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Best Science Books

Category100 of 1,440 books166 recommendations total

The science books physicists, biologists and science writers recommend most — evolution, cosmology, neuroscience and mathematics. Including the popular accounts that get the details right, each with a source behind it.

Curated list content

Where to start: Science Books recommended most often

Recommended books, ranked by how many of the 110 people behind this list recommended each one.

  1. 1Predictably Irrational13 recommendations · recommended by Keith Rabois, Tom Bilyeu and Tristan Harris
  2. 2The Diamond Age11 recommendations · recommended by Naval Ravikant, Geoffrey Miller and Ev Williams
  3. 3The Visual Display of Quantitative Information9 recommendations · recommended by Cleo Abram, Jeff Atwood and Michael Okuda
  4. 4The Making of the Atomic Bomb7 recommendations · recommended by Chris Dixon, John Sipher and Hilary Mason
  5. 5How Not to Be Wrong7 recommendations · recommended by Keith Rabois, Bill Gates and Steven Strogatz
1
Book cover for “Predictably Irrational”
Predictably Irrational

The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions

13 recommendations

Recommended by Keith Rabois, Tom Bilyeu, Tristan Harris and 9 others

Book Summary

Ariely walks you through a parade of clever experiments that expose the irrational forces behind everyday decisions. The anecdotes are breezy and often funny, making complex ideas feel like party conversation. It’s useful for spotting your own blind spots, but the rapid-fire stories can blur together, and the pop-science style may underwhelm if you want rigorous academic depth.

2
Book cover for “The Diamond Age”
The Diamond Age

Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer (Bantam Spectra Book)

11 recommendations

Recommended by Naval Ravikant, Geoffrey Miller, Ev Williams and 6 others

Book Summary

The Diamond Age is a sprawling narrative that marries a Victorian-influenced future with nano-tech ubiquity, following Nell's coming-of-age guided by a stolen interactive 'Primer.' The reading is rich with inventive concepts and cultural satire, but also prone to digressions and side plots that fracture momentum. Its useful part is the Primer as a thought experiment about personalized education and consciousness. The limitation: Stephenson's ambition often outpaces his narrative cohesion, leaving threads dangling and the ending feeling more intellectual than emotionally satisfying.

3
Book cover for “The Visual Display of Quantitative Information”
Description

The classic book on statistical graphics, charts, tables. Theory and practice in the design of data graphics, 250 illustrations of the best (and a few of the worst) statistical graphics, with detailed analysis of how to display data for precise, effective, quick analysis.

4
No coverThe Making of the Atomic Bomb
5
No coverHow Not to Be Wrong
How Not to Be Wrong

The Power of Mathematical Thinking

7 recommendations

Recommended by Keith Rabois, Bill Gates, Steven Strogatz and 3 others

6
No coverLongitude
Longitude

The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time

6 recommendations

Recommended by Richard Branson, Raychelle Burks, Patrick Collison and 1 other

Description

Anyone alive in the eighteenth century would have known that "the longitude problem" was the thorniest scientific dilemma of the day—and had been for centuries.

7
Book cover for “From Bacteria to Bach and Back”
From Bacteria to Bach and Back

The Evolution of Minds

6 recommendations

Recommended by Vinod Khosla, Ray Dalio and Esther Dyson

Book Summary

Reading experience is dense, argumentative, and idea-rich, with Dennett advancing a single, broad thesis through history, thought experiments, and selective scientific examples. The most useful part is the long chain of linked metaphors and conceptual moves that track how simple biological systems plus cultural transmission might build minds. Its main limitation is repeated digressions and polemical rebuttals that can feel tiresome; it doesn't provide practical how-tos or hands-on exercises. Expect rewards if you enjoy sustained conceptual argument; expect friction if you prefer short summaries.

8
No coverTen Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now
Description

A timely calltoarms from a Silicon Valley pioneer.You might have trouble imagining life without your social media accounts, but virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier insists that were better off without them.

9
Book cover for “But What If We're Wrong?”
But What If We're Wrong?

Thinking About the Present As If It Were the Past

6 recommendations

Recommended by Marc Andreessen, Brad Feld, Bryan Johnson and 1 other

Description

New York Times bestselling author Chuck Klosterman asks questions that are profound in their simplicity: How certain are we about our understanding of gravity How certain are we about our understanding of time What will be the defining memory of rock music, five hundred years…

10
No coverEntangled Life
Entangled Life

How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures

6 recommendations

Recommended by Matt Haig, Robert Macfarlane, Michael Pollan and 3 others

Description

A journey into the hidden world of fungi.When we think of fungi, we likely think of mushrooms. But mushrooms are only fruiting bodies, analogous to apples on a tree.

11
Book cover for “Severance”
Severance

A Novel

5 recommendations

Recommended by Susan J. Fowler, Adrienne Porter Felt, Danielle Morrill and 2 others

Description

Maybe it's the end of the world, but not for Candace Chen, a millennial, firstgeneration American and office drone meandering her way into Adult,hood in Ling Ma's offbeat, wryly funny, apocalyptic satire, Severance.Candace Chen, a millennial drone selfsequestered in a Manhattan…

12
No coverThe Book of Why
The Book of Why

The New Science of Cause and Effect

5 recommendations

Recommended by Naval Ravikant, Keith Rabois, D.A. Wallach and 1 other

Description

Wonderful ... Illuminating ... Fun to read' Daniel Kahneman, author of Thinking, Fast and Slow A pioneer of Artificial Intelligence, shows how the study of causality revolutionized science and the world'Correlation does not imply causation.' This mantra was invoked by scientists…

13
No coverThe Premonition
The Premonition

A Pandemic Story

5 recommendations

Recommended by Eric Topol, Marshall Kirkpatrick, Kelly Vaughn and 1 other

Description

For those who could read between the lines, the censored news out of China was terrifying. But the president insisted there was nothing to worry about.Fortunately, we are still a nation of skeptics.

14
Book cover for “Incognito”
Incognito

The Secret Lives of the Brain

5 recommendations

Recommended by Ray Dalio, Tom Bilyeu, Patrick O'Shaughnessy and 1 other

Description

If the conscious mindthe part you consider to be youis just the tip of the iceberg, what is the rest doing In this sparkling and provocative book, renowned neuroscientist David Eagleman navigates the depths of the subconscious brain to illuminate its surprising mysteries.

15
Book cover for “Brief History of Time”
Brief History of Time

From the Big Bang to Black Holes

4 recommendations

Recommended by Richard Branson, Sarah Drasner, Ankur Warikoo and 1 other

Description

Was there a beginning of time Could time run backwards Is the universe infinite or does it have boundariesThese are just some of the questions considered in the internationally acclaimed masterpiece by the world renowned physicist generally considered to have been one of the…

16
Book cover for “How We Got to Now”
How We Got to Now

Six Innovations That Made the Modern World

4 recommendations

Recommended by Cleo Abram, Chris Dixon and Chris Fralic

Book Summary

How We Got to Now is a readable, illustrated collection of historical vignettes that ties familiar modern items — refrigeration, clocks, eyeglass lenses — to earlier inventions and unexpected ripple effects. Its useful part is its pattern-spotting and clear storytelling: short chapters make it easy to jump between episodes and see surprising lines of influence. Its main limitation is light treatment of complexity; technical mechanisms and competing interpretations are often skimmed, and the same connective move can feel repetitive.

17
No coverSleep
Sleep

The Myth of 8 Hours, the Power of Naps, and the New Plan to Recharge Your Body and Mind

3 recommendations

Recommended by Aubrey Marcus and Oli Barrett

Description

Proven solutions for a better night's sleep, from the "sleep guru" to elite athletesOnethird of our lives3,000 hours a yearis spent trying to sleep.

18
Book cover for “Bottle of Lies”
Bottle of Lies

The Inside Story of the Generic Drug Boom

3 recommendations

Recommended by Salil Tripathi, Rafat Ali and R Balakrishnan

Description

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2019New York Public Library Best Books of 2019 Kirkus Reviews Best Health and Science Books of 2019Science Friday Best Books of 2019 New postscript by the authorFrom an awardwinning journalist, an explosive…

19
No coverGame Changer
Game Changer

AlphaZero's Groundbreaking Chess Strategies and the Promise of AI

3 recommendations

Recommended by Demis Hassabis and Berci Meskó

Description

It took AlphaZero only a few hours of selflearning to become the chess player that shocked the world. The Artificial Intelligence, system, created by DeepMind, had been fed nothing but the rules of the Royal Game when it beat the world’s strongest chess engine in a prolonged…

20
No coverThe Pleasure of Finding Things Out
The Pleasure of Finding Things Out

The Best Short Works of Richard P. Feynman (Helix Books)

3 recommendations

Recommended by Larry Page and Brian Armstrong

21
No coverCreation
Creation

Life and How to Make It

3 recommendations

Recommended by Peter Rex and Jeff Bezos

Description

Working mostly alone, almost singlehandedly writing 250,000 lines of computer code, Steve Grand produced Creatures(R), a revolutionary computer game that allowed players to create living beings complete with brains, genes, and hormonal systemscreatures that would live and…

22
No coverAnimalkind
Animalkind

Remarkable Discoveries About Animals and Revolutionary New Ways to Show Them Compassion

2 recommendations

Recommended by Pamela Anderson and Joaquin Phoenix

23
No coverEnergy Myths and Realities
Energy Myths and Realities

Bringing Science to the Energy Policy Debate

2 recommendations

Recommended by Bill Gates

Description

There are many misconceptions about the future of global energy often presented as fact by the media, politicians, business leaders, activists, and even scientistswasting time and money and hampering the development of progressive energy policies.

24
No coverFeynman
2 recommendations

Recommended by Donald Knuth

Description

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERRichard Feynman: physicist . . . Nobel winner . . . bestselling author . . . safecracker.In this substantial graphic novel biography, First Second presents the largerthanlife exploits of Nobelwinning quantum physicist, adventurer, musician, worldclass…

25
No coverIdea Makers
Idea Makers

Personal Perspectives on the Lives & Ideas of Some Notable People

2 recommendations

Recommended by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Description

This book of thoroughly engaging essays from one of today's most prodigious innovators provides a uniquely personal perspective on the lives and achievements of a selection of intriguing figures from the history of science and Technology,.

26
Book cover for “Medical Apartheid”
Medical Apartheid

The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present

2 recommendations

Recommended by Sophie Bakalar and Kelly Wickham Hurst

Description

From the era of slavery to the present day, the first full history of black America’s shocking mistreatment as unwilling and unwitting experimental subjects at the hands of the medical establishment.

27
Book cover for “Drawdown”
Drawdown

The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming

2 recommendations

Recommended by Katharine Hayhoe and Chip Conley

Description

New York Times bestseller The 100 most substantive solutions to reverse global warming, based on meticulous research by leading scientists and policymakers around the world"At this point in time, the Drawdown book is exactly what is needed; a credible, conservative…

28
Book cover for “American Buffalo”
American Buffalo

In Search of a Lost Icon

2 recommendations

Recommended by Joe Rogan

Book Summary

Rinella follows a lottery‑won permit into Alaska for a hunt that becomes a way to tell the bison’s story and America’s. The book’s useful part is on‑the‑ground detail—camp life, tracking, animal behavior—woven with cultural background about how bison shaped national imagination. It reads as a hands‑on, sometimes blunt, hunting memoir rather than an abstract natural history. Limitation: readers seeking detached ecological synthesis or gentle prose may find the hunting‑first voice narrow and the procedural passages overlong.

29
No coverFaraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field
Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field

How Two Men Revolutionized Physics

2 recommendations

Recommended by Naval Ravikant and Charlie Munger

Description

The story of two brilliant nineteenthcentury scientists who discovered the electromagnetic field, laying the groundwork for the amazing technological and theoretical breakthroughs of the twentieth centuryTwo of the boldest and most creative scientists of all time were Michael…

30
No coverIgnition!
Ignition!

An Informal History of Liquid Rocket Propellants

2 recommendations

Recommended by Elon Musk

Description

This newly reissued debut book in the Rutgers University Press Classics Imprint is the story of the search for a rocket propellant which could be trusted to take man into space.

31
No coverCreating the Twentieth Century
Creating the Twentieth Century

Technical Innovations of 1867-1914 and Their Lasting Impact

2 recommendations

Recommended by Bill Gates

Description

The period between 1867 and 1914 remains the greatest watershed in human history since the emergence of settled agricultural societies: the time when an expansive civilization based on synergy of fuels, science, and technical innovation was born.

32
Book cover for “The Copernican Revolution”
The Copernican Revolution

Planetary Astronomy in the Development of Western Thought

2 recommendations

Recommended by Paul Graham

Description

For scientist and layman alike this book provides vivid evidence that the Copernican Revolution has by no means lost its significance today.

33
Book cover for “Life on the Edge”
Life on the Edge

The Coming of Age of Quantum Biology

2 recommendations

Recommended by Vinod Khosla

Description

New York Times bestseller Life on the Edge alters our understanding of our world's fundamental dynamics through the use of quantum mechanics.Life is the most extraordinary phenomenon in the known universe; but how did it come to be Even in an age of cloning and artificial…

34
Book cover for “Astrophysics for People in a Hurry”
Book Summary

Tyson writes short, conversational chapters that translate cosmic scale, basic astrophysics, and the arc of cosmic history into vivid metaphors and brisk explanations. The most useful part is orientation—memorable anchors and mental images that make large ideas stick without equations. Annoying or limiting: frequent brevity means topics are sketched rather than developed, and recurring jokes or one-liners can feel surface-level. Best as an appetite-whetter or primer, not a deep technical course. Read in short sessions; it hands you curiosity more than instruction.

35
No coverEnding Aging
Ending Aging

The Rejuvenation Breakthroughs That Could Reverse Human Aging in Our Lifetime

2 recommendations

Recommended by Steve Aoki

Description

With a New AfterwordMust We AgeNearly all scientists who study the biology of aging agree that we will someday be able to substantially slow down the aging process, extending our productive, youthful lives. Dr. Aubrey de Grey is perhaps the most bullish of all such researchers.

36
No coverHello World
Hello World

Being Human in the Age of Algorithms

2 recommendations

Recommended by Rachel Botsman and David Smith

37
Book cover for “Diaspora”
Diaspora

A Novel

2 recommendations

Recommended by Naval Ravikant

Description

A quantum Brave New World from the boldest and most wildly speculative writer of his generation.Since the Introdus in the twenty-first century, humanity has reconfigured itself drastically. Most chose immortality, joining the polises to become conscious software.

38
No coverHumans
Humans

A Brief History of How We F*cked It All Up

2 recommendations

Recommended by Jeremy Clarkson

Description

NOW AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERA Toronto Star Bestselling Book of the YearWitty and entertaining.Sarah KnightLaughoutloud.Steve BrusatteAN EXHILARATING JOURNEY THROUGH THE MOST CREATIVE AND CATASTROPHIC FCKUPS OF HUMAN HISTORYModern humans have come a long way in the seventy…

39
No coverThe Immortalist
The Immortalist

An Approach to the Engineering of Man's Divinity

2 recommendations

Recommended by Jason Silva

40
No coverLiving within Limits
Living within Limits

Ecology, Economics, and Population Taboos

2 recommendations

Recommended by Charlie Munger and Shane Parrish

Description

We fail to mandate economic sanity, " writes Garrett Hardin, "because our brains are addled by...compassion." With such startling assertions, Hardin has cut a swathe through the field of ecology for decades, winning a reputation as a fearless and original thinker.

Show 60 more books with a single recommendation
41
Book cover for “Dark Age”
Dark Age

Red Rising, Book 5

1 recommendation

Recommended by Federico Viticci

Description

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Morning Star returns to the Red Rising universe with the thrilling sequel to Iron Gold.For a decade Darrow led a revolution against the corrupt colorcoded Society.

42
No coverQuantum Mechanics
Quantum Mechanics

The Theoretical Minimum

1 recommendation
Description

From the bestselling author of The Theoretical Minimum, a DIY introduction to the math and science of quantum physicsFirst he taught you classical mechanics.

43
No coverA Book of Abstract Algebra
A Book of Abstract Algebra

Second Edition (Dover Books on Mathematics)

1 recommendation

Recommended by Steven Strogatz

Description

Accessible but rigorous, this outstanding text encompasses all of the topics covered by a typical course in elementary abstract algebra. Its easytoread treatment offers an intuitive approach, featuring informal discussions followed by thematically arranged exercises.

44
No coverExpecting Better
Expecting Better

Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrongand What You Really Need to Know

1 recommendation

Recommended by Bethany S. Mandel

45
Book cover for “Calling Bullshit”
Calling Bullshit

The Art of Skepticism in a DataDriven World

1 recommendation

Recommended by Nigel Warburton

Description

Bullshit isn't what it used to be. Now, two science professors give us the tools to dismantle misinformation and think clearly in a world of fake news and bad data.It's increasingly difficult to know what's true. Misinformation, disinformation, and fake news abound.

46
No coverAncillary Justice
Ancillary Justice

Imperial Radch, Book 1

1 recommendation

Recommended by Cleo Abram

Description

On a remote, icy planet, the soldier known as Breq is drawing closer to completing her quest. Once, she was the Justice of Toren a colossal starship with an Artificial Intelligence, linking thousands of soldiers in the service of the Radch, the empire that conquered the galaxy.

47
Book cover for “The Poisoner's Handbook”
The Poisoner's Handbook

Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York

1 recommendation

Recommended by Raychelle Burks

Description

Deborah Blum, writing with the high style and skill for suspense that is characteristic of the very best mystery fiction, shares the untold story of how poison rocked Jazz Age New York City.

49
Book cover for “The Postman”
Description

Gordon Krantz survived the Doomwar only to spend years crossing a postapocalypse United States looking for something or someone he could believe in again.

50
No coverStrange Trees
51
Book cover for “The Killer of Little Shepherds”
The Killer of Little Shepherds

A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science

Description

Winner of the Gold Dagger AwardA fascinating true crime story that details the rise of modern forensics and the development of modern criminal investigation.

52
Book cover for “Resurrection Day”
Description

In 1972, ten years after a nuclear war decimated both the United States and Soviet Union, Carl Landry, a young reporter, searches for the killer of a veteran of the 1962 war and begins to suspect that the victim may have held the key to a terrifying conspiracy.

53
Book cover for “Buddha's Brain”
Description

Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and other great teachers were born with brains built essentially like anyone else's. Then they used their minds to change their brains in ways that changed history.With the new breakthroughs in neuroscience, combined with the insights from thousands of…

54
Book cover for “Six Wakes”
Description

A space adventure set on a lone ship where the clones of a murdered crew must find their murderer before they kill again.It was not common to awaken in a cloning vat streaked with drying blood.At least, Maria Arena had never experienced it. She had no memory of how she died.

55
No coverMicrobiology
Microbiology

An Introduction (13th Edition)

Description

For prenursing and allied health students (including mixedmajors courses). Cutting edge microbiology research for today's learners Tortora, Funke, and Case's Microbiology, An Introduction brings a 21stcentury lens to the #1 bestselling text on the market.

56
No coverThe Windup Girl
Description

Anderson Lake is a company man, AgriGen's Calorie Man in Thailand. Under cover as a factory manager, Anderson combs Bangkok's street markets in search of foodstuffs thought to be extinct, hoping to reap the bounty of history's lost calories. There, he encounters Emiko...

57
No coverChemistry
Chemistry

A Molecular Approach (5th Edition)

Description

For courses in chemistry. Actively engage students to become expert problem solvers and critical thinkers Nivaldo Tro's Chemistry: A Molecular Approach presents chemistry visually through multilevel imagesmacroscopic, molecular, and symbolic representationsto help students see…

58
No coverToward Yesterday
Description

Revised edition: This edition of Toward Yesterday includes editorial revisions.What would you do if you suddenly found yourself twentyfive years in the past For the ninebillion people of the year 2042 it's no longer a question ...

59
Book cover for “How to Give Up Plastic”
How to Give Up Plastic

A Guide to Changing the World, One Plastic Bottle at a Time

Book Summary

How to Give Up Plastic reads like a hands-on manual: short, concrete chapters that move through rooms and routines, with many specific substitution ideas you can try immediately. Its useful part is translation — turning abstract worries about ocean plastic into actionable swaps and small habit changes. The main limitation is scale: readers looking for systemic analysis, detailed sourcing guidance, or long-form evidence will find the treatment pragmatic but lightweight, and some sections repeat similar limitations.

60
No coverThe Girl from Everywhere
Description

Nix has spent her entire life aboard her father_x0092_s ship, sailing across the centuries, across the world, across myth and imagination.As long as her father has a map for it, he can sail to any time, any place, real or imagined: nineteenthcentury China, the land from One…

61
Book cover for “Clade”
Description

A provocative, urgent audiobook about time, family and how a changing planet might change our lives, from James Bradley, acclaimed author of The Resurrectionist and editor of The Penguin Book of the Ocean.Compelling, challenging and resilient, over ten beautifully contained…

62
No coverThe Sentient Machine
The Sentient Machine

The Coming Age of Artificial Intelligence,

63
Book cover for “Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms”
Description

After years of living in awe of the mysterious fungi known as mushroomschefs, health enthusiasts, and home cooks alike can't get enough of these rich, delicate morsels.

64
No coverProblems in General Physics
Description

Problems in General PhysicsArihant PublicationsI E Irodov2016EDN6

65
No coverMining of Massive Datasets
Description

Written by leading authorities in database and Web technologies, this book is essential reading for students and practitioners alike. The popularity of the Web and Internet commerce provides many extremely large datasets from which information can be gleaned by data mining.

66
Book cover for “It's So Amazing!”
It's So Amazing!

A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families (The Family Library)

67
Book cover for “A Rock Is Lively”
Description

From the creators of the awardwinning An Egg Is Quiet, A Seed Is Sleepy, A Butterfly Is Patient, and A Nest Is Noisy comes this gorgeous and informative introduction to the fascinating world of rocks.

68
No coverThe Anatomy Coloring Book
Description

Key Benefits: Why use this coloring book For more than 35 years, The Anatomy Coloring Book has been the #1 bestselling human anatomy coloring book!

69
No coverThrawnStar Wars
Description

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In this definitive novel, readers will follow Thrawn's rise to poweruncovering the events that created one of the most iconic villains in Star Wars history.One of the most cunning and ruthless warriors in the history of the Galactic Empire, Grand…

70
Book cover for “Concepts of Physics”
Description

H C Verma s Concepts Of Physics is an allinclusive book, which serves to detail out the ABC of physics in an intricate manner making it an ideal book for not only the higher secondary students, but also for those who are preparing for their competitive examinations.Physics as a…

71
Book cover for “A Sting in the Tale”
A Sting in the Tale

My Adventures with Bumblebees

Book Summary

A Sting in the Tale stitches together childhood mischief, hands-on fieldwork, and straightforward conservation advice into an accessible, often funny portrait of bumblebees and why they matter. The book’s useful part is turning obscure insect lives into memorable scenes and small, actionable steps for gardeners and nature lovers. Its main limitation is uneven depth and occasional repetition: passages that charm can be followed by long lists or procedural descriptions that slow the narrative for readers seeking lean, data-rich prose.

72
Book cover for “Caliban's War”
Description

We are not alone.On Ganymede, breadbasket of the outer planets, a Martian marine watches as her platoon is slaughtered by a monstrous supersoldier. On Earth, a highlevel politician struggles to prevent interplanetary war from reigniting.

73
No coverThe Theory of Everything
The Theory of Everything

The Origin and Fate of the Universe

Description

Based on a series of lectures given at Cambridge University, Professor Hawking's work introduced "the history of ideas about the universe" as well as today's most important scientific theories about time, space, and the cosmos in a clear, easytounderstand way.

74
No coverThe Book of the New Sun
Description

Recently voted the greatest Fantasy, of all time, after The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, Gene Wolfe's The Book of the New Sun is an extraordinary epic, set a million years in the future, on an Earth transformed in mysterious and wondrous ways, in a time when our present…

75
Book cover for “Sociobiology”
Sociobiology

The New Synthesis, TwentyFifth Anniversary Edition

Description

View a collection of videos on Professor Wilson entitled "On the Relation of Science and the Humanities"Harvard University Press is proud to announce the rerelease of the complete original version of Sociobiology: The New Synthesisnow available in paperback for the first time.

76
Book cover for “Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology”
Description

The 13th edition of "Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology" continues this bestselling title's long tradition as the world's foremost medical physiology textbook.

77
Book cover for “Death's Acre”
Death's Acre

Inside the Legendary Forensic Lab the Body Farm Where the Dead Do Tell Tales

Description

Dr. Bill Bass, one of the world's leading forensic anthropologists, gained international attention when he built a forensic lab like no other: The Body Farm.

78
Book cover for “Dispatches from Planet 3”
Dispatches from Planet 3

ThirtyTwo (Brief) Tales on the Solar System, the Milky Way, and Beyond

Description

An awardwinning science writer presents a captivating collection of cosmological essays for the armchair astronomer The galaxy, the multiverse, and the history of astronomy are explored in this engaging compilation of cosmological tales by multipleawardwinning science writer…

79
No coverHouse of Suns
Description

Six million years ago, at the very dawn of the starfaring era, Abigail Gentian fractured herself into a thousand male and female clones: the shatterlings. Sent out into the galaxy, these shatterlings have stood aloof as they document the rise and fall of countless human empires.

80
No coverAn Introduction to Mechanics
Description

For 40 years, Kleppner and Kolenkow's classic text has introduced students to the principles of mechanics. Now brought up to date, this revised and improved second edition is ideal for classical mechanics courses for first and secondyear undergraduates with foundation skills in…

81
No coverThree Roads To Quantum Gravity
Description

"It would be hard to imagine a better guide to this difficult subject." Scientific American In Three Roads to Quantum Gravity, Lee Smolin provides an accessible overview of the attempts to build a final "theory of everything." He explains in simple terms what scientists are…

83
Book cover for “At All Costs”
At All Costs

Honor Harrington, Book 11

Description

What Price VictoryThe War with the Republic of Haven has resumed...disastrously for the Star Kingdom of Manticore. Admiral Lady Dame Honor Harrington has been recalled from the Sidemore System to command Eighth Fleet.

84
No coverThe Road to Reality
The Road to Reality

A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe

Description

Roger Penrose, one of the most accomplished scientists of our time, presents the only comprehensive and comprehensible account of the physics of the universe.

85
No coverMecha Samurai Empire
Description

A standalone book set in the USJ universe, Mecha Samurai Empire focuses on a group of aspiring mecha cadets preparing to fight the Nazis. Foremost among them, Makoto Fujimoto grew up in California, but with a differencehis California is part of the United States of Japan.

86
Book cover for “Flower Garden”
Book Summary

Flower Garden pairs spare rhyming lines with warm, full-color illustrations to follow an African American girl and her father as they buy plants, ride the bus, and build a window-box present for the child’s mother. What works best is the tender, urban-meets-nature mood and imagery that invites picture-walking and read-aloud interaction. The main limitation is the book’s poetic brevity: it offers little factual gardening information and the rhymes may seem repetitive to older listeners or adults seeking practical content.

87
Book cover for “Herokiller”
Herokiller

A Novel

Description

Ready Player One meets Gladiator in this highoctane thriller that mixes fighttothedeath UFCstyle cage matches and blackops espionage.In the near future, the line between entertainment and brutality has blurred.

88
No coverApprentice to Genius
Apprentice to Genius

The Making of a Scientific Dynasty

Description

Robert Kanigel takes us into the heady world of a remarkable group of scientists working at the National Institutes of Health and the Johns Hopkins University: a dynasty of American researchers who for over forty years have made Nobel Prize and Lasker Awardwinning breakthroughs…

89
Book cover for “The Ecology of Commerce Revised Edition”
The Ecology of Commerce Revised Edition

A Declaration of Sustainability (Collins Business Essentials)

Description

A visionary new program that businesses can follow to help restore the planet.

90
Book cover for “Fundamentals of Physics”
Description

The 10th edition of Halliday's Fundamentals of Physics building upon previous issues by offering several new features and additions.

91
No coverDawn
Dawn

The Xenogenesis Trilogy, Book 1

Description

Lilith lyapo awoke from a centurieslong sleep to find herself aboard the vast spaceship of the Oankali. Creatures covered in writhing tentacles, the Oankali had saved every surviving human from a dying, ruined Earth.

92
No coverHyperspace
Hyperspace

A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the 10th Dimension

Description

¿Hay otras dimensiones más allá de las de nuestra experiencia cotidiana ¿Hay puertas de acceso a universos paralelos ¿Qué sucedió antes del primer día de la Creación Este tipo de cuestiones están en el centro de la actividad científica actual.

93
Book cover for “Give Me Back My Bones!”
Book Summary

A short, rhyming picture book that sends a silly pirate skeleton on a treasure-hunt beneath the waves. The language is jaunty and built for read-alouds, and illustrations carry much of the clue-and-surprise work, so the fun comes from timing and visual payoffs as bones reappear. Its useful part is lighthearted engagement: kids laugh at the premise and point out details. Its limitation is thin explanatory content — readers looking for true-to-life anatomy or a plot-heavy tale will feel unsatisfied.

94
Book cover for “Quantum Man”
Quantum Man

Richard Feynman's Life in Science (Great Discoveries)

Description

Perhaps the greatest physicist of the second half of the twentieth century, Richard Feynman changed the way we think about quantum mechanics, the most perplexing of all physical theories. Here Lawrence M.

95
Book cover for “Beyond the Highland Mist”
Beyond the Highland Mist

Highlander, Book 1

Book Summary

Beyond the Highland Mist drops a modern woman into medieval Scotland and pairs her with a brooding laird; the hook is immediate and the story leans on passionate attraction, court intrigue, and fae interference. Karen Marie Moning favors vivid atmosphere and romantic escalation, so chapters move fast and reward readers who want heat and escapism rather than nuanced historical realism. Useful bits: strong sensual set‑pieces and a satisfying fish‑out‑of‑time conflict. Limiting bits: melodramatic turns, repeated emotional beats, and occasional lapses in internal logic that will annoy readers who prefer tight plotting.

96
No coverGray Lensman
Description

The action in Gray Lensman picks up immediately where Galactic Patrol left off, in the middle of the battle to destroy Helmuth's Main Base and, it is hoped, fully end the threat of Boskone.

97
No coverAnatomy & Physiology For Dummies)
Description

Learn about the human body from the inside out Some people think that knowing about what goes on inside the human body can sap life of its mysterywhich is too bad for them.

98
No coverQuantum Computing for Everyone
Description

An accessible introduction to an exciting new area in computation, explaining such topics as qubits, entanglement, and quantum teleportation for the general reader.Quantum computing is a beautiful fusion of quantum physics and computer science, incorporating some of the most…

99
No coverEvery Patient Tells a Story
Every Patient Tells a Story

Medical Mysteries and the Art of Diagnosis

Description

A riveting exploration of the most difficult and important part of what doctors do, by Yale School of Medicine physician Dr.

100
Book cover for “Cece Loves Science”
Description

Cece loves science! In this STEMthemed picture book, Cece asks one of life's most pressing questions: Do dogs eat vegetables Cece and her best friend, Isaac, head to the lab to find out.This picture book is perfect for fans of Ada Twist, Scientist, and anyone who enjoys asking…

Recommended Science Books by Naval Ravikant

Naval Ravikant recommends 4 books on this list. See all book recommendations by Naval Ravikant

Recommended Science Books by Bill Gates

Bill Gates recommends 3 books on this list. See all book recommendations by Bill Gates

Recommended Science Books by Cleo Abram

Cleo Abram recommends 3 books on this list. See all book recommendations by Cleo Abram

Science Books: common questions

What are the most recommended science books?
Predictably Irrational, The Diamond Age and The Visual Display of Quantitative Information are the most recommended science books on BookMentions, ranked by how many people recommended them.
Who recommends science books?
Naval Ravikant, Bill Gates, Cleo Abram and Keith Rabois are among the people who recommend books on this list. Each name links to their full set of book recommendations.
Which of these science books should I read first?
Predictably Irrational is the most recommended here with 13 recommendations, which makes it the safest place to start.

Built from recommendation data, category signals, and source-backed book records. Use this list as a starting point; open any book to see proof, context, and Amazon options where available.

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About this list

This list aggregates books that appear in public recommendation sources, reader-interest signals, and category data. Books are ranked by their position from the source list; recommendation counts and ratings are shown where available. Open any book to see source-backed recommendation proof, editorial context, and Amazon options — the per-book detail page is where the trust signals live.

Recommended books by person: who recommends science books

Books recommended by the people below. Open a profile to see everything they recommend, with the source behind each pick.