As the northern hemisphere begins to savor the heat of summer and with it the long-awaited vacations, the founder of microsoft, Bill Gates, took advantage of this excuse to make a series of book recommendations that he considers essential at this time to take to the beach. For the other half of the planet, they are probably to take advantage of with a blanket on a chair.
“There are books about gender equality, political polarization, climate change and the hard truth that life never goes the way young people think it will,” Gates said of the list of titles he posted on his Gates Notes blog. But, he cautioned: “They sound pretty heavy for a vacation read.”
However, one of the world’s richest men explained that while the topics are complex, each of the writers he recommends – three novelists, a journalist and a scientist – has been able to take a dense topic and make it enjoyable without sacrificing no complexity.
“I loved all five of these books and I hope you find something here that you enjoy too. Feel free to share some of your favorite recent reads in the comments section below,” she added.
What are the five books that Bill Gates recommends
The Power by Naomi Alderman
“I’m glad I followed my eldest daughter’s recommendation and read this novel. She deftly uses a single idea: what if all the women in the world suddenly gained the power to produce deadly electric shocks from their bodies? To explore gender roles and gender equality. When reading The Power, I gained a stronger and more visceral sense of the abuse and injustice that many women experience today. And it broadened my appreciation for the people working on these issues in the US and around the world,” the philanthropist reviewed.
Why We Are Polarized by Ezra Klein
About this book on polarization in the United States, Gates said: “Overall, I’m optimistic about the future, but one thing that clouds my outlook a bit is the growing polarization in America, especially when it comes to politics. In this insightful book, Klein persuasively argues that the cause of this divide is identity: the human instinct to let our group identities guide our decision-making. The book is fundamentally about American politics, but it’s also a fascinating look at human psychology.”
The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
Regarding this novel, the founder of Microsoft said: “Set in 1954, it is about two brothers who try to drive from Nebraska to California to find their mother; their journey is sidetracked by a volatile teenager from the older brother’s past. Towles is inspired by the journeys of famous heroes and seems to say that our personal journeys are never as linear or predictable as we might hope.”
Ministry to the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson
According to Bill Gates, when he was promoting his book How to avoid a weather disaster several people told him that he should read this novel because it dramatized many of the issues he had written about. “I’m glad I chose it, because it’s great. It is so complex that it is difficult to summarize, but Robinson presents a stimulating and engaging story, spanning decades and continents, full of fascinating ideas and people,” he said.
How the world really works, by Vaclav Smil
Finally, he recommended this title as “another masterpiece” by one of his favorite authors. “Unlike most of Vaclav’s books, which read like textbooks and go very deep into a subject, this one is written for a general audience and provides an overview of the main areas of his expertise,” the philanthropist described. . And he added: “If you want a brief but comprehensive education in numerical thinking about many of the fundamental forces that shape human life, this is the book to read.”
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