Close Ad

Bill Gates Says You Should Be Reading This Often-Ignored but Extremely Important Type of Book
Bill Gates during the signing of a partnership vaccination in France
Studying

Bill Gates Says You Should Be Reading This Often-Ignored but Extremely Important Type of Book

Even if you love reading, it's natural to gravitate towards specific genres or authors.

But we should all seek to challenge ourselves and read things that are out of comfort zone, according to Microsoft co-founder and self-made billionaire Bill Gates, an avid reader who loves to share his favorite book recommendations.


"A lot of people lose curiosity in their 20s or 30s," Gates told Harvard students in a Q&A. "So if you hand them a big, thick book, they're like, 'What? Am I going to read that?'"

bill-gates-signing-partnership-vaccination-france

Why we should read academic books

Gates thinks that people don't take the time to read "what's fairly academic and super profound" even though those reads are the most important ones when it comes to developing new ideas, broadening your horizons and rethinking your relationship with the world.

In a world where our attention spans are drastically shortening and digital content aims to be as digestible as possible, it's normal to feel slightly uncomfortable at the thought of tackling such complex, intense reads.

But growth does happen outside of our comfort zone, and it's a concept that should also be applied to the information we consume if we don't want to end up in a self-limiting bubble.

Bill Gates reveals two of his favorite educational reads

bill-gates

So, what does Gates like to read to stimulate his mind? He is a big fan of renowned psychologist and author Steven Pinker, who regularly studies optimism. Gates recently shared that Pinker'sThe Better Angels of Our Nature is his new favorite book of all time.

He also loves Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World—and Why Things Are Better Than You Think by Hans Rosling, which he called one of the most educational books he's ever read, according to CNBC. The book challenges the misconceptions we have about society and human progress because of our own subjective nature, and focuses on replacing them with actual facts.

Hot Stories

Why Paul Walker Left His Only Daughter With Vin Diesel

Vin Diesel & Paul Walker were more than just friends, they were …

content.jwplatform.com

When the tragic news of Paul Walker's death surfaced, the world was left in shock. As one of the most beloved stars of the Fast and Furious franchise, his passing was felt deeply by fans around the globe. But perhaps the most devastating impact was felt by his daughter, Meadow Walker, who was left without a father.

Keep ReadingShow less
Life Stories
cracker barrel waitress in tears
Cracker Barrel Server Left in Shock After a Group of Diners Leave Her a $1,200 Tip (1)

There are many mixed opinions when it comes to tipping. But the reality is that many servers rely on tips to make a decent living, working hard to ensure customer satisfaction with each and every meal.

But even the best of servers don’t expect their patrons to go above and beyond like this group of diners did one day in Georgia.

Keep ReadingShow less
Uplifting News
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his parents Randi and Pat
Archive

Make no mistake about it: Patrick Mahomes is the face of the NFL. The Tyler, Texas native is the son of Pat Mahomes, a former Major League Baseball player, and Randi Martin.

He burst onto the scene in 2018 when he made history by throwing 50 touchdown passes and 5,000 yards in a single season — a record he shares with Peyton Manning. He followed up his initial success by leading the Kansas City Chiefs to an incredible victory at Super Bowl LIV. If that wasn’t enough, he carried the team through to yet another Super Bowl the very next year, though they ended up losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mahomes has gone to two more Super Bowls since and he's won back-to-back titles (2023 and 2024).

Keep ReadingShow less
Family