New York Times writer Katherine Rosman introduces us to the book area of Bill Gates’s blog, Gates Notes, in Move over, Oprah: It’s the Bill Gates book blog. Gates also writes about issues such as health care and education on the blog, but, according to Rosman, “his book reviews tend to generate the most attention.”
Blogging about books grew out of Gates’s years-long practice of “scribbling notes in the margins of books he was reading” and emailing recommendations to colleagues and friends. A few years ago he decided to post his recommendations on the blog. While his recommendations often involve books about science and public health, he has also recommended history, memoirs, and some novels.
Gates told Rosman that he reads about 50 books a year and that he prefers “old-fashioned books on paper” over digital readers. He usually avoids posting negative reviews, “explaining that he sees no need to waste anyone’s time telling them why they shouldn’t bother reading something.”
In Bill Gates on Books and Blogging Rosman continues with more information from her email interview with Gates. To her question about the role reading plays in his life, Gates answered, “reading is still the main way that I both learn new things and test my understanding.”
Gates lists the six favorite books he read in 2015 for Drake Baer in Bill Gates just revealed his 6 favorite books of 2015.
