Portrait of Bill Gates
Co-founder of Microsoft

Bill Gates

Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft and now leads global health work through the Gates Foundation. He is also one of tech's most influential book recommenders, publishing summer and year-end lists on his blog Gates Notes that span science, history, policy, and fiction.

25
Recommendations
2025
Most recent list
Non-Fiction
Most-recommended
EntrepreneurPhilanthropistAuthorNon-Fiction
On the record

All Bill Gates book recommendations.

Remarkably Bright Creatures cover01
Contemporary Fiction

Remarkably Bright Creatures

by Shelby Van Pelt2022

“I loved this terrific novel about Tova, a 70-year-old woman who works night shifts cleaning an aquarium and finds fulfillment caring for a clever octopus.”source

Clearing the Air cover02
Non-Fiction

Clearing the Air

by Hannah Ritchie2025

“Her new book is one of the clearest explanations of the climate challenge I've read. If you want a hopeful, fact-driven overview of where climate solutions stand, this is a great pick.”source

Who Knew cover03
Memoir

Who Knew

by Barry Diller2024

“I've known Barry for decades, but his memoir still surprised and taught me a lot. He's spent his life betting on ideas before they were obvious, and the industries he's transformed show how much those bets can pay off.”source

Abundance cover05
Non-Fiction

Abundance

by Ezra Klein, Derek Thompson2025

“This book is a sharp look at why America seems to struggle to build things and what it will take to fix that. It asks the right questions about how the U.S. can rebuild our capacity to get big things done.”source

Personal History cover06
Memoir

Personal History

by Katharine Graham1997

“I loved hearing Kay talk about her remarkable life: taking over the Post at a time when few women were in leadership positions like that, standing up to President Nixon to protect the paper's reporting on Watergate and the Pentagon Papers.”source

Chasing Hope cover07
Memoir

Chasing Hope

by Nicholas D. Kristof2024

“In this terrific memoir, Nick writes about how he stays optimistic about the world despite everything he's seen. His book made me think: The world would be better off with more Nick Kristofs.”source

Educated cover08
Memoir

Educated

by Tara Westover2019

“At some point in your childhood, you go from thinking your parents know everything to seeing them as adults with limitations. Tara beautifully captures that process of self-discovery in this unforgettable memoir.”source

Born a Crime cover09
Memoir

Born a Crime

by Trevor Noah2016

“In this book, and in his comedy, Trevor uses his outside perspective to his advantage. His outlook transcends borders.”source

Surrender cover10
Memoir

Surrender

by Bono2022

“Bono shows a lot of vulnerability in this surprisingly open memoir, writing about his “need to be needed” and how he learned he'll never fill his emotional needs by playing for huge crowds.”source

An Unfinished Love Story cover11
Non-Fiction

An Unfinished Love Story

by Doris Kearns Goodwin2024

“Doris is such a talented writer that the chapters about her love story are just as engaging and enlightening as the chapters about the Kennedy assassination and the Vietnam War.”source

The Anxious Generation cover12
Non-Fiction

The Anxious Generation

by Jonathan Haidt2024

“This book is a must-read for anyone raising, working with, or teaching young people today. Haidt explains how the shift from play-based childhoods to phone-based childhoods is transforming how kids develop and process emotions.”source

The Coming Wave cover14
Non-Fiction

The Coming Wave

by Mustafa Suleyman, Michael Bhaskar2023

“He offers the best explanation I've seen yet of how artificial intelligence, along with other scientific advances, like gene editing, is poised to reshape every aspect of society. If you want to understand the rise of AI, this is the best book to read.”source

15
Non-Fiction

Federer

by Doris Henkel

“If you, or someone you love, is a fan of Roger's, Federer is a wonderful retrospective of his life and career. I thought I knew pretty much everything about Roger's history with tennis, but I learned a ton.”source

The Women cover16
Historical Fiction

The Women

by Kristin Hannah2024

“This terrific novel tells the story of a U.S. Army nurse who serves two tours on the frontlines in Vietnam before returning home to a country rocked by protest and anti-war sentiment.”source

Brave New Words cover18
Non-Fiction

Brave New Words

by Salman Khan2024

“No one has sharper insights into the future of education than Sal does, and I can't recommend Brave New Words enough.”source

The Song of the Cell cover20
Non-Fiction

The Song of the Cell

by Siddhartha Mukherjee2022

“To understand what's happening in those moments, and to feel optimistic that things will get better, it helps to know something about cells, the building blocks of life. Mukherjee's latest book will give you that knowledge.”source

Not the End of the World cover21
Non-Fiction

Not the End of the World

by Hannah Ritchie2024

“Ritchie uses data to tell a counterintuitive story that contradicts the doomsday scenarios on climate and other environmental topics without glossing over the challenges. Everyone who wants to have an informed conversation about climate change should read this book.”source

Invention and Innovation cover22
Non-Fiction

Invention and Innovation

by Vaclav Smil2023

“Even though we don't see the future the same way, nobody is better than Smil at explaining the past. If you want to know how human ingenuity brought us to this moment in time, I highly recommend Invention and Innovation.”source

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow cover23
Contemporary Fiction

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

by Gabrielle Zevin2022

“I really related to the story. In fact, it reminded me a lot of my relationship with Paul Allen and our work together at Microsoft. Zevin is a great writer who makes you care deeply about her characters.”source

Born in Blackness cover24
Non-Fiction

Born in Blackness

by Howard W. French2021

“I'm a student of Africa, but I still learned a lot from this thoughtful, well-researched book. I mean it as a compliment when I say that Born in Blackness left me wanting to know more.”source

Sapiens cover25
History

Sapiens

by Yuval Noah Harari2011

“Still, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a fun, engaging look at early human history.”source

Readers with overlapping taste

Get AI picks