10 books that Bill Gates has read repeatedly and recommended to others

**10 books that Bill Gates has read repeatedly and recommended to others**

Once, Bill Gates was asked which books he would take with him to a deserted island. In response, the billionaire listed his favorite works in detail: ranging from science fiction novels to non-fiction books on mathematical thinking and human history.

His selection is distinguished by its diversity and can be useful to anyone who wants to work on themselves. If you are not yet familiar with this list, below we present the ten favorite works of the Microsoft founder.

**“Seveneves” by Neal Stephenson**

The list begins with Neal Stephenson's science fiction novel “Seveneves”. In addition to being highly rated by Bill Gates, this work has received positive reviews from many literary critics and brought great fame to the author.

The novel tells the story of humanity's future life. Earth is on the verge of destruction, so as the only way to preserve the human race, it is proposed to send several thousand people into space in the hope of survival. After 5,000 years, they must return to Earth and try to restart life.

“This novel, about humanity's reaction to the end of life on Earth, rekindled my love for science fiction,” the billionaire noted about the book.

**“The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald**

Contrary to expectations, Gates mentions “The Great Gatsby” as the second and final favorite work of fiction in the collection. The entrepreneur says he has reread it several times, and there is even this quote from the novel on one of the walls in his house: “His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”

This book brought immense popularity to Fitzgerald, it consistently features on lists of the world's best literature, and five films have been made based on the work. The most famous of them was directed by Baz Luhrmann, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire.

**“How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking” by Jordan Ellenberg**

“The text is written in an interesting, calm, and clear style — you wouldn't expect this at all from a book on such a topic. Ellenberg's main point is that we are all constantly doing math,” the billionaire explains his choice.

In this work, the scientist covers almost all aspects of human life from a mathematical point of view. He shows that formulas and equations encompass the entire world, and they are used not only in computational sciences, but also in politics, medicine, and even theology.

**“Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind” by Yuval Noah Harari**

Yuval Noah Harari's “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind” is a comprehensive narrative of how Homo sapiens emerged and developed. The author takes the reader through the key stages of history — from human evolution and early societies to the emergence of states and religions. He also writes about modern life and how artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, and other technologies might change us in the future.

The book became an international bestseller, entered The New York Times list, and won several literary awards. Bill Gates says this work has sparked heated debates in his family on several occasions.

**“The Power to Compete” by Ryoichi Mikitani and Hiroshi Mikitani**

In this book, Japanese economist Ryoichi Mikitani talks with his son, Hiroshi, the founder of Rakuten. Together, they reflect on how Japan fell into a prolonged economic crisis. The authors try to understand who is to blame for the emergence of the “financial bubble,” why a once-successful country yielded its position to others, and how it can recover by competing with China and South Korea. In addition, they offer unique ways to solve the problems: from improving the education system to involving women in the workforce.

Gates said he does not agree with every point put forward by Mikitani. Nevertheless, he calls “The Power to Compete...” a “really smart look at the future of a country.”

**“The Vital Question: Energy, Evolution, and the Origins of Complex Life” by Nick Lane**

In “The Vital Question...”, British biochemist Nick Lane explains in detail the global processes that occurred during the development of the Earth. In his view, processes such as evolution and the origin of life are constrained by the amount of available energy.

“I wish more people knew about this man's work. He is trying to make people understand how important a role energy plays in the evolution of life on Earth (and perhaps elsewhere). Even if he turns out to be wrong on some details, I believe his ideas will make an important contribution to our understanding of where we came from and where we are going,” the Microsoft founder said.

**“Business Adventures: Twelve Classic Tales from the World of Wall Street” by John Brooks**

This economic work was recommended to Bill Gates by a billionaire who is no less famous than him, and whose own biography could also be a book worth taking to a deserted island. We are, of course, talking about Warren Buffett.

It is not surprising that two of the richest people on the planet highly rated “Business Adventures”. In it, John Brooks tells the story of New York's financial life in the 20th century in an engaging way. In addition to key events on the stock exchange, he also recalls real commercial achievements and the most interesting cases in business.

“These ideas are relevant for all times, reminding us that the rules for running a great company remain unchanged. I read this book more than twenty years ago, and it still remains my favorite book about business,” says Gates.

**“Parenting with Love and Logic” by Foster Cline and Jim Fay**

It might seem unexpected to find a parenting guide among the books on the billionaire's desk. However, Gates has said that this book had a truly major impact on him. As a father of many children, he gained a lot of useful knowledge from it and learned how to resolve the conflicts that inevitably arise between parents and children.

In it, psychology professor Cline and experienced educator Fay discuss how to raise children based on two principles: love and logic. They teach readers to show empathy, to understand that every action of a parent has its consequence, and to instill only the best qualities in their child.

**“Sustainable Energy — Without the Hot Air” by David JC MacKay**

In the book “Sustainable Energy”, David JC MacKay examines the issue of transitioning to sustainable energy sources. Gates called it the most illustrative guide on the subject and noted that it is the clearest explanation he has ever encountered.

Using the British system as an example, MacKay reflects on how technologies work and what alternatives to the traditional thermal method exist in the world. This work is interesting not only for those interested in this topic or entrepreneurs, but also for those who want to broaden their horizons: it covers all the nuances of the process in a simple and understandable way.

**“The Better Angels of Our Nature” by Steven Pinker**

Bill Gates says this book has influenced him the most. In it, the famous American psychologist Steven Pinker explores a complex topic — all manifestations of violence.

Studying global crime and the reaction to it, he comes to the conclusion that cruelty is decreasing year by year. However, human perception shows the opposite: the continuous flow of bad news convinces us, on the contrary, that we are living in almost the worst period in history. The author explains this paradox by the fact that information has become extremely accessible. In addition, he refutes the global myth that humans are cruel by nature.