Bill Gates Just Released His 5-Book Reading List for the Summer — Here's What's On It The five books tackle matters like gender equality, political polarization, and more.

By Sarah Jackson

This story originally appeared on Business Insider

Getty Images for All via Business Insider

Summer's around the corner again, and Bill Gates has named the books he recommends people read during the season.

On Monday, Gates announced his 2022 summer reading list, which includes five books he enjoyed but admits do "not exactly sound like the stuff of beach reads."

"As I was putting together my list of suggested reading for the summer, I realized that the topics they cover sound pretty heavy for vacation reading," he wrote in a blog post. "There are books here about gender equality, political polarization, climate change, and the hard truth that life never goes the way young people think it will."

"But none of the five books below feel heavy," Gates continued. "Each of the writers—three novelists, a journalist, and a scientist—was able to take a meaty subject and make it compelling without sacrificing any complexity."

Related: The 5-Hour Rule Used by Bill Gates, Jack Ma and Elon Musk

Here are the five books Gates wants people to pack for their summer vacations:

"The Power" by Naomi Alderman

In this speculative fiction novel, Alderman explores gender roles and gender inequality by writing about a world in which young women suddenly gain the ability to shoot deadly electrical jolts from their hands, coming to wield more power, literally and figuratively, than men.

Gates says the book was a recommendation from his daughter, Jenn.

"I gained a stronger and more visceral sense of the abuse and injustice many women experience today," he said of the novel in his blog post. "And I expanded my appreciation for the people who work on these issues in the U.S. and around the world."

"Why We're Polarized" by Ezra Klein

In this book, Klein argues that the political system in the US has became polarized around identity to dangerous effect.

"The book is fundamentally about American politics, but it's also a fascinating look at human psychology," Gates wrote.

Related: Bill Gates and Steve Jobs Raised Their Kids Tech-Free

"The Lincoln Highway" by Amor Towles

This novel, set in the 1950s, follows an 18-year-old just released from a juvenile work farm in Nebraska as his plan to take his eight-year-old brother to California to start a new life is unexpectedly thwarted by two other teenagers he met at the facility.

"Towles takes inspiration from famous hero's journeys and seems to be saying that our personal journeys are never as linear or predictable as we might hope," Gates wrote of this book.

"The Ministry for the Future" by Kim Stanley Robinson

This novel focuses on the climate crisis through "fictional eyewitness accounts" of how climate change will affect humanity in the near future.

"It's so complex that it's hard to summarize, but Robinson presents a stimulating and engaging story, spanning decades and continents, packed with fascinating ideas and people," Gates wrote.

"How the World Really Works" by Vaclav Smil

This book goes into depth on several fundamental forces of our modern world, including matters like energy production and globalization.

"If you want a brief but thorough education in numeric thinking about many of the fundamental forces that shape human life, this is the book to read," Gates said of this book.

Want to be an BIZ Experiences Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Culture

4 Easy Ways to Build a Team-First Culture — and How It Makes Your Business Better

How creating a collaborative culture preps your business for prosperity.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for BIZ Experiencess to pursue in 2025.

Business Solutions

Tell Your Story and Share Your Strategies with the $49 Youbooks Tool

Use AI to craft full-length non-fiction books that can help build your brand.

Science & Technology

OpenAI's Latest Move Is a Game Changer — Here's How Smart Solopreneurs Are Turning It Into Profit

OpenAI's latest AI tool acts like a full-time assistant, helping solopreneurs save time, find leads and grow their business without hiring.

Science & Technology

AI Isn't Plug-and-Play — You Need a Strategy. Here's Your Guide to Building One.

Don't just "add AI" — build a strategy. This guide helps founders avoid common pitfalls and create a step-by-step roadmap to harness real value from AI.

Starting a Business

I Built a $20 Million Company by Age 22 While Still in College. Here's How I Did It and What I Learned Along the Way.

Wealth-building in your early twenties isn't about playing it safe; it's about exploiting the one time in life when having nothing to lose gives you everything to gain.