Business tycoon and billionaire Bill Gates recommends five novels that individuals may read while spending the holidays at home.
People are aware of Gates as an avid reader who consumes about 50 books annually. He reviews the literature and then makes suggestions to the public. Gate considers the books as some of the finest works, and by recommending them to others, he intends to help them advance in their personal and professional lives. This year, Gates published a list that included recent releases and some of his all-time favorite novels. In addition, he talked about what the books meant and how they may help others.
The 2022 holiday reading list by Gates
Robert Heinlein’s ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’
The 1961 science fiction novel tells the tale of a person reared on Mars. As he traveled to an alien world, the protagonist traveled to Earth and tried to comprehend how people think about war and religion.
“I met Paul [Allen] around [that] time, and we got to know each other by talking about sci-fi. I love sci-fi that pushes your thinking about what’s possible in the future. He also does the classic sci-fi thing of using a fictional setting to ask profound questions about human nature,” Gates said.
Bono’s ‘Surrender’
Bono and Gates go way back together. Bono, a multibillionaire music star and author, participates alongside Gates in several advocacy initiatives. They have been friends for many years, and Gates enjoys reading his longtime friend’s autobiography since he shares his views on global health and climate change.
“They share the same values. All four are passionate about fighting poverty and inequity in the world, and they’re also aligned on maintaining their integrity as artists,” he said.
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Doran Kearns Goodwin’s ‘Team of Rivals’
Gates claimed that the Pulitzer Prize-winning histories’ prose completely blew him away. Abraham Lincoln’s path in the US political arena is followed in the 2005 non-fiction book. It describes the occasions leading up to his victory in the 1860 presidential election. The billionaire claimed that the book brilliantly captured Lincoln’s ability to resolve conflicts among his cabinet members.
“Lately, I’ve been thinking about Goodwin’s book because it feels very relevant in 2022. There are significant parallels between the current and the 1860s, when the nation was dealing with violent insurrection, difficult questions about race, and ideological divides between states and regions,” he said.
Robert Gallwey’s ‘The Inner Game of Tennis’
Gates read the book more than forty years ago. Gallwey, a former tennis coach, authored the book to aid readers in developing their forehand command and as “a guide to the mental side of peak performance.” Nevertheless, he counsels his friends to read the book. In Gates’ opinion, its teachings apply to everyday life.
“For most of us, it’s too easy to slip into self-criticism, which then inhibits our performance even more. Instead, we need to learn from our mistakes without obsessing over them,” Gates said.
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Paul Strathern’s ‘Mendeleyev’s Dream’
In the book, the evolution of chemistry is covered. He had always been fond of the periodic table and Dmitri Mendeleyev, the scientist who created it. Therefore he was interested in the 2000 book.
“Aside from being a neat piece of art, the periodic table reminds me of how one discovery can lead to countless others. All the complexity of the universe comes from the properties on that chart. Because we understand atoms, we can make chips, and therefore we can make software, and therefore we can make AI. Everything goes back to the periodic table,” he concluded.
Photo Credit: Ali Cherkis
Source: CNBC
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