First of all, I like Tyson; he is the best popularlizer (is that a real word?) of science since Isaac Asimovf. As for his list, I have read much of The Bible, all of the following; On the Origin of Species, The Art of War, The Prince. Found them interesting if not always enlightening.
No, reading this books will not make you intelligent. But if you keep on open mind, you just might learn something.
Ooops. Forgot to include Gulliver’s Travels.
BTW, I should add I am over 70. and read some of these books many years ago.