Books recommended by Bill Gates

Oct 13, 2024

Bill Gates

Bill Gates is a business magnate, software developer, and philanthropist who co-founded Microsoft, the world’s largest software company. He is widely recognized as one of the most successful entrepreneurs of our time, with a net worth estimated to be over $200 billion.

Gates is not only known for his business acumen, but also for his philanthropic efforts, particularly through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which he co-founded with his wife. The foundation has donated billions of dollars to charitable causes around the world, with a focus on global health, education, and poverty alleviation.

Bill Gates is an avid reader and has a strong passion for learning. He has a website, Gates Notes, where he shares his thoughts on books, articles, and other topics that interest him. Here are some quick notes on his book recommendation styles:

Diverse Interests

Gates’ book recommendations span a wide range of topics, including science, history, business, and fiction.
He is particularly interested in books that explore the intersection of technology, society, and humanity.

In-Depth Analysis

Gates is known for his in-depth analysis of the books he reads.
He often writes lengthy reviews on his website, highlighting key takeaways and insights from the books.

Author Interviews

Gates frequently interviews authors on his website, providing readers with a deeper understanding of the book and its themes.
These interviews offer a unique perspective on the book and its author.

Personal Recommendations

Gates often recommends books that have had a personal impact on him, whether it’s changed his perspective on a particular issue or helped him understand a complex topic.
He is not afraid to share his own opinions and biases, making his recommendations feel more personal and relatable.

Focus on Learning

Gates’ book recommendations are often focused on learning and self-improvement.
He believes that reading is an essential part of personal growth and development.

Thinking, Fast and Slow: (by Daniel Kahneman). Recommended by Bill Gates , Bryan Johnson , Derek Sivers , Ev Williams , Jason Fried , Marc Andreessen , Naval Ravikant , Ray Dalio , Ron Conway , Sam Altman , Scott Adams , Stewart Brand , Nassim Taleb , Sahil Lavingia , Mark Manson , Jay Shetty , Michiko Kakutani , Preston Pysh
Open: An Autobiography (by Andre Agassi). Recommended by Bill Gates , Dave Elitch , Mark Zuckerberg , Shaun White , Tim Ferriss
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (by Carol S. Dweck). Recommended by Bill Gates , Dustin Moskovitz , Ev Williams , Josh Waitzkin , Kathryn Minshew , Satya Nadella , Tobi Lütke , Tony Robbins , Mark Manson , Tom Bilyeu
Measure What Matters: How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs (by John Doerr). Recommended by Bill Gates , Dustin Moskovitz , Jim Collins , Larry Page , Reid Hoffman , Walter Isaacson , Sheryl Sandberg , Marty Cagan
The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined (by Steven Pinker). Recommended by A.J. Jacobs , Ben Silbermann , Bill Gates , Chris Anderson , Eric Schmidt , Jack Kornfield , John Arnold , Lex Fridman , Mark Zuckerberg , Stewart Brand , Anthony Pompliano , Mark Manson , Penn Jillette
Principles: Life and Work (by Ray Dalio). Recommended by Arianna Huffington , Bill Gates , Bryan Johnson , Diddy , Doug McMillon , Drew Houston , Dustin Moskovitz , Gary Vaynerchuk , Howard Marks , Jack Dorsey , Kevin Systrom , Lex Fridman , Marc Benioff , Mark Cuban , Michael Bloomberg , Naval Ravikant , Reed Hastings , Tim Ferriss , Tony Robbins , Austen Allred , Patrick O’Shaughnessy , Tom Bilyeu , Marty Cagan , James Clear
The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail-but Some Don't (by Nate Silver). Recommended by Bill Gates , Jon Stewart , Kevin Systrom
Why We're Polarized: (by Ezra Klein). Recommended by Bill Gates , Julia Galef , Mark Zuckerberg
Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty (by Daron Acemoglu). Recommended by Bill Gates , Mark Zuckerberg
Energy: A Beginner's Guide (by Vaclav Smil). Recommended by Bill Gates , Mark Zuckerberg
Too Big to Fail: The Inside Story of How Wall Street and Washington Fought to Save the Financial System–and Themselves (by Andrew Ross Sorkin). Recommended by Bill Gates , Jon Stewart , Max Levchin , John Collison
Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think (by Peter Diamandis). Recommended by Bill Gates , Richard Branson , Steve Jurvetson , Michael Dell
On Immunity: An Inoculation (by Eula Biss). Recommended by Bill Gates , Mark Zuckerberg , Ryan Shea
When Breath Becomes Air: (by Paul Kalanithi). Recommended by Bill Gates , Melinda Gates , Anthony Pompliano , Patrick O’Shaughnessy , Tim Cook , Peter King , Shauna Niequist , James Clear
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer (by Siddhartha Mukherjee). Recommended by Bill Gates , Laura R Walker , Peter Attia , Cathie Wood
Reinventing Fire: Bold Business Solutions for the New Energy Era (by Amory Lovins). Recommended by Bill Gates , Ev Williams
Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World - and Why Things Are Better Than You Think (by Hans Rosling). Recommended by Barack Obama , Bill Gates , Howard Marks , Jordan Peterson , Melinda Gates
The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century (by Thomas L. Friedman). Recommended by Bill Gates , Fareed Zakaria , Jon Stewart , Jamie Dimon
The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World (by Daniel Yergin). Recommended by Bill Gates
Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words (by Randall Munroe). Recommended by Bill Gates , Naval Ravikant
Energy Transitions: Global and National Perspectives (by Vaclav Smil). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Heart: A Novel (by Maylis de Kerangal). Recommended by Bill Gates
Turtles All the Way Down: (by John Green). Recommended by Bill Gates
Capitalism without Capital: The Rise of the Intangible Economy (by Jonathan Haskel). Recommended by Bill Gates
Mendeleyev's Dream: The Quest for the Elements (by Paul Strathern). Recommended by Bill Gates
Enriching the Earth: Fritz Haber, Carl Bosch, and the Transformation of World Food Production (by Vaclav Smil). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves (by Matt Ridley). Recommended by Bill Gates , Bill Gurley , John Arnold , Jordan Peterson , Marc Andreessen , Mark Zuckerberg , Mr. Money Mustache , Naval Ravikant , Nick Szabo , Anthony Pompliano , Rupert Murdoch
Polio: An American Story (by David M. Oshinsky). Recommended by Bill Gates
Smallpox: The Death of a Disease (by D.A. Henderson). Recommended by Bill Gates
Sustainable Materials: Without the Hot Air (by Julian M. Allwood). Recommended by Bill Gates
Class Warfare: Inside the Fight to Fix America's Schools (by Steven Brill). Recommended by Bill Gates
For the Love of Physics: From the End of the Rainbow to the Edge Of Time - A Journey Through the Wonders of Physics (by Walter Lewin). Recommended by Bill Gates
How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking (by Jordan Ellenberg). Recommended by Bill Gates , Keith Rabois , Nick Ganju
Dad Is Fat: (by Jim Gaffigan). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Lincoln Highway: A Novel (by Amor Towles). Recommended by Bill Gates
Priorities in Health: (by Dean T. Jamison). Recommended by Bill Gates
Unlocking Energy Innovation: How America Can Build a Low-Cost, Low-Carbon Energy System (by Richard K. Lester). Recommended by Bill Gates
This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly (by Carmen M. Reinhart). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Myth of the Strong Leader: Political Leadership in the Modern Age (by Archie Brown). Recommended by Bill Gates
Energies: An Illustrated Guide to the Biosphere and Civilization (by Vaclav Smil). Recommended by Bill Gates
Global Warming: The Complete Briefing (by John Theodore Houghton). Recommended by Bill Gates
13 Things That Don't Make Sense: The Most Baffling Scientific Mysteries of Our Time (by Michael Brooks). Recommended by Bill Gates
Broken Genius: The Rise and Fall of William Shockley, Creator of the Electronic Age (by Joel N. Shurkin). Recommended by Bill Gates
Energy and Civilization: A History (by Vaclav Smil). Recommended by Bill Gates
A Separate Peace: (by John Knowles). Recommended by Bill Gates
xkcd: volume 0 (by Randall Munroe). Recommended by Bill Gates
Titan II: A History of a Cold War Missile Program (by David Stumpf). Recommended by Bill Gates
Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food (by Pamela C. Ronald). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Art of Being Unreasonable: Lessons in Unconventional Thinking (by Eli Broad). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Idealist: Jeffrey Sachs and the Quest to End Poverty (by Nina Munk). Recommended by Bill Gates
House on Fire: The Fight to Eradicate Smallpox (by William H. Foege). Recommended by Bill Gates
The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for Our Time (by Jeffrey D. Sachs). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Great Escape: Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality (by Angus Deaton). Recommended by Bill Gates , Jordan Peterson
Reinventing American Health Care: How the Affordable Care Act will Improve our Terribly Complex, Blatantly Unjust, Outrageously Expensive, Grossly Inefficient, Error Prone System (by Ezekiel J. Emanuel). Recommended by Bill Gates
Global Catastrophes and Trends: The Next 50 Years (by Vaclav Smil). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Cat's Table: (by Michael Ondaatje). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Foundation: A Great American Secret; How Private Wealth is Changing the World (by Joel L. Fleishman). Recommended by Bill Gates
SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance (by Steven D. Levitt). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Grid: A Journey Through the Heart of Our Electrified World (by Phillip F. Schewe). Recommended by Bill Gates
Prime Movers of Globalization: The History and Impact of Diesel Engines and Gas Turbines (by Vaclav Smil). Recommended by Bill Gates
Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses (by Richard Arum). Recommended by Bill Gates
A World-Class Education: Learning from International Models of Excellence and Innovation (by Vivien Stewart). Recommended by Bill Gates
Educational Economics: Where Do School Funds Go? (by Marguerite Roza). Recommended by Bill Gates
Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story (by Bono). Recommended by Bill Gates
Creating the Twentieth Century: Technical Innovations of 1867-1914 and Their Lasting Impact (by Vaclav Smil). Recommended by Bill Gates
Harvesting the Biosphere: What We Have Taken from Nature (by Vaclav Smil). Recommended by Bill Gates
Life Is What You Make It: Find Your Own Path to Fulfillment (by Peter Buffett). Recommended by Bill Gates
Railroader: The Unfiltered Genius and Controversy of Four-Time CEO Hunter Harrison (by Howard Green). Recommended by Bill Gates
Vaccine: The Controversial Story of Medicine's Greatest Lifesaver (by Arthur Allen). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Power to Compete: An Economist and an Entrepreneur on Revitalizing Japan in the Global Economy (by Hiroshi Mikitani). Recommended by Bill Gates
Value-Added Measures in Education: What Every Educator Needs to Know (by Douglas N. Harris). Recommended by Bill Gates
Work Hard. Be Nice.: How Two Inspired Teachers Created the Most Promising Schools in America (by Jay Mathews). Recommended by Bill Gates
Nine Pints: A Journey Through the Mysterious, Miraculous World of Blood (by Rose George). Recommended by Bill Gates
Poor Numbers: How We Are Misled by African Development Statistics and What to Do about It (by Morten Jerven). Recommended by Bill Gates
Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved (by Kate Bowler). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Perfect Weapon: War, Sabotage, and Fear in the Cyber Age (by David E. Sanger). Recommended by Bill Gates
A Champion's Mind: Lessons from a Life in Tennis (by Pete Sampras). Recommended by Bill Gates
Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution–and How It Can Renew America (by Thomas L. Friedman). Recommended by Bill Gates
The New Science of Strong Materials: Or Why You Don't Fall through the Floor (by J.E. Gordon). Recommended by Bill Gates
Sustainable Energy: Without the Hot Air (by David JC MacKay). Recommended by Bill Gates
The City That Became Safe: New York's Lessons for Urban Crime and Its Control (by Franklin E. Zimring). Recommended by Bill Gates
Money Well Spent: A Strategic Plan for Smart Philanthropy (by Paul Brest). Recommended by Bill Gates
These Truths: A History of the United States (by Jill Lepore). Recommended by Bill Gates
The World Until Yesterday: What Can We Learn from Traditional Societies? (by Jared Diamond). Recommended by Bill Gates
Health Care Will Not Reform Itself: A User's Guide to Refocusing and Reforming American Health Care (by George C. Halvorson). Recommended by Bill Gates
Jim Grant: UNICEF Visionary (by Peter Adamson). Recommended by Bill Gates
Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment (by Francis Fukuyama). Recommended by Bill Gates
Energy Myths and Realities: Bringing Science to the Energy Policy Debate (by Vaclav Smil). Recommended by Bill Gates
Being Nixon: A Man Divided (by Evan Thomas). Recommended by Bill Gates
A Promised Land: (by Barack Obama). Recommended by Bill Gates
Unlocking the Gates: How and Why Leading Universities Are Opening Up Access to Their Courses (by Taylor Walsh). Recommended by Bill Gates
Should We Eat Meat?: Evolution and Consequences of Modern Carnivory (by Vaclav Smil). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir (by Thi Bui). Recommended by Bill Gates
Who's Teaching Your Children?: Why the Teacher Crisis Is Worse Than You Think and What Can Be Done About It (by Vivian Troen). Recommended by Bill Gates
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men: (by David Foster Wallace). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Earth's Biosphere: Evolution, Dynamics, and Change (by Vaclav Smil). Recommended by Bill Gates
Beyond Smoke and Mirrors: Mexican Immigration in an Era of Economic Integration (by Douglas S. Massey). Recommended by Bill Gates
Epic Measures: One Doctor. Seven Billion Patients. (by Jeremy N. Smith). Recommended by Bill Gates
Big History: From the Big Bang to the Present (by Cynthia Stokes Brown). Recommended by Bill Gates
Change.edu: Rebooting for the New Talent Economy (by Andrew S Rosen). Recommended by Bill Gates
Prepared: What Kids Need for a Fulfilled Life (by Diane Tavenner). Recommended by Bill Gates
Liberating Learning: Technology, Politics, and the Future of American Education (by Terry M. Moe). Recommended by Bill Gates
Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty (by Abhijit V. Banerjee). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done About It (by Paul Collier). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Hair of the Dog: And Other Scientific Surprises (by Karl Sabbagh). Recommended by Bill Gates
Give Smart: Philanthropy that Gets Results (by Thomas J. Tierney). Recommended by Bill Gates
Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened (by Allie Brosh). Recommended by Bill Gates
Upheaval: Turning Points for Nations in Crisis (by Jared Diamond). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914 (by David McCullough). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Man Who Fed the World: (by Leon Hesser). Recommended by Bill Gates
Dirt and Disease: Polio Before FDR (by Naomi Rogers). Recommended by Bill Gates
How to Spend $50 Billion to Make the World a Better Place: (by Bjørn Lomborg). Recommended by Bill Gates
Origin Story: A Big History of Everything (by David Christian). Recommended by Bill Gates
Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking (by Nathan Myhrvold). Recommended by Bill Gates
In FED We Trust: Ben Bernanke's War on the Great Panic (by David Wessel). Recommended by Bill Gates
That Used to Be Us: How America Fell Behind in the World It Invented and How We Can Come Back (by Thomas L. Friedman). Recommended by Bill Gates
Energy at the Crossroads: Global Perspectives and Uncertainties (by Vaclav Smil). Recommended by Bill Gates
Growth: From Microorganisms to Megacities (by Vaclav Smil). Recommended by Bill Gates
Limits to Growth: The 30-Year Update (by Donella H. Meadows). Recommended by Bill Gates
Army of None: Autonomous Weapons and the Future of War (by Paul Scharre). Recommended by Bill Gates
Getting Better: Why Global Development Is Succeeding–And How We Can Improve the World Even More (by Charles Kenny). Recommended by Bill Gates
Making the Modern World: Materials and Dematerialization (by Vaclav Smil). Recommended by Bill Gates
Science Business: The Promise, the Reality, and the Future of Biotech (by Gary P. Pisano). Recommended by Bill Gates
Presidents of War: The Epic Story, from 1807 to Modern Times (by Michael Beschloss). Recommended by Bill Gates
Why America Is Not a New Rome: (by Vaclav Smil). Recommended by Bill Gates
Stretching the School Dollar: How Schools and Districts Can Save Money While Serving Students Best (by Frederick M. Hess). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Making of a Tropical Disease: A Short History of Malaria (by Randall M. Packard). Recommended by Bill Gates
I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life (by Ed Yong). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Magic of Reality: (by Richard Dawkins). Recommended by Bill Gates
World on the Edge: How to Prevent Environmental and Economic Collapse (by Lester R. Brown). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Rosie Project: Don Tillman, Book 1 (by Graeme Simsion). Recommended by Bill Gates
Why Does College Cost So Much?: (by Robert B. Archibald). Recommended by Bill Gates
One Billion Hungry: Can We Feed the World? (by Gordon Conway). Recommended by Bill Gates
Six Days of the Condor: Condor, Book 1 (by James Grady). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Rosie Effect: Don Tillman, Book 2 (by Graeme Simsion). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Man Who Stayed Behind: (by Sidney Rittenberg). Recommended by Bill Gates
Believe Me: A Memoir of Love, Death, and Jazz Chickens (by Eddie Izzard). Recommended by Bill Gates
Global Health: An Introductory Textbook (by Ann Lindstrand). Recommended by Bill Gates
Beyond the Crash: Overcoming the First Crisis of Globalization (by Gordon Brown). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness: How Mindfulness Can Change Your Life in Ten Minutes a Day (by Andy Puddicombe). Recommended by Bill Gates
How the World Really Works: The Science Behind How We Got Here and Where We're Going (by Vaclav Smil). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Cost of Hope: A Memoir (by Amanda Bennett). Recommended by Bill Gates
Frank Stewart's Bridge Club: (by Frank Stewart). Recommended by Bill Gates
The Bet: (by Paul Sabin). Recommended by Bill Gates
Eradication: Ridding the World of Diseases Forever? (by Nancy Leys Stepan). Recommended by Bill Gates
Tools and Weapons: The Promise and the Peril of the Digital Age (by Brad Smith). Recommended by Bill Gates , Reed Hastings , Satya Nadella , Walter Isaacson
The Fever: How Malaria Has Ruled Humankind for 500,000 Years (by Sonia Shah). Recommended by Bill Gates
Tropical Infectious Diseases: Principles, Pathogens and Practice (by Richard L. Guerrant). Recommended by Bill Gates
Why Don't Students Like School?: A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom (by Daniel T. Willingham). Recommended by Bill Gates
Breath from Salt: A Deadly Genetic Disease, a New Era in Science, and the Patients and Families Who Changed Medicine Forever (by Bijal P. Trivedi). Recommended by Bill Gates
Leonardo da Vinci: (by Walter Isaacson). Recommended by Bill Gates , Mukesh Ambani , Austen Allred
Stranger in a Strange Land: (by Robert A. Heinlein). Recommended by Bill Gates , Elon Musk , Tim Ferriss , Sahil Lavingia
Interventions: A Life in War and Peace (by Kofi Annan). Recommended by Bill Gates
String Theory: David Foster Wallace on Tennis (by David Foster Wallace). Recommended by Ben Shapiro , Bill Gates
Showing Up for Life: Thoughts on the Gifts of a Lifetime (by Bill Gates Sr.). Recommended by Bill Gates , Warren Buffett
The Overstory: A Novel (by Richard Powers). Recommended by Bill Gates , Emilia Clarke , Hugh Jackman , Mark Manson
The Future of Capitalism: Facing the New Anxieties (by Paul Collier). Recommended by Bill Gates , Vinod Khosla
Steve Jobs: (by Walter Isaacson). Recommended by Bill Gates , Chris Fussell , Ed Zschau , Elon Musk , Gary Vaynerchuk , George Raveling , Ray Dalio , Scott Adams , Scott Belsky
Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (by Max Tegmark). Recommended by Barack Obama , Bill Gates , Elon Musk , Keith Rabois , Lex Fridman , PewDiePie
Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood (by Trevor Noah). Recommended by Bill Gates , Melinda Gates , Hannah Hart
The Sympathizer: A Novel (by Viet Thanh Nguyen). Recommended by Bill Gates , Max Levchin
The Most Powerful Idea in the World: A Story of Steam, Industry, and Invention (by William Rosen). Recommended by Bill Gates , Nick Szabo
Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything (by Joshua Foer). Recommended by Bill Gates , Chelsea Handler , Sahil Lavingia
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City (by Matthew Desmond). Recommended by Barack Obama , Bill Gates
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History (by Elizabeth Kolbert). Recommended by Barack Obama , Bill Gates
21 Lessons for the 21st Century: (by Yuval Noah Harari). Recommended by Bill Gates , Fareed Zakaria , Jack Dorsey , Joe Rogan , Vinod Khosla
The Gene: An Intimate History (by Siddhartha Mukherjee). Recommended by Bill Gates , Bryan Johnson , John Legend , Reid Hoffman
Awakening Joy: 10 Steps That Will Put You on the Road to Real Happiness (by James Baraz). Recommended by Bill Gates , Melinda Gates
A Gentleman in Moscow: A Novel (by Amor Towles). Recommended by Barack Obama , Bill Gates , Brian Koppelman , Melinda Gates , Sarah Jessica Parker
Future Forward: Leadership Lessons from Patrick McGovern, the Visionary Who Circled the Globe and Built a Technology Media Empire (by Glenn Rifkin). Recommended by Bill Gates , Bob Metcalfe , Guy Kawasaki , Marc Benioff , Walter Isaacson
Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China: (by Ezra F. Vogel). Recommended by Bill Gates , Saagar Enjeti
Einstein: His Life and Universe (by Walter Isaacson). Recommended by Bill Gates , Charlie Munger , Ed Zschau , George Raveling , Mark Zuckerberg , Ray Dalio , Sam Altman , Scott Belsky
The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right (by Atul Gawande). Recommended by Bill Gates , Charles Poliquin , Jack Dorsey , Keith Rabois , Malcolm Gladwell , Michael McCullough , Ramit Sethi , Tim Ferriss , Vinod Khosla
How to Lie with Statistics: (by Darrell Huff). Recommended by Bill Gates , Neil deGrasse Tyson
The Post-American World: (by Fareed Zakaria). Recommended by Bill Gates , Mr. Money Mustache
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed (by Jared Diamond). Recommended by Bill Gates , Stewart Brand , Matthew Yglesias
Tap Dancing to Work: Warren Buffett on Practically Everything, 1966-2013 (by Carol J. Loomis). Recommended by Bill Gates , Mr. Money Mustache
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness (by Michelle Alexander). Recommended by Bill Gates , J. Cole , Mark Zuckerberg , Sunny Hostin
Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity (by Katherine Boo). Recommended by Bill Gates , Nick Thompson , Mark Manson
The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World (by Melinda Gates). Recommended by Barack Obama , Bill Gates , Brené Brown , Satya Nadella , Warren Buffett
A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety (by Jimmy Carter). Recommended by Bill Gates , Richard Branson
What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions (by Randall Munroe). Recommended by Astro Teller , Bill Gates
Stress Test: Reflections on Financial Crises (by Timothy F. Geithner). Recommended by Bill Gates , Mr. Money Mustache , Warren Buffett
Blueprint: The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society (by Nicholas A. Christakis). Recommended by Bill Gates , Eric Schmidt , Nassim Taleb
Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future (by Elizabeth Kolbert). Recommended by Bill Gates , Ezra Klein
Lincoln in the Bardo: A Novel (by George Saunders). Recommended by Bill Gates , Ezra Klein
Educated: A Memoir (by Tara Westover). Recommended by Barack Obama , Bill Gates , Kathryn Minshew , Michelle Obama , Melinda Gates , Shauna Niequist , Marty Cagan
An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science of the Immune System: A Tale in Four Lives (by Matt Richtel). Recommended by Bill Gates , Keith Rabois , Vinod Khosla
Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist (by Roger Lowenstein). Recommended by Bill Gates , Shane Parrish
The Ministry for the Future: A Novel (by Kim Stanley Robinson). Recommended by Bill Gates , Ezra Klein
The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism (by Doris Kearns Goodwin). Recommended by Arnold Schwarzenegger , Bill Gates
Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World (by David J. Epstein). Recommended by Bill Gates , Daniel Pink , Keith Rabois , Ryan Holiday , Vinod Khosla , Changpeng Zhao , Michael Mauboussin
The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company (by Robert Iger). Recommended by Alexis Ohanian , Bill Gates , Brené Brown , Brian Chesky , Jason Calacanis , Karlie Kloss , Michael Bloomberg , Tim Ferriss , Saagar Enjeti
The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger (by Marc Levinson). Recommended by Bill Gates , Jeff Dean , Tobi Lütke , Trung Phan
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz (by Erik Larson). Recommended by Arnold Schwarzenegger , Bill Gates , Keith Rabois
How Asia Works: (by Joe Studwell). Recommended by Bill Gates , Patrick Collison , Noah Smith
The Rise and Fall of American Growth: The U.S. Standard of Living since the Civil War (by Robert J. Gordon). Recommended by Bill Gates , Marc Andreessen , Patrick Collison , Satya Nadella , Stewart Butterfield
Business Adventures: Twelve Classic Tales from the World of Wall Street (by John Brooks). Recommended by Bill Gates , Patrick Collison , Warren Buffett , Michael Dell
Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World (by Tom Wright). Recommended by Alexis Ohanian , Bill Gates , Anthony Pompliano , Michael Mauboussin , Raoul Pal , Saagar Enjeti
Hit Refresh: The Quest to Rediscover Microsoft's Soul and Imagine a Better Future for Everyone (by Satya Nadella). Recommended by Bill Gates , Kishore Biyani
Poor Charlie's Almanack: The Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger (by Peter D. Kaufman). Recommended by Bill Gates , Daniel Ek , Drew Houston , Marc Andreessen , Naval Ravikant , Patrick Collison , Ramit Sethi , Tim Ferriss , Warren Buffett , Shane Parrish , Tai Lopez , Courtland Allen
Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World (by Mark Miodownik). Recommended by Bill Gates , Patrick Collison
The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power (by Daniel Yergin). Recommended by Bill Gates , Patrick O’Shaughnessy , Mohnish Pabrai , Trung Phan
The Vital Question: Energy, Evolution, and the Origins of Complex Life (by Nick Lane). Recommended by Bill Gates , Matt Ridley , Chamath Palihapitiya , David Friedberg
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams (by Matthew Walker). Recommended by Alexis Ohanian , Bill Gates , Bryan Johnson , Jason Fried , Keith Rabois , Vinod Khosla , Michael Mauboussin
The Power: (by Naomi Alderman). Recommended by Barack Obama , Bill Gates , Kathryn Minshew , Olivia Wilde
The Hunger Games: The Hunger Games, Book 1 (by Suzanne Collins). Recommended by Bill Gates , LeBron James
Blitzscaling: The Lightning-Fast Path to Building Massively Valuable Companies (by Reid Hoffman). Recommended by Bill Gates , Brian Chesky , Eric Schmidt , Sam Altman , Vinod Khosla , Anthony Pompliano , Changpeng Zhao , Sheryl Sandberg
The Great Gatsby: (by F. Scott Fitzgerald). Recommended by Bill Gates , Daniel Pink , Ev Williams , Neil deGrasse Tyson , Ryan Holiday , Ta-Nehisi Coates , Taylor Swift , Christopher Hitchens , Jim Carrey
An American Marriage: A Novel (by Tayari Jones). Recommended by Barack Obama , Bill Gates , Michelle Obama , Oprah Winfrey , Shauna Niequist
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup (by John Carreyrou). Recommended by Bill Gates , Bill Gurley , Andrew Wilkinson , Michael Mauboussin
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis (by J. D. Vance). Recommended by Ben Shapiro , Bill Gates , Bill Nye , Jason Calacanis , Max Levchin , Stewart Butterfield
The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War (by Ben Macintyre). Recommended by Bill Gates , Casey Neistat , Brian Dean
Seveneves: A Novel (by Neal Stephenson). Recommended by Adam Savage , Barack Obama , Bill Gates , Chris Young
Lights Out: Pride, Delusion, and the Fall of General Electric (by Thomas Gryta). Recommended by Bill Gates , Jeff Bezos , Andrew Wilkinson
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (by Yuval Noah Harari). Recommended by Ashton Kutcher , Bill Gates , Bill Gurley , Daniel Ek , Demis Hassabis , James Cameron , Joe Rogan , Karlie Kloss , Keith Rabois , Kishore Biyani , Lex Fridman , Mark Zuckerberg , Naval Ravikant , Peter Attia , Ray Dalio , Reid Hoffman , Richard Branson , Ryan Shea , Sam Kass , Sebastian Junger , Vinod Khosla , Whitney Cummings , PewDiePie , Melinda Gates , Anthony Pompliano , Changpeng Zhao , Patrick O’Shaughnessy , Chris Evans , Mark Manson , Simon Mayo , Penn Jillette , James Clear
Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress (by Steven Pinker). Recommended by A.J. Jacobs , Bill Gates , Jordan Peterson , Sam Harris , Yuval Noah Harari , David Deutsch , David Friedberg , Michael Mauboussin , Richard Dawkins
Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation (by Steven Johnson). Recommended by Bill Gates , Jason Silva , Tony Hsieh , Sam Hinkie
The Road to Character: (by David Brooks). Recommended by Bill Gates , Howard Schultz , Tai Lopez
Becoming Steve Jobs: The Evolution of a Reckless Upstart into a Visionary Leader (by Brent Schlender). Recommended by Bill Gates , Brian Armstrong , Ed Catmull , Jack Dorsey , Jim Collins , Keith Rabois , Marc Andreessen , Peter Attia
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln (by Doris Kearns Goodwin). Recommended by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , Bill Gates , J.K. Rowling , Scott Belsky , Stewart Butterfield , Jamie Dimon , Sunny Hostin
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress: (by Robert A. Heinlein). Recommended by Bill Gates , Christopher Sommer , Elon Musk , John Carmack , Paul Graham , Ryan Shea
Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike (by Phil Knight). Recommended by Alexis Ohanian , Bill Gates , Bill Gurley , Brian Armstrong , Jason Calacanis , Kathryn Minshew , Ryan Shea , Tobi Lütke , Vlad Tenev , Warren Buffett , Anthony Pompliano , Austen Allred , Patrick O’Shaughnessy , Tim Cook , Trung Phan , Blake Randall
The Black Swan: Incerto, Book 2 (by Nassim Taleb). Recommended by Art De Vany , Bill Gates , Edward Norton , Ev Williams , James Altucher , Jeff Bezos , Nick Kokonas , Ryan Shea , Pavel Durov
The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance (by W. Timothy Gallwey). Recommended by Bill Gates , Dave Elitch , Patrick Collison , Ryan Shea
Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School (by John Medina). Recommended by Bill Gates , James Altucher
Capital in the Twenty-First Century: (by Thomas Piketty). Recommended by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , Bill Gates , Peter Thiel , Carl Icahn
The Catcher in the Rye: (by J.D. Salinger). Recommended by Bill Gates , Ev Williams , Gretchen Rubin , Jennifer Lawrence , Larry King , Tim Draper , Kathie Lee Gifford , Sarah Jessica Parker
Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (by Yuval Noah Harari). Recommended by Bill Gates , Naval Ravikant , Richard Branson , Vinod Khosla , Raoul Pal , Mark Manson , Tai Lopez , Penn Jillette
Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World (by Tracy Kidder). Recommended by Bill Gates , Donald Knuth , Jeff Dean , Rainn Wilson , Richard Branson , Patrick O’Shaughnessy
Only the Paranoid Survive: How to Exploit the Crisis Points That Challenge Every Company (by Andrew S. Grove). Recommended by Ben Horowitz , Bill Gates , Charlie Munger , Marc Andreessen , Steve Jobs , Vinod Khosla , Balaji Srinivasan , Jamie Dimon
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies (by Jared Diamond). Recommended by Bill Gates , Charlie Munger , Daniel Ek , Jesse Williams , Joe Rogan , Patrick Arnold , Simon Sinek , Stewart Brand , Jamie Dimon , Mark Manson , Margaret Atwood , James Clear
Play Nice But Win: A CEO's Journey from Founder to Leader (by Michael Dell). Recommended by Bill Gates , Eric Schmidt , Howard Schultz , Malcolm Gladwell , Marc Andreessen , Marc Benioff , Ray Dalio , Richard Branson , Satya Nadella , Walter Isaacson , Matthew McConaughey , Adam Grant , Jamie Dimon , Sheryl Sandberg
Outliers: The Story of Success (by Malcolm Gladwell). Recommended by Bill Gates , Charlie Munger , DJ Vlad , Dwayne Johnson , James Altucher , Joe Rogan , Shaun White , Will Smith , Jay-Z , Carlos Slim