Bill Gates is a technology pioneer as founder of Microsoft. He is one of the world's richest people. And he now is focused on promoting education and health around the world. What does somebody like that recommend for summer reading? Here are five of his recommendations.
Gates, the founder of the global technology giant Microsoft (MSFT), this week released his much awaited list of the best books to read during the summer. An avid reader, Gates often finds unexpected gems that appeal to readers who are looking to learn from books in addition to being entertained - making many ideal for investors, businesspeople or technologists.
Gates routinely offers book tips, but his summer reading list usually includes more accessible books that are engaging enough to take to the chaise lounge at the beach. So what are Gates' tips for this summer?
"Seveneves" by Neal Stephenson. Gates, who surprisingly said he hasn't read a science fiction book in 10 years, said this one grabbed him from the very first sentence. Right from the get-go the moon explodes (don't worry, that's not a spoiler). The book is filled with science fact and theory talking about how mankind mobilizes to save itself from the resulting meteor shower. "Seveneves inspired me to rekindle my sci-fi habit," Gates says.
* "How Not to be Wrong" by Jordan Ellenberg. This is a classic book recommended by Gates - one steeped in math and science, but one that business people can learn from, too. The author, a math expert, shows how numbers control many aspects of our lives beneath the surface without our notice. "In some places the math gets quite complicated," says Gates, which is somewhat alarming coming from the master programmer. "But he always wraps things up by making sure you're still with him."
* "The Vital Question" by Nick Lane. When Gates was asked what he would like to have more of, his answer was energy. So it's not surprising he picked a book that dives into the topic of energy. "The Vital Question" looks to show people how large of a role energy plays in all of life. "Nick is one of those original thinkers who makes you say: More people should know about this guy's work," Gates says.
* "The Power to Compete" by Ryoichi Mikitani and Hiroshi Mikitani. Anyone who grew up in the 80's, grew up thinking Japan was the tech powerhouse. With a Sony Walkman in your pocket and a Casio calculator on your desk, Japan Inc. was a force in business and technology. That's not so much the case now. "Why were its (Japan's) companies - the juggernauts of the 1980s - eclipsed by competitors in South Korean and China?" asks Gates, who says "I have a soft spot for Japan" dating back to his early days at Microsoft. Ryoichi, an economist who died several years ago, and his son Hiroshi explore what happened in Japan and how the country can get its tech business mojo back.
* "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Noah Yaval Harai. The title is makes you chuckle - since the history of humans is anything but brief. But the author tries to compress the history of the human down to 400 pages - as well as discuss how tech developments in the future will affect the species. Talk about a summary. "I would recommend Sapiens to anyone who's interested in the history and future of our species."
by Matt Krantz
