Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson

Book: 15/52. Elon Musk - Walter Isaacson. My Rating: 5/5. Another book that I bought for my office library, which I'm finishing now that I'm on notice and my last working day is just around the corner (I have two more good books to go before I call it quits). This is my fourth biography by Walter Isaacson, and I can now confidently certify that he is my favourite biography writer. He keeps them pretty simple to read and engaging at all times. I am on the verge of finalising my next car or SUV, and as I was considering an electric vehicle too from the segment, I thought why not read about the man himself who started it all in the first place. It simply turned out to be a Wow story, thrilling, engaging, super informative on what is going on around the world when it comes to technology, and so much more about the character called Elon Musk, who refuses to get off the limelight. The richest and craziest man from our planet, who plans to reach Mars before his retirement, even shows his son (named X) the planet Mars by a telescope to tell him that the day isn’t very far when they will go, at the earliest and that too at any cost. He rather claims that humanity has no option but to make a move to Mars as our planet is dying, can you believe that? He has even designed the clothes we will wear, the houses that we will live in and the greenhouse that he plans to transfer from here. Let's not even talk about Tesla or his contribution to destroying Twitter as a freedom of speech platform. Walter leaves no stone unturned in telling us the truth behind it all and calls a spade a spade, much to Musk’s disliking or knowledge (since he claims he hasn’t read this one), I believe, in his biography. His relationships and number of kids are something which shocked me big time, but was hilarious to read how he handles his family and personal time. All Elon’s ventures are covered in great detail in this 600+ page book. His histrionics with Russia, NASA, a few Presidents of the USA and whatnot. And it was great to read about so many Indians involved in his personal as well as professional life, too. Every chapter starts with a picture, and all the chapters are like max 5-6 pages, with the longest being 10 pages at times. No doubt, this will go down as the best biography I have read so far from or on anyone that I know of. Have you read Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson, or if you have a favourite Isaacson? Do let me know, and I would love to read that too.

Definitely one of the best books I have ever read about one of the greatest minds to have ever walked on the face of the earth, and hopefully Mars someday. Reading this book made me think there's no way that Musk can be human - like you and me, he too has only 24 hours in a day; but unlike you and me, he's currently running 6 companies - SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink, The Boring Company, Twitter and X.AI. And when Musk talks about running companies, it means he's actively and minutely involved in each & every process in each & every company. The guy knows pretty much everything about everything, is an avid reader, an addicted video games player, a memes lover, a doting father, passionate about wanting to save the world through his work be it electric cars, or providing Internet connectivity, implanting chips into human brains to assist the paralyzed, or send humans into space! As the book details - Musk is a tough taskmaster. He's impatient, abrasive, sets impossible deadlines, has no sense of work life balance, expects people to work mostly all the time, doesn't tolerate fools, hates when people don't have ready answers to his questions. But he's also willing to listen to good ideas and is willing to change his mind when presented with hard facts. The author asks whether Musk would be able to achieve all that he has - probably the only human in the world to do so at this point in time - if he weren't what he is. His childhood in South Africa has contributed to the way he grew up as an adult - willing to take risks, willing to fail but fail fast and recover and hit back at his detractors. While most of his deadlines seemed crazy and unattainable when Musk uttered them, by pushing his team to achieve the impossible, he stood vindicated. His maxim is complacency will be the death of innovation and creativity. Keep hustling, keep trying seems to be his mantra. Musk isn't without his dramas. In fact, as the author details throughout the book, Musk gets attracted to drama and a sense of urgency in his life. Without it, he feels listless. He needs stress to feel alive! Reading this book while observing Musk's persona on Twitter has been fun - some of the times, his tweets make no sense or need someone to explain what he means; his rude responses to his former colleagues be it at OpenAI or Twitter are sometimes quite unnerving; his philosophical tweets about our civilization and life on Mars surely make one ponder. I read this book almost breathlessly because I couldn't wait to find out what happens next. And now that I have finished the book, I feel a sense of emptiness - as if an enriching conversation with a very close friend has come to an end. I heartily recommend this book to those who wish to find out what goes on in Musk's brain - what is he driven by; how does he manage to get up every single day and push his team to achieve the impossible!

This isn’t just any biography—it’s a deep dive into the universe that is Elon Musk. Picture it as your backstage pass to the life of a guy who’s trying to build a pathway to Mars while also making electric cars cool. The storytelling here is magnetic, like you’re sitting down for a coffee chat with Musk himself, his friends, his allies, and even those who aren’t quite fans. What makes this book a page-turner? It’s like a motivational speech in written form. You get an insider’s view into Musk’s never-give-up attitude and his audacious dreams that seem to defy gravity—literally and metaphorically. But don’t think it’s all a bed of roses; the book dishes out the thorny parts too, like Musk’s oddball quirks and controversies. So, you’re not just getting the highlight reel; it’s the whole, unfiltered game. Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur, a tech geek, or someone just fascinated by people who break the mold, this biography is your treasure map to understanding one of the most talked-about people on the planet. It’s more than a read—it’s an experience that demystifies a modern-day enigma. Trust me, once you flip open the first page, you’ll want to buckle up for a ride that shoots for the stars, but keeps its wheels firmly on the ground of reality.

Very nice book but it is too lengthy. Needs to be more shortened and kept major events only. I suggest this

Elon Musk es el Einstein de nuestra era. Una persona cuyo reto es hacer que la humanidad avance con metas impensables para muchos pero que Elon con su visión, liderazgo y constancia hacen que se conviertan en realidad.

Great book, not only to learn about Elon Musk as a person but also how to be a good entrepreneur 👍

A dive into Elon's mind and world - to say it's an inspiration is an understatement. Delivered quickly and have been enjoying the read.

Great guy great book. I recommend it for all Tesla investors :)

An excellent biography of an exceptional person. Elon Musk has been incredibly successful is diverse directions. This book gave insight into what has driven him. Like Steve Jobs, Musk is absolutely focused on the end product with minimal concern about the path. Musk is not satisfied when a product merely meets its initial specifications; it must also accomplish that by the most efficient means. And he doesn't fear taking risks along the way. It seems impossible that a single person could have accomplished what Musk has done. This book goes a long way to reveal how he came to be the way he is, how he operates and what drives him. It would be very hard to live with such a person and this seems fairly well documented. The purchase of Twitter/X is particularly interesting- his end goal was to end the 'woke' movement and encourage 'free speech', but things got complicated, and not helped by Musk's propensity to do stupid things (a recurring theme). The world is very lucky to have Elon Musk. But its complicated.. Anyhow, reading this well written book provides insight to one of the most productive people of our time. I recommend it highly.