Karlie Kloss: "It’s an amazing book on the beginning of humanity. It’s scientific but also philosophical."

Joe Rogan: "Great book... Fucking fascinating... Very enlightening."

Patrick O'Shaughnessy: "This book was so entertaining and useful.

It provides a concise history of humankind and outlines why we have the psychology we do today (this part is great for thinking about investor behavior)."

Changpeng Zhao: "[This book] gives me a greater perspective about how humans emerged and why we behave the way we do."

Daniel Ek: "One of the most-talked-about books of the last couple of years, and for good reason.

Both sobering and conservatively optimistic in equal measure, it seems even more relevant for us at the moment to learn from our socio-anthropological history."

Anthony Pompliano: "One of the best books I read in 2017"

Naval Ravikant: "An orthogonal and clinical examination of the human animal, from the beginning to now.

Humans are story-telling alpha predators that killed the competition and domesticated the survivors. This is our story, and it's not all pretty."

David Sacks: "Yuval Harari’s Sapiens had a big impact on how I approach VC. The theme of the book is that humans obsess over narratives.

So I try to focus on product and metrics as a way to get to ground truth, as opposed to over-indexing on the pitch, which is mostly a story-telling event."

Melinda Gates mentioned this book as one of her 11 favorite books.

Reid Hoffman: "Sapiens has had me thinking a lot about the evolution of humanity and what our future looks like."

Mark Zuckerberg: "I found the chapter on the evolution of the role of religion in human life most interesting and something I wanted to go deeper on."

Raoul Pal enjoyed reading 'Sapiens'.

One of the books Keith Rabois recommends for entrepreneurs.

Bill Gurley: "I really enjoyed [Sapiens]"

Bill Gates: "Melinda and I spent weeks talking about this history of the human race."

Tim Cook: "Best business book of the century."

Warren Buffett: “The best book I read last year. Phil is a gifted storyteller.”

Alexis Ohanian: "Shoe Dog by Phil Knight is a great one -- had no idea Nike had such a long history."

One of 10 biographies Jason Calacanis recommends reading.

Bill Gurley: "I don't know of any book that captures the entrepreneurial spirit as much as this one does. PK explains exactly why we grind."

Austen Allred: "Loved [Shoe Dog]"

Tobi Lutke's book recommendation for business leaders.

Anthony Pompliano: "One of the best books I read in 2017"

Brian Armstrong mentioned reading Shoe Dog on his blog.

Bill Gates: "An honest tale of what it takes to succeed in business

Phil Knight opens up in a way few CEOs do in his candid memoir about creating the Nike shoe empire."

Brian Chesky: "Bob's book is great and he's an excellent CEO."

Alexis Ohanian: "One of the best leadership books I've read.

These usually disappoint, but I actually came away with some good leadership notes and new appreciation for what Iger pulled off in his tenure as Disney CEO."

Michael Bloomberg: "Bob Iger's story is a testament to the idea that in America, if you work hard and pursue a dream, you really can achieve it."

Karlie Kloss: "I really admire Bob [Iger] and his opinions"

Tim Ferriss: "The negotiation stories with Steve Jobs alone make this book worth the read."

Jason Calacanis: "I like these stories of executives from the 80s and 90s before the internet, because you can really see how those media companies were built"

Bill Gates: "Unlike most books on leadership, this one is worth your time."

Naval Ravikant: "Matt Ridley's "The Rational Optimist" is the most brilliant and enlightening book I've read in years."

Anthony Pompliano: "One of the best books I read in 2017"

Bill Gurley: "I really, really loved 'How Innovation Works' from Matt Ridley.

It is a very elegant follow up to 'The Rational Optimist' - read both if you can."

Marc Andreessen: "Sparkling explanation of how the economy evolves, producing the glorious cornucopia of goods and services available all around us.

How to feel good about the future even in dark times."

Mark Zuckerberg: "This book argues that economic progress is the greater force is pushing society forward."

Bill Gates: "The book focuses on some of the critical issues facing the world today including aid to Africa and climate change."

Nick Szabo: "I think three or four of my top 20 books of all time are all Ridley’s. Rational Optimist, Genome, Red Queen, Origins of Virtue."

Casey Neistat: "I’m a big fan of Adam Grant, his new book is fantastic."

Malcolm Gladwell: "Rule number one: never miss a new Adam Grant book! I loved this one!"

Ray Dalio: "I highly recommend 'Think Again'. Adam is one of the most revered experts in what makes organizations and people successful and he loudly and clearly tells you what is most important."

Bill & Melinda Gates: "Think Again is a must-read for anyone who wants to create a culture of learning and exploration, whether at home, at work, or at school."

Kevin Kelly: "Think Again, by Adam Grant, explores the value and process of rethinking our beliefs and opinions.

It highlights the importance of adopting a “scientist mindset” — maintaining intellectual humility, expressing doubt in one’s views, and staying curious about alternatives."

Michael Mauboussin: "Range by David Epstein is the best book I have read this year. It’s out now. I highly recommend it.

Changpeng Zhao: "While many books talk about specialization and the 10,000-hour rule in an ultra-competitive world, this book gives a different view to balance that argument.

And how many great inventions happen at the intersection of disciplines."

Vinod Khosla: "This book makes a well-supported case on behalf of breadth and late starts versus deep expertise.

I always valued more "athlete, less deep expertise"

Bill Gates: "Range explains the greatness of Roger Federer and other generalists"

Malcolm Gladwell: "For reasons I cannot explain, David Epstein manages to make me thoroughly enjoy the experience of being told that everything I thought about something was wrong. I loved Range."

Patrick O'Shaughnessy: "As a parent who now understands the abiding joy of children, the last paragraph of this book was one of the most moving things I’ve ever read.

You are going to love this."

Anthony Pompliano: "One of the best books I read in 2017"

Melinda Gates mentioned this book as one of her 11 favorite books.

Bill Gates: "This book left me in tears"

Tobi Lutke: "I’m a big fan of the book."

Satya Nadella's management worldview is deeply influenced by Stanford professor Carol Dweck’s book Mindset.

Tony Robbins mentioned this book on 'The Tim Ferriss Show' podcast.

Bill Gates: "Revisiting Carol Dweck’s fascinating work on the growth mindset."

Ryan Petersen: "[One of] the best books for business people."

Chamath Palihapitiya: "The Vital Question is incredible."

Matt Ridley: “In this, his third book about energy and life, [Lane] comes triumphantly close to cracking the secret of why life is the way it is, to a depth that would boggle any ancient philosopher’s mind.”

Bill Gates: "This biology book blew me away. A compelling case for how energy made us who we are."

David Friedberg: "It was a really good read"

Satya Nadella: "The Rise and Fall of American Growth concludes that innovation is the ultimate source of dramatic improvements in the human condition”

Stewart Butterfield: "I'm reading this book and I can already tell I am going to be so annoying about it afterwards. Sorry in advance"

Patrick Collison included this book on his list of recommended books.

Bill Gates: "The book was a fantastic read, and well worth the time"

Bill Gurley: "Bad Blood is an incredible book that should be read by each and every player in the startup/Silicon Valley ecosystem."

Michael Mauboussin: "Amazing book about human nature"

Andrew Wilkinson: "Soooo good."

Bill Gates: "I couldn’t put down this thriller with a tragic ending"

Stewart Butterfield: "Audio version of Hillbilly Elegy, read by author JD Vance, was five stars. Human, perceptive, loving, well-told."

One of 10 biographies Jason Calacanis recommends reading.

Max Levchin shared 'Hillbilly Elegy' on his LinkedIn page.

Bill Gates: "Hillbilly Elegy gave me new insights into poverty in America."

Vinod Khosla: "Best book on the subject"

Alexis Ohanian: "One of the best and most important books I've read [in 2019]."

Michael Mauboussin: "One of my favorite science books in 2018"

Bill Gates: "This book put me to sleep.

An expert explains the benefits of a good night’s rest."

Vinod Khosla: "Not that I agree with all of it, but it is still mind-bending speculation about our future as a follow-up to a previous favorite, Sapiens. It’s directionally right."

Naval Ravikant: "Didn't finish it. Good book but not as seminal as Sapiens."

Raoul Pal enjoyed reading 'Homo Deus'.

Bill Gates: "A provocative new book raises big questions about the future."

Sheryl Sandberg: “John Doerr has taught a generation of entrepreneurs and philanthropists that execution is everything. 

Measure What Matters shows how any organization or team can aim high, move fast, and excel.”

Reid Hoffman: “Whether you're a seasoned CEO or a first-time entrepreneur, you'll find valuable lessons, tools, and inspiration in the pages of Measure What Matters.

I'm glad John invested the time to share these ideas with the world.”

Larry Page: "I wish I had had this book nineteen years ago, when we founded Google. Or even before that, when I was only managing myself!"

Bill Gates: "Management tips from a brilliant business leader"

Warren Buffett: “I think this is one of the best books I've ever read.”

Satya Nadella: "It's such a valuable contribution to a topic that couldn't be more important to society today.

I've always learned so much from the stories [Melinda has] shared – and am encouraged that more people will benefit from your insights."

Bill Gates: "I would say this even if I weren’t married to the author: The Moment of Lift is a terrific read."

Boyan Slat: "Go read this book"

Bill Gates: "I hope people around the world read this book, understand our planet isn’t a lost cause, and get inspired to help fix it."

Stewart Brand: "Ecopragmatism at its best shines throughout this book... The surprising message in the data is that human civilization is far along toward solving planetary problems."

Michael Mauboussin: "[A book] that helped me think better in 2018"

Bill Gates: "My new favorite book of all time

Steven Pinker’s new book makes a powerful case for why the world is getting better."

David Friedberg: "A great book."

Melinda Gates: “Hans Rosling tells the story of ‘the secret silent miracle of human progress’ as only he can.

But Factfulness does much more than that. It also explains why progress is so often secret and silent and teaches readers how to see it clearly.”

Bill Gates: "Factfulness is one of the most educational books I’ve ever read."

Vinod Khosla: "About pressing political, technological, social, and existential issues as we move into uncharted territory of the future."

Joe Rogan mentioned '21 Lessons for the 21st Century' on the 'Joe Rogan Experience' podcast.

Bill Gates: "Yuval Noah Harari has written another thought-provoking book."

Mark Zuckerberg: "It's a timely book about how and why violence has steadily decreased throughout our history, and how we can continue this trend.

A few people I trust have told me this is the best book they've ever read."

Anthony Pompliano: "Better Angels is so good. I've found it to really rock people's preconceived notions on a number of topics"

Bill Gates: "Steven Pinker’s The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined stands out as one of the most important books I’ve read—not just this year, but ever."

Boyan Slat: "I’m a sucker for data and thus always enjoy the statistics-heavy books by Smil (even though I don’t always agree with the conclusions he draws from those numbers).

I learned a lot from this latest book of his."

Bill Gates: "Vaclav Smil is my favorite author… _Numbers Don't Lie _takes everything that makes his writing great and boils it down into an easy-to-read format. I unabashedly recommend this book to anyone who loves learning."

Reid Hoffman recommended this book on LinkedIn.

Bill Gates: "An excellent guide for navigating unprecedented times"

David Friedberg: "An interesting book about how the electrical power grid system was built in the United States, how inefficient it is, and all the structural problems that need to be solved."

Bill Gates: "This book, about our aging electrical grid, fits in one of my favorite genres: “Books About Mundane Stuff That Are Actually Fascinating.”

Part of the reason I find this topic fascinating is because my first job, in high school, was writing software for the entity that controls the power grid in the Northwest.

But even if you have never given a moment’s thought to how electricity reaches your outlets, I think this book would convince you that the electrical grid is one of the greatest engineering wonders of the modern world.

I think you would also come to see why modernizing the grid is so complex and so critical for building our clean-energy future."

Bill Gates: "The Most Powerful Idea in the World is an entertaining narrative weaving together

the clever characters, incremental innovations and historical context behind the steam engines that gave birth to our modern world."

Nick Szabo mentioned this as one book to read for a decent coverage of history.

Andrew Wilkinson: "One of the best books I’ve ever read. Incredible."

Bill Gates: "A Gentleman in Moscow has a little bit of everything

Towles’s novel is technically historical fiction, but you’d be just as accurate calling it a thriller or a love story."

Max Levchin shared 'The Sympathizer' on his LinkedIn page.

Bill Gates: "A fresh take on the Vietnam War

I thought this thrilling story about a double agent lived up to the hype."

Balaji Srinivasan mentioned 'The Great Influenza' on Twitter.

Bill Gates: "This book taught me a lot about the Spanish Flu.

John M. Barry’s 2004 book The Great Influenza has never been more relevant."

Carl Icahn: "I think it's very good, very well thought out."

Bill Gates: "The debate over wealth and inequality has generated a lot of partisan heat.

I don’t have a magic solution for that. But I do know that, even with its flaws, Piketty’s work contributes at least as much light as heat."

One of Richard Branson's top books to read in a lifetime.

Bill Gates: "A quick retelling of the former president’s fascinating story."

Melinda Gates: "The lessons in this book that I read so many years ago, and that I keep turning to now during this time, are how to find joy in the every day moments."

Bill Gates: "Even if you don’t read many inspirational books, try this is one."

Naval Ravikant: "Explains all these very complicated concepts, only using the 1000 most common words in the English language."

Bill Gates: "Nuclear physics, space travel, and other topics made easy."

Warren Buffett: "Sensational... Tim’s book will forever be the definitive work on what causes financial panics and what must be done to stem them when they occur.”

Bill Gates: "A front row view of the financial crisis"

Bill Gates: "Walter Isaacson’s terrific new biography sheds light on every facet of the artist’s life."

Elon Musk: "Walter is incredibly thorough in his research. Highly recommend his other books!"

Bob Iger: "The amazing, inspiring true story of a young woman raised by a fundamentalist Mormon family in Idaho – she had no birth certificate, never attended school, never saw a doctor – who eventually, through sheer force of will, manages to leave, go to college, and ultimately receive a PhD from Cambridge.

A lesson in what people can overcome."

Bill Gates: "Educated is even better than you’ve heard"

Casey Neistat: "Just finished this yesterday. Absolutely fantastic book. Super recommend if you're into spycraft and espionage."

Bill Gates: "An amazing real-life espionage thriller"

Vinod Khosla: "Outlines ethical ways of mending the rifts that are tearing apart the fabric of our country and other Western societies."

Bill Gates: "A renowned economist’s thought-provoking new book."

Sam Hinkie: "A yearning for innovation requires real exploration.

It requires a persistent search to try (and fail) to move your understanding forward with a new tool, a new technique, a new insight.

Sadly, the first innovation often isn’t even all that helpful, but may well provide a path to ones that are.

This is an idea that Steven Johnson of Where Good Ideas Come From popularized called the adjacent possible."

Bill Gates: "I recently read Steven Johnson’s book, Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation,

and found it useful as a way to think about the kinds of environments that foster creative collaboration and innovation."

Michael Mauboussin: "Fascinating and eye-opening read."

Bill Gates: "I Contain Multitudes helped me see microorganisms in a whole new light."

One of Sahil Lavingia's most recommended books.

Bill Gates: "It’s absolutely phenomenal, one of the most interesting books I’ve read this summer."

Kevin Systrom mentioned 'The Signal and the Noise' on Instagram.

Bill Gates: "Silver knows a lot about baseball, and I especially liked his explanation of hold’em poker."

Melinda Gates mentioned this book as one of her 11 favorite books.

Bill Gates: "Trevor Noah’s funny and moving account of growing up in South Africa."

One of Reid Hoffman's summer reads of 2016.

Bill Gates: "A talented writer and doctor guides us through the past, present, and future of genome science."

Mark Zuckerberg: "This book was recommended to me by scientists and friends who work in public health.

It’s also a relatively short book — one that you should be able to read in a few hours. I encourage you to check it out."

Bill Gates: "When I stumbled across the book on the Internet, I thought it might be a worthwhile read.

I had no idea what a pleasure reading it would be. "

Mark Zuckerberg: "This is a good complement to our last book, Portfolios of the Poor, which focused on how people live in poverty.

This one discusses why poverty exists and how to reduce it."

Bill Gates: "Good ideas"

Mark Zuckerberg: "This social justice book outlines the many ways the US criminal justice system discriminates against minorities, disadvantages them and prevents everyone from having equal opportunity."

Bill Gates: "An eye-opening look into America's criminal justice system. The New Jim Crow will help you understand the history and the numbers behind mass incarceration."

Warren Buffett recommended Business Adventures to Bill Gates when he first met him in 1991, as his favorite business book.

Bill Gates: "Business Adventures is old, hard to find, and the best business book ever."

Tobi Lutke: "[Malcolm McLean is one of the] entrepreneurs who would absolutely be on your podcast if he would be alive right now"

Bill Gates: "Shipping containers are way more interesting than you might think."

Bill Gates: "David MacKay’s brilliant book is a primer on how we make energy and its impact on the climate."

Bill Gates: "Jay Mathews’ book Work Hard. Be Nice. describes the history of KIPP by telling the story of Mike Feinberg and Dave Levin.
KIPP is remarkable in some ways, particularly in its ability to attract great teachers and engage and inspire students."

Bill Gates: "Provides interesting background about the way the Federal Reserve managed the crisis"

Bill Gates: "This is an important book for anyone who wants to learn about the science of seeds and the challenges faced by farmers.

It’s only 167 pages, and includes personal stories that give you a sense of the authors as people and how strongly they feel about farming, food and the environment."

Bill Gates: "Peter Buffett recently published a terrific book, titled Life is What You Make It."

Bill Gates: "Liberating Learning by Terry Moe and John Chubb is an important book that focuses on how technology will change K-12 education in the United States."

Bill Gates: "Vaclav Smil has written another important book on energy which is quite amazing."

Bill Gates: "Vaclav Smil has written another very informative book called Why America is Not a New Rome."

Bill Gates: "Until I read Jim Grant—UNICEF Visionary, I didn’t appreciate what a remarkable visionary and results-driven leader he was."

Bill Gates: "I wish there were ten more books like Stretching the School Dollar."

Bill Gates: "For a basic understanding of where education money comes from and how it gets spent, one of the books I highly recommend is Where Do School Funds Go? by Marguerite Roza."

Bill Gates: "I’m a fan of David Oshinsky’s insightful book, Polio: An American Story. (I’m not alone here, as it received the Pulitzer Prize for history in 2006.)

It is a fascinating account of the search for a vaccine to stop the polio epidemics that swept the U.S. in the first half of the 20th century"

Bill Gates: "Bill Foege is one of my heroes."

Bill Gates: "Our ability to understand how materials behave has been central to the story of human progress over the years.

One of the best ways to begin to understand this important subject is to read a book written more than 40 years ago."

Bill Gates: "a well-written account of the people, politics, and policies involved in the effort to improve teaching and learning."

Bill Gates: "Prime Movers of Globalization is another remarkable book by Smil"

Bill Gates: "In Change.edu, Andrew Rosen calls for greater relevance, access, accountability and transparency in higher education.

He builds a persuasive case that many non-traditional students, such as working adults, parents and those at risk of dropping out, are not well served by traditional institutions"

Bill Gates: "That Used to Be Us is a fantastic book, and I really encourage people to read it."

Bill Gates: "Lewin is an incredible teacher who’s passionate about the beauty of physics and its power as a way of looking at the world."

Bill Gates: "Daniel Yergin’s book is a guide to complex factors shaping energy needs."

Bill Gates: "What makes this memoir interesting is that there are not many books where the author speaks first-hand about the administration of our health care system or gives real life explanations to the current cost crisis."

Bill Gates: "Before reading this book, I took it for granted that colleges were doing a very good job."

Bill Gates: "All in all, it’s an interesting view into five countries which are making remarkable educational progress and that offer lessons for us in the U.S."

Bill Gates: "Great stories from a very smart guy"

Bill Gates: "If you’re going to read one book about modern China in the period after Mao, then this is the book you should read."

Bill Gates: "I recently picked up Kofi Annan’s book, Interventions: A Life in War and Peace, about his years as Secretary-General of the UN.

It was a reminder of his achievements in global health and development, and helpful to learn about the other side of his UN work on peacekeeping issues."

Bill Gates: "Gordon Conway provides a roadmap for eliminating hunger in the world."

Bill Gates: "An economist explores a controversial subject: teacher accountability."

Bill Gates: "There is no author whose books I look forward to more than Vaclav Smil."

Bill Gates: "This book is a useful introduction to a complex problem."

Bill Gates: "Jerven provides an analysis of African economic development statistics."

Bill Gates: "I recommend The Bet to anyone wanting to understand the history of the divisive discussions we have today, especially the stalemate over climate change"

Bill Gates: "A cautionary tale from Africa."

Bill Gates: "An architect of Obamacare on why the U.S. health system needed to change."

Bill Gates: "The Rosie Project is one of the best novels I’ve read in a long time."

Bill Gates: "If you read just one book about malaria, The Fever may be the best choice."

Bill Gates: "The novel I gave to 50 friends

Graeme Simsion’s second Rosie book is just as smart, funny, and sweet as his first."

Bill Gates: "Randall Munroe’s twisted comic takes on science and technology."

Bill Gates: "Allie Brosh’s memoir looks openly at depression. It’s also very funny."

Bill Gates: "How we can cut carbon emissions by using less stuff."

Bill Gates: "Being Nixon explores the different sides of a complicated man."

Bill Gates: "The Power to Compete has smart ideas about revitalizing Japan’s economy."

Bill Gates: "The novel that rekindled my love for sci-fi."

Bill Gates: "Melinda thought I would love Maylis de Kerangal’s The Heart. She was right."

Bill Gates: "This powerful graphic novel explores parenthood and life during wartime."

Bill Gates: "One of my favorite authors explains how energy drives human history."

Bill Gates: "Eddie Izzard is a comic genius, and his memoir is terrific"

Bill Gates: "My family loved reading this book together

Readers of all ages will enjoy John Green’s latest novel, Turtles All the Way Down."

Bill Gates: "Lincoln in the Bardo gave me a new perspective on America’s 16th president."

Bill Gates: "A wise and funny memoir from a young woman facing her own mortality."

Bill Gates: "This book educated me about the pros and cons of autonomous weapons."

Bill Gates: "An eye-opening history of the United States."