We all know about Bill Gates and his love for books. So, today, we are here with the Top 20 Books recommended by Bill Gates. Let’s start one by one, in alphabetical order.
#1 A Thousand Brains by Jeff Hawkins
About the Book:
Title: A Thousand brains: A New Theory of Intelligence
Author: Jeff Hawkins
Genre: Science, Non-Fiction, Psychology
Publisher: Basic Books
Pages: 288
Goodreads rating: 4.1/5
Jeff Hawkins, a neuroscientist, explains the theory of intelligence, the brain’s structure, and the future of AI (Artificial Intelligence). Jeff and his Team discovered that the brain uses maplike frames to build a model of the world, not just one model, but hundreds of thousands of models of everything we know. This discovery allows Hawkins to answer essential questions about how we perceive the world, why we have a sense of self, and the origin of high-level thought.
Bill Gates’ Opinion:
“I’d call it a modest progress in suggesting the structure of the brain. Anyone who is interested in the brain, this is a state-of-the-art book.”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift A Thousand Brains, click on the below link:
#2 Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
About the Book:
Title: Educated: A Memoir
Author: Tara Westover
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Random House
Pages: 352
Goodreads rating: 4.4/5
Tara Westover was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her “head-for-the-hills bag”. Her father forbade hospitals, so Tara never saw a doctor or nurse. Gashes and concussions, even burns from explosions, were all treated at home with herbalism. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education and no one to intervene when one of Tara’s older brothers became violent. But then, Tara began to educate herself. She taught herself enough mathematics and grammar to be admitted to Brigham Young University, where she studied history. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her across continents, to Harvard, and to Cambridge. Educated is an account of the struggle for self-invention.
Bill Gates’ Opinion:
“I thought I was pretty good at teaching myself—until I read [this book]. Her ability to learn on her own blows mine right out of the water.”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift Educated: A Memoir, click on the below link:
#3 Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell
About the Book:
Title: Hamnet
Author: Maggie O’Farrell
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Tinder Press
Pages: 384
Goodreads Rating: 4.3
Warwickshire in the 1580s. Agnes is a woman as feared as she is sought after for her unusual gifts. She settles with her husband in Henley Street, Stratford, and has three children: a daughter, Susanna, and then twins, Hamnet and Judith. The boy, Hamnet, dies in 1596, aged eleven. Four years or so later, the husband writes a play called Hamlet. The little-known story behind Shakespeare’s most enigmatic play, Hamnet, is a luminous portrait of a marriage and the loss of a beloved child. An incredible book from the books recommended by Bill Gates.
Bill Gates’ Opinion :
“I Recommend it. It’s a very good story. It’s very touching”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift Hamnet by Maggie, click on the below link:
#4 How Not to Be Wrong by Jordan Ellenberg
About the Book:
Title: How Not to Be Wrong
Author: Jordan Ellenberg
Genre: Mathematics/Psychology/Self-Help
Publisher: Penguin Books
Pages: 480
Goodreads Rating: 3.9
The whole world always misunderstands mathematics. Jordan Ellenberg breaks the misconceptions about math with this book, ” How Not to Be Wrong.” Presenting the unexpected revelations, Ellenberg brings maths closer to our daily lives. This powerful book turns the way one looks at mathematics, opening up to mathematical thinking to see the hidden structure beneath the surface. Calculations have played an essential role in the books recommended by Bill Gates. Indeed, this book is a goldmine for understanding the world more profoundly.
Bill Gates’ Opinion:
“On the surface it’s about math, but it’s really about how much math plays into our daily lives without our even knowing it.”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift How Not to Be Wrong, click on the below link:
#5 Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh
About the Book:
Title: Hyperbole and a Half
Author: Allie Brosh
Genre: Humor, Mental health
Publisher: Gallery Books
Pages: 371
Goodreads rating: 4.1/5
Hyperbole and a Half is funny and makes one laugh with tears. Allie comes up with this smartly illustrated painting humor featuring “The God of Cake,” “Dogs Don’t Understand Basic Concepts Like Moving,” “Adventures in Depression,” and “Depression Part Two.” It is a funny, honest read from the recommended books of Bill Gates and a compilation of stories published in her blog and new contents.”
Bill Gates’ Opinion About this Book:
“You will rip through it in three hours, tops. But you’ll wish it went on longer, because it’s funny and smart as hell.”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift Hyperbole and a Half, click on the below link:
#6 Klara and The Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
About the Book:
Title: Klara and the Sun
Author: Kazuo Ishiguro
Genre: Science Fiction
Publisher: Faber and Faber
Pages: 307
Goodreads rating: 3.8/5
From her place in the store, Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational quality, carefully watches the behavior of those who come into bowse,d of those who pass on the street outside. Observations are a trait found in the books recommended by Bill Gates. She remains hopeful that a customer will soon choose her. Still, when the possibility emerges that her circumstances may change forever, Klara is warned not to invest too much in the promises of humans.
Bill Gates’ Opinion About this Book
”Very clever. This book will make you think.”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift Klara and The Sun, click on the below link:
#7 Life Is What You Make It by Peter Buffett
About the Book:
Title: Life Is What You Make It
Author: Peter Buffett
Genre: Psychology/Self-Help/Memoir
Publisher: Crown Archetype
Pages: 272
Goodreads Rating: 3.7
Peter Buffet comes with this book Life Is What You Make It, reflecting the values he inherited from his parents and many others. Being Billionaire’s son, he considers the natural inheritance he has is the philosophy/values of his parents. This inspirational book explores his path of self-discovery, finding his way, passion, etc. In addition, this book offers wisdom for career and life paths—a must-read memoir of composer, musician, and philanthropist to inspire oneself.
Bill Gates’ Opinion About this Book
“Peter Buffett writes about the values he absorbed growing up as one of three children of Warren Buffett and the late Susan Buffett.”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift Life Is What You Make It click on the below link:
#8 Numbers Don’t Lie by Vaclav Smil
About the Book:
Title: Numbers Don’t Lie: 71 Things You Need to Know About the World
Author: Vaclav Smil
Genre: Non-fiction, Science
Publisher: Viking
Pages: 384
Goodreads rating: 3.9/5
Packed with ‘Well-I-never-knew-that’ information and fascinating and unusual examples throughout, we determine how many people it took to build the Great Pyramid, that vaccination yields the best return on investment, and why electric cars aren’t as great as we think (yet). There’s a beautiful mix of science, history, and wit, all in bite-sized chapters on various topics. Numbers Don’t Lie readers to interrogate what they take to be true in these significant times.
Bill Gates’ Opinion About this Book:
”This is the most information ever put in a book, and yet probably the most digestable”
Bill Gates
To buy/, gift Numbers Don’t Lie, click on the below link:
#9 Project Hail Mary by Andy Wier
About the Book:
Title: Project Hail Mary
Author: Andy Weir
Genre: Science fiction
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Pages: 496
Goodreads rating: 4.5/5
Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and Earth itself will perish. His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, he realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an incomprehensible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species. Scientific mysteries are an exciting part of the books recommended by Bill Gates. And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone. Or does he?
Bill Gates’ Opinion About this Book:
”It’s very clever. Fun for anyone who likes science fiction”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift Project Hail Mary, click on the below link :
#10 Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
About the Book:
Title: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Author: Yuval Noah Harari
Genre: Nonfiction
Publisher: Harper
Pages: 443
Goodreads rating: 4.5/5
In Sapiens, Dr. Yuval Noah Harari spans the whole of human history, from the very first humans to walk the earth to the radical – and sometimes devastating – breakthroughs of the Cognitive, Agricultural and Scientific Revolutions. Drawing on insights from biology, anthropology, paleontology, and economics, he explores how the currents of history have shaped our human societies, the animals and plants around us, and even our personalities. Have we become happier as history has unfolded? Can we ever free our behavior from the heritage of our ancestors? And what, if anything, can we do to influence the centuries to come?
Bill Gates’ Opinion About this Book:
”It has a broad framework. It’s a great book! There’s a lot of things in this book about human history that most people aren’t exposed to”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift Sapiens, click on the below link :
#11 Stuff Matters by Mark Miodownik
About the Book:
Title: Stuff Matters
Author: Mark Miodownik
Genre: Non-fiction/Science
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages: 272
Goodreads Rating: 4.1/5
Mark Miodownik’s analysis of everyday objects blows one’s mind in this book, ‘Stuff matters’; it can be as essential as an envelope or the razor we use daily. This book presents the careful observation of the object, how they behave or look, etc. For example, why can we see through glass? Why do paper clips bend? Why is elastic stretchy? Etc. All these questions were answered in surprising revelations. His book makes you never look at things the same way as before. One can say this is a material science book with fascinating tales in a simple way.
Bill Gates’ Opinion About this Book
“Read this book and you’ll never look at a pencil or razor the same way.”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift Stuff Matters, click on the below link :
#12 The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson
About the Book:
Title: The Code Breaker
Author: Walter Isaacson
Genre: Biography, Science
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 560
Goodreads rating: 4.3/5
When Jennifer Doudna was in sixth grade, she came home one day to find that her dad had left a paperback titled The Double Helix on her bed. Driven by a passion for understanding how nature worked to turn discoveries into inventions, she would make what the book’s author, James Watson, told her was the most crucial biological advance since his co-discovery of the structure of DNA. She and her collaborators turned a curiosity about nature into an invention that will transform the human race: an easy-to-use tool that can edit DNA. Known as CRISPR, it opened a brave new world of medical miracles and moral questions. The development of CRISPR and the race to create vaccines for coronavirus will hasten our transition to the next great innovation revolution. Nature and discoveries are traits found in the books recommended by Bill Gates.
Bill Gates’ Opinion About this Book:
“Isaacson does a good job highlighting the most important ethical questions around gene editing.”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift The Code Breaker, click on the below link :
#13 The Cost of Hope by Amanda Bennett
About the Book:
Title: The Cost of Hope
Author: Amanda Bennett
Genre: Memoir, Medical
Publisher: Random House
Pages: 240
Goodreads rating: 3.6/5
A Memoir is coming up with the love story of two unusual people, Wall Street Journal reporter Amanda Bennett and Terence Bryan. Then comes up with courtship followed by marriage between these two different people. Then comes the illness and Amanda’s quest to battle to save her husband finally, death. Death leads her to investigate and determine the cost of their mission of hope. What she discovers is the crux of the book.
Bill Gates’ Opinion About this Book:
“Amanda’s story is personal, filled with moments of anguish, grief and love but she also tries to draw attention to what she discovers is a flawed health care system.”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift The Cost of Hope, click on the below link :
#14 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
About the Book:
Title: The Great Gatsby
Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Genre: Classic, Fiction, Historical
Publisher: Scribner
Pages: 200
Goodreads rating: 3.9/5
A classic novel rendered a generation of readers. Jay Gatsby is exceptionally wealthy, known for throwing parties on Long Island, and obsessed with reuniting with his former love interest, Unfortunately, Daisy. Daisy is married to Tom, and Tom is cheating on Daisy. The story revolves around characters living in the fictional town of West Egg. First published in 1925, this novel is an example of an evergreen classic.
Bill Gates’ Opinion About this Book:
“Melinda and I really like [this book]. When we were first dating, she had a green light that she would turn on when her office was empty and it made sense for me to come over.”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift The Great Gatsby, click on the below link :
#15 The Magic of Reality by Richard Dawkins
About the Book:
Title: The Magic of Reality
Author: Richard Dawkins
Genre: Philosophy, Science
Publisher: Free Press
Pages: 272
Goodreads rating: 4.0/5
A book that shows the Magic of reality that is science. Well illustrated explaining natural phenomena with mind-blowing facts. Each chapter comes up with legendary myths before introducing scientific facts about the phenomena. Answers many questions like how the universe is formed? And what causes tsunamis? Etc. A complex topic like science is broken into simpler parts, making one think like a scientist. Indeed this book of reality makes one feel like a detective to discover the reason behind the natural process.
Bill Gates’ Opinion About this Book:
“An engaging, well-illustrated science textbook offering compelling answers to big questions, from how the universe formed to what causes earthquakes.”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift The Magic of Reality, click on the below link :
#16 The Overstory by Richard Powers
About the Book:
Title: The Overstory
Author: Richard powers
Genre: Fiction, Environment
Publisher: Norton & Company
Pages: 502
Goodreads rating: 4.1/5
This is a story of nine people woven with the trees. It begins in the 1800s. Each has its own story—the plot deals with deforestation. The book is divided into two parts, first deals with the roots of nine different characters; it is like a short story collection. In Part 2, all these nine characters interconnect with similar experiences, with the tree coming together for one cause. The plot is plodding; great attention is required to explore the concepts. The rare novel on the tree imbibing the love towards nature.
Bill Gates’ Opinion About this Book:
“One of the most unusual novels I’ve read in years.”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift The Overstory, click on the below link :
#17 The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
About the Book:
Title: The Rosie Project
Author: Graeme Simsion
Genre: Fiction, Humor
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 295
Goodreads rating: 4.0/5
This hilarious novel woven around Don Tillman, professor of genetics, socially awkward, friend circle equal to fingertips, relatable to many, convinced himself that romance is not meant for him. However, certain events led to starting the ‘Wife Project’ journey to find the perfect partner with his predetermined parameters. On the other hand, Rosie Jarman, falling under his criteria, is on herFather’s project to find her biological father. This hilarious tale moves one with its humor and emotional depth and is in the books recommended by Bill Gates.
Bill Gates’ Opinion About this Book:
“Anyone who occasionally gets overly logical will identify with the hero. […] one of the most profound novels I’ve read in a long time.”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift The Rosie Project, click on the below link :
#18 Thing Explainer by Randall Munroe
About the Book:
Title: Thing Explainer
Author: Randall Munroe
Genre: Science, Humor
Publisher: Mariner Books
Pages: 64
Goodreads rating: 4.1/5
As the book’s title, this book is all about jargon broken into simple vocab. The author uses only line drawings and the most common words to describe things. It includes some topics like food-heating radio boxes (microwaves), elevated roads (bridges), computer buildings (data centers), the shared space house (the International Space Station), the other worlds around the sun (the solar system), the big flat rocks we live on (tectonic plates), the pieces everything is made of (the periodic table), planes with turning wings (helicopters), boxes that make clothes smell better (washers and dryers), etc. Munroe gives basic answers in an exciting way to all the essential working mechanisms.
Bill Gates’ Opinion About this Book:
Nuclear physics, space travel, and other topics made easy.”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift Thing Explainer, click on the below link :
#19 What If by Randall Munroe
About the Book:
Title: What If
Author: Randall Munroe
Genre: Science
Publisher: Mariner Books
Pages: 320
Goodreads rating: 4.2/5
What If deals with absurd hypothetical questions in a hilariously scientific way. Some questions like: If your cells suddenly lost the power to divide, how long would you survive? How dangerous is it to be in a swimming pool in a thunderstorm? If we hooked turbines to people exercising in gyms, how much power could we produce?. Munroe, who was once in NASA, answers this intelligently.
Bill Gates’ Opinion About this Book:
“Munroe’s approach is a great way to learn about science.”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift What If, click on the below link :
#20 Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
About the Book:
Title: Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
Author: Matthew Walker
Genre: Science
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Pages: 368
Goodreads rating: 4.4/5
Revolutionary exploration of sleep, examining how it affects every aspect of our physical and mental well-being, Walker charts the most cutting-edge scientific breakthroughs and marshalls his decades of research and clinical practice. Walker explains how we can harness sleep to improve learning, mood, and energy levels, regulate hormones, prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes, slow the effects of aging, and increase longevity. He also provides actionable steps toward getting a better night’s sleep every night.
Bill Gates’ Opinion about this Book:
“I’m a night person but I’ve been paying more attention to sleep. The author is too persuasive”
Bill Gates
To buy/gift Why We Sleep? Click on the below link :
That’s all for now. These books will surely help you gain better knowledge and have a feel-good factor.
P.S: Some books recommended here are available on Kindle Unlimited. If you have subscribed to it, you can read these books. Check out this article: Is Kindle Unlimited Worth It?
SO, to conclude, here is the list of the Top Books Recommended by Bill Gates:
| 1 | A Thousand Brains by Jeff Hawkins | Buy Now |
| 2 | Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover | Buy Now |
| 3 | Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell | Buy Now |
| 4 | How Not to Be Wrong by Jordan Ellenberg | Buy Now |
| 5 | Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh | Buy Now |
| 6 | Klara and The Sun by Kuzo Ishiguro | Buy Now |
| 7 | Life Is What You Make It by Peter Buffett | Buy Now |
| 8 | Numbers Don’t Lie by Vaclav Smil | Buy Now |
| 9 | Project Hail Mary by Andy Wier | Buy Now |
| 10 | Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari | Buy Now |
| 11 | Stuff Matters by Mark Miodownik | Buy Now |
| 12 | The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson | Buy Now |
| 13 | The Cost of Hope by Amanda Bennett | Buy Now |
| 14 | The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald | Buy Now |
| 15 | The Magic of Reality by Richard Dawkins | Buy Now |
| 16 | The Overstory by Richard Powers | Buy Now |
| 17 | The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion | Buy Now |
| 18 | Thing Explainer by Randall Munroe | Buy Now |
| 19 | What If by Randall Munroe | Buy Now |
| 20 | Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker | Buy Now |
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