Bill Gates released his 5-book summer reading list, themed around the conflict between humans and nature

Microsoft cofounder Bill GatesPaul Richards/AFP via Getty Images

• Bill Gates released his summer reading list on Monday.
• Gates recommended five books that he said examine humanity's relationship with nature.
• The list features four non-fiction books - including Barack Obama's memoir - and one novel.

Bill Gates has released his annual summer reading list for 2021.

This year, Gates said the theme connecting his reading list is the relationship between humanity and nature.

"Maybe it's because everyone's lives have been upended by a virus. Or maybe it's because I've spent so much time this year talking about what we need to do to avoid a climate disaster," Gates wrote in his blog.

Four out of the five books Gates recommends are non-fiction, but Gates said all of his recommendations address "what happens when people come into conflict with the world around them."