Every year Bill Gates shares a reading list with his millions of followers, usually focusing on books he’s discovered in the past 12 months. But a few years ago, he decided to shake things up on his Gates Notes website with a post titled ‘Five of my all-time favorite books’.
“These aren’t the only five books I’d put on such a list,” he said, “but all five are ones that I have recommended to my family and friends over the years.” From science fiction to politics, sport, and even rock star memoirs, here’s a closer look at the titles Gates picked.
Stranger in a Strange Land – Robert Heinlein
For his science fiction pick, Gates turned to a book that’s been with him since childhood. “Paul Allen and I fell in love with Heinlein when we were just kids,” he wrote, “and this book is still one of my favorite sci-fi novels of all time.”
First published in 1961, Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land tells the story of Valentine Michael Smith, a human raised on Mars who returns to Earth and ends up founding a new religion. Gates noted how the author “managed to predict the rise of hippie culture years before it emerged”.
The novel went on to win the Hugo Award and has since become one of the defining works of 20th-century science fiction.
Surrender – Bono
The ‘best memoir by a rock star’ chosen by Gates list was Surrender, the memoir published in 2022 by U2 frontman Bono.
Even as a close friend of the singer, Gates admitted many of the stories were new to him. “If you’re a U2 fan, there is a good chance you already plan to check it out. Even if you’re not, it’s a super fun read about how a boy from the suburbs of Dublin grew up to become a world-famous rock star and philanthropist.”
Structured around 40 chapters, each named after a U2 song, Surrender also inspired a one-man stage show which Bono toured internationally. It has been widely praised as one of the most candid rock autobiographies of recent years.
Team of Rivals – Doris Kearns Goodwin
“I can’t read enough about Abraham Lincoln,” Gates admitted when recommending Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals. “This is one of the best books on the subject.”
Published in 2005, the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian’s work explores how Lincoln brought together political opponents into his Cabinet during the American Civil War. Gates noted how “it feels especially relevant now when our country is once again facing violent insurrection, difficult questions about race, and deep ideological divides.”
The book’s influence went far beyond historians. Steven Spielberg adapted it into the 2012 Oscar-winning film Lincoln, starring Daniel Day-Lewis in an Academy Award-winning performance.
The Inner Game of Tennis – Timothy Gallwey
First published in 1974, Timothy Gallwey’s The Inner Game of Tennis has long been considered a classic in sports psychology – and it’s a personal favourite of Gates.
“This book is a must-read for anyone who plays tennis, but I think even people who have never played will get something out of it,” he wrote. Gallwey argues that mental strength and focus are just as important as physical ability, offering strategies to overcome self-doubt and recover from mistakes.
Gates explained: “He gives excellent advice about how to move on constructively from mistakes, which I’ve tried to follow both on and off the court over the years.”
The book is hugely influential and has inspired countless coaches, athletes, and even business leaders.
Mendeleyev’s Dream – Paul Strathern
Rounding off the list, Gates turned to Paul Strathern’s 2000 book Mendeleyev’s Dream: The Quest for the Elements. “The history of chemistry is filled with quirky characters like Dimitri Mendeleyev, the Russian scientist who first proposed the periodic table after it allegedly came to him in a dream,” Gates said.
Strathern’s book traces the history of science all the way back to ancient Greece, examining how centuries of human curiosity eventually shaped the periodic table. “It’s a fascinating look at how science develops and how human curiosity has evolved over the millennia,” Gates added.