Microsoft founder Bill Gates is known to be an avid reader and whenever he wants to know something new, he simply picks up a book. According to reports, these are the 10 books that helped Gates to ‘inform his choices for 2019’s list of 10 breakthrough technologies’ and ultimately set his ‘tech agenda’ for the year.
Life 3.0 by Max Tegmark
According to Gates, it is an ideal book for anyone who wants to discuss how artificial intelligence is shaping the world. Taking a scientific approach, Tegmark delivers a ‘terrific’ knowledge of the subject.
Should We Eat Meat? by Vaclav Smil
Bill Gates reveals that even though he does not agree with Smil’s point that ‘meat and dairy alternatives will make a dent in global dietary habits’, he thinks that Smil has smart things to say about how to feed the world without destroying the planet.
I Contain Multitudes by Ed Yong
Yong’s account of how the bacteria in the digestive systems may be able to prevent malnutrition was of particular interest to Gates. He, being fascinated by microbes, said that human gut might hold the key to fixing all sorts of medical issues.
The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee
The Pulitzer Prize-winning ‘biography’ of cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee charts the progress made in fighting cancer in the last century.
Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo
Calling it an essential reading for anyone hoping to reinvent the toilet, Gates acknowledges that ‘it might seem like an odd choice’ to include a book about life in a Mumbai slum for a list of books about technology, but Gates feels the author offers an insight into the clearest look he has seen at the world’s sanitation challenges.
Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari
Gates says that in this book, Harari offers some great food for thought for anyone who is looking to tackle the challenges of tomorrow. Gates feels that he is more optimistic than the author ‘about the chances of averting such a dystopia’.
Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker
Calling it his favourite book, Gates says that it looks at 15 different measures of progress to explain how and why the world is getting better.
Sustainable Energy — Without the Hot Air by David MacKay
Gates describes this book as one he ‘can’t recommend highly enough’ for anyone who is interested in learning where energy comes from, how it is used, and the challenges involved.
Energy Myths and Realities by Vaclav Smil
Agreeing with the author’s belief that nuclear power, which can use existing infrastructure while also reducing carbon emissions, will be an important electricity source for decades, Gates says that in this book, Smil convincingly argues that our present-day energy infrastructure will persist.
The Most Powerful Idea in the World by William Rosen
According to Gates, Rosen’s comprehensive history of the steam engine is ‘as good a book as you will find’ for understanding how innovations change the world and evolve over time.
