As the year-end approaches and colder weather sets in, Bill Gates has unveiled his annual holiday reading recommendations. In a post on his personal blog, the American billionaire highlighted five books—spanning fiction, science, psychology, and public policy—that he believes each reveal something essential about how the world works.
The selections include:
- “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt – a novel partly narrated by an octopus, exploring friendship, aging, and life’s meaning after retirement.
- “Clearing the Air” by Hannah Ritchie – a data-driven, accessible guide answering key questions about climate change and future solutions.
- “Who Knew” by Barry Diller – memoirs of the media titan whose innovations reshaped television and early internet entertainment.
- “When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows” by Steven Pinker – a psychological look at how shared knowledge influences communication and cooperation.
- “Abundance” by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson – an examination of why major U.S. infrastructure and innovation projects have slowed, and what policies might reignite large-scale progress.
Gates noted that each book “opens the curtain on a fundamental part of life,” encouraging readers to reflect on purpose, communication, creativity, climate challenges, and the barriers to societal progress.
