 21st, 2024
Dawkins blends science with storytelling to explain how the world works, using vivid examples and thoughtful arguments to address myths and misconceptions about the universe.
Presidents of War: The Epic Story, from 1807 to Modern Times
Author: Michael Beschloss
Publisher: Crown
Date: Oct 9th, 2018
Beschloss provides a comprehensive historical analysis of American presidents who have led the nation through major wars, examining their leadership qualities, challenges, and the consequences of their wartime decisions.
