Bob Iger’s Memoir Included In Bill Gates’ List of 5 Books That You Should Read NOW
When Bill Gates talks, people tend to listen! So when he game out with a list must-read books for this day and age, I wasted no time before adding a couple of titles to my Amazon wishlist.
Why does this have to do with Disney you ask? Ranking high on his list is the recently released book “The Ride of A Lifetime” by Disney’s former CEO Bob Iger.
If you’re looking for a bit of reading inspiration there’s sure to be a book to please:
“The Choice” by Edith Eva Eger
According to a recent piece in CNBC, Gates was recommended this New York Times bestseller by his wife Melinda. The book tells the true story of Edith Eger, who was sent to the death camp at Auschwitz when she was 16. Today, the Auschwitz survivor is a professional therapist.
One of the key points Iger makes in this moving tale is that there is no “hierarchy of suffering.”
“If you’re struggling with something, that struggle is real — even if you think your experience feels trivial compared to the experience of someone who survived Auschwitz or someone whose child is suffering from a terrible disease,” writes Gates. “I think this is an especially important thing to keep in mind right now while everyone has different experiences with the Covid-19 outbreak.”
You can pick up this title at Amazon here.
“Cloud Atlas” by David Mitchell
This 2004 prize-winning novel by David Mitchell is “a touching and very clever story about moral choices,” says Gates. “It explores how self-centred and bad people can be, but also how supportive and good people can be.”
The structure of the book is unique: weaving together six interrelated stories set in different times and places, which can get confusing at times. That’s why Gates recommends reading it at the same time as a friend or family member: “It’s the kind of book you’ll want to discuss with someone else. I’m sure that I didn’t catch everything going on — reading it is a bit like putting together a puzzle.”
Read Gates’ full review of “Cloud Atlas.” You can also pick up the book on Amazon here.
“The Ride of a Lifetime” by Robert Iger
Finally, we get to the one all you Disney fans have been waiting for! Gates calls this 2019 memoir by former Disney CEO Bob Iger “one of the best business books I’ve read in several years.”
Iger, who took over the company in 2005 and retired in 2020, “does a terrific job explaining what it’s really like to be the CEO of a large company,” says Gates. “Whether you’re looking for business insights or just an entertaining read, I think anyone would enjoy his stories about overseeing Disney during one of the most transformative times in its history.”
Read Gates’ full review of “The Ride of a Lifetime. You can also pick up the book here.
“The Great Influenza” by John M. Barry
Sometimes it pays to look back to look forward. This book tells the story of the 1918 Flu which was one of the deadliest outbreaks in history.
“We’re living through an unprecedented time right now. But if you’re looking for a historical comparison, the 1918 influenza pandemic is as close as you’re going to get,” says Gates.
Read Gates’ full review of “The Great Influenza.” You can also pick up John M. Barry’s book here.
“Good Economics for Hard Times” by Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo
Nobel Prize winners and husband-wife duo Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo are “two of the smartest economists working today,” according to Gates. He was a big fan of their first book, “Poor Economics,” and equally impressed by the second.
He says of “Good Economics”“Their newest book takes on inequality and political divisions by focusing on policy debates that are at the forefront in wealthy countries like the United States,” he writes. And, “Just like the couple’s first book, their new one is easily accessible for readers who don’t have a degree in economics.”
Read Gates’ full review of “Good Economics for Hard Times.” You can also pick up this title at Amazon here.
If you are interested, here are a handful of additional titles that come recommended by Bill Gates:
- “The Headspace Guide to Meditation and Mindfulness” by Andy Puddicombe
- “Moonwalking with Einstein” by Joshua Foer
- “The Martian” by Andy Weir
- “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles
- The Rosie Trilogy by Graeme Simsion (“The Rosie Project,” “The Rosie Effect” and “The Rosie Result”)
- “The Best We Could Do” by Thi Bui
- “Hyperbole and a Half” by Allie Brosh
- “What If?” by Randall Munroe
- “xkcd: volume 0” by Randall Munroe
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Source: CNBC
