Bill Gates makes sure to stay on top of the latest news in science, technology and energy — three fields he says are the most promisingfor anyone looking to make a difference in the world.
To make sure he doesn't miss a beat, the billionaire reads every evening.
If you're interested in making better use of your down time, and especially if you have more of that this summer, consider a book the Microsoft co-founder himself recommends.
"I hope you'll find that [these books] make you think deeper about what it means to truly connect with other people," Gates writes on his blog, "and to have purpose in your life."
Here are five books Gates recommends you read this summer:
1. "Born a Crime," by Trevor Noah
In this best-selling book, Noah, best known as the comedic host of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show," recalls his difficult coming of age as a biracial child in apartheid South Africa.
While the story is tragic, Gates says, Noah's "moving stories will often leave you laughing."
"As a longtime fan of 'The Daily Show,'" Gates writes, "I loved reading this memoir about how its host honed his outsider approach to comedy over a lifetime of never quite fitting in."
2. "The Heart," by Maylis de Kerangal
This novel, Gates read after his wife Melinda recommended it, follows the story of a young man who, after getting into a car accident, is declared brain dead. His parents struggle with the decision on whether or not to donate his heart, which is still beating.
The Microsoft-co founder, who usually reads nonfiction books, says it is "closer to poetry than anything else" and recommended it to his friends.
3. "Hillbilly Elegy," by J.D. Vance
This best-selling memoir, which is set to become a major motion picture, explores what American poverty looks like today. Vance, a former marine and Yale Law School graduate, shares his experience growing up in a working-class Rust Belt town.
"While the book offers insights into some of the complex cultural and family issues behind poverty, the real magic lies in the story itself and Vance's bravery in telling it," writes Gates.
4. "Homo Deus," by Yuval Noah Harari
Gates recommended one of Harari's books, "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind," last summer. In this follow up, Harari explores the future of mankind, and specifically what would happen if humans eradicated war, sickness and poverty.
"'Homo Deus' argues that the principles that have organized society will undergo a huge shift in the 21st century," Gates writes, "with major consequences for life as we know it.
"I don't agree with everything Harari has to say, but he has written a smart look at what may be ahead for humanity."
5. "A Full Life," by Jimmy Carter
Former President Carter examines his life as a businessman, politician and humanitarian. He shares his regrets, which include leaving the U.S. Navy and losing his bid for re-election, as well as his the lessons on success he learned as President, a successful businessman and a Nobel Peace Prize winner.
"The book will help you understand how growing up in rural Georgia in a house without running water, electricity, or insulation shaped — for better and for worse — his time in the White House," Gates writes.
According to Gates, the book "feels timely in an era when the public's confidence in national political figures and institutions is low."
"All of [these books] will transport you somewhere else—whether you're sitting on a beach towel or on your own couch.
Some books are popular for a season, and some stay on for decades. You read them over and over again, till your much-thumbed, dog-eared, tattered copy becomes as much a part of you as your name.
Here's Vagabomb's list of 20 Classics every woman should read.
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
What it's about: Published in 1892, The Yellow Wallpaper is an entry in the secret journal of an unnamed woman who has been advised to be on a country rest cure because she can't enjoy life and the 'joys' of motherhood. Her doctor and husband forbid her to write, and instruct her to live a life of complete passivity, leading to the creation of this journal. The short story depicts her chilling descent into psychosis, leading to a breakdown, when she starts to create another reality in the yellow wallpaper of her prison.
Why you should read it: Written because “ it was not intended to drive people crazy, but to save people from being driven crazy, ” Gilman narrates the story with perfect psychological accuracy, and it stands out because it is an autobiographical account of the author's own struggle with mental illness, and was instrumental in changing contemporary attitudes to women's physical as well as mental health.
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
What it's about: Sylvia Plath's only novel, written a month before Plath killed herself, The Bell Jar is an intensely emotional novel about Esther Greenwood, a woman who lives with the depairing belief that women can never have it all. Believed to be semi-autobiographical, the book also deals with Esther's and in some ways, Plath's downward spiral into a depression that made her take her own life.
Why you should read it: Published in 1963, 52 years ago, and it is disturbing how relevant the book still is. Plath draws the reader into Esther's slowly progressing insanity so deftly, that it becomes real and personal for every reader. A haunting read, and one that sticks with you for quite a while even after you've put it down, The Bell Jar validates a woman's right to feel anger, confront it, and mould it into literature.
Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
What it's about: Thirty-seven year old Humbert Humbert falls in love with 12 year old Lolita Haze, his landlady's daughter. Marrying Charlotte, his landlady, just to be close to Lolita, Humbert suffers in his quest for what he believes is love. Growing out of him, Lolita looks for attention elsewhere, prompting Humbert to carry her off on a cross-country trip, all for, once again, what he believes is love.
Why you should read it: An extremely controversial book, Lolita deals with child abuse unapologetically, and is rightfully, at times, difficult to read. What makes Nabokov such a genius is how quietly he leaves behind a trail of cues suggesting Humbert is not a trustworthy narrator, and how the victim of child abuse is always that - a victim, and is never to blame.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
What it's about: Offred, a Handmaid, lives in the Republic of Gilead, in the home of the Commander. Once a day, she is allowed to go out to walk to food markets, where signs are written in pictures, because women are no longer allowed to read. Once a month, she must lie on her back, so that the Commander can get her pregnant. This is the life of Offred, who remembers the life she led earlier, with her husband Luke, with her daughter, with her job, with her own independence.
Why you should read it: Offred's life used to be exactly like the life you lead right now. Offred's life becomes what is a reality for a lot of women right now as well. With no ownership of her body, The Handmaid's Tale is a disquieting look into a dystopian society where women are either slaves used only for procreation, or are mere status symbols.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
What it's about: Science student Victor Frankenstein is obsessed with the cause of life and death, and how to bring about life onto something already dead. Assembling a human being with stolen body parts, he succeeds in bringing it to life, but recoils in horror at how hideous the creature is. The innocent creature, learning nothing but cruelty and tortured by isolation, turns to evil and begins a tale of revenge against the one who made him this way—his creator, Frankenstein.
Why you should read it: One stormy night, Mary Shelley, Percy Shelley and Lord Byron decided to write a horror story each. That night, Mary Shelley invented science fiction, and created an instant bestseller.Frankenstein remains a gothic thriller, a tale of passionate romance, and a cautionary story of what happens when one decides to tamper with Nature.
The Awakening by Kate Chopin
What it's about: Centred on Edna Pontellier, who feels stifled in her marriage and in her role as a matriarch, she looks for and finds physical love in an illicit love affair outside her marriage.
Why you should read it: Published in 1899, Chopin takes a subject that was considered taboo, and shocked readers with such an honest depiction of female sexuality and desire. Few writers have been able to duplicate the perceptive eye Chopin casts on a woman involved in marital infidelity and treating it with the kind of candour that her writing reflects.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
What it's about: One of the most popular novels of all time, Pride and Prejudice tells us the story of the proud Fitzwillam Darcy and the prejudiced Elizabeth Bennet, as they draw out their spunky, and yet rocky courtship within a coterie of parlour intrigues.
Why you should read it: Austen's masterpiece on societal standards, romance, misunderstandings, male and female relationships—all dripping with wit—has never gone out of print, and with good reason.
Jane Eyre By Charlotte Brontë
What it's about: A young orphaned girl takes up the post of governess at Thornfield, falls in love with the master of the house, Mr Rochester, and discovers his dark secret.
Why you should read it: Jane Eyre has everything you'd want in a novel—love, suspense, a mad woman in the attic, as well as a woman who speaks her mind. Jane doesn't marry the object of her desire until she knows for sure that they'll be equals in marriage, and in her search for a life richer than what traditional Victorian society offers, she speaks her mind, and emerges intact in her spirit and integrity.
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
What it's about: Antoinette Cosway, a white Creole heiress, grows up in Jamaica, and is then forced into an arranged marriage to the cold and proud Rochester. Renaming her 'Bertha,' Rochester locks her up in the attic, who slowly descends into madness, torn from her home in the Caribbean and subjected to an alien culture.
Why you should read it: Rhys uses multiple narrators to tell the story, and weaves her story into Jane Eyre's. Talking about the unequal power between men and women in a marriage, Rhys makes a feminist statement as well as a postcolonial one, when Rochester's rejection of Antoinette's Creole heritage is shown to be critical to her mental breakdown. Rhys portrays a society that is galvanised by hate and twists relations to extents that can literally turn a sensual young woman into the “madwoman in the attic.”
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
What it's about: Using the backdrop of the end of The Civil War, Little Women tells the story of the March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. Alcott became a hit with this book, and it is still a much loved novel for readers, being one of the first books to actually depict female role models with goals—both professional and personal.
Why you should read it: Basing Little Women on her own childhood with her three sisters, Alcott created a book for everyone to relate to. Stuck in that place between childhood and 'womanhood,' each of the March sisters goes through something that takes them from Little to Women, and with them, us.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
What it's about: Sixteen year old Janie is caught kissing Johnny Taylor, an incident that set in motion her marriage to an old man with 60 acres of land. Janie suffers two more marriages to completely different men, all while searching for love, before she finally meets the man she will love, who offers no riches, but a simple packet of flowering seeds.
Why you should read it: One of the greatest novels of the 20th century, Hurston's prose is so rich, that even though it's a novel of its time, it becomes a novel for all time. A novel which is about love, culture, tradition, politics is a novel about something that we can all identify with—to be human.
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
What it's about: Anna Karenina is a classic tale of ill-fated love, of the doomed affair between the unhappily married Anna Karenina and the handsome Count Vronsky, with a sub-plot exploring the relationship between a wealthy landowner named Konstantin Levin and Princess Kitty.
Why you should read it: A classic for the ages, Anna Karenina depicts clearly society's double standards for men and women, where women are shunned for having extramarital affairs, while there is no such repercussion for men. Exploring themes that revolve around Russia's feudal system, politics, religion, gender, morality and social class, there is plenty for everyone in this 1000-odd pages novel.
Women in Love by D.H. Lawrence
What it's about: The story follows the lives of the Brangwen sisters, Gudrun and Ursula, from his earlier novel The Rainbow. While Gudrun conducts a destructive relationship with Gerald Crich, an industrialist, Ursula falls in love with Rupert Birkin, an intellectual.
Why you should read it: Lawrence draws his characters based on real life characters, with Gudrun based on Katherne Mansfield, Ursula based on his own wife Frieda, Gerald on John Middleton Murry, and Rupert on himself. With most of his work facing criticism because of the inherent sexual content, this one was no different, and his treatment of homosexuality and homoeroticism shows his dexterity with the language, which explains why he is still popular even today.
The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing
What it's about: Anna Wulf, author of a very successful novel, keeps four separate notebooks—“a black notebook which is to do with Anna Wulf the writer; a red notebook concerned with politics; a yellow notebook, in which I make stories out of my experience; and a blue notebook which tries to be a diary,”—and interweaves these notebooks in with a separate fictional account of Anna and her story.
Why you should read it: Published in 1962, The Golden Notebook went completely against the trope of the period, which would be to showcase mentally ill women, and went on to bring together a woman's mind and body.
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
What it's about: Emma Rouault married Charles Bovary with dreams of the life she's read about in magazines and and novels. Charles turns out to be a boring country doctor, and the life she leads now has none of the excitement Emma had hoped for. Unwilling to compromise, she takes on a lover, leading her life into a web of despair.
Why you should read it: Published in 1857, Flaubert shocked readers with its content to the point that Madame Bovary was put on trial for obscenity by public prosecutors, which did nothing but add to the novel's notoriety. It became a bestseller when it was publisehd, and remains one till date. The language is so beautifully sculpted, that Nabokov went as far as to say that “stylistically, it is prose doing what poetry is supposed to do.”
Beloved by Toni Morrison
What it's about: Sethe, a slave who escaped to Ohio 18 years ago, is still not free. Haunted by memories of Sweet Home, the farm where terrible things happened, the ghosts of which she carries with her, including the memory of her baby—who dies with just a single word on her tombstone—Beloved.
Why you should read it: Morrison won the Pulitzer for Beloved in 1988, and the 2006 New York Times survey also called it the best novel of the last 25 years—and with good reason. A moving tale about the trauma of slavery,Beloved tears at you, making you confront the pain Sethe feels.
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson
What it's about: Narrated by Ruthie, it is the story of how she and her younger sister Lucille grow up in the fictional town of Fingerbone in Idaho. Raised by a series of relatives before their aunt Sylvie takes them on full time, it is a touching coming of age novel that deals with the larger idea of housekeeping, not in the sense of mantaining a house, but as keeping house for one's soul.
Why you should read it: Published in 1980, it is a modern classic, and earned Robinson a Pulitzer nomination. Described by Doris Lessing as a novel not “one be hurried through, for every sentence is a delight,” we can't help but agree.
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
What it's about: Found in the attic of the house she spent two years of her life in hiding, The Diary of a Young Girl documents the moving, and at times amusing, experiences she had in that house. Cut off from the entire world, facing hunger, boredom, closed living quarters, and the always looming threat of being found by the Gestapo—this book is a testament to the horrors of war and the unwavering optimism of the human spirit.
Why you should read it: The less said about this book the better, because this is one book you most definitely have to read to fully understand Frank's commentary on human nature, courage, frailty, and makes you truly want to wep for the young girl whose spirit was cut short by her truly tragic circumstances.
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
What it's about: Set in 17th century Boston, this is a story about Hester Prynne, who conceived a daughter as a result of an affair, and is sentenced to wear the letter 'A' in scarlet on her dress at all times. Disgraced in public and ostracized by society, Hester draws upon her inner strength and ends as one of the first true heroines of American literature.
Why you should read it: Considered one of the greatest American novels,The Scarlet Letter covers themes of guilt, and redemption from sin. Once a banned book, this is a book every woman needs to read for the simple reason that it teaches you about the temporality of life, and how everything you could need is always within you.
A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf
What it's about: Published in 1929, this is Woolf's book length essay talking about the predicament of every female artist.
Why you should read it: One of the greatest writers of all time, Woolf talks about the importance and need for an actual physical and psychological space for women so they can create the art they want to, how they want to.
You should have read all of these by now, so re-read them one more time and really think about what each of them meant to you. And if you haven't, get on it right away.
Tell us how these books made you feel in the comments below!
Living the life of a woman in India is far from easy. And it gets increasingly more complex as we close in to completing three decades of being in this world of complex relationships and uncharted emotions. So what do we do when life isn't easy? We turn to our friends. Well, what better friends than books - books that give you exactly what you're looking for, exactly when you need it.
Here's a list of 16 books that every woman faced with the transition into adult life, will find a truer-than-ever friend in.
1. Bossypants by Tina Fey
Self-made contemporary women of influence, that are defined by their fortitude and success, are more often than not blessed with a discernible sense of humour. And Tina Fey is one of the best examples of it there can be. The comedienne's autobiography, Bossypants, unabashedly, honestly and hilariously shares valuable life lessons about everything from feminism to body image and it's certainly going to be a fun read.
2. I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron
An award-winning filmmaker, screenwriter and journalist, with this book, Ephron brings us a collection of essays that make you feel like you're talking to a good friend after a long day of work. Her writing about purses, relationships, apartments, ageing and just... life, is not only infinitely relatable, but her effortless humour, candidness, and ability to pull at our heart's strings really makes this a bookshelf treasure.
3. The Second Sex by Simone De Beauvoir
This 1949 book was a feminist manifesto that's still lauded as the beginning of second-wave feminism, was decades ahead of its time. The Second Sex gives its reader a powerful look at sexuality, identity and independence - themes that find themselves at the centre of all our lives as we head towards the big 3-Oh.
4. I Thought It Was Just Me by Brené Brown
Brown's revolutionary approach to shame that forms an intricate part of women's lives - what causes it, how we can identify it, and how we can build resilience to it - will give you much to think about. It's a must read for every modern woman who's ever burdened herself with inexplicable shame - be it about body image, motherhood, relationships - holding her back from being every bit as fulfilled and happy as she can be.
5. Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski
This book is a transformative guide to understanding one's own body and sexuality, and defining 'normal' for ourselves and not based on how male sexuality expects it to be. Explore the depths of your sexual desire, the limits of the bodily pleasure you can feel with Come As You Are, because if I can say anything to sell you on this book, it'll be this - it's nothing less than a master-class in the science of sex.
6. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
Roxane Gay's essays speak of everything from politics to sex, from the colour pink to Sweet Valley High. A thorough look at what it means to be a woman will hopefully leave you feeling a little less alone in this world. And her sharp wit and deep insight will make delicious food for thought and eventually leave you inspired.
7. Savage Beauty: The Life Of Edna St. Vincent Millay by Nancy Milford
A biography of the trailblazing, Pulitzer prize winning poet and playwright, Savage Beauty records in fascinating beauty, the struggles and triumphs of Millay. Milford's book celebrates her not only for her vast body of written genius, but for her vital role in feminist activism back in the 1920s. If you're in a rut and looking for inspiration straight from one of the greats, look no further.
8. The Gift Of Fear by Gavin De Becker
In a world that's strife with violent crimes against women, especially in India, a book like The Gift Of Fear makes for a very intriguing read. It focuses on understanding violence, perpetrated by strangers as well as by people in our lives. A security expert like De Becker illustrates in it, how by engaging our instincts, we can train ourselves to predict, assess and avoid or defuse otherwise gravely threatening situations.
9. Hard Choices by Hillary Clinton
This is the person that may just soon lead the most powerful country in the world, but also be the first woman to ever do so. There is much to be discovered about this unstoppable lady and ain't no better way to do so than to read about the intriguing journey she's had in the male-dominated arena of American politics.
10. Female Chauvinist Pigs by Ariel Levy
This book delves into the rise of the raunch culture and investigates just how we ended up in a world where women so often turn themselves and other women into sex objects. It may not be an exceedingly cheerful read, but it will be a truly revealing experience as Levy takes the reader behind the scenes of Girls Gone Wild and Playboy.
11. Mistakes I Made At Work by Jessica Bacal
For this book, Bacal interviewed 25 successful women about their screw-ups in the work-place and the lessons they've learnt from them. Women like renowned writer Anna Holmes and musician Kim Gordon reveal their biggest work-related embarrassment over the years and it makes for a funny, often relatable read that will make you feel rather alright about you slipping up at that meeting the other day.
12. Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg
Your 20s and 30s are often about pursuing a career and pushing boundaries at work, and Sandberg’s massively successful manifesto is a must-read for anyone trying to make it in the boys' club, ask for a raise, and get that promotion. Read it just so you feel that inspiration once again - to not just lay around complaining about work, but to get up and do something.
13. It's Called A Break-Up Because It's Broken by Greg Behrendt and Amiira Ruotola-Behrendt
The husband-wife duo that also brought us the best-selling He's Just Not That Into You, co-wrote this absolute go-to book when it comes to broken hearts. It's filled with hilarity, tough-love and plenty of personal anecdotes. If nothing's getting you out of your funk and helping you get back out there, this book will certainly do the trick.
14. Self-Help by Lorrie Moore
This is no self-help book with chapters titled 'How To Become Successful In 30 Days'. Instead it's a book that has nuanced characters, poignant and witty dialogue, and life lessons hidden like little gems all along the margins. These touching stories of love and loss will resonate with you as you close in on your most challenging and therefore most badass decade of life yet.
15. Backlash by Susan Faludi
This greatly influential feminist book examines the cycle of women's achievements and the inevitable regression right after. It remains relevant in a world where for every step forward women take, it seems like we're pushed two steps back - and I bet we all have known that feeling all too well, at some point.
16. Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Eff all the haters! This is the best break-up book of our time. Anyone that has felt the despair that ending a long-term relationship brings with it, will absolutely identify with Gilbert's bathroom floor weepathon and feel comforted by how she managed to turn her life around through a process of self-discovery.
"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one."
- George R.R. Martin
Words hold the power to stimulate happiness, incite anger, and even soothe pain. Words can both bring a world together, as well as break it apart. But most of all, words can make you feel loved. They give you hope that good things can happen to you. And it's these words that, when written on a piece of paper, become history. Generations pass by, but the words stay the same.
Here's a list of 20 romantic books that will inspire you to express your love this summer:
1. Man, Woman and Child by Erich Segal
It is a story about love, relationship, infidelity, family and promises and how a marriage stands the test of time, only to strengthen the bond even more! It highlights the fact that no one is perfect and accepting someone with all their flaws is what true love really is.
2. P. S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern
Who doesn't know about this book? Almost everyone has either read it, watched the movie adaptation or done both, but it still feels as fresh as the first time. Holly and Gerry and their undying love has inspired many a love stories of our generation. We've all taken cue from Gerry and left behind letters of love. This book taught that it's okay to give love a second chance; that we should not lose faith in love just because it didn't work out the first time.
3. A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
This timeless classic has a humorous take on love and the complications involved. It's a story about desperation and the will to hold on to your one true love. While many of us would disagree on this being a romantic book when there is Romeo and Juliet, yet it's about reading between the lines.
4. A Walk To Remember by Nicholas Sparks
Another book adapted on screen, this book is what we mean by mushy teenage romance. It has a feel good factor, makes us smile every time, and instills hope in us. Jamie and Landon stay alive in our hearts days after we're done reading the book.
5. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
This heartbreaking tale has made us realize how to love the most even when your time together is measured. It's all about making the most of your time together, so that you have enough memories to remember and cherish each other with.
6. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
This witty romantic classic talks about how the society at times equates love with money and status. Its funny, sarcastic, sweet and an overall good read. One important lesson - love doesn't know money, it's much more than that.
7. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
If you're looking for a love story as passionate as yours, then this is your best bet. It talks about the righteous love of a woman and her encounter with some dangerous secrets. And it has a happy ending. Now who doesn't love happy endings?
8. The Blind Man's Garden by Nadeem Aslam
A love story in times of war, this one has the underlying thought of the will to fight for love even when the entire universe conspires against you. A story of love, loss and longing that will make you only yearn more for your loved one.
9. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffeneger
Love travels through time; but is it the same as before? That's the underlying thought of this book where Henry travels through time and experiences love different from that of Clare. The story is more of a fantasy than realistic fiction, which makes it the perfect fairy tale romance.
10. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
With love comes lust, delusion and obsession! When your desire for someone makes you vulnerable to the point that you'd rather be wrong, if that's the only way you can be near them. And this is what this book illustrates.
11. Memoirs Of A Geisha by Arthur Golden
A story based in Japan, true confessions of a geisha, this one combines romance, eroticism and suspense in one powerful book. Also adapted into an Oscar-winning movie, this one talks about love as an illusion in a world where women are meant to only please men.
12. Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern
Love is friendship! Remember Rahul stating this in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai? Well, that is exactly the message this book tries to convey. Two people who grew together, fall in love with different people, but never let their love for each other die, and finally get to be together. It's a tale of missed chances, narrated beautifully in the form of letters exchanged.
13. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
Set in the post-WW II era, this book captures the true essence of love - all those emotions and miracles and happily-ever-afters. It reinforces the fact that love truly is 'in sickness and in health'.
14. Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho
A story of an innocent girl whose very first experiences of love leave her heartbroken. She then meets a painter and her views about love change. It's about finding that 'inner light' and experiencing love in its most raw form.
15. One Day by David Nicholls
Imagine meeting the person you love only once in an entire year. And this goes on for 20 years! Read the tale of two people making it work through the most trying times.
