The Interview Editors
The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation
by Jon Gertner
In this book Jon Gertner argues in “Idea Factory” that the golden age of innovation took place between 1920 and 1980 within the walls of AT&T’s Bell Labs.
Gertner tells the story of some of the country’s greatest and most ingenious inventions of the century, including the first fax machine, the first long-distance TV transmission, and the introduction of cellphone technology.
Whatever incredibly advanced devices come out of the digital age probably got their start somewhere inside Bell Labs.
World Order
by Henry Kissinger
In the weeks following the birth of his daughter, Max, Zuckerberg says he’s been thinking a lot about the importance of creating a peaceful world for future generations.
“World Order” instructs the reader on the finer points of how various countries have traditionally dealt with one another, made mistakes, and learned to show compassion for different points of view.
It is a book perfectly suited for a modern age in which global conflict can sometimes seem impossible to resolve.
Why Nations Fail
by Daren Acemoğlu and James Robinson
“Why Nations Fail” is an overview of 15 years of research by MIT economist Daren Acemoğlu and Harvard political scientist James Robinson, and was first published in 2012.
The authors argue that “extractive governments” use controls to enforce the power of a select few, while “inclusive governments” create open markets that allow citizens to spend and invest money freely, and that economic growth does not always indicate the long-term health of a country.
The Rational Optimist
by Matt Ridley
“The Rational Optimist,” first published in 2010, is the most popular and perhaps the most controversial of popular-science writer Matt Ridley’s books.
In it, he argues that the concept of markets is the source of human progress, and that progress is accelerated when they are kept as free as possible. The resulting evolution of ideas will consistently allow humankind to improve its living conditions, despite the threats of climate change and overpopulation.
Portfolios of the Poor
by Daryl Collins, Jonathan Morduch, Stuart Rutherford, and Orlanda Ruthven
Researchers Daryl Collins, Jonathan Morduch, Stuart Rutherford, and Orlanda Ruthven spent 10 years studying the financial lives of the lowest classes of Bangladesh, India, and South Africa.
A fundamental finding that they include in “Portfolios of the Poor” is that extreme poverty flourishes in areas not where people live dollar to dollar or where poor purchasing decisions are widespread, but instead arises where they lack access to financial institutions to store their money.
The Three-Body Problem
by Liu Cixin
“The Three-Body Problem” was first published in China in 2008, and the English translation that came out last year won the 2015 Hugo Award for Best Novel, an award for sci-fi book of the year.
It’s set during Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution, and kicks off when an alien race decides to invade Earth after the Chinese government covertly sends a signal into space. It’s notable because it’s been reported to be indicative of a cultural shift in China, where rapid modernization and progress have captured the public’s imagination.
Genome
by Matt Ridley
Ridley is the only author to appear on Zuckerberg’s list twice.
His 1990 book “Genome” is an exploration of both the evolution of genes and the growing field of genetics.
“This book aims to tell a history of humanity from the perspective of genetics rather than sociology,” Zuckerberg writes. “This should complement the other broad histories I’ve read this year.”
The Muqaddimah
by Ibn Khaldun
The Muqaddimah,” which translates to “The Introduction,” was written in 1377 by the Islamic historian Khaldun. It’s an attempt to strip away biases of historical records and find universal elements in the progression of humanity.
Khaldun’s revolutionary scientific approach to history established him as one of the fathers of modern sociology and historiography.
To be continued next edition
Adapted from: www.businessinsider.com
