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Elon Musk Hardcover – Sept. 12 2023

by Walter Isaacson (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 14,341 ratings
Amazon Charts #14 this week
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#1 New York Times bestseller

From the author of Steve Jobs and other bestselling biographies, this is the astonishingly intimate story of the most fascinating and controversial innovator of our era—a rule-breaking visionary who helped to lead the world into the era of electric vehicles, private space exploration, and artificial intelligence. Oh, and took over Twitter.

When Elon Musk was a kid in South Africa, he was regularly beaten by bullies. One day a group pushed him down some concrete steps and kicked him until his face was a swollen ball of flesh. He was in the hospital for a week. But the physical scars were minor compared to the emotional ones inflicted by his father, an engineer, rogue, and charismatic fantasist.

His father’s impact on his psyche would linger. He developed into a tough yet vulnerable man-child, prone to abrupt Jekyll-and-Hyde mood swings, with an exceedingly high tolerance for risk, a craving for drama, an epic sense of mission, and a maniacal intensity that was callous and at times destructive.

At the beginning of 2022—after a year marked by SpaceX launching thirty-one rockets into orbit, Tesla selling a million cars, and him becoming the richest man on earth—Musk spoke ruefully about his compulsion to stir up dramas. “I need to shift my mindset away from being in crisis mode, which it has been for about fourteen years now, or arguably most of my life,” he said.

It was a wistful comment, not a New Year’s resolution. Even as he said it, he was secretly buying up shares of Twitter, the world’s ultimate playground. Over the years, whenever he was in a dark place, his mind went back to being bullied on the playground. Now he had the chance to own the playground.

For two years, Isaacson shadowed Musk, attended his meetings, walked his factories with him, and spent hours interviewing him, his family, friends, coworkers, and adversaries. The result is the revealing inside story, filled with amazing tales of triumphs and turmoil, that addresses the question: are the demons that drive Musk also what it takes to drive innovation and progress?
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    688 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Simon & Schuster
  4. Publication date
    Sept. 12 2023
  5. Dimensions
    15.56 x 4.83 x 23.5 cm
  6. ISBN-10
    1982181281
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1982181284
  8. See all details
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  1. “What I didn’t appreciate is that Elon starts with a mission and later finds a way to backfill in order to make it work financially,” he says. “That’s what makes him a force of nature.”
    Highlighted by 4,131 Kindle readers
  2. While other entrepreneurs struggled to develop a worldview, he developed a cosmic view.
    Highlighted by 2,391 Kindle readers
  3. This emotional shutoff valve could make him callous, but it also made him a risk-seeking innovator. “He learned to shut down fear,” she says. “If you turn off fear, then maybe you have to turn off other things, like joy or empathy.”
    Highlighted by 2,143 Kindle readers
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From the Publisher

Product description

Review

Shortlisted for the Financial Times and Schroders Business Book of the Year

"Whatever you think of Mr. Musk, he is a man worth understanding— which makes this a book worth reading." — The Economist

"With Elon Musk, Walter Isaacson offers both an engaging chronicle of his subject’s busy life so far and some compelling answers..." — Wall Street Journal

"Walter Isaacson’s new biography of Elon Musk, published Monday, delivers as promised — a comprehensive, deeply reported chronicle of the world-shaping tech mogul’s life, a twin to the author’s similarly thick 2011 biography of Steve Jobs. Details ranging from the personally salacious to the geopolitically volatile have already made the rounds — the rare example of a major book publication causing a news cycle in its own right...What Isaacson’s biography reveals through its personalized lens on Musk’s work with Tesla, SpaceX, OpenAI, and more is not only what Musk wants, but how and why he plans to do it. The portrait that emerges is one that resembles a hard-charging, frequently alienating Gilded Age-style captain of industry, with a particular fixation on AI that ties everything together....Isaacson’s book is like a decoder ring, tying the mercurial Musk’s various obsessions into a coherent worldview with a startlingly concrete goal at its center." — Politico

"[The book] has everything you'd expect from a book on Musk—stories of tragedy, triumph, and turmoil.... While the stories are fascinating and guaranteed to spark a mountain of coverage, founders and entrepreneurs will also unearth valuable lessons." — Inc.

"Isaacson has gathered information from the man’s admirers and critics. He lays all of it out.... The book is bursting with stories....A deeply engrossing tale of a spectacular American innovator. " — New York Journal of Books

"One of the greatest biographers in America has written a massive book about the richest man in the world. This fast-paced biography, based on more than a hundred interviews...[is] a head-spinning tale about a vain, brilliant, sometimes cruel figure whose ambitions are actively shaping the future of human life."—Ron Charles on CBS Sunday Morning

"A painstakingly excavation of the tortured unquiet mind of the world’s richest man… Isaacson’s book is not a soaring portrait of a captain of industry, but rather an exhausting ride through the life of a man who seems incapable of happiness." —The Sunday Times

"An experienced biographer’s comprehensive study." —The Observer

"Walter Isaacson’s all-access biography… Its portrait of the tech maverick is fascinating." —The Telegraph

"Isaacson boils Musk down to two men… the result is a beat-by-beat book that follows him insider important rooms and explores obscure regions of his mind." —The Times

About the Author

Walter Isaacson is the bestselling author of biographies of Jennifer Doudna, Leonardo da Vinci, Steve Jobs, Benjamin Franklin, and Albert Einstein. He is a professor of history at Tulane and was CEO of the Aspen Institute, chair of CNN, and editor of Time. He was awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2023. Visit him at Isaacson.Tulane.edu.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster (Sept. 12 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 688 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1982181281
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1982181284
  • Item weight ‏ : ‎ 807 g
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 15.56 x 4.83 x 23.5 cm
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 14,341 ratings

About the author

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Walter Isaacson

Walter Isaacson

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Walter Isaacson is writing a biography of Elon Musk. He is the author of The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race; Leonardo da Vinci; Steve Jobs; Einstein: His Life and Universe; Benjamin Franklin: An American Life; The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution; and Kissinger: A Biography. He is also the coauthor of The Wise Men: Six Friends and the World They Made. He is a Professor of History at Tulane, has been CEO of the Aspen Institute, chairman of CNN, and editor of Time magazine.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
14,341 global ratings
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Top reviews from Canada

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5.0 out of 5 stars Well written
Reviewed in Canada on April 25, 2024
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Isaacson knows how to write Musk’s biography into a gripping story. Worth the read to see another side of the man at work spinning so many major platters simultaneously.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars An incredible person for our time
Reviewed in Canada on March 3, 2024
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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.
2 people found this helpful
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THECOAST
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!
Reviewed in Canada on April 20, 2024
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Very informative book about the visionary himself, Elon Musk. Recommend to those interested in his successes and biographies.
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Very good, but missing pages 243 to 274….
Reviewed in Canada on May 7, 2024
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I finally got around reading Elon Musk’ biography to realize half way trough that, strangest thing, pages 243 to 274 were missing and pages 275 to 304 were printed twice. Too late for a return… The book is very good though, as is always the case with Mr Isaacson work. Big fan!
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Paddy
5.0 out of 5 stars The Book
Reviewed in Canada on April 28, 2024
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Good read. Interesting!
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Paddy
5.0 out of 5 stars The Book
Reviewed in Canada on April 28, 2024
Good read. Interesting!
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Kevin Flynn
5.0 out of 5 stars Really well writen.
Reviewed in Canada on April 28, 2024
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A really well written book. Highly reccomend it.
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Randy B.
5.0 out of 5 stars True story of a brilliant man.
Reviewed in Canada on April 1, 2024
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I enjoyed reading about Elon Musk's accomplishments and about his personal life.
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Book Lover
5.0 out of 5 stars This book is great
Reviewed in Canada on February 21, 2024
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It’s a long book. Some of it is technical stuff but if you don’t know Musk’s background this book is for you. I knew nothing about Elon Musk but after reading this biography I can say he’s a genius but I still don’t like him. He’s just not a sociable person, too focussed on working all the time and very much on the autistic spectrum. I guess that’s why he’s a billionaire and I’m not. Excellent book, well written, easy to read.
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João Ferreira
5.0 out of 5 stars Um dos melhores livros que já li
Reviewed in Brazil on January 27, 2024
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Fascinante biografia de Elon Musk e parece ser uma tentativa honesta de descrever a vida deste ser singular. Bem diferente da biografia anterior de Ashlee Vance, uma vez que mostra características bem mais sombrias e pertubadoras da personalidade de Musk e os tormentos internos que ele enfrenta e que acabam transbordando pra muitas áreas de sua vida.
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leonardo
5.0 out of 5 stars Content
Reviewed in Mexico on December 11, 2023
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Walter isaacson way of putting toghether the chronology of the different events and narrative is superb. Some details are too much and unnecesary, most of them are key to understand the mind and branding of Elon.
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Drewster
5.0 out of 5 stars A Captivating Journey Through the Mind of Disrupter
Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2023
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"Elon Musk" by Walter Isaacson is an extraordinary biographical exploration of one of the most fascinating and innovative figures of our time. As an admirer of Elon Musk and his ventures, I found this book to be an incredibly insightful and inspiring read that goes far beyond the typical biography. Here's why I believe it's a must-read for anyone interested in technology, entrepreneurship, and the future of humanity.

Thorough and In-Depth Research:
Walter Isaacson is renowned for his meticulous research and ability to provide a comprehensive account of his subjects. In "Elon Musk," he delves deep into Musk's life, from his childhood in South Africa to his founding of multiple groundbreaking companies like SpaceX and Tesla. The book leaves no stone unturned, offering a detailed and well-rounded portrait of this visionary entrepreneur.

Humanizing the Genius:
Isaacson's writing shines in its ability to humanize Musk, a man often seen as an enigmatic genius. The book delves into Musk's personal struggles, his successes, and his vulnerabilities, allowing readers to relate to him on a human level. This approach makes the story all the more engaging and relatable.

Awe-Inspiring Vision:
Musk's vision for the future is nothing short of awe-inspiring, and Isaacson does an exceptional job of conveying the magnitude of Musk's ambitions. From colonizing Mars to revolutionizing the automotive industry, Musk's visionary ideas are portrayed with enthusiasm and intellectual depth. Reading about his endeavors leaves you feeling invigorated and excited about the possibilities of our future.

Insights into the Creative Process:
"Elon Musk" offers valuable insights into the creative process of a brilliant mind. The book details Musk's relentless pursuit of innovation and his willingness to take risks that others deemed impossible. For aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators, the book provides a treasure trove of lessons on perseverance, problem-solving, and thinking beyond conventional boundaries.

Compelling Narrative Style:
Walter Isaacson's storytelling skills are evident throughout the book. His ability to craft a compelling narrative makes this biography read more like an adventure novel. The prose flows seamlessly, keeping the reader engaged and eager to turn the page.

Timely and Relevant:
In an era where technology and the future of our planet are at the forefront of global discussions, "Elon Musk" is incredibly timely and relevant. The book not only provides a window into Musk's life but also addresses pressing issues like sustainable energy, space exploration, and artificial intelligence.

In conclusion, "Elon Musk" by Walter Isaacson is an exceptional biography that offers a profound and intimate look at the life and mind of a modern visionary. It's a testament to the power of human determination, innovation, and audacious dreams. Whether you're an Elon Musk enthusiast or simply curious about the world-changing ideas of our time, this book is a captivating and enlightening journey that is not to be missed. I highly recommend it as a must-read for anyone seeking inspiration and insight into the future.
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WINSTON
5.0 out of 5 stars Must buy
Reviewed in India on April 27, 2024
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This book is just a wealth of information about oke of the most impactful enterpreuner of this generation. The business lessons and the life lessons. And the in depth information was well explained and entertaining. Had to bookmark and highlight lot of ideas in this book. It is a must buy for everyone.
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AllyBerlin
5.0 out of 5 stars An inspiring read for open minds!
Reviewed in Germany on April 15, 2024
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As with all Issacson biographies you get a good unfiltered look into the person. I really enjoyed the threads as the tale of Elon's life unfolds page after page. Hopefully the goals of Elon's varied interests will be achieved. Lofty goals that only someone of Elon's Caliber could achieve. Would I want to work for him, no. Am I impressed by what he has accomplished in a short time, yes. Go Elon!
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