Bill Gates has released his annual summer reading list, consisting of five memoirs that the business executive and philanthropist says helped inspire his own.
Microsoft co-founder Gates published his memoir, Source Code, in February with Knopf. A critic for Kirkus called the book “well crafted and self-aware: a readable, enjoyable visit to the dawn of high tech.”
On his blog, Gates said that while preparing to write his memoir, “I thought about what I could draw on from the best memoirs I’ve read. So for this year’s Summer Books, I thought I would share a list of a few of them.”
Gates kicked off his list with Personal History, the memoir of former Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham, who died in 2001. Gates, who was friends with Graham, said the book “is a good reminder that great leaders can come from unexpected places.”
Gates also praised Chasing Hope: A Reporter’s Life by Nicholas D. Kristof. “His book made me think: The world would be better off with more Nick Kristofs,” Gates wrote. He recommended Tara Westover’s Educated, writing, “At some point in your childhood, you go from thinking your parents know everything to seeing them as adults with limitations. Tara beautifully captures that process of self-discovery in this unforgettable memoir.”
Gates included comedian Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood, writing, “In this book, and in his comedy, Trevor uses his outside perspective to his advantage. His outlook transcends borders.” He closed out the list with Bono’s Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story, saying that the U2 frontman “shows a lot of vulnerability” in the book: “It was a great model for how I could be open about my own challenges in Source Code.”
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
