They say that being well read is the key to success, so reading like the richest man in the world has to be a great idea, right? On his blog, Bill Gates has published his summer reading list and if you fancy reading like a billionaire, this eclectic list may have something for you!
Maybe unsurprisingly many of the books relate to science or maths, but Gates says he just chose them from his favourites, that there is no rhyme or reason behind the list, it’s just the books he’s loved.
So here are five books to read this summer, by Bill Gates.
Seveneves – Neal Stephenson
Gates says this is his first science fiction novel for a decade, and it’s a quick starter with the plot getting going in the first sentence. Although Bill Gates enjoyed all the technical details, you may not. A lot of space research has gone into this.
How Not to Be Wrong – Jordan Ellenberg
It doesn’t surprise me that Bill Gates is a big non-fiction reader. Here Ellenburg, mathematician and writer explains how maths plays into our daily lives without us even knowing it. Chapter by chapter the author takes major events from humanity and ties them into the maths involved. The maths is quite complicated, but it makes the point that we’re using mathematics all the time, even if we don’t realise it.
The Vital Question – Nick Lane
In the Vital Question, Nick Lane is trying to right a scientific wrong by getting people to fully understand the role that energy plays in all living things. The original thinking writer goes on to explain energy in relation to cancer and malnutrition and an understanding of where we come from.
The Power to Compete – Ryoichi Mikitani and Hiroshi Mikitani
Bill Gates confesses to a soft spot for Japan, and both Japan and this book should be of interest to anyone who follows global economics. This father and son collaboration between Rhyoichi and Hiroshi, founder of Rakuten is a fascinating read.
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind – Noah Yuval Harari
Bill Gates says both he and his wife read this one and it led to lots of dinner table conversations. Can you sum up the human race in 400 pages? Harari certainly has a good go, and this is recommended to anyone who’s interest in the history of our species.
All of the books on the list can be found on Bill Gates’ blog where you can also watch some videos with the authors, the main 5 books for summer video is below.
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