These may be grim times at Microsoft, but co-founder Bill Gates seems to be having a good time in his semi-retirement (he resigned as chairman in February, though he retains a technical-advisor role). Lately, he's been posting entertaining videos to his personal YouTube channel, thegatesnotes, and since it's Friday, and maybe you're looking for a little beach reading, we thought we'd share two of his latest, which have to do with books.

In "Summer Books," Gates uses a sprightly musical soundtrack and charming animations to recommend "six really fantastic books" to read this summer. They are "The Bully Pulpit" by Doris Kearns Goodwin, "The Rosie Project" by Graeme Simsion, "The Sixth Extinction" by Elizabeth Kolbert, "Stress Test," by Timothy Geithner, "Business Adventures" by John Brooks (out of print for years, but newly reissued as an ebook thanks to Gates' enthusiasm for it) and "Reinventing American Health Care" by Ezekiel J. Emanuel.

Gates does the voiceover, and rather adorably starts to crack up as he recalls a funny plot twist in one of the books.

The second video offers a more in-depth look at "Business Adventures," his all-time favorite business book.

Simon Dumenco is the "Media Guy" columnist for Advertising Age. You can follow him on Twitter @simondumenco.