Bill Gates 10 Favorite Books
Recently Bill Gates named his top 10 Favorite Books to editor Aaron Hicklin's website One Grand Books. Aaron Hicklin asked people to name the 10 books they’d take with them if they were marooned on a desert island.
Following are the 10 books that Bill Gates would take with him, if he is going to get marooned on a desert island.
“Seveneves,” Neal Stephenson
This novel about how the human race responds to the end of life on Earth rekindled my love for sci-fi. Some readers will lose patience with all the technical details about orbits and spaceflight, but for me, it’s an engrossing and thought-provoking story.
“How Not to be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking,” Jordan Ellenberg
A mathematician explains how math plays into our daily lives without our even knowing it. The writing is funny, smooth and accessible — not what you might expect from a book on this subject. Ellenberg’s larger point is that there are ways in which we’re all doing math, all the time.
“Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind,” Yuval Noah Harari
This look at the entire history of the human race sparked lots of great conversations at our family’s dinner table. Harari also writes about our species today and how artificial intelligence, genetic engineering and other technologies will change us in the future.
“The Power to Compete,” Ryoichi Mikitani and Hiroshi Mikitani
Why was Japan, the juggernaut of the 1980s, eclipsed by South Korea and China? And can its economy come back? A smart look at the future of a fascinating country.
“The Vital Question,” Nick Lane
I wish more people knew about this British biologist’s work. He is trying to get people to fully appreciate the role energy plays in the evolution of life on Earth (and, maybe, other places). Even if he turns out to be wrong about certain details, I suspect his ideas will be seen as an important contribution to our understanding of where we come from, and where are we going.
“Business Adventures: Twelve Classic Tales from the World of Wall Street,” John Brooks
Warren Buffett gave me this fantastic collection of articles that Brooks wrote for The New Yorker. Although Brooks was writing in the 1960s, his insights are timeless and a reminder that the rules for running a great company don’t change. I read it more than two decades ago, and it’s still my pick for the best business book ever.
“The Great Gatsby,” F. Scott Fitzgerald
The novel that I reread the most. Melinda and I love one line so much that we had it painted on a wall in our house: “His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”
“Parenting With Love and Logic,” Foster Cline and Jim Fay
As the parents of three children, Melinda and I have spent a lot of time reading and discussing this book. It has been an invaluable guide for both of us, especially when it comes to de-escalating those inevitable conflicts between parents and kids.
“Sustainable Energy — Without the Hot Air,” David JC MacKay
A fantastic guide to thinking more numerically about clean energy, and the most accessible explanation of this subject that I’ve seen. I still refer to it myself, which is a bittersweet experience now — David died in April, at the age of 48.
“The Better Angels of Our Nature,” Steven Pinker
Proof that the world is becoming more peaceful. It’s not just a question for historians, but a profound statement about human nature and the possibility for a better future. This book may have shaped my outlook more than any other.
Recently Bill Gates named his top 10 Favorite Books to editor Aaron Hicklin's website One Grand Books. Aaron Hicklin asked people to name the 10 books they’d take with them if they were marooned on a desert island.
Following are the 10 books that Bill Gates would take with him, if he is going to get marooned on a desert island.
“Seveneves,” Neal Stephenson
This novel about how the human race responds to the end of life on Earth rekindled my love for sci-fi. Some readers will lose patience with all the technical details about orbits and spaceflight, but for me, it’s an engrossing and thought-provoking story.
“How Not to be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking,” Jordan Ellenberg
A mathematician explains how math plays into our daily lives without our even knowing it. The writing is funny, smooth and accessible — not what you might expect from a book on this subject. Ellenberg’s larger point is that there are ways in which we’re all doing math, all the time.
“Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind,” Yuval Noah Harari
This look at the entire history of the human race sparked lots of great conversations at our family’s dinner table. Harari also writes about our species today and how artificial intelligence, genetic engineering and other technologies will change us in the future.
“The Power to Compete,” Ryoichi Mikitani and Hiroshi Mikitani
Why was Japan, the juggernaut of the 1980s, eclipsed by South Korea and China? And can its economy come back? A smart look at the future of a fascinating country.
“The Vital Question,” Nick Lane
I wish more people knew about this British biologist’s work. He is trying to get people to fully appreciate the role energy plays in the evolution of life on Earth (and, maybe, other places). Even if he turns out to be wrong about certain details, I suspect his ideas will be seen as an important contribution to our understanding of where we come from, and where are we going.
“Business Adventures: Twelve Classic Tales from the World of Wall Street,” John Brooks
Warren Buffett gave me this fantastic collection of articles that Brooks wrote for The New Yorker. Although Brooks was writing in the 1960s, his insights are timeless and a reminder that the rules for running a great company don’t change. I read it more than two decades ago, and it’s still my pick for the best business book ever.
“The Great Gatsby,” F. Scott Fitzgerald
The novel that I reread the most. Melinda and I love one line so much that we had it painted on a wall in our house: “His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”
“Parenting With Love and Logic,” Foster Cline and Jim Fay
As the parents of three children, Melinda and I have spent a lot of time reading and discussing this book. It has been an invaluable guide for both of us, especially when it comes to de-escalating those inevitable conflicts between parents and kids.
“Sustainable Energy — Without the Hot Air,” David JC MacKay
A fantastic guide to thinking more numerically about clean energy, and the most accessible explanation of this subject that I’ve seen. I still refer to it myself, which is a bittersweet experience now — David died in April, at the age of 48.
“The Better Angels of Our Nature,” Steven Pinker
Proof that the world is becoming more peaceful. It’s not just a question for historians, but a profound statement about human nature and the possibility for a better future. This book may have shaped my outlook more than any other.
13 Comments
Friends,
ReplyDeleteName the 10 books you would like to take with you, if you are marooned on a desert island.
My 10 Books would be.
ReplyDelete1. Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe
2. The Adventure of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain
3. Benjamin Franklin Autobiography
4. Far from the Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6. The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
7. The Davinci Code - Dan Brown
8. And There Were None - Agatha Christie
9. Sons And Lovers - D.H. Lwarence
10.Fountainhead - Ayn Rand
Really tough job to choose only ten books from the greats books I have read.
Great List. most of them are classics. As you mentioned it is really difficult to task to choose only ten books.
Delete1. The Magic of Thinking Big - David J. Schwartz
ReplyDelete2. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
3. The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
4. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari - Robin Sharma
5. The God Delusion - Richard Dawkins
6. Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom
7. Moby Dick - Herman Melville
8. Jonathan Livingston Seagull - Richard Bach
9. Love Story - Erich Segal
10.Animal Farm - George Orwell
Very Interesting List. I have read all the books from your list. great books.
DeleteI would like to share my favorite Kannada and Tamil books also here.
Deleteನನ್ನ ನೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಕನ್ನಡ ಪುಸ್ತಕಗಳು
Delete೧. ಚೋಮನ ದುಡಿ - ಶಿವರಾಮ ಕಾರಂತ
೨. ಮರಳಿ ಮಣ್ಣಿಗೆ - ಶಿವರಾಮ ಕಾರಂತ
೩. ಅಳಿದ ಮೇಲೆ - ಶಿವರಾಮ ಕಾರಂತ
೪. ಕಾಡು - ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣ ಆಲನಹಳ್ಳಿ
೫. ಪರಸಂಗದ ಗೆಂಡೆತಿಮ್ಮ - ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣ ಆಲನಹಳ್ಳಿ
೬. ಭುಜಂಗಯ್ಯನ ದಶಾವತಾರಗಳು - ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣ ಆಲನಹಳ್ಳಿ
೭. ಮೈಸೂರ ಮಲ್ಲಿಗೆ - ಕೆ ಎಸ್ ನರಸಿಂಹಸ್ವಾಮಿ
೮. ಸರ್ವ ಮಂಗಳ - ಚದುರಂಗ
೯. ಸಂಧ್ಯಾ ರಾಗ - ಆ ನ ಕೃಷ್ಣರಾಯರು
೧೦. ನಾಯಿ ನೆರಳು - ಎಸ್ ಎಲ್ ಭೈರಪ್ಪ
ನನ್ನ ನೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಕನ್ನಡ ಪುಸ್ತಕಗಳು
Delete೧. ಮಲೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಮಧುಮಗಳು - ಕುವೆಂಪು
೨. ಚೋಮನ ದುಡಿ - ಶಿವರಾಮ ಕಾರಂತ
೩. ಮರಳಿ ಮಣ್ಣಿಗೆ - ಶಿವರಾಮ ಕಾರಂತ
೪. ಬೆಟ್ಟದ ಜೀವ - ಶಿವರಾಮ ಕಾರಂತ
೫. ಆವರಣ - ಎಸ್ ಎಲ್ ಭೈರಪ್ಪ
೬. ವಂಶ ವೃಕ್ಷ - ಎಸ್ ಎಲ್ ಭೈರಪ್ಪ
೭. ಗ್ರಹಣ - ಎಸ್ ಎಲ್ ಭೈರಪ್ಪ
೮. ಜ್ಹುಗಾರಿ ಕ್ರಾಸ್ - ಪೂರ್ಣಚಂದ್ರ ತೇಜಸ್ವಿ
೯.ಶಿಕಾರಿ - ಯಶವಂತ ಚಿತ್ತಾಲ
೧೦.ಭಾರತೀಪುರ - ಯು ಆರ್ ಅನಂತಮೂರ್ತಿ
My Favorites:
ReplyDelete1. Wings Of Fire - Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
2. Shiva Triology - Amish Patel
3. Autobiography of a Yogi
4. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hussaine
Hi,
ReplyDeleteIm seeing The Kite Runner by Khaled Hussaine in favorite list of lot of readers. what is this book is all about and how interesting it is?
Hi,I can say its one of the best Novels, as the author reaches core of the readers heart by his art of story telling. The story is about 2 boys.
DeleteThanks Srilakshmi
Deleteபடித்ததில் பிடித்த பல புத்தகங்களில், சில தமிழ் புத்தகங்கள் இங்கே குறிபிட்டுள்ளேன். இன்னும் பல அற்புதமான் படைப்புகள் உள்ளன.
ReplyDeleteபொன்னியின் செல்வன் - கல்கி கிருஷ்ணமூர்த்தி
சிவகாமியின் சபதம் - கல்கி கிருஷ்ணமூர்த்தி
பார்த்திபன் கனவு - கல்கி கிருஷ்ணமூர்த்தி
ஜெயகாந்தன் சிறுகதைகள்
ஸ்ரீரங்கத்தின் தேவதைகள் - சுஜாதா
பிரிவோம் சாதிப்போம் - சுஜாதா
ஆறாம் - ஜெயமோகன்
ஒரு புளியமரத்தின் கதை - சுந்தர ராமசாமி
வாடிவாசல் - செல்லப்பா
வந்தார்கள் வென்றார்கள் - மதன்
தோழர்களே, உங்களக்கு பிடித்த புத்தகங்களை இங்கே பகிர்ந்து கொள்ளுங்கள்.
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