books recommended by Bill Gates

Bill Gates is an American business magnate, software developer, investor, and philanthropist. He is best known as the co-founder of Microsoft Corporation.

Bill Gates is an American business magnate, software developer, investor, and philanthropist. He is best known as the co-founder of Microsoft Corporation.

venture capitalist

books recommended by Bill Gates

Sapiens

Sapiens

Yuval Noah Harari

Principles

Principles

Ray Dalio

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Thinking, Fast and Slow

Daniel Kahneman

Shoe Dog

Shoe Dog

Phil Knight

Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs

Walter Isaacson

The Black Swan

The Black Swan

Nassim Nicholas Taleb

"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"

"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!"

Richard P. Feynman

Outliers

Outliers

Malcolm Gladwell

Mindset

Mindset

Carol S. Dweck

Poor Charlie's Almanack

Poor Charlie's Almanack

Charlie Munger

Range

Range

David Epstein

The Ride of a Lifetime

The Ride of a Lifetime

Robert Iger

Loonshots

Loonshots

Safi Bahcall

The Three-Body Problem

The Three-Body Problem

Cixin Liu

How to Change Your Mind

How to Change Your Mind

Michael Pollan

When Breath Becomes Air

When Breath Becomes Air

Paul Kalanithi

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Guns, Germs, and Steel

Guns, Germs, and Steel

Jared Diamond

The Catcher in the Rye

The Catcher in the Rye

J.D. Salinger

The Checklist Manifesto

The Checklist Manifesto

Atul Gawande

Homo Deus

Homo Deus

Yuval Noah Harari

Project Hail Mary

Project Hail Mary

Andy Weir

Why We Sleep

Why We Sleep

Matthew Walker

Measure What Matters

Measure What Matters

John Doerr

Blitzscaling

Blitzscaling

Reid Hoffman

The Martian

The Martian

Andy Weir

Factfulness

Factfulness

Hans Rosling

Einstein

Einstein

Walter Isaacson

The Better Angels of Our Nature

The Better Angels of Our Nature

Steven Pinker

Play Nice But Win

Play Nice But Win

Michael Dell

The Rational Optimist

The Rational Optimist

Matt Ridley

Moonwalking with Einstein

Moonwalking with Einstein

Joshua Foer

Enlightenment Now

Enlightenment Now

Steven Pinker

Bad Blood

Bad Blood

John Carreyrou

21 Lessons for the 21st Century

21 Lessons for the 21st Century

Yuval Noah Harari

Evicted

Evicted

Matthew Desmond

Becoming Steve Jobs

Becoming Steve Jobs

Brent Schlender

Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci

Walter Isaacson

How to Lie with Statistics

How to Lie with Statistics

Darrell Huff

Billion Dollar Whale

Billion Dollar Whale

Tom Wright & Bradley Hope

Educated

Educated

Tara Westover

Open

Open

Andre Agassi

Behave

Behave

Robert M. Sapolsky

The Moment of Lift

The Moment of Lift

Melinda Gates

Team of Rivals

Team of Rivals

Doris Kearns Goodwin

The Gene

The Gene

Siddhartha Mukherjee

Cloud Atlas

Cloud Atlas

David Mitchell

Buffett

Buffett

Roger Lowenstein

The Inner Game of Tennis

The Inner Game of Tennis

W. Timothy Gallwey

The Road to Character

The Road to Character

David Brooks

Abundance

Abundance

Peter Diamandis

Life 3.0

Life 3.0

Max Tegmark

Where Good Ideas Come From

Where Good Ideas Come From

Steven Johnson

Tools and Weapons

Tools and Weapons

Brad Smith

The World Is Flat

The World Is Flat

Thomas L. Friedman

Hillbilly Elegy

Hillbilly Elegy

J.D. Vance

The Emperor of All Maladies

The Emperor of All Maladies

Siddhartha Mukherjee

Seveneves

Seveneves

Neal Stephenson

Stranger in a Strange Land

Stranger in a Strange Land

Robert A. Heinlein

Born a Crime

Born a Crime

Trevor Noah

Business Adventures

Business Adventures

John Brooks

The Book of Why

The Book of Why

Judea Pearl & Dana Mackenzie

Too Big to Fail

Too Big to Fail

Andrew Ross Sorkin

Why We're Polarized

Why We're Polarized

Ezra Klein

A Gentleman in Moscow

A Gentleman in Moscow

Amor Towles

The Prize

The Prize

Daniel Yergin

How Not to Be Wrong

How Not to Be Wrong

Jordan Ellenberg

Leadership

Leadership

Doris Kearns Goodwin

Capital in the Twenty-First Century

Capital in the Twenty-First Century

Thomas Piketty

The New Jim Crow

The New Jim Crow

Michelle Alexander

Mountains Beyond Mountains

Mountains Beyond Mountains

Tracy Kidder

Numbers Don't Lie

Numbers Don't Lie

Vaclav Smil

Behind the Beautiful Forevers

Behind the Beautiful Forevers

Katherine Boo

The Splendid and the Vile

The Splendid and the Vile

Erik Larson

Destined for War

Destined for War

Graham Allison

Thing Explainer

Thing Explainer

Randall Munroe

The Diary of a Young Girl

The Diary of a Young Girl

Anne Frank

Stuff Matters

Stuff Matters

Mark Miodownik

The Signal and the Noise

The Signal and the Noise

Nate Silver

The Rise and Fall of American Growth

The Rise and Fall of American Growth

Robert J. Gordon

The Box

The Box

Marc Levinson

Stress Test

Stress Test

Timothy F. Geithner

The Sixth Extinction

The Sixth Extinction

Elizabeth Kolbert

The Spy and the Traitor

The Spy and the Traitor

Ben Macintyre

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games

Suzanne Collins

The Bully Pulpit

The Bully Pulpit

Doris Kearns Goodwin

Why Nations Fail

Why Nations Fail

Daron Acemoğlu & James A. Robinson

The Code Breaker

The Code Breaker

Walter Isaacson

The Ministry for the Future

The Ministry for the Future

Kim Stanley Robinson

Lincoln in the Bardo

Lincoln in the Bardo

George Saunders

Energy

Energy

Vaclav Smil

Interventions

Interventions

Kofi Annan

SuperFreakonomics

SuperFreakonomics

Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner

How Asia Works

How Asia Works

Joe Studwell

Blueprint

Blueprint

Nicholas A. Christakis

From the Ground Up

From the Ground Up

Howard Schultz

Reinventing American Health Care

Reinventing American Health Care

Ezekiel J. Emanuel

The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Vol. III

The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Vol. III

Richard P. Feynman

The Great Influenza

The Great Influenza

John M. Barry

A Full Life

A Full Life

Jimmy Carter

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The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Vol. I

The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Vol. I

Richard P. Feynman

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What If?

What If?

Randall Munroe

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The Most Powerful Idea in the World

The Most Powerful Idea in the World

William Rosen

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Big History

Big History

Cynthia Stokes Brown

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The Future of Capitalism

The Future of Capitalism

Paul Collier

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Energy and Civilization

Energy and Civilization

Vaclav Smil

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The Rosie Project

The Rosie Project

Graeme Simsion

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String Theory

String Theory

David Foster Wallace

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Brain Rules

Brain Rules

John Medina

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Plagues and the Paradox of Progress

Plagues and the Paradox of Progress

Thomas J. Bollyky

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The Great Escape

The Great Escape

Angus Deaton

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On Immunity

On Immunity

Eula Biss

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Awakening Joy

Awakening Joy

James Baraz

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The Sympathizer

The Sympathizer

Viet Thanh Nguyen

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Hot, Flat, and Crowded

Hot, Flat, and Crowded

Thomas L. Friedman

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Klara and the Sun

Klara and the Sun

Kazuo Ishiguro

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Hacking Darwin

Hacking Darwin

Jamie Metzl

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This Time Is Different

This Time Is Different

Carmen M. Reinhart & Kenneth S. Rogoff

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Hit Refresh

Hit Refresh

Satya Nadella

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The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Vol. II

The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Vol. II

Richard P. Feynman

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Collapse

Jared Diamond

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These Truths

These Truths

Jill Lepore

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Life Is What You Make It

Life Is What You Make It

Peter Buffett

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Hamnet

Hamnet

Maggie O'Farrell

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Reinventing Fire

Reinventing Fire

Amory Lovins

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Mendeleyev's Dream: The Quest for the Elements

Mendeleyev's Dream: The Quest for the Elements

Paul Strathern

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Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story

Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story

Bono

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How the World Really Works

How the World Really Works

Vaclav Smil

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The Lincoln Highway

The Lincoln Highway

Amor Towles

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The Power

The Power

Naomi Alderman

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Why Don't Students Like School?

Why Don't Students Like School?

Daniel T. Willingham

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Tap Dancing to Work

Tap Dancing to Work

Carol J. Loomis

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Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China

Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China

Ezra F. Vogel

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Beyond the Crash

Beyond the Crash

Gordon Brown

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The Hair of the Dog

The Hair of the Dog

Karl Sabbagh

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The Heart

The Heart

Maylis de Kerangal

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Getting Better

Getting Better

Charles Kenny

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Railroader

Railroader

Howard Green

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Global Health

Global Health

Ann Lindstrand

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Academically Adrift

Academically Adrift

Richard Arum

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The Art of Being Unreasonable

The Art of Being Unreasonable

Eli Broad

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Presidents of War

Presidents of War

Michael Beschloss

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Prepared

Prepared

Diane Tavenner

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Why Does College Cost So Much?

Why Does College Cost So Much?

Robert B. Archibald

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Sustainable Energy

Sustainable Energy

David J.C. Mackay

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Capitalism Without Capital

Capitalism Without Capital

Jonathan Haskel

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How To

How To

Randall Munroe

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Dad Is Fat

Dad Is Fat

Jim Gaffigan

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Upheaval

Upheaval

Jared Diamond

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The Idealist

The Idealist

Nina Munk

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One Billion Hungry

One Billion Hungry

Gordon Conway

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The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness

The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness

Andy Puddicombe

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Value-Added Measures in Education

Value-Added Measures in Education

Douglas N. Harris

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Perception and Misperception in International Politics

Perception and Misperception in International Politics

Robert Jervis

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Stretching the School Dollar

Stretching the School Dollar

Frederick M. Hess

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Why America Is Not a New Rome

Why America Is Not a New Rome

Vaclav Smil

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Smallpox

Smallpox

D.A. Henderson

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Breath from Salt

Breath from Salt

Bijal P. Trivedi

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The End of Poverty

The End of Poverty

Jeffrey D. Sachs

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The City That Became Safe

The City That Became Safe

Franklin E. Zimring

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In FED We Trust

In FED We Trust

David Wessel

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The Man Who Stayed Behind

The Man Who Stayed Behind

Sidney Rittenberg

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The Quest

The Quest

Daniel Yergin

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The Path Between the Seas

The Path Between the Seas

David McCullough

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Class Warfare

Class Warfare

Steven Brill

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Vaccine

Vaccine

Arthur Allen

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The Bet

The Bet

Paul Sabin

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House on Fire

House on Fire

William H. Foege

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Priorities in Health

Priorities in Health

Dean T. Jamison

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Work Hard. Be Nice.

Work Hard. Be Nice.

Jay Mathews

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Army of None

Army of None

Paul Scharre

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A World-Class Education

A World-Class Education

Vivien Stewart

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The Cost of Hope

The Cost of Hope

Amanda Bennett

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Broken Genius

Broken Genius

Joel N. Shurkin

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The Magic of Reality

The Magic of Reality

Richard Dawkins

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The Choice

The Choice

Dr. Edith Eva Eger

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Enriching the Earth

Enriching the Earth

Vaclav Smil

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Identity

Identity

Francis Fukuyama

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The Best We Could Do

The Best We Could Do

Thi Bui

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A Thousand Brains: A New Theory of Intelligence

A Thousand Brains: A New Theory of Intelligence

Jeff Hawkins

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Poor Economics

Poor Economics

Abhijit V. Banerjee & Esther Duflo

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The New Science of Strong Materials

The New Science of Strong Materials

J.E. Gordon

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Polio

Polio

David M. Oshinsky

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Brief Interviews with Hideous Men

Brief Interviews with Hideous Men

David Foster Wallace

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The Fever

The Fever

Sonia Shah

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Believe Me

Believe Me

Eddie Izzard

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Late to the Ball

Late to the Ball

Gerald Marzorati

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Educational Economics

Educational Economics

Marguerite Roza

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The Cat's Table

The Cat's Table

Michael Ondaatje

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I Contain Multitudes

I Contain Multitudes

Ed Yong

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Nine Pints

Nine Pints

Rose George

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Poor Numbers

Poor Numbers

Morten Jerven

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Energy Myths and Realities

Energy Myths and Realities

Vaclav Smil

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Being Nixon

Being Nixon

Evan Thomas

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Change.edu

Change.edu

Andrew S. Rosen

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Modernist Cuisine

Modernist Cuisine

Nathan Myhrvold

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A Champion's Mind

A Champion's Mind

Pete Sampras

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xkcd

xkcd

Randall Munroe

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Frank Stewart's Bridge Club

Frank Stewart's Bridge Club

Frank Stewart

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Dirt and Disease

Dirt and Disease

Naomi Rogers

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Give Smart

Give Smart

Thomas J. Tierney

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The Friend

The Friend

Sigrid Nunez

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That Used to Be Us

That Used to Be Us

Thomas L. Friedman & Michael Mandelbaum

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Unlocking Energy Innovation

Unlocking Energy Innovation

Richard K. Lester

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The Making of a Tropical Disease

The Making of a Tropical Disease

Randall M. Packard

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Creating the Twentieth Century

Creating the Twentieth Century

Vaclav Smil

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The Limits to Growth

The Limits to Growth

Donella H. Meadows et al.

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The Foundation

The Foundation

Joel L. Fleishman

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Liberating Learning

Liberating Learning

Terry M. Moe

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Hyperbole and a Half

Hyperbole and a Half

Allie Brosh

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Sustainable Materials

Sustainable Materials

Julian M. Allwood

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The Grid

The Grid

Phillip F. Schewe

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Global Catastrophes and Trends

Global Catastrophes and Trends

Vaclav Smil

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Good Economics for Hard Times

Good Economics for Hard Times

Abhijit V. Banerjee & Esther Duflo

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Turtles All the Way Down

Turtles All the Way Down

John Green

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Six Days of the Condor

Six Days of the Condor

James Grady

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The Vital Question

The Vital Question

Nick Lane

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Making the Modern World

Making the Modern World

Vaclav Smil

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The Rosie Effect

The Rosie Effect

Graeme Simsion

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A Separate Peace

A Separate Peace

John Knowles

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Who's Teaching Your Children?

Who's Teaching Your Children?

Vivian Troen

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Tomorrow's Table

Tomorrow's Table

Pamela C. Ronald

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Unlocking the Gates

Unlocking the Gates

Taylor Walsh

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Epic Measures

Epic Measures

Jeremy N. Smith

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Should We Eat Meat?

Should We Eat Meat?

Vaclav Smil

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Prime Movers of Globalization

Prime Movers of Globalization

Vaclav Smil

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Growth

Growth

Vaclav Smil

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Eradication

Eradication

Nancy Leys Stepan

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The World Until Yesterday

The World Until Yesterday

Jared Diamond

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The Myth of the Strong Leader

The Myth of the Strong Leader

Archie Brown

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How to Spend $50 Billion to Make the World a Better Place

How to Spend $50 Billion to Make the World a Better Place

Bjørn Lomborg

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Outbreak Culture

Outbreak Culture

Pardis Sabeti

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Health Care Will Not Reform Itself

Health Care Will Not Reform Itself

George C. Halvorson

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The Perfect Weapon

The Perfect Weapon

David E. Sanger

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Energy at the Crossroads

Energy at the Crossroads

Vaclav Smil

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Money Well Spent

Money Well Spent

Paul Brest & Hal Harvey

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Jim Grant

Jim Grant

Peter Adamson

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The Mosquito

The Mosquito

Timothy C. Winegard

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Energies

Energies

Vaclav Smil

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Harvesting the Biosphere

Harvesting the Biosphere

Vaclav Smil

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For the Love of Physics

For the Love of Physics

Walter Lewin

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Global Warming

Global Warming

John Theodore Houghton

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Science Business

Science Business

Gary P. Pisano

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Everything Happens for a Reason

Everything Happens for a Reason

Kate Bowler

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The Power to Compete

The Power to Compete

Hiroshi Mikitani & Ryoichi Mikitani

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13 Things That Don't Make Sense

13 Things That Don't Make Sense

Michael Brooks

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The Man Who Fed the World

The Man Who Fed the World

Leon Hesser

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Showing Up for Life

Showing Up for Life

Bill Gates Sr.

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Origin Story

Origin Story

David Christian

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Tropical Infectious Diseases

Tropical Infectious Diseases

Richard L. Guerrant

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The Post-American World

The Post-American World

Fareed Zakaria

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Beyond Smoke and Mirrors

Beyond Smoke and Mirrors

Douglas S. Massey

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Parenting With Love and Logic

Parenting With Love and Logic

Foster Cline

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Titan II

Titan II

David Stumpf

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Energy Transitions

Energy Transitions

Vaclav Smil

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World on the Edge

World on the Edge

Lester R. Brown

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The Earth's Biosphere

The Earth's Biosphere

Vaclav Smil

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Books written by Bill Gates

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How to Avoid a Climate Disaster

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster

Bill Gates

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Reading is still the main way that I both learn new things and test my understanding.

Bill Gates

FAQs

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Did Bill Gates recommend all these books?

This book list has Bill Gates's must-read recommendations, it can also be comprised of mentions, suggestions or social media posts.

How do you know Bill Gates mentioned these books?

Every suggestion made by Bill Gates is validated by our editors either via reaching out to the featured person, their social media or mentions from interviews.

Did Bill Gates actually create this list?

A few of our lists have been created by the featured person. The rest are either crowdsourced or created by the Good Books staff.

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Explore our book lists

Best Environment Books

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster by Bill Gates

The Overstory by Richard Powers

The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells

Best Books For Men

The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson

Best Fiction Books

Best Cryptocurrency Books

Mastering Bitcoin: Programming the Open Blockchain by Andreas Antonopoulos

The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking by Saifedean Ammous

Bitcoin Billionaires by Ben Mezrich

Best Mental Health Books

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma Book by Bessel van der Kolk

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone Book by Lori Gottlieb

First, We Make the Beast Beautiful: A New Story about Anxiety Book by Sarah Wilson

Books Billionaires Read

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Bill Gates's book recommendations

Sapiens

Principles

Thinking, Fast and Slow

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