If you need inspiration for your next read, check out this list containing billionaire Bill Gates’ book reads of 2018. Gates wrote a nice review of each book. You’ll find snippets and links below.
1. Lincoln In The Bardo – By George Saunders
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the united states, who led the country through the American Civil War. A statesman and lawyer who served until his assassination in 1865.
Buy Lincoln in the Bardo on Amazon.
“I find anything related to Abraham Lincoln super interesting. His personal story—of someone from humble beginnings who successfully navigated the political world without compromising his beliefs—is fascinating. I’ve read a lot about him over the years and thought I knew pretty much everything there was to know. But I recently read a book about Lincoln that surprised me. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders gave me a new perspective on America’s 16th president.” Read Gates’ full review here.
2. Origin Story – By David Christian
Buy Origin Story on Amazon.
“We all have an origin story. In some societies, they manifest as creation myths. In others, they look more like history textbooks. For example, as a kid in the United States, I grew up learning about the group of rebels who stood up to their British overlords and founded our country. It’s human nature to be curious about where we come from, and origin stories unite people through a common history and shared sense of purpose. But what if all of humanity shared an origin story? What would that story look like? Historian David Christian tries to answer those questions in his new book Origin Story.” Read Gates’ full review here.
3. Enlightenment Now – By Steven Pinker
“My new favorite book of all time.”
Buy Enlightenment Now on Amazon.
“For years, I’ve been saying Steven Pinker’s The Better Angels of Our Nature was the best book I’d read in a decade. If I could recommend just one book for anyone to pick up, that was it. Pinker uses meticulous research to argue that we are living in the most peaceful time in human history. I’d never seen such a clear explanation of progress. Read Gates’ full review here.”
4. Turtles All The Way Down – By John Green
Buy Turtles All the Way Down on Amazon.
“I’ve read a couple of John’s books and enjoyed each one, and his latest is no exception. Turtles All the Way Down tells the story of Aza Holmes, a high school student from Indianapolis. When a local billionaire goes missing and a $100,000 reward is offered for information about his disappearance, she and her best friend decide to track him down.” Read Gates’ full review here.
5. Capitalism Without Capital
Buy Capitalism Without Capital on Amazon.
“The portion of the world’s economy that doesn’t fit the old model just keeps getting larger. That has major implications for everything from tax law to economic policy to which cities thrive and which cities fall behind, but in general, the rules that govern the economy haven’t kept up. This is one of the biggest trends in the global economy that isn’t getting enough attention. If you want to understand why this matters, the brilliant new book Capitalism Without Capital by Jonathan Haskel and Stian Westlake is about as good an explanation as I’ve seen.” Read Gates’ full review here.
6. Everything Happens For A Reason – By Kate Bowler
Buy Everything Happens For A Reason on Amazon.
“I spend my days asking “Why?” Why do people get stuck in poverty? Why do mosquitoes spread malaria? Being curious and trying to explain the world around us is part of what makes life interesting. It’s also good for the world—scientific discoveries happen because someone insisted on solving some mystery. And it’s human nature, as anyone who’s fielded an endless series of questions from an inquisitive 5-year-old can tell you.” Read Gates’ full review here.
7. Leonardo Da Vinci – By Walter Isaacson
Buy Leonardo Da Vinci on Amazon.
“Given my fascination with Leonardo, I was eager to read Leonardo da Vinci, Walter Isaacson’s new biography. I’ve read a lot about Leonardo over the years, but I had never found one book that satisfactorily covered all the different facets of his life and work. Walter—a talented journalist and author I’ve gotten to know over the years—did a great job pulling it all together. If you liked Walter’s major biographies of Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein, you’ll probably appreciate this one.” Read Gates’ full review here.
8. Factfulness – By Hans Rosling
Buy Factfulness on Amazon.
“I recently read Hans’ new book Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World—and Why Things Are Better Than You Think. In it, he offers a new framework for how to think about the world. Hans proposes four income groups (with the largest number of people living on level 2).. This was a breakthrough to me. The framework Hans enunciates is one that took me decades of working in global development to create for myself, and I could have never expressed it in such a clear way. I’m going to try to use this model moving forward.” Read Gates’ full review here.
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