Bill Gates holiday book list includes brain boosters and gifts at independent bookstores in Seattle

Avid reader Bill Gates is constantly consuming information and expanding the amount of knowledge his brain can hold. Fittingly, a book on understanding how the brain works and what gives us the ability to learn tops Gates’ annual list of Recommended books for vacation.

“A Thousand Brains: A New Theory of Intelligence” by Jeff Hawkins is one of five books on Gates’ list, released Monday. The Microsoft co-founder gives reviews of each book on his GatesNotes blog.

Over the years, I have read quite a few books about the brain, most of them written by neuroscientists, who view it through the lens of complex laboratory experiments, Gates writes. experience. “Recently, I picked up a book on the brain that is more theoretical,” he added on “A Thousand Brains.”

Hawkins is a tech entrepreneur Who Gates got to know in the 1990s, when he was a pioneer in mobile computing and a co-inventor of the PalmPilot. Gates says that Hawkins turned to focus on improving machine learning after his tech career and founded a company called Numenta in 2005.

Gates calls this book suitable for non-experts who have little knowledge of brain science or computer science.

“It’s filled with fascinating insights into the structure of the brain and exciting clues about the future of intelligent machines,” says Gates.

Other books on the list include the following (with links to reviews written by Gates):

Gates is adding a bit of twist to his recommendations this year by suggesting where shoppers can get books. He’s partnering with five independent bookstores in Seattle to give away the complete books on the list, starting Monday.

There are 100 sets of books available at the following stores for direct pickup on a first-come, first-served basis while stocks last: