One of the most popular messages we receive concerns book recommendations, and despite us doing quite a few of those, you guys just seem to want more.
What you need to remember before this article, is the your average person reads 1.5 books per year, while your average Top CEO reads over 50 books every year. They do this so that they maintain a competitive edge in the game and find new ideas that could improve both their lifestyles and companies.
This time we’re taking a look at the books, multi-billionaire Bill Gates thinks everyone should read, because they had such an incredible impact on his own journey. If you want to learn where Bill’s great ideas come from, just start picking up some of these books!
As always, here’s the video version of this article:
You can purchase any of the books by clicking on the Buy Item button on each pic.
Number 1: Life is What You Make It by Peter Buffett
If that last name sounds familiar, that’s because it definitely should. Peter is the son of the 3rd richest man in the world Warren Buffett.
The book centers on a really powerful idea that can dramatically change the way you approach life: Will you take the path of Least Resistance OR the path of potentially Greatest Satisfaction?
His father is well known for vouching to donate most of his fortune to charity when he passes away. Both him and Bill do not give their children any of the money they’ve earned, instead they try to educate them as best they can.
That’s why this book is so valuable. Imagine Warren Buffett would be your father and all he wanted to leave you is his knowledge.
The most valuable thing Warren passed down to his son, apart from his last name, is the philosophy his parents used to get in the position they find themselves today.
The book looks at how to forge your own path and is definitely a recommended read!
Although the book is quite expensive at 22 dollars, if you go to alux.com/freebook and sign up, you can get the audio version for free. You can use that URL to get any of the books we will mention in this article.
Number 2: Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson
This is such a great book and let me tell you why.
You know how some of you want to be rich and successful but feel that you simply don’t have that great idea that could change the world?
This book is for you.
It looks at how great ideas transform over time, how much it takes for an idea to evolve from seed to fruition.
Most of you probably think that one amazing idea will suddenly hit you resulting in you finally having that Eureaka Moment, but that’s not really the case.
Instead this book will teach you how to change the way you think in order to generate valuable ideas no matter where you live and your environment.
Number 3: Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer
Joshua Foer is a memory expert. To put it simply, this book will teach you how to remember more if not everything you read and hear.
This is an incredible tool to have in your arsenal Aluxers! We always thought of this kind skill as mind gymnastics, where you train your mind to do something that the average person simply isn’t able to, thus giving you an unfair advantage in life.
The book is funny and we still use concepts from this book in everyday life.
If you go through this book, you will finally be able to remember someone’s name when you meet them!
Number 4: “Tap Dancing to Work” by Carol Loomis
After 40 years of covering Warren Buffett’s evolution, for a young investor to becoming the most successful investor the world has ever seen, Carol Loomis, wrote a book.
In it, you have an inside look at what strategies and what frame of mind Mr. Buffett has and still uses to protect and grow his fortune. You’ll get a glimpse on how he makes decision on everything, not only business.
This is a recommended book to anyone who’s looking to understand how to position yourself in an ever changing market.
Number 5: “Making the Modern World” by Vaclav Smil
This is a really fascinating book about how our civilization is shifting and using resources.
Reading this type of books will help you understand macro trends and allows you to prepare for what’s happening next.
Making the Modern World takes a look at how China is rising and countries in Asia are in their early stages of development. These countries will see a boom in almost every sector imaginable.
Just to give you an example, let’s take China: in the last 3 years, China used more cement than the United states did in the last 100 years. Chinese consumers, now buy more luxury products than the rest of the world combined and this is just the beginning.
If you want to understand why this is happening, what effects this will have and how to be ready for it, get the book.
If you’re interested in leveraging your future to your advantage, check out our video on 15 Jobs that will disappear in the next decades due to automation.
Number 6: “The Sixth Extinction” by Elizabeth Kolbert
If last time it took a meteorite to wipe out the dinosaurs, this time, it’s us, humans that are doing the damage.
Animal numbers are dropping rapidly.
You know elephants? Yeah.. the last elephant in the wild is expected to die 20 years from now. Your grandchild will see Lions, Tigers, Elephants & Rhinos only in animation movies and on the internet.
It doesn’t matter if you believe in science or not, the climate is changing as well, without your approval. We’re already far down this rabbit hole, the problem is, we’re accelerating without realizing the irreparable damage we’re doing.
Bill recommends this book because it makes it easy to understand the kind of impact humanity has on the environment, and out of it numerous opportunities will arise for those who will be able to fix some of these issues. Will it be you?
Number 7: “The Man Who Fed the World” by Leon Hesser
Dr. Norman Borlang is credited with saving hundreds of millions of lives from starvation-more than any other person in history. He might just be the most incredible man you’ll ever hear of.
This book covers his story.
It’s a bit hard to read, but the story is so good that it will still keep you interested. His journey from realizing that the population is increasing at a faster pace than we can produce food to figuring out how to solve the food problem for the entire planet is incredible.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace prize and it doesn’t matter where you live in the world, if you’re studying agriculture, you will learn about Norman, because he as the man who fed the world!
Number 8: ‘The Rosie Project: A Novel’ by Graeme Simsion
If the previous books on this list were a bit more focused, this one is a light romance novel. Can you believe one of Bill’s 15 most recommended books is a love story?
The Rosie Project, follows a genetics professor who is super socially awkward, think of Sheldon Cooper, who goes about finding a wife in the most mathematical sense possible.
He makes a list of the characteristics he looks for in his future spouse but all of a sudden meets this woman, Rosie, who’s the total opposite of what his list included.
It’s a moving and hilarious novel, which we recommend to anyone who’s searching for love.
Number 9: “The Great Gatsby,” F. Scott Fitzgerald
Hi there, you old sport! Bet you didn’t expect to see two romance novels on this list did you?
The Great Gatsby is one of our all time favorite stories.You probably know about it or at least seen the movie with Leonardo DiCaprio.
We always said that as you get older, if you re-read the book, you’ll find something new every time.
It’s one of those love stories which are layered with hooks. No matter where you are in your life, you will identify with one of the people in the story.
It doesn’t hurt that it brings you in the life of Jay Gatsby, his lavish parties on Long Island and his undying love for Daisy.
Number 10: “Business Adventures: Twelve Classic Tales from the World of Wall Street,” John Brooks
This is Bill Gates’ favorite business book, so you know we had to include it.
It’s a combination of stories from wall street meant to represent valuable and universal principles which are key for any entrepreneur.
This book was gifted to Bill by his mentor, Warren Buffet in 1991, if you needed another reason to get it.
What we found fascinating about this book is that the world of money is very cyclical in nature, which means that some things tend to happen again and again. We’ve seen this with real-estate crashes, with big manufacturers, with stocks and we are starting to see similar behaviors in the Crypto space as well.
If you’re curious to learn why this is Bill’s favorite business book, you can go do alux.com/freebook, sign up and get it for free as an audiobook.
If you’re interested in learning which are our favorite business books, watch the video below:
11: “How to Lie With Statistics” by Darrell Huff
People use data to manipulate perception every single day. Every marketing campaign, every new drug commercial, every politician and social cause, is using data in order to shift the public’s perception in their favor.
This book breaks down how this happens. It’s a very valuable insight into understanding how probabilities work and how fair of a chance you have to making it in life.
Not only it provides you with a fundamental understanding of how sampling works, but it’s clear, concise, funny, not too complex so that you can get through it and feel like you should recommend it to others as well.
Number 12: “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind,” Yuval Noah Harari
If you’re a long time viewer, you’ve heard us mentioning this book before. We picked it up after bill gates, Barack Obama & Mark Zuckerberg.
Sapiens covers a brief history of humankind in a way we haven’t encountered before. It’s incredibly enjoyable and you feel like you’re getting smarter with every page you turn.
It’s one of those books which everyone should read. If it were up to us, this would be mandatory study material in school.
From food, to religion, to politics, to money, this book accurately explains how all of them came to be and carefully navigates their evolution in a very enjoyable and educational manner.
It’s a well written book and a great purchase.
Number 13: ‘Outliers’ by Malcolm Gladwell
Outliers is a fascinating book. You might have heard of the fact that you need to spend 10,000 hours at something in order to be successful…well it comes from this book.
Malcom Gladwell is one of those minds we are lucky to have around because his work is timeless.
Talent is overrated, being successful in life usually boils down to simple criteria which most of us are not aware of. Your shot at being a professional athlete is directly influenced by the month in which you were born and your short term memory is directly affected by the language you think in.
You’re gonna have fun reading this book and be able to now make connections you couldn’t have before, it’s easy to see why bill would put it in his top 15, we would as well!
Number 14: ‘The Box’ by Marc Levinson
Life is changing, evolving into something different, one little change at a time. This book was written by an economist who’s showcasing the massive impact a simple idea had on world wide trade.
It’s about the invention of the shipping container and how hard it was to make it mainstream, but once it did, the impact was incredible.
Despite being a very useful invention, it took incredible sums of money and high stakes negotiation with industry giants.
The adoption changed geography as we know it, because it was not possible to ship things for really cheap, so you could have your factories far far away.
You wouldn’t expect shipping containers to have that big of an impact or that interesting of a story.
Number 15: “How Not to Be Wrong” by Jordan Ellenberg
You know hot the math you learn in school is dull and boring? Believe it or not, there is a different type of math that makes everything be fascinating.
This book explores the hidden structures underneath casual and chaotic events and how you can use this type of knowledge to get an advantage in your endeavors.
It will answer casual questions like: How early should you get to the airport? What does “public opinion” really represent? Why do tall parents have shorter children? And how likely are you, really, to develop cancer?
It’s one of those freakonomics like books which you can enjoy while on the plane. The book is $25 but if you go to alux.com/freebook you can get the audio version for free when you sign up!
Bill Gates is such an inspiration to us here at Alux and we enjoyed digging to see which kind of books he would recommend to his friends.
Hopefully at least a couple caught your attention and will make it on your reading list.
Apart from Bill Gates, who is your inspiration? Let us know in the comments below and we will make sure to join the conversation!
