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
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
Author: Matthew Walker PhD
Publisher: Scribner
Date: Oct 3rd, 2017
This book delves into the critical importance of sleep, presenting scientific research to demonstrate how sleep affects our ability to learn, function, and live healthier lives, while explaining the devastating consequences of sleep deprivation.
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.
Blueprint: The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society
Author: Nicholas A. Christakis MD PhD
Publisher: Little, Brown Spark
Date: Mar 26th, 2019
This book argues that despite the capacity for human brutality and selfishness, there is a stronger genetic blueprint for cooperation, compassion, and friendship, which Christakis explores through social and biological research.
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The Vital Question: Energy, Evolution, and the Origins of Complex Life
Author: Nick Lane
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Date: Jul 20th, 2015
Lane explores the pivotal role of energy in the evolution of life on Earth, proposing that the energy flow through cells is a fundamental driving force behind the complexity of life and offering new insights into the origins of life and evolution.
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 Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger
Author: Marc Levinson
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Date: Apr 5th, 2016
Levinson explores the revolutionary impact of the shipping container, detailing how its introduction transformed global trade and logistics, significantly boosting the global economy by streamlining processes and reducing transportation costs.
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.
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.
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.
Turtles All the Way Down
Author: John Green
Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
Date: Oct 10th, 2017
This novel follows sixteen-year-old Aza Holmes as she grapples with mental illness while investigating the disappearance of a billionaire, exploring themes of friendship, identity, and the challenges of everyday life.
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.
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Epic Measures: One Doctor. Seven Billion Patients.
Author: Jeremy N. Smith
Publisher: Harper Wave
Date: Apr 7th, 2015
Smith tells the story of Dr. Christopher Murray, who revolutionized global health data and policy by creating an unprecedented database that tracks the health outcomes and diseases of people worldwide, challenging old assumptions and shifting how resources are allocated in global health.
Cloud Atlas: A Novel
Author: David Mitchell
Publisher: Random House
Date: Nov 13th, 2008
An intricate tale where six interlinked narratives spanning different time periods and genres explore how individual actions and consequences ripple through time, ultimately influencing one another in profound ways.
I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life
Author: Ed Yong
Publisher: Ecco
Date: Aug 9th, 2016
Yong delves into the world of the microbiome, revealing how microbes influence health, behavior, and the complexity of life on Earth, reshaping our understanding of biology.
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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.
Being Nixon: A Man Divided
Author: Evan Thomas
Publisher: Random House
Date: Jun 16th, 2015
Thomas paints a complex portrait of Richard Nixon, focusing on his challenging presidency and personal insecurities, aiming to provide a balanced view of his achievements and the scandals that plagued his tenure.
Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike
Author: Phil Knight
Publisher: Scribner
Date: Apr 26th, 2016
This memoir provides an insider's glimpse into the founding and building of Nike, as Phil Knight recounts his journey from selling shoes out of his car trunk to running one of the most iconic and profitable global shoe brands.
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.
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.
Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow
Author: Yuval Noah Harari
Publisher: Harper
Date: Feb 21st, 2017
This thought-provoking book speculates on the future of mankind, discussing how ongoing technological and genetic advancements may fundamentally alter human life and even lead to the creation of a superhuman class.
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The Power to Compete: An Economist and an Entrepreneur on Revitalizing Japan in the Global Economy
Author: Hiroshi Mikitani
Publisher: Wiley
Date: Oct 20th, 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.
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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.
Harvesting the Biosphere: What We Have Taken from Nature
Author: Vaclav Smil
Publisher: The MIT Press
Date: Dec 21st, 2012
Smil quantifies the human impact on the biosphere, examining how much biomass we extract from the earth each year through farming, forestry, and other activities, and discussing the sustainability of these practices in the face of growing consumption.
The Choice: Embrace the Possible
Author: Dr. Edith Eva Eger
Publisher: Scribner
Date: Sep 5th, 2017
A powerful memoir by Holocaust survivor Edith Eger, who shares her experiences in Auschwitz and her journey of survival and transformation, offering profound insights into the resilience of the human spirit and the freedom that comes with making the choice to heal.
Stress Test: Reflections on Financial Crises
Author: Timothy F. Geithner
Publisher: Crown
Date: May 12th, 2014
Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner provides an insider's account of the 2008 financial crisis, detailing the decisions and strategies implemented to stabilize the financial system and prevent economic collapse.
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.
The Rise and Fall of American Growth: The U.S. Standard of Living since the Civil War
Author: Robert J. Gordon
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Date: Jan 12th, 2016
This comprehensive analysis examines the unparalleled economic growth in America from 1870 to 1970 and explores why this rapid growth was a unique episode unlikely to be repeated, assessing the challenges facing the U.S. economy today.
The Sympathizer
Author: Viet Thanh Nguyen
Publisher: Grove Press
Date: Apr 7th, 2015
This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel follows a conflicted spy of North Vietnamese descent during and after the Vietnam War, offering a profound exploration of identity, political conflict, and the experiences of Vietnamese immigrants.
The Road to Character
Author: David Brooks
Publisher: Random House
Date: Apr 14th, 2015
This book explores how some of the world's greatest thinkers and leaders have built strong inner character through the conquest of their own vices and the struggle against adversity, urging modern readers to focus more on developing virtues rather than personal success.
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How To Lie With Statistics
Author: Darrell Huff
Publisher: WW Norton
Date: Jan 22nd, 2025
This classic book exposes the many ways in which statistics can be used to deceive, providing examples and techniques to identify statistical manipulation, thereby fostering more critical reading of statistical data.
