Kim Stanley Robinson’s The Ministry for the Future.

A new masterpiece from one of my favorite authors.

Mendeleyev’s Dream helps you understand how the periodic table got pieced together and why it’s so helpful.

I loved reading this science book for young adults.

Randall Munroe’s twisted comic takes on science and technology.

Walter Lewin’s For the Love of Physics helps you understand stars, phones, GPS, and more.

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

Walter Isaacson’s latest book profiles Jennifer Doudna and her remarkable discovery.

Everything you ever wanted to know about the stuff in your veins.

I Contain Multitudes helped me see microorganisms in a whole new light.

Jeff Hawkins’s book explores a new theory about human intelligence.

A provocative new book raises big questions about the future.

Another masterpiece from Vaclav Smil.

A new masterpiece from one of my favorite authors.

Looking at the impact human activities are having on the web of plants, animals, and other life forms that compose the Earth’s biosphere, and what it means for our future.

Elizabeth Kolbert on man-made extinctions.

A fascinating look at the stuff that makes modern life possible.

Elizabeth Kolbert’s insightful look at the intersection of people and nature.

Meeting the world’s energy needs requires an honest assessment.

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

Jim Grant's determination and influence saved millions of children's lives.

My friend Dr. Chris Murray wants to treat everyone. And I mean everyone…

Breath from Salt gave me new perspective on a disease I’ve been following for two decades.

The polio epidemics of the past were terrible and unsettling times.

The amazing story of the eradication of smallpox. The author, Bill Foege, has been an inspiring advisor to us from the beginning. I still read his speeches to remind myself who public health is for.

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

Jerven provides an analysis of African economic development statistics.

A great source of data-driven wisdom about development aid.

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.

What we can learn from Jeffrey Sachs’s ambitious project in Africa.

One of the things I’ve learned working in global health and development is that when people in poor countries get enough food to eat, their health improves and they are less susceptible to disease. The Man Who Fed the World is a biography of Norman Borlaug, a brilliant agricultural scientist who understood this and saved a billion people from starvation.

Gordon Conway provides a roadmap for eliminating hunger in the world.

Diane Tavenner’s book offers amazing tips on preparing kids for college, a career, and life.

Melinda and I loved Tara Westover’s journey from the mountains of Idaho to the halls of Cambridge.

The growth of for-profit colleges and universities has expanded educational opportunities, but also has stimulated a debate about what's going on in higher education.

Technology can transform education by simplifying access to great material, providing new approaches to learning, and offering a framework for assessing student progress and teacher effectiveness. A recent book looks at how technology is being used today and the barriers to change in the future.

An eye-opening history of the United States.

An American Marriage is a moving look at how incarceration changes relationships.

Her powerful call for gender equality.

Hillbilly Elegy gave me new insights into poverty in America.

Factfulness is one of the most educational books I’ve ever read.

They’re not behind us.

Yuval Noah Harari has written another thought-provoking book.

A provocative new book raises big questions about the future.

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

Michael Beschloss’s latest book gave me insights about leadership.

How Teddy Roosevelt and William Taft changed America.

A quick retelling of the former president’s fascinating story.

A wise and funny memoir from a young woman facing her own mortality.

Eger’s life story gives her fascinating insight into how people move on after trauma.

And his memoir is terrific—as long as you’ve seen his act.

The deeply moving When Breath Becomes Air.

It’s not what you know, it’s what you can accomplish.

Unlike most books on leadership, this one is worth your time.

When the Microsoft CEO asked me to write the foreword for his new book Hit Refresh, I was happy to say yes.

Business Adventures is old, hard to find, and the best business book ever.

Capitalism Without Capital explains how things we can’t touch are reshaping the economy.

A renowned economist’s thought-provoking new book.

A profound book about tennis and much more.

I loved this book on tennis as much for the writing as its insights into my favorite sport.

Andy Puddicombe has written a great guide to focusing your thoughts.

Even if you don’t read many inspirational books, try this is one. It’s about enjoying life. Melinda and I went to one of his seminars. He’s a very nice guy.

In The Spy and the Traitor, a Soviet double agent helps prevent a nuclear war—and nearly dies for it.

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

Shipping containers are way more interesting than you might think.

What does a virtuous life look like? David Brooks suggests an intriguing idea.

If you are in the mood for something that stimulates your thinking, you’ll love The Overstory.

I loved the latest from the author of A Gentleman in Moscow.

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

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

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

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