When I walked into Barnes & Noble two weeks ago, I wasn't actually looking to purchase a book. Usually, I go in, browse for 30 minutes, and get out. But when I walked around to the Physics and Science section, the first thing I saw was Elon Musk's face.
Inevitably, I picked it up and began reading.
2 pages in, I decided I was in this for the long haul and sat on the floor, right there in the middle of the store. 15 pages in, my friends finally found me and forced me to leave. But I couldn't part with this. I needed this book. Those first 15 pages captured me like so few books do (in fact, only one book in the past year has totally stolen my attention like this).
So I bought Elon Musk feeling on top of the world and excited to keep reading.
I travel a lot between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, PA, so, since I'm in the middle of taking classes in Pittsburgh, I swore to only read this book on the bus, because I knew once I picked it up again, I wouldn't put down.
I was right.
The next day, I got on the bus, got to reading, and tuned out the world. Three hours later, I was nearly halfway through -- and WOW. Vance's writing style flowed right through my mind. No clunky sentences, no jarring phrases. It's such an easy book to read, despite the complex nature of the contents.
Elon Musk, if you don't know, is a biography. Yes, a biography. You'd expect the case-study of someone's life to be boring and uneventful, dragging until the very end.
This wasn't the case at all.
Vance opens the book at an interview with Elon Musk himself. The first line, a quote from Musk, "Do you think I'm insane?", perfectly captures the whole context of the biography. Because as you experience the story, as you see the challenges Musk went through to reach the pinnacle he's at today, the question nags at you. Musk isn't soft-spoken, or easy on his employees, or a man who kicks his legs up on his desk and snoozes while his companies mill around him. Vance shows how Musk is both the CEO and an employee of his companies, simultaneously the teacher and student. He gets in the work, asks all the right questions, gives all the right orders. His vision is THE vision, and if you get in the way, Musk has been known to fire you on the spot.
Musk breaks every convention, every tradition, every standard. Vance takes you deep into the details, from Musk's childhood and lineage in South Africa, all the way to Canada and the United States, where the bulk of the story unfolds.
When Musk looks at big businesses, he sees unmovable behemoths that refuse to change their methodologies. American innovation became a thing of the past. Technology and industry was growing - but nowhere near as fast as it should. So we follow Musk's journey from his small start-ups, Zip2 and X.com, and move into his larger, more permanent ventures, namely SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity.
I myself am a huge fan of Elon Musk. Still, until the past year or two, I only thought of him as "that guy who made SpaceX" and "that guy who runs Tesla." Until reading this book, I never knew the struggle -- no, the hell he went through to make and keep these companies. You think, oh, he just has a lot of money.
Yeah, now he does. But did you know SpaceX and Tesla were hours away from going bankrupt? Did you know that the Falcon 1 rocket kept failing, and one more failed launch literally meant the end of SpaceX? Did you know SpaceX tested these rockets on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and would fix problems they encountered in a matter of days, as compared to months by standard companies?
This book is the first time Musk has explicitly let anyone interview him for a biography. Aside from a few questionable quotes that have been publicly denounced by Musk after the publication of this book, we're still given a tremendous amount of insight into his head and how he runs the companies. Vance interviewed more than 300 people and spent over two years compiling this account. And I have to give credit to how up-to-date the information is. There are several events Vance mentions that occurred into 2015, such as the first landing attempt of Falcon 9 on the sea barge, which took place in January, and he refers to the second attempt as being in a couple weeks, which means that Vance included this information on a very tight deadline, probably mid-March (the second landing attempt happened on April 14, 2015).
I want to congratulate you, Mr. Vance. Well done. Very well done. I'm going to reread this book in a few weeks (probably after the scheduled June 19th third Falcon 9 landing attempt, this time on solid ground, as opposed to a barge). Anyone who wants a ridiculously thorough insight into Elon Musk's life and companies should read this book. It had me from Page 1 all the way to Page 363, and even the appendices that come after.
This is an incredibly inspiring book, a important look into a game-changing business strategy, and a valuable lesson to the world. As Musk says, "If something is important enough, even if the odds are against you, you should still do it."
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Editorial Reviews
From the Inside Flap
There are few industrialists in history who could match Elon Musk's relentless drive and ingenious vision. A modern alloy of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, and Steve Jobs, Musk is the man behind PayPal, Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and SolarCity, each of which has sent shock waves throughout American business and industry. More than any other executive today, Musk has dedicated his energies and his own vast fortune to inventing a future that is as rich and far-reaching as a science fiction fantasy.
In this lively, investigative account, veteran technology journalist Ashlee Vance offers an unprecedented look into the remarkable life and times of Silicon Valley's most audacious businessman. Written with exclusive access to Musk, his family, and his friends, the book traces his journey from his difficult upbringing in South Africa to his ascent to the pinnacle of the global business world. Vance spent more than fifty hours in conversation with Musk and inter- viewed close to three hundred people to tell the tumultuous stories of Musk's world-changing companies and to paint a portrait of a complex man who has renewed American industry and sparked new levels of innovation--all while making plenty of enemies along the way.
In 1992, Elon Musk arrived in the United States as a ferociously driven immigrant bent on realizing his wildest dreams. Since then, Musk's roller-coaster life has brought him grave disappointments alongside massive successes. After being forced out of PayPal, fending off a life-threatening case of malaria, and dealing with the death of his infant son, Musk abandoned Silicon Valley for Los Angeles. He spent the next few years baffling his friends by blowing his entire fortune on rocket ships and electric cars. Cut to 2012, however, and Musk had mounted one of the greatest resurrections in business history: Tesla, SpaceX, and SolarCity had enjoyed unparalleled success, and Musk's net worth soared to more than $5 billion.
At a time when many American companies are more interested in chasing easy money than in taking bold risks on radical new technology, Musk stands out as the only businessman with enough dynamism and vision to tackle--and even revolutionize--three industries at once. Vance makes the case that Musk's success heralds a return to the original ambition and invention that made America an economic and intellectual powerhouse. Elon Musk is a brilliant, penetrating examination of what Musk's career means for a technology industry undergoing dramatic change and offers a taste of what could be an incredible century ahead.
In this lively, investigative account, veteran technology journalist Ashlee Vance offers an unprecedented look into the remarkable life and times of Silicon Valley's most audacious businessman. Written with exclusive access to Musk, his family, and his friends, the book traces his journey from his difficult upbringing in South Africa to his ascent to the pinnacle of the global business world. Vance spent more than fifty hours in conversation with Musk and inter- viewed close to three hundred people to tell the tumultuous stories of Musk's world-changing companies and to paint a portrait of a complex man who has renewed American industry and sparked new levels of innovation--all while making plenty of enemies along the way.
In 1992, Elon Musk arrived in the United States as a ferociously driven immigrant bent on realizing his wildest dreams. Since then, Musk's roller-coaster life has brought him grave disappointments alongside massive successes. After being forced out of PayPal, fending off a life-threatening case of malaria, and dealing with the death of his infant son, Musk abandoned Silicon Valley for Los Angeles. He spent the next few years baffling his friends by blowing his entire fortune on rocket ships and electric cars. Cut to 2012, however, and Musk had mounted one of the greatest resurrections in business history: Tesla, SpaceX, and SolarCity had enjoyed unparalleled success, and Musk's net worth soared to more than $5 billion.
At a time when many American companies are more interested in chasing easy money than in taking bold risks on radical new technology, Musk stands out as the only businessman with enough dynamism and vision to tackle--and even revolutionize--three industries at once. Vance makes the case that Musk's success heralds a return to the original ambition and invention that made America an economic and intellectual powerhouse. Elon Musk is a brilliant, penetrating examination of what Musk's career means for a technology industry undergoing dramatic change and offers a taste of what could be an incredible century ahead.
From the Back Cover
"Ashlee Vance has given us an intensely reported, wonderfully spirited account of Elon Musk's rise to the pinnacle of the business world. This is the definitive look at the man who may have the biggest impact on the human race. Should Musk bring humanity to Mars, this will be the planet's founding document." -- BRAD STONE, author of the bestselling The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon
"Elon Musk is a man after my own heart: a risk taker undaunted by setbacks and ever driven to ensure a bright future for humanity. Ashlee Vance's stellar biography captures Musk's remarkable life story and irrepressible spirit." -- RICHARD BRANSON, founder of Virgin Group
"More than any entrepreneur since Steve Jobs, Elon Musk sets the bar for what's possible in technology. We are fortunate to have our very own real-life Tony Stark in Elon, and here, for the first time, we have his story vividly told." --MARC ANDREESSEN, venture capitalist and Web pioneer
"Ashlee Vance offers a clear-eyed look at a man who has played the underdog again and again--challenging old thinking and changing the world. I dare anyone to read this book and not be inspired to set their sights a little higher." --TONY FADELL, creator of the iPod and iPhone, and CEO of Nest Labs
"Elon Musk is one of the greatest entrepreneurial minds of our time. His combination of extreme intelligence, relentless drive, and steadfast belief in his bold ideas is ensuring that all of society has the chance to benefit from his efforts. The book Elon Musk is a compelling firsthand, behind-the-scenes look at how Tesla, SpaceX, and SolarCity were formed, and how Elon works to bring his passions to fruition. He is a unique character changing the world, and Ashlee Vance's book is a riveting account of how Elon's game-changing ideas have been conceived and born, and now flourish." --J. CRAIG VENTER, Ph.D., first human genome sequencer and creator of synthetic life
"This thrilling book will make you want to start a car company, build spaceships, and go to Mars. The only downside is when you eventually remember that you're not Elon Musk." -- AARON LEVIE, CEO of Box
"Elon Musk is a man after my own heart: a risk taker undaunted by setbacks and ever driven to ensure a bright future for humanity. Ashlee Vance's stellar biography captures Musk's remarkable life story and irrepressible spirit." -- RICHARD BRANSON, founder of Virgin Group
"More than any entrepreneur since Steve Jobs, Elon Musk sets the bar for what's possible in technology. We are fortunate to have our very own real-life Tony Stark in Elon, and here, for the first time, we have his story vividly told." --MARC ANDREESSEN, venture capitalist and Web pioneer
"Ashlee Vance offers a clear-eyed look at a man who has played the underdog again and again--challenging old thinking and changing the world. I dare anyone to read this book and not be inspired to set their sights a little higher." --TONY FADELL, creator of the iPod and iPhone, and CEO of Nest Labs
"Elon Musk is one of the greatest entrepreneurial minds of our time. His combination of extreme intelligence, relentless drive, and steadfast belief in his bold ideas is ensuring that all of society has the chance to benefit from his efforts. The book Elon Musk is a compelling firsthand, behind-the-scenes look at how Tesla, SpaceX, and SolarCity were formed, and how Elon works to bring his passions to fruition. He is a unique character changing the world, and Ashlee Vance's book is a riveting account of how Elon's game-changing ideas have been conceived and born, and now flourish." --J. CRAIG VENTER, Ph.D., first human genome sequencer and creator of synthetic life
"This thrilling book will make you want to start a car company, build spaceships, and go to Mars. The only downside is when you eventually remember that you're not Elon Musk." -- AARON LEVIE, CEO of Box
About the Author
ASHLEE VANCE is one of the most prominent writers on technology today. After spending several years reporting on Silicon Valley and technology for the New York Times, Vance went to Bloomberg Businessweek, where he has written dozens of cover and feature stories for the magazine on topics ranging from cyber espionage to DNA sequencing and space exploration.
Review
"Ashlee Vance's new book, 'Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the Quest for a Fantastic Future,' is a tremendous look into arguably the world's most important entrepreneur. Vance paints an unforgettable picture of Musk's unique personality, insatiable drive and ability to thrive through hardship." - The Washington Post
"Exhaustively reported . . . this work will likely serve as the definitive account of a man whom so far we've seen mostly through caricature. By the final pages, too, any reader will sense the need to put comparisons to Steve Jobs aside. Give Musk credit. There is no one like him." - The New York Times
"Ashlee Vance's portrait of the entrepreneur at mid-life is an essential read . . . a riveting portrait of Silicon Valley's most driven entrepreneur since Steve Jobs." - The Financial Times
"The result is a book that is smart, light on its feet and possesses a crunchy thoroughness. . . . Mr. Vance delivers a well-calibrated portrait of Mr. Musk, so that we comprehend both his friends and his enemies. It's a book with many ancillary pleasures. Mr. Vance brings us up to date on the states of green energy and space launches. He also veers away from his subject just often enough, offering profiles of the frequently brilliant people who work alongside Mr. Musk The best thing Mr. Vance does in this book, though, is tell Mr. Musk's story simply and well."- The New York Times
"Really good biographies stand out in two ways. First, they provide lots of zesty stories that haven't been told before. Beyond that, they explain all the zigzags and false clues of a prominent person's life, in a way that makes the total picture come into focus. . . it's clear that this new Musk bio delivers the goods in both respects. . . Ashlee Vance provides a wealth of insights about how this tech titan operates." - Forbes
"Vance's lively book yields all manner of fascinating insights about Musk's companies, his vision, and his personal life." - Slate
"Of the many profiles of business leaders, Vance's take on Musk is among the best. The author's objective and unbiased viewpoint captures Musk's good and bad, his achievements and failures." - The Motley Fool
"Musk rivals Jobs in the same way this book rivals Isaacson's classic." - Whitney Tilson Founder, Kase Capital Management
--This text refers to the paperback edition.
"It is the book I have enjoyed most this year." - Tyler Cowen, famed economist and best-selling author
"The best business book I have read in years." - Don Graham, former publisher of The Washington Post
"Exhaustively reported . . . this work will likely serve as the definitive account of a man whom so far we've seen mostly through caricature. By the final pages, too, any reader will sense the need to put comparisons to Steve Jobs aside. Give Musk credit. There is no one like him." - The New York Times
"Ashlee Vance's portrait of the entrepreneur at mid-life is an essential read . . . a riveting portrait of Silicon Valley's most driven entrepreneur since Steve Jobs." - The Financial Times
"The result is a book that is smart, light on its feet and possesses a crunchy thoroughness. . . . Mr. Vance delivers a well-calibrated portrait of Mr. Musk, so that we comprehend both his friends and his enemies. It's a book with many ancillary pleasures. Mr. Vance brings us up to date on the states of green energy and space launches. He also veers away from his subject just often enough, offering profiles of the frequently brilliant people who work alongside Mr. Musk The best thing Mr. Vance does in this book, though, is tell Mr. Musk's story simply and well."- The New York Times
"Really good biographies stand out in two ways. First, they provide lots of zesty stories that haven't been told before. Beyond that, they explain all the zigzags and false clues of a prominent person's life, in a way that makes the total picture come into focus. . . it's clear that this new Musk bio delivers the goods in both respects. . . Ashlee Vance provides a wealth of insights about how this tech titan operates." - Forbes
"Vance's lively book yields all manner of fascinating insights about Musk's companies, his vision, and his personal life." - Slate
"Of the many profiles of business leaders, Vance's take on Musk is among the best. The author's objective and unbiased viewpoint captures Musk's good and bad, his achievements and failures." - The Motley Fool
"Vance left few, if any, stones unturned . . . A detailed portrait of a figure both loved and feared--sometimes by the same people at the same time." - The Space Review
"Vance's book is a masterful piece of reporting." - Vice
"Vance's book is a masterful piece of reporting." - Vice
"Musk rivals Jobs in the same way this book rivals Isaacson's classic." - Whitney Tilson Founder, Kase Capital Management
Product details
- ASIN : B00KVI76ZS
- Publisher : Ecco; Illustrated edition (May 19, 2015)
- Publication date : May 19, 2015
- Language : English
- File size : 25971 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 399 pages
- Lending : Not Enabled
- Best Sellers Rank: #10,364 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
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Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2015
1) First intro chapter shows how relentless the author was. Great lesson there. He didn't ask for permission, he just went out and wrote it. Said he was going to write it with or without him on board. Which ultimately won Elon's respect since that's how he operates too.
2) Elon and his brother Kimbal coming over at 18 years old from south Africa. Their tactic about picking up the newspaper and cold calling the most interesting people to take to lunch is awesome. I challenge myself to do this now and I think its a great strategy to get out of your comfort zone. I gather he had the idea for pay pal with that tactic - it landed him the bank internship where he discovered the inefficiencies of banking world.
3) Elon has no "fear" button. Inhuman ability to withstand massive risks, pressure, and family drama all at once.
4) I bought 20 books. That's how much I loved it. Would call up and take a "mad scientist" or business investor or tesla owner For coffee/lunch/networking and tell them about how great this book is and see what crazy ideas they had brewing as well. Started connecting them together and meeting all kinds of moonshot thinkers. Great Networking Icebreaker.
5) Requested a tesla charging station be installed at my place of work because well...we need to encourage more telsas around here and If Elon stops by we will be ready.
6) Googled Justine found her Ted talk she did about him And enjoyed Elons commencement speech too.
7) Started an interest in this whole solar idea, Bought a solar cell phone charger that will be a gateway into way Into it and go from there. Tours of people that have solar homes in the area.
8) Most ambitious dude ever with this whole Mars thing.
9) After you read this book you will never again complain about being busy.
10) I didn't realize Larry Page and Elon were so close. Hope he is wrong about the AI thing though, but also triggered me to buy the book "the singularity is near"
I love the impact of the cover and I write a favorite quote in and give as a gift of inspiration to innovators in the area.
Verified Purchase
One of the most inspiring books I have ever read. A few life changing points for me:
1) First intro chapter shows how relentless the author was. Great lesson there. He didn't ask for permission, he just went out and wrote it. Said he was going to write it with or without him on board. Which ultimately won Elon's respect since that's how he operates too.
2) Elon and his brother Kimbal coming over at 18 years old from south Africa. Their tactic about picking up the newspaper and cold calling the most interesting people to take to lunch is awesome. I challenge myself to do this now and I think its a great strategy to get out of your comfort zone. I gather he had the idea for pay pal with that tactic - it landed him the bank internship where he discovered the inefficiencies of banking world.
3) Elon has no "fear" button. Inhuman ability to withstand massive risks, pressure, and family drama all at once.
4) I bought 20 books. That's how much I loved it. Would call up and take a "mad scientist" or business investor or tesla owner For coffee/lunch/networking and tell them about how great this book is and see what crazy ideas they had brewing as well. Started connecting them together and meeting all kinds of moonshot thinkers. Great Networking Icebreaker.
5) Requested a tesla charging station be installed at my place of work because well...we need to encourage more telsas around here and If Elon stops by we will be ready.
6) Googled Justine found her Ted talk she did about him And enjoyed Elons commencement speech too.
7) Started an interest in this whole solar idea, Bought a solar cell phone charger that will be a gateway into way Into it and go from there. Tours of people that have solar homes in the area.
8) Most ambitious dude ever with this whole Mars thing.
9) After you read this book you will never again complain about being busy.
10) I didn't realize Larry Page and Elon were so close. Hope he is wrong about the AI thing though, but also triggered me to buy the book "the singularity is near"
I love the impact of the cover and I write a favorite quote in and give as a gift of inspiration to innovators in the area.
1) First intro chapter shows how relentless the author was. Great lesson there. He didn't ask for permission, he just went out and wrote it. Said he was going to write it with or without him on board. Which ultimately won Elon's respect since that's how he operates too.
2) Elon and his brother Kimbal coming over at 18 years old from south Africa. Their tactic about picking up the newspaper and cold calling the most interesting people to take to lunch is awesome. I challenge myself to do this now and I think its a great strategy to get out of your comfort zone. I gather he had the idea for pay pal with that tactic - it landed him the bank internship where he discovered the inefficiencies of banking world.
3) Elon has no "fear" button. Inhuman ability to withstand massive risks, pressure, and family drama all at once.
4) I bought 20 books. That's how much I loved it. Would call up and take a "mad scientist" or business investor or tesla owner For coffee/lunch/networking and tell them about how great this book is and see what crazy ideas they had brewing as well. Started connecting them together and meeting all kinds of moonshot thinkers. Great Networking Icebreaker.
5) Requested a tesla charging station be installed at my place of work because well...we need to encourage more telsas around here and If Elon stops by we will be ready.
6) Googled Justine found her Ted talk she did about him And enjoyed Elons commencement speech too.
7) Started an interest in this whole solar idea, Bought a solar cell phone charger that will be a gateway into way Into it and go from there. Tours of people that have solar homes in the area.
8) Most ambitious dude ever with this whole Mars thing.
9) After you read this book you will never again complain about being busy.
10) I didn't realize Larry Page and Elon were so close. Hope he is wrong about the AI thing though, but also triggered me to buy the book "the singularity is near"
I love the impact of the cover and I write a favorite quote in and give as a gift of inspiration to innovators in the area.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Don't ask for permission to do something great.
By Gina Lynch, Tomorrows Tech Podcast on September 20, 2015
One of the most inspiring books I have ever read. A few life changing points for me:By Gina Lynch, Tomorrows Tech Podcast on September 20, 2015
1) First intro chapter shows how relentless the author was. Great lesson there. He didn't ask for permission, he just went out and wrote it. Said he was going to write it with or without him on board. Which ultimately won Elon's respect since that's how he operates too.
2) Elon and his brother Kimbal coming over at 18 years old from south Africa. Their tactic about picking up the newspaper and cold calling the most interesting people to take to lunch is awesome. I challenge myself to do this now and I think its a great strategy to get out of your comfort zone. I gather he had the idea for pay pal with that tactic - it landed him the bank internship where he discovered the inefficiencies of banking world.
3) Elon has no "fear" button. Inhuman ability to withstand massive risks, pressure, and family drama all at once.
4) I bought 20 books. That's how much I loved it. Would call up and take a "mad scientist" or business investor or tesla owner For coffee/lunch/networking and tell them about how great this book is and see what crazy ideas they had brewing as well. Started connecting them together and meeting all kinds of moonshot thinkers. Great Networking Icebreaker.
5) Requested a tesla charging station be installed at my place of work because well...we need to encourage more telsas around here and If Elon stops by we will be ready.
6) Googled Justine found her Ted talk she did about him And enjoyed Elons commencement speech too.
7) Started an interest in this whole solar idea, Bought a solar cell phone charger that will be a gateway into way Into it and go from there. Tours of people that have solar homes in the area.
8) Most ambitious dude ever with this whole Mars thing.
9) After you read this book you will never again complain about being busy.
10) I didn't realize Larry Page and Elon were so close. Hope he is wrong about the AI thing though, but also triggered me to buy the book "the singularity is near"
I love the impact of the cover and I write a favorite quote in and give as a gift of inspiration to innovators in the area.
Images in this review

156 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2017
Verified Purchase
I've been inspired by Elon Musk for a while. His accomplishments are legendary and I wanted to know more about the men behind them. This book doesn't disappoint. We see both the amazing drive and unstoppable vision as well as the ongoing challenges Musk has had working with people who are inevitably either not as smart, but as driven or more likely, both. Few had the fortitude to stick with him and the ones that do are fiercely loyal.
What I love most about Elon's story is how powerfully he deals with every obstacle thrown into his path. Literally nothing could stop him. Not looming bankruptcy or bad press or any of dozens of other issues that would have stopped most of us. I hope to find 5% of that drive in myself after reading this book.
What I love most about Elon's story is how powerfully he deals with every obstacle thrown into his path. Literally nothing could stop him. Not looming bankruptcy or bad press or any of dozens of other issues that would have stopped most of us. I hope to find 5% of that drive in myself after reading this book.
30 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2016
Verified Purchase
After reading this book it is clear for me that people like Elon Musk, and Steve Jobs look at life with a higher purpose in mind. They don't slow down for anybody and keep always going forward because they know they are creating something that will revolutionize the future.
It's perceived as selfish when they simply fire someone who is loyal and has sacrificed a lot for the company. Elon can be seen as a villain but in true he simply is looking at the bigger picture.
This man is building humanity's future, electric cars that don't damage the environment and can be recharged within few minutes, solar panels that will someday replace the electrical systems we currently use, rockets that aim to take people to Mars to populate it. He is a visionary and I am glad I decided to read Ashlee Vance's book about him.
It's perceived as selfish when they simply fire someone who is loyal and has sacrificed a lot for the company. Elon can be seen as a villain but in true he simply is looking at the bigger picture.
This man is building humanity's future, electric cars that don't damage the environment and can be recharged within few minutes, solar panels that will someday replace the electrical systems we currently use, rockets that aim to take people to Mars to populate it. He is a visionary and I am glad I decided to read Ashlee Vance's book about him.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2016
Verified Purchase
This book has made me one highly motivated aerospace engineering student and given me some great insight into what it would be like should I ever get hired at SpaceX.

5.0 out of 5 stars
Motivational
By Scott Hallowood on March 12, 2016
This book has made me one highly motivated aerospace engineering student and given me some great insight into what it would be like should I ever get hired at SpaceX.
By Scott Hallowood on March 12, 2016
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47 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Amit sarawagi
5.0 out of 5 stars
Elon Musk - Unstoppable force
Reviewed in India on November 3, 2017Verified Purchase
I just finished reading Elon Musk’s biography. Musk has always been my hero and this book sure did justice. One quality that I really admire in him is his ability to set clear vision. Once he sets the vision, Elon gives his blood, sweat and tears to make it a reality. People laughed at him when he first announced his vision on inter-planetary life. Since then he demonstrated significant enhancements in rocket technology and was able to produce a re-usable rocket. The analogy he gives is that of commercial plane, imagine after every flight between London and LA you throw away the plane how expensive will be your air ticket. Elon says his reusable rockets will make space travel 100 times cheaper. His reusability concept is brought to life with Falcon 9’s successful landing back on earth. Recently Elon presented how he plans to take humans to Mars in 2022 and build a city. SpaceX’s BFR project will carry 100 crew members along with equipment needed to set up a colony. He is not our typical Silicon Valley techie who wants to create a multi-million dollar corporation and cash out. His goals are bigger than money and fame. He wants to make a significant impact on humanity and make this world or even world beyond us a better place to live. His commitment and drive is unparalleled, he is ready to solve issues 3 in the morning on Sunday, and he works 7 days a week and doesn’t shy away from getting his hands dirty. He is hard to work with and does set tough goals for his people. Do you need to be tough to achieve success like SpaceX and Tesla? Can we taste the similar success with a little softer management style? What makes great entrepreneur? Do we need to be relentless like Elon? Or a management style of Richard Branson is equally productive where you place trust with people and they deliver?
336 people found this helpful
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Ujjwal Biswas
5.0 out of 5 stars
Five Stars
Reviewed in India on May 3, 2018Verified Purchase
So good to have this book, if u wanna buy go for it

5.0 out of 5 stars
Five Stars
Reviewed in India on May 3, 2018
So good to have this book, if u wanna buy go for it
Reviewed in India on May 3, 2018
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152 people found this helpful
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Vijay Sood
5.0 out of 5 stars
Experience revolution here
Reviewed in India on September 19, 2018Verified Purchase
Before reading this book, I had always learnt about the great revolutions in the history books. But, After reading it, I realised that we are part of this great revolution created by individuals like gates, jobs, Bezos and Musk. Personally, I am more addicted to Musk now, may be because of his great vision. After reading about his journey to create the Tesla, SpaceX and Solar City, I understood that how visionaries actually think. And, specially his vision is for the betterment of human race. He is making every damn possible effort to lessen our dependence on fossil fuels and ultimately reducing the global warming. This books provides a great opportunity to dive into the mind of musk. He is a different individual for sure. Making all things possible. He has beaten not only big car manufacturers from US, Europe, China and Japan but also Big organisations like NASA. I recommend this book to everyone!
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A. T.
3.0 out of 5 stars
I liked learning about how Musk’s companies came to be
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 7, 2018Verified Purchase
[NOTE: I received a copy of this book through NetGalley.]
An interesting read for me, considering I never went in depth into what Musk has accomplished (to be fair, I came to this book because I find Tesla cars sexy and thought ‘well, why not read this, at least I’ll know more about the man’).
I’m kind of sitting on the fence about this book. I liked learning about how Musk’s companies came to be, the problems encountered along the way, how things were at times one inch from just failing, but worked out in the end, out of both luck and determination. In a way, it’s a positive ‘lesson’: that sometimes things fail, but it shouldn’t prevent you from fighting for them and taking risks, because they just may succeed as well.
I also appreciated that the author interviewed other people, employees, ex-employees, friends, ex-partners, etc., and that he made them part of the whole: people without whom Tesla Motors or SpaceX wOuld’ve never been able to take off, engineers and mechanics and designers whose role was absolutely not negligible. Since a large part of the book was focused on these companies, acknowledging more than just one actor was a good thing to do.
I would’ve d liked it to go more in depth about how exactly things worked out, when it comes to the science/engineering part. Elon Musk seems like he knows his stuff, too, and has learnt over the years what he didn’t know and made him shoot for impossible deadlines at first (now I guess they’re just improbable, hah), and… I don’t know, I expected something more detailed in that regard. Maybe less of the business aspect, and more about the engineering the way Elon Musk himself goes about it?
Also, for a biography, I think it didn’t go to the bottom of things either when it comes to the man, and lacks a certain detachment. Musk doesn’t come off as a very empathetic person, to say the least, and while objectively I understand his drive, humanely the way he treats his employees is, well, not great at all. So I would’ve been interested in seeing more reflecting about this: coming from him, but also coming from the biographer. There -is- something wrong in the way all these visionary projects have come to be, and it was pretty much glossed over. (In short, was the harshness really needed, does innovation has to come to such a price, and would things have tanked with just a bit more empathy?)
This was instructive, and I kind of liked it, so 3 stars… But while I know more about Tesla Motors, SolarCity and SpaceX, I don’t feel like I know -that- much more about Musk himself now.
An interesting read for me, considering I never went in depth into what Musk has accomplished (to be fair, I came to this book because I find Tesla cars sexy and thought ‘well, why not read this, at least I’ll know more about the man’).
I’m kind of sitting on the fence about this book. I liked learning about how Musk’s companies came to be, the problems encountered along the way, how things were at times one inch from just failing, but worked out in the end, out of both luck and determination. In a way, it’s a positive ‘lesson’: that sometimes things fail, but it shouldn’t prevent you from fighting for them and taking risks, because they just may succeed as well.
I also appreciated that the author interviewed other people, employees, ex-employees, friends, ex-partners, etc., and that he made them part of the whole: people without whom Tesla Motors or SpaceX wOuld’ve never been able to take off, engineers and mechanics and designers whose role was absolutely not negligible. Since a large part of the book was focused on these companies, acknowledging more than just one actor was a good thing to do.
I would’ve d liked it to go more in depth about how exactly things worked out, when it comes to the science/engineering part. Elon Musk seems like he knows his stuff, too, and has learnt over the years what he didn’t know and made him shoot for impossible deadlines at first (now I guess they’re just improbable, hah), and… I don’t know, I expected something more detailed in that regard. Maybe less of the business aspect, and more about the engineering the way Elon Musk himself goes about it?
Also, for a biography, I think it didn’t go to the bottom of things either when it comes to the man, and lacks a certain detachment. Musk doesn’t come off as a very empathetic person, to say the least, and while objectively I understand his drive, humanely the way he treats his employees is, well, not great at all. So I would’ve been interested in seeing more reflecting about this: coming from him, but also coming from the biographer. There -is- something wrong in the way all these visionary projects have come to be, and it was pretty much glossed over. (In short, was the harshness really needed, does innovation has to come to such a price, and would things have tanked with just a bit more empathy?)
This was instructive, and I kind of liked it, so 3 stars… But while I know more about Tesla Motors, SolarCity and SpaceX, I don’t feel like I know -that- much more about Musk himself now.
38 people found this helpful
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The Tech Reviewer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting and insightful
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 29, 2019Verified Purchase
Excellent book which covers musk's life from an early age right up to the present
insightful stories and details about his companies and the struggles to get them off the ground
very inspiring and great book
Highly recommend to any Elon fan
insightful stories and details about his companies and the struggles to get them off the ground
very inspiring and great book
Highly recommend to any Elon fan
24 people found this helpful
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