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Bill Gates' Reading List (2026): 12 Books He Recommends, With Reading Times
Bill Gates has publicly recommended these 12 books; reading them all takes about 101 h 37 min at the average 238 words per minute.
Bill Gates publishes a reading list on GatesNotes most summers and winters, mixing fiction picks with nonfiction on science, history and technology. The books below are pulled directly from those posts, not from second-hand "Gates recommends" round-ups.
Each entry links back to the original GatesNotes post so you can read the recommendation in his own words, along with a reading time estimate so you know what you are taking on before you start.
Picks are sourced from Gates' own GatesNotes summer and holiday reading lists, published between 2020 and 2024.
Last reviewed 17 July 2026.
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Books on this list
12
Total reading time at 238 WPM
101 h 37 min
At 400 WPM that drops to 60 h 28 min.
Project Hail Mary
Andy Weir · 2021
Named one of '5 books I loved reading this year' on Gates' GatesNotes holiday reading list, praised as a fun, fast-paced read he finished in one weekend.
How long does it take to read Project Hail Mary? About 9 h 10 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (476 pages), or around 5 h 27 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: GatesNotes, Nov 2021
Klara and the Sun
Kazuo Ishiguro · 2021
Named one of '5 books I loved reading this year' on Gates' GatesNotes holiday reading list (2021), which he described as a favourite 'robot story.'
How long does it take to read Klara and the Sun? About 5 h 50 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (303 pages), or around 3 h 28 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: GatesNotes, Nov 2021
The Code Breaker
Walter Isaacson · 2021
Named one of '5 books I loved reading this year' on Gates' GatesNotes holiday reading list (2021), on Jennifer Doudna and CRISPR gene editing.
How long does it take to read The Code Breaker? About 10 h 47 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (560 pages), or around 6 h 25 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: GatesNotes, Nov 2021
A Thousand Brains: A New Theory of Intelligence
Jeff Hawkins · 2021
Named one of '5 books I loved reading this year' on Gates' GatesNotes holiday reading list (2021), on neuroscience and AI.
How long does it take to read A Thousand Brains: A New Theory of Intelligence? About 5 h 33 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (288 pages), or around 3 h 18 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: GatesNotes, Nov 2021
The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz
Erik Larson · 2020
Named one of '5 good books for a lousy year' on Gates' GatesNotes holiday reading list, published December 2020.
How long does it take to read The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz? About 11 h 16 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (585 pages), or around 6 h 42 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: GatesNotes, Dec 2020
Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
Doris Kearns Goodwin · 2005
Named 'Best guide to leading a country' in Gates' 'Five of my all-time favorite books' GatesNotes list, published November 2022.
How long does it take to read Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln? About 17 h 38 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (916 pages), or around 10 h 30 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: GatesNotes, Nov 2022
The Power
Naomi Alderman · 2016
Named one of '5 great books for the summer' on Gates' GatesNotes summer reading list, published June 2022, recommended to him by his daughter.
How long does it take to read The Power? About 6 h 34 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (341 pages), or around 3 h 54 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: GatesNotes, Jun 2022
How the World Really Works
Vaclav Smil · 2022
Named one of '5 great books for the summer' on Gates' GatesNotes summer reading list (June 2022), called 'another masterpiece' from one of his favourite authors.
How long does it take to read How the World Really Works? About 6 h 28 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (336 pages), or around 3 h 51 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: GatesNotes, Jun 2022
The Anxious Generation
Jonathan Haidt · 2024
Named one of 'Books to keep you warm this holiday season' on Gates' GatesNotes holiday reading list, published December 3, 2024, called 'a must-read for anyone raising, working with, or teaching young people today.'
How long does it take to read The Anxious Generation? About 7 h 25 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (385 pages), or around 4 h 25 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: GatesNotes, Dec 2024
The Coming Wave
Mustafa Suleyman · 2023
Named one of 'Books to keep you warm this holiday season' on Gates' GatesNotes holiday reading list, published December 3, 2024, called 'the best book to read' to understand the rise of AI.
How long does it take to read The Coming Wave? About 6 h 24 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (332 pages), or around 3 h 48 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: GatesNotes, Dec 2024
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
Gabrielle Zevin · 2022
Recommended in Gates' GatesNotes post 'Great books, songs, and shows for the summer,' published May 30, 2023, who said it reminded him of his relationship with Paul Allen.
How long does it take to read Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow? About 8 h 1 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (416 pages), or around 4 h 46 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: GatesNotes, May 2023
Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World
David Epstein · 2019
Named one of '5 good books for a lousy year' on Gates' GatesNotes holiday reading list, published December 2020.
How long does it take to read Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World? About 6 h 32 min at the average reading speed of 238 words per minute (339 pages), or around 3 h 53 min at a trained 400 WPM.
Source: GatesNotes, Dec 2020
How Long Would the Whole List Take?
Based on 1,451,175 total words across every book on this list.
| Reading speed | Speed band | Total time |
|---|---|---|
| 200 WPM | Slower than average | 120 h 56 min |
| 238 WPM | Average adult (Brysbaert, 2019) | 101 h 37 min |
| 400 WPM | Fast reader | 60 h 28 min |
| 600 WPM | Trained speed reader | 40 h 19 min |
Most people can roughly double their reading speed with practice. Take the 2-minute speed test to see where you are.
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Bill Gates Reading List FAQ
How many books are on Bill Gates' reading list?
This list covers 12 books Bill Gates' recommended, drawn from on-the-record sources rather than second-hand claims.
How long does it take to read Bill Gates' book list?
Reading all 12 books back to back comes to roughly 101 h 37 min at the average adult reading speed of 238 words per minute (Brysbaert, 2019). Your own time will vary with your reading speed and how closely you read each book.
Where do these recommendations come from?
Every pick on this page is sourced directly, quoted from his GatesNotes summer and holiday reading list posts published between 2020 and 2024. Each book card links to the original source so you can verify the recommendation yourself.