The educator, author, TV presenter and mechanical engineer best known as The Science Guy,Bill Nyehas been an outspoken advocate for science since donning his trademark lab coat and bowtieon screen in the early ’90s. Nye’s quirky humor and contagious enthusiasm made his show one of the most-watched educational programs on TV, inspiring generations of kids to keep curious about the natural world. His latest Netflix offering, Bill Nye Saves the World, brings together both experts and celebrities to carry on Nye’s lifelong work of making science exciting and accessible to the masses.
In addition to his TV work, Nye has authored two best-selling books on science (2014’sUndeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creationand 2015’sUnstoppable: Harnessing Science to Change the World)and has shared his own reading lists with New York-based bookstores Strand and One Grand. Spanning comedy, history, physics, sports, writing, and even poker theory, Nye’s bookshelf reflects theman’s endless quest to better understand our world, and ourselves.
Read on for Bill Nye’s favorite books, and check out his Masterclass on science and problem-solving for a deeper look at his approach to navigating information and tackling some of the planet’s biggest problems. Complement with the reading list of fellow science celebrator Neil deGrasse Tyson.
The Physics of Baseball byRobert Adair
“A book that provides us with words to live and play by.” -BN
Doyle Brunson’s Super System: A Course in Power Poker byDoyle Brunson
The Serengeti Rules: The Quest to Discover How Life Works and Why It Matters bySean B. Carroll
Fundamentals of Modern Physics byRobert Martin Eisberg
“The Fundamentals of Modern Physics is just that. It has been said: ‘All science isphysics.’ When I learnedthefundamentalsofphysics, my viewoftheworld and life itself was changed forever.” -BN
The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century byThomas L. Friedman
Seizing the Enigma: The Race to Break the German U-Boat Codes, 1939-1943 byDavid Kahn
Carry On, Mr. Bowditch byJean Lee Latham
“It’s about a real-life American hero who pulls himself through life with genius and hard work. He inspired me as kid — he still does. I hope to makethemovie someday soon.” -BN
Dire Predictions: Understanding Climate Change byMichael Mann
The Hockey Stick and The Climate Wars byMichael Mann
“TheHockey Stickgraph changedtheway mostofus understoodthenatural historyof Earth. Ours is onlythesecond species known to be capableofchangingtheclimateof an entire planet. Intuitively, you’d think we’d have more awarenessofour influence than blue-green algae. Butthese days, I’m not so sure.” -BN
Born Standing Upby Steve Martin (also rec’d by Trevor Noah)
“This is the storyofmy hero. The guy who inspired me to do what I do now.” -BN
Chasing Space: An Astronaut’s Story of Grit, Grace, and Second Chances byLeland Melvin
Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II byLiza Mundy
“Code Girls is the story of the remarkable women, including my mother, who served our country and helped shorten World War II. My mom is mentioned in the book.” -BN
Cry, the Beloved Country byAlan Paton
The Making of the Atomic Bomb byRichard Rhodes
Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq byThomas E. Ricks
Cosmos byCarl Sagan
“Cosmos is the storyofmy other hero, Carl Sagan. The other guy who inspired me to do what I do now.” -BN
The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark byCarl Sagan
The Moral Arc: How Science Makes Us Better People byMichael Shermer
Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need byBlake Snyder
Angle of Repose byWallace Stegner
“It is about human stories intertwined, just like your life and mine.” -BN
Crossing to Safety byWallace Stegner
The Elements of Style byWilliam Strunk, Jr., Maira Kalman and E.B. White
“This is my guide. I accept that I’ll never write anything as good astheintroductory essay by E.B. White. It’s brilliant. As a guy, who isoften asked to read aloud from radio scripts and teleprompter, I am a fanoftheserial comma. Red, white, and blue comes out properly. Red, white and blue, seldom does.” -BN
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry byNeil deGrasse Tyson
Hillbilly Elegy byJ.D. Vance
“Hillbilly Elegy providesthereader with insight into howtheUnited States got into its current mess. People with strong andoften inconsistent values feel disenfranchised andoften don’t act intheir own best interest. I hope J.D. Vance’s story will help us learn to work together and improvethequalityoflife for all our citizens.” -BN
Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA byTim Weiner
(via One Grand Books & Strand Books)
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Tags: bill nye carl sagan steve martin
Categories: Scientists