Bill Gates’ top 5 books

EVERYONE has a favourite book.

Whether it’s the first book our parents read to us before bed or the most recent book we picked up last month. The best stories stay deeply rooted in our hearts no matter how long ago they were read.

Even a man as astounding as Bill Gates has his top picks when it comes to his secret little depository. He recently revealed his top five favourite books on Twitter. Let’s explore them, shall we?

STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND BY ROBERT HEINLEIN

Gates mentions how he and his late childhood friend, Paul Allen, adored Heinlein’s works, which is why the book became one of his beloved sci-fi novels. The book tells the story of Michael “Mike” Smith, who is raised by Martians and starts a new religion. Since Mike’s thinking, outlook and philosophy are more martian than human, he is ignorant of human ways such as the concept of religion and how he has never laughed.

Gates believes that Heinlein manages to predict the rise of hippie culture, which makes it a great science fiction story to push our thinking about what is possible in the future.

SURRENDER BY BONO

Bono — an artist, activist and the lead singer of Irish rock band U2 — has written a memoir of the life he has lived, the challenges he has encountered, and the friends and family who have been there for him through thick and thin.

Being friends with the artiste himself, Gates is surprised at how the stories told in the book are new to him.

TEAM OF RIVALS BY DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN

Can’t get enough of Abraham Lincoln? Read Team of Rivals. The book tells how a one-term congressman and a prairie lawyer vie against three rivals to become president.

Gates says the story reflects the current times, as the United States faced an insurrection, challenges about race and ideological divides.

THE INNER GAME OF TENNIS BY TIMOTHY GALLWEY

Whether you like tennis or not, the 1974 book is more of a guide on mental and physical approaches to sports.

Instead of focusing solely on physical fitness, Gallwey’s non-judgmental approach to errors and mistakes has led many to believe that your mind is just as important as your body.

Gates gives credit to Gallwey for making him move on from mistakes, a lesson that can be applied on and off the court.

MENDELEYEV’S DREAM BY PAUL STRATHERN

In the book, Strathern introduces to readers ancient philosophers, mediaeval alchemists and Dimitri Mendeleyev, a 19th-century Russian who claims answers come to him through dreams.

Gates finds the book fascinating because it shows how science develops and how human curiosity has evolved over time.

NST