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Dive into the literary world of Bill Gates, Former CEO of Microsoft.

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.

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Bill Gates' Favorite Books

Last Updated: June 2024

The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company

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.

The Bet: Paul Ehrlich, Julian Simon, and Our Gamble over Earth s Future

This book recounts the famous wager between biologist Paul Ehrlich, who predicted resource scarcity leading to societal collapse, and economist Julian Simon, who believed human ingenuity could overcome environmental limits, framing a larger debate about environmental policy and the future of our planet.

Making the Modern World: Materials and Dematerialization

Smil examines the material basis of modern civilization, discussing how the extraction and processing of materials have shaped industries and the environment, and explores the trends and necessities of dematerialization for sustainable future development.

Moonwalking With Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything

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.

Energy and Civilization: A History

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.

Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty

This book explores why some nations achieve economic success while others do not, attributing the differences to political and economic institutions that either spur growth or hinder it, rather than geography or culture.

Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education (and Why That's a Good Thing)

Salman Khan, founder of Khan Academy, discusses the potential of artificial intelligence to transform educational systems worldwide by personalizing learning and making high-quality education more accessible and effective.

Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow

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.

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

Carol Dweck's book explores the concept of "mindset," the idea that the way we think about our abilities and potential is crucial for success, advocating for a "growth mindset" over a "fixed mindset."

The Choice: Embrace the Possible

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.

The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger

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.

The Idealist: Jeffrey Sachs and the Quest to End Poverty

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.

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

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 Vital Question: Energy, Evolution, and the Origins of Complex Life

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.

Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation

Johnson examines the environments that foster innovation, using a wide array of examples from technology, biology, and urban planning to identify the common factors that contribute to creativity and breakthroughs.

These Truths: A History of the United States

Lepore offers a sweeping narrative of American history from 1492 to the present, weaving together political, technological, and cultural threads to explore the ideals and contradictions of the American experiment.

Believe Me: A Memoir of Love, Death, and Jazz Chickens

Izzard's memoir combines humor with reflection, detailing his multifaceted life as a comedian, actor, and marathon runner, while discussing his personal relationships, gender identity, and the pursuit of his dreams.

Poor Numbers: How We Are Misled by African Development Statistics and What to Do about It

Jerven critically examines the reliability of economic data in Sub-Saharan Africa, explaining how poor statistical methods have led to misguided policies, and proposes solutions to improve the accuracy and utility of economic statistics in the region.

Educated: A Memoir

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.

Lincoln in the Bardo: A Novel

Set during the American Civil War, Saunders' novel is an experimental narrative about Abraham Lincoln mourning the death of his young son, Willie, depicted through a chorus of voices from spirits inhabiting the graveyard where Willie is temporarily interred.

Upheaval: Turning Points for Nations in Crisis

Diamond examines how several countries have managed to overcome massive challenges like civil war, foreign threats, and general crisis by exploring their selective change, using psychological principles to analyze national responses and resilience.

Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World--and Why Things Are Better Than You Think

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.

Also recommended by:
Jordan Peterson

Turtles All the Way Down

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.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

In this memoir, Trevor Noah recounts his childhood and adolescence during apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa, focusing on his life as the mixed-race son of a black mother and a white father, which under apartheid was punishable by law.

Should We Eat Meat?: Evolution and Consequences of Modern Carnivory

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.

The Fever: How Malaria Has Ruled Humankind for 500,000 Years

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.

Infectious Generosity: The Ultimate Idea Worth Spreading

Anderson explores how acts of generosity can spread through communities and societies, transforming the way people interact and contribute to each other's lives, with a focus on creating a more altruistic society.

The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz

Larson presents a detailed chronicle of Winston Churchill's first year as Prime Minister during WWII, focusing on his leadership, the personal struggles of his family, and the resilience of the British people during the Blitz.

When Breath Becomes Air

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.

The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail-But Some Don't

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.

Also recommended by:
Jon Stewart

The Power to Compete: An Economist and an Entrepreneur on Revitalizing Japan in the Global Economy

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.