Great Thinkers books in order

The Great Thinkers series features seven illustrated biographies covering Hawking, Einstein, Darwin, Freud, Tesla, Curie, and a companion volume on genius inventions.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 Hawking 2018 Walter Isaacson Buy
2 Einstein 2018 Walter Isaacson Buy
3 Darwin 2018 Walter Isaacson Buy
4 Freud 2019 Walter Isaacson Buy
5 Tesla 2019 Walter Isaacson Buy
6 Genius Inventions 2019 Walter Isaacson Buy
7 Curie 2020 Walter Isaacson Buy

The Great Thinkers series collects short, illustrated biographies of some of history’s most influential scientists and thinkers. Each volume pairs text with more than 160 images, including photographs, personal diary entries, letters, and handwritten notes. The series covers Stephen Hawking, Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, Sigmund Freud, Nikola Tesla, and Marie Curie, along with a companion volume called Genius Inventions.

These are not full-length biographies in the style of Isaacson’s major works like Steve Jobs or Einstein: His Life and Universe. Instead, they are shorter, heavily visual books meant for readers who want a quick but informative overview of each figure’s life and contributions. The format makes them accessible to a broad audience, and they work well as gift books or introductions to these subjects.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Great Thinkers series?

There are seven books in the Great Thinkers series, published between 2018 and 2020.

What is the first book in the Great Thinkers series?

The first book in the Great Thinkers series is Hawking, published in 2018.

Are the Great Thinkers books standalone or do they need to be read in order?

Each Great Thinkers book is a standalone illustrated biography that can be read independently. They share a similar format but cover different subjects, so there is no required reading order.

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