Summer reading brings to mind easy, breezy paperbacks that entertain without making you think too much. Bill Gates doesn’t subscribe to that idea, and if you want to follow in the footsteps of one of the wealthiest people in the world, maybe you shouldn’t either. Luckily, Gates is happy to steer you in his direction, sharing a collection of books he thinks you should read this summer. From Walter Isaacson’s latest biography, to a first-hand account of stage IV colon cancer, these books are anything but “light.” So maybe put down the latest Dan Brown and pick up one of these for your next beach getaway. These are the five books Bill Gates recommends this summer.
1. “Leonardo da Vinci” (Walter Isaacson) – $20
2. “Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I’ve Loved (Kate Bowler) – $16
3. “Lincoln in the Bardo” (George Saunders) – $11
4. “Origin Story: A Big History of Everything” (David Christian) – $18
5. Factfulness (Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling, Anna Rosling Ronnlund) – $19