Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
New York, NY : Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, [2017]
Description
Biography & Autobiography. Science. Technology. Nonfiction. HTML: In the spirit of Steve Jobs and Moneyball, Elon Musk is both an illuminating and authorized look at the extraordinary life of one of Silicon Valley's most exciting, unpredictable, and ambitious entrepreneurs�??a real-life Tony Stark�??and a fascinating exploration of the renewal of American invention and its new "makers." Elon Musk spotlights the technology and vision of Elon Musk, the renowned entrepreneur and innovator behind SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity, who sold one of his Internet companies, PayPal, for $1.5 billion. Ashlee Vance captures the full spectacle and arc of the genius's life and work, from his tumultuous upbringing in South Africa and flight to the United States to his dramatic technical innovations and entrepreneurial pursuits. Vance uses Musk's story to explore one of the pressing questions of our age: can the nation of inventors and creators who led the modern world for a century still compete in an age of fierce global competition? He argues that Musk�??one of the most unusual and striking figures in American business history�??is a contemporary, visionary amalgam of legendary inventors and industrialists including Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, and Steve Jobs. More than any other entrepreneur today, Musk has dedicated his energies and his own vast fortune to inventing a future that is as rich and far-reaching as the visionaries of the golden age of science-fiction fantasy. Thorough and insightful, Elon Musk brings to life a technology industry that is rapidly and dramatically changing by examining the life of one of its most powerful and influential… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Stbalbach
This is Elon Musk's first official biography. Musk rejected other authors who wanted to tell his story - how Vance came to be chosen is described in the opening chapter (in short: persistence). Given the gossip and legends over the years it's hard to know what is true. Nevertheless Vance does an
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excellent job of presenting a fair and balanced perspective while debunking and clarifying. If Vance's account suffers it's only because it's a first biography and most of the events in the book are at most 15 years old. Vance struggles to place Musk in historical context, suggesting he is a more significant business leader then Steve Jobs or Gates. Musk is still mid-career and his companies need another 10+ years to fully execute on their goals of changing the world. A lot remains to be seen but reading this you come away with a sense if anyone can do it, Musk can. I was sorry when it ended as I enjoyed being around Musk, his outlook and passion, the highs and lows of his risk taking, the technology. This book will be influential with entrepreneurs, investors and consumers of his products and vision. People who bought into Apple were buying into a consumer-goods level change - it was world-changing at a certain level. Musk is seeking nothing less than being the savior of the human race, to colonize Mars and thus protect it from an existential event. There is no one else operating at that level in the business world, the audacity of his starry-eyed vision has created many detractors but this book is a detailed accounting of the reality of his execution which is evidently undeniable. Show Less
LibraryThing member buffalogr
Authors who write about live subjects often suffer from too much adoration and not much critical thought...this is the case in this book. It's a long read about a visionary with an interesting childhood that is at the forefront of a technology shift. It was so interesting that I couldn't finish it.
LibraryThing member knightlight777
Quite a bio on this complex man. Vance seemed to come across from a balanced perspective. Yes Mr. Musk has done some amazing things and pushed barriers and convention that no one might have. But we also get the quirky and seemingly mean spirited driven nature of the man also. There is no question
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Musk has quite a resume of accomplishment behind which we get in detail with this book. But we also get how things work in a world view shaped by essentially one man. Right or wrong, and Elon of course is right, in his mind. One of the interesting aspects is how the daring ventures Musk takes on nearly come to financial ruin on several occasions yet almost miraculously he is saved from collapse and is able to continue on putting even more millions and billions on the table. It was not really clear how he pulled this off. And on he marches blazing new frontiers and taking no prisoners, employees or otherwise. And it begs the question what becomes of it all when the driving force, Musk, is no longer around. Show Less
LibraryThing member addunn3
Excellent view of the person behind TESLA, SpaceX, and Solar City.
LibraryThing member MarchaF
I've been fascinated by Musk for quite a while. I even entertained thoughts he might be some sort of space alien hybrid, helping us develop new technologies. I wondered where this guy came from and where he got all that money. I wondered why his new technologies, which are a threat to industries
As someone who worked as a NASA contractor for over twenty years, I can especially appreciate what he has done with Space-X. While some accuse him, and rightfully so, of being a workaholic and expecting the same from his employees, you have to admit that his system of finding the best and brightest and luring them to work for him works. Musk doesn't suffer fools. You disagree with him or goof up and you're gone. In today's world of tolerance and dumbing down the general population via our pathetic education system, this certainly goes against the grain. But it gets things done.
I saw so much mediocrity at NASA it was pathetic. But it was only part of the problem as far as advances were concerned. I remember seeing an invoice one time for a metal plate with a part number on it costing thousands of dollars. I mean, really. How ridiculous is that? But that's how government contracting works. Musk, on the other hand, emphasized efficiency. It was his money, so he pushed for keeping costs down. Rather than buy from a manufacturer on the other side of the world, he would develop facilities himself. He demanded perfection and refused to give up.
One philosophy I always liked and employed as a manager myself was "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem." Clearly he had the same attitude. His employees knew better than to simply complain about something being an obstacle. They needed to contribute to a solution or get slam-dunked.
There was so much about his management style that I admired. In most cases in today's world, his tactics will either get you sued for harassment and/or fired. Which explains a lot. But if you want something considered impossible done correctly, that's what it takes. The results of Musk's methods speak for themselves. He does what he says he'll do and is a force to be reckoned with. He's not been suppressed by existing industries since he has the money to proceed on his own, unlike most inventors who depend on selling their patents. In that case, they're typically bought up by competitors, their ideas left to rot somewhere in a file cabinet to assure the status quo.
Along those lines, Tesla is another awesome success story, a venture that was more than once on the brink of failure. But Musk persevered, his vision and intentions a testimony to those who promote such tactics for manifesting what you want. I loved the part where Tesla acquired a former GM plant in Fremont, California (not too far from where I lived many years ago) virtually for free. Tesla is driving conventional car makers crazy. The cars are kicking butt in all areas from safety to speed to virtually "free" fuel as he builds recharging stations. He's out to change the world and making steady progress doing so, specifically in previously troubled industries collapsing under their own weight.
His personal life was certainly interesting as well. Did you realize he has 5 boys, i.e. a set of twins and a set of triplets from his first wife, Justine? Or that as a child he was bullied, in some cases brutally enough to land him in the hospital. His photographic memory has served him well, his intelligence and scientific understanding off the scale. If someone tells him something can't be done, he usually fires them and does it himself. I find that inspiring, not obnoxious.
The author did a great job of providing a glimpse of what this guy is like, not only as a slave-driving manager, but as a person. I admire much of what he stands for and stands up for. I loved the author's candid writing style, often imbued with humor that had me laughing out loud. I don't doubt that I will eventually read this book again. It's inspirational to see what one determined man can accomplish when he sets his mind to what needs to be done, then commandeers the help and talent he needs to get there, leaving naysayers in the dust. His self-imposed mission is to save the world from itself and so far it looks as if he might do just that. It won't surprise me one bit if he's the one who gets us to Mars. If you have any doubts, then you should read this book. It made a believer out of me and restored my faith in old-fashioned hard work and ingenuity, which has somehow gotten lost in our crazy world.
This book convinced me, more than ever, that it's people like Musk who should be considered heroes in today's world. Not obnoxious sports figures, crooked politicians, and those who want to be taken care of at others' expense. It's time that we return a strong work ethic and intelligence to the status it deserves for making this a better world.
I highly recommend this book as an example of what one determined man can accomplish. I also recommend sharing it with your kids, but this one has lots of f-bombs. Fortunately, there's a cleaned up version suitable for kids.
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which have been known to resort to rather nasty tactics to suppress such competition, seemed to have no power to do so in his case. This book certainly answered all my questions and then some. I had no idea he was one of those dot-com millionaires, starting with his connection with PayPal. Explaining where his money came from certainly clarified quite a lot. His personality explained the rest.As someone who worked as a NASA contractor for over twenty years, I can especially appreciate what he has done with Space-X. While some accuse him, and rightfully so, of being a workaholic and expecting the same from his employees, you have to admit that his system of finding the best and brightest and luring them to work for him works. Musk doesn't suffer fools. You disagree with him or goof up and you're gone. In today's world of tolerance and dumbing down the general population via our pathetic education system, this certainly goes against the grain. But it gets things done.
I saw so much mediocrity at NASA it was pathetic. But it was only part of the problem as far as advances were concerned. I remember seeing an invoice one time for a metal plate with a part number on it costing thousands of dollars. I mean, really. How ridiculous is that? But that's how government contracting works. Musk, on the other hand, emphasized efficiency. It was his money, so he pushed for keeping costs down. Rather than buy from a manufacturer on the other side of the world, he would develop facilities himself. He demanded perfection and refused to give up.
One philosophy I always liked and employed as a manager myself was "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem." Clearly he had the same attitude. His employees knew better than to simply complain about something being an obstacle. They needed to contribute to a solution or get slam-dunked.
There was so much about his management style that I admired. In most cases in today's world, his tactics will either get you sued for harassment and/or fired. Which explains a lot. But if you want something considered impossible done correctly, that's what it takes. The results of Musk's methods speak for themselves. He does what he says he'll do and is a force to be reckoned with. He's not been suppressed by existing industries since he has the money to proceed on his own, unlike most inventors who depend on selling their patents. In that case, they're typically bought up by competitors, their ideas left to rot somewhere in a file cabinet to assure the status quo.
Along those lines, Tesla is another awesome success story, a venture that was more than once on the brink of failure. But Musk persevered, his vision and intentions a testimony to those who promote such tactics for manifesting what you want. I loved the part where Tesla acquired a former GM plant in Fremont, California (not too far from where I lived many years ago) virtually for free. Tesla is driving conventional car makers crazy. The cars are kicking butt in all areas from safety to speed to virtually "free" fuel as he builds recharging stations. He's out to change the world and making steady progress doing so, specifically in previously troubled industries collapsing under their own weight.
His personal life was certainly interesting as well. Did you realize he has 5 boys, i.e. a set of twins and a set of triplets from his first wife, Justine? Or that as a child he was bullied, in some cases brutally enough to land him in the hospital. His photographic memory has served him well, his intelligence and scientific understanding off the scale. If someone tells him something can't be done, he usually fires them and does it himself. I find that inspiring, not obnoxious.
The author did a great job of providing a glimpse of what this guy is like, not only as a slave-driving manager, but as a person. I admire much of what he stands for and stands up for. I loved the author's candid writing style, often imbued with humor that had me laughing out loud. I don't doubt that I will eventually read this book again. It's inspirational to see what one determined man can accomplish when he sets his mind to what needs to be done, then commandeers the help and talent he needs to get there, leaving naysayers in the dust. His self-imposed mission is to save the world from itself and so far it looks as if he might do just that. It won't surprise me one bit if he's the one who gets us to Mars. If you have any doubts, then you should read this book. It made a believer out of me and restored my faith in old-fashioned hard work and ingenuity, which has somehow gotten lost in our crazy world.
This book convinced me, more than ever, that it's people like Musk who should be considered heroes in today's world. Not obnoxious sports figures, crooked politicians, and those who want to be taken care of at others' expense. It's time that we return a strong work ethic and intelligence to the status it deserves for making this a better world.
I highly recommend this book as an example of what one determined man can accomplish. I also recommend sharing it with your kids, but this one has lots of f-bombs. Fortunately, there's a cleaned up version suitable for kids.
Show Less
LibraryThing member SChant
I enjoyed this immensely. It's written in a very straightforward manner, with neither sycophancy nor hyperbole. It shows the man as a workaholic with a big ego, who has nevertheless driven some fascinating and admirable technological developments in the last few years.
LibraryThing member ohernaes
Interesting and engaging about a visionary entrepeneur in online payments (PayPal), electric cars (Tesla), space travel (SpaceX), and solar power (Solar city). Musk comes off as a brililant and eccentric control freak. It will be interesting to follow him further.
LibraryThing member WesleyH
Elon Musk : Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance is a biography about the founder of Tesla and SpaceX. The guy is insanely driven. He got lucky with his PayPal payout and used his millions to pursue his outlandish dreams. Fortunately for him, electric cars and
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commercialized space travel have a place in the real world. The author warns the reader at the outset that Musk wanted to influence the contents and perspective of the book and the author attempts to provide a balanced picture of Musk’s life but some of his fingerprints appear in the text. This story reminds us that while the heroes of Silicon Valley are those lucky few that hit the right market at the right time, there are many other equally crazy and driven individuals who are not so lucky. Show Less
LibraryThing member bartt95
Fantastic! Good writing, a large scope and and abundance of interviews and sources.
Even though the book could have perhaps used some clearer chronology, this book was never dull simply due to the fact that Elon Musk is perhaps the greatest mind of our time, a true genius.
Even though the book could have perhaps used some clearer chronology, this book was never dull simply due to the fact that Elon Musk is perhaps the greatest mind of our time, a true genius.
LibraryThing member Durbi
I loved this book, it is completely amazing. I say this more for Tesla, Spacex and SolarCity. Three very nice companies, I wish all the best for them. As for Elon Musk, yes, he is the man, without him none of this would have been possible.
LibraryThing member buffalogr
Authors who write about live subjects often suffer from too much adoration and not much critical thought...this is the case in this book. It's a long read about a visionary with an interesting childhood that is at the forefront of a technology shift. It was so interesting that I couldn't finish it.
LibraryThing member Syeu715
Wow, I really loved this book. Really loved it. It's the freshest read I've had in a long time. Honestly, I didn't know much about Elon at all before I started reading this book. I'd just heard of his name being mentioned at social events where people would mention some fantastic thing he was up
"Musk's ready willingness to tackle impossible things has turned him into a deity in Silicon Valley."
"He does what he wants, and he is relentless about it. It's Elon's world, and the rest of us live in it." -Justine, ex wife
"Musk wants to conquer the solar system, and, as it stands, there's just one company where you can work if that sort of quest gets you out of bed in the morning."
"We just have a single proof point now that you can be really passionate about something that other people think is crazy and you can really succeed."
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to. I knew about some of his rocket stuff and Tesla, but that was about it. Wow, after reading this book, I was just blown away by the ethic, vision and drive of this man. So far, I've never read of another person being so ambitious and working with such a sense of urgency for the well-being of mankind. I was inspired beyond belief by the incredible, almost magical, things he is bringing to life; it was like being part of an exciting make believe movie, but the contents are real. This book did a great job of allowing me to understand who Elon is, to see the world through his eyes and to dream as he does. It's almost like he's a being from another planet brought here to advance the human species. Who else would have such a pressing desire to colonize Mars in case Earth fails us? Who else would desire to conquer the entire solar system? He sure thinks in an unconventional way and I loved the journey he put us on. He pushed the envelope so far, deemed the impossible possible and made it all happen before our very eyes. Consider me part of the Musk fanclub. I've gained so much from the pickings of his mind as this book offered us. What a great read."Musk's ready willingness to tackle impossible things has turned him into a deity in Silicon Valley."
"He does what he wants, and he is relentless about it. It's Elon's world, and the rest of us live in it." -Justine, ex wife
"Musk wants to conquer the solar system, and, as it stands, there's just one company where you can work if that sort of quest gets you out of bed in the morning."
"We just have a single proof point now that you can be really passionate about something that other people think is crazy and you can really succeed."
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LibraryThing member KateVane
I only really knew about Elon Musk as a pop-culture figure before so I was interested in reading this biography. I’ve learnt more about his work as an inventor and a manufacturer in the fields of solar power, electric cars and space travel and IT, though as always I’m wary of drawing too many
The book gives a comprehensive account of Musk’s life and his work to date (the book was first published in 2015), from the financial company that became Paypal to Tesla, Space X and SolarCity. You learn about his unconventional and talented family and an upbringing that was privileged in some ways and extremely difficult in others. It seems that from an early age he had an exceptional ability to absorb knowledge and to visualise and invent complex processes in his mind. He also has phenomenal energy and determination.
A couple of interesting points stood out. Firstly, that Musk does believe in making things. There’s a quote at the beginning of the book to the effect that the best brains of our generation are spending their days getting us to click ads. Musk wants to create something real and tangible and he has a sense of mission.
The other thing I found interesting is that his businesses develop and manufacture most of their products in-house. For a generation, conventional wisdom has been that it is more efficient to outsource to specialists. This has had disastrous consequences for our public services, where private companies reduce standards and working conditions, pocket profits and leave taxpayers with losses.
Musk has demonstrated that the opposite can be true – that doing work in-house means you keep control of quality, timing and product development. With complex supply chains, there is always someone else to blame when things go wrong (though equally, pay and conditions of his workers do not seem to be a priority for Musk).
Although the book does address criticisms of Musk, it is quite a positive account overall. This doesn’t chime with some of his behaviour, particularly in the light of his recent comments about the divers involved in the Thai cave rescue, which polarised opinion on him.
We seem unable to accept that people can be exceptionally talented in one area and flawed in another. Perhaps it’s time to retire that tired term ‘role model’ and understand people in their complexity.
*
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.
This review first appeared on my blog katevane.com/blog
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conclusions when I’ve only read one book on a subject!The book gives a comprehensive account of Musk’s life and his work to date (the book was first published in 2015), from the financial company that became Paypal to Tesla, Space X and SolarCity. You learn about his unconventional and talented family and an upbringing that was privileged in some ways and extremely difficult in others. It seems that from an early age he had an exceptional ability to absorb knowledge and to visualise and invent complex processes in his mind. He also has phenomenal energy and determination.
A couple of interesting points stood out. Firstly, that Musk does believe in making things. There’s a quote at the beginning of the book to the effect that the best brains of our generation are spending their days getting us to click ads. Musk wants to create something real and tangible and he has a sense of mission.
The other thing I found interesting is that his businesses develop and manufacture most of their products in-house. For a generation, conventional wisdom has been that it is more efficient to outsource to specialists. This has had disastrous consequences for our public services, where private companies reduce standards and working conditions, pocket profits and leave taxpayers with losses.
Musk has demonstrated that the opposite can be true – that doing work in-house means you keep control of quality, timing and product development. With complex supply chains, there is always someone else to blame when things go wrong (though equally, pay and conditions of his workers do not seem to be a priority for Musk).
Although the book does address criticisms of Musk, it is quite a positive account overall. This doesn’t chime with some of his behaviour, particularly in the light of his recent comments about the divers involved in the Thai cave rescue, which polarised opinion on him.
We seem unable to accept that people can be exceptionally talented in one area and flawed in another. Perhaps it’s time to retire that tired term ‘role model’ and understand people in their complexity.
*
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.
This review first appeared on my blog katevane.com/blog
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LibraryThing member Razinha
To paraphrase one of Musk's childhood favorites...Elon Musk is a harsh mistress. Fascinating partial glimpse into Musk - warts and all. Even given his access, Vance filled a large part of the book with SpaceX and Tesla, but those appear to reflect well on what Musk is willing to let the world see.
And when presented with a reason to get an A...he got As. By force of presence, he seems to win most arguments, but will also listen to reason. His depth of knowledge about the products and processes is incredible, and atypical of mega-CEOs, particularly as one of his products is rocketry and he cut his teeth on software, not gas dynamics.
I took (very minor) offense at comparisons to Steve Jobs - Musk is clearly intelligent and understands what he is doing. However, he apparently can be an ass, so maybe the comparison is close? He can be harsh - firing a personal assistant after 12 years (there's more to that story). Or, an employee who took time to "witness the birth of his child" remembered Musk sending him (note: no email corroborating the event was found): "That's no excuse. I am extremely disappointed. You need to figure out where your priorities are." I once had a similar experience when I was in the Navy - when a CO wanted to tell me where my priorities were while my newborn son was in the NICU. I'd have a hard time respecting Musk if he pulled that on me.
But he didn't, and I'm just a bystander watching Musk do things I like.
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He's a man with visions who doesn't like to waste time. On unnecessary classes I'd rather play video games, write software, and read books than try and get an A if there's no point in getting an A."And when presented with a reason to get an A...he got As. By force of presence, he seems to win most arguments, but will also listen to reason. His depth of knowledge about the products and processes is incredible, and atypical of mega-CEOs, particularly as one of his products is rocketry and he cut his teeth on software, not gas dynamics.
I took (very minor) offense at comparisons to Steve Jobs - Musk is clearly intelligent and understands what he is doing. However, he apparently can be an ass, so maybe the comparison is close? He can be harsh - firing a personal assistant after 12 years (there's more to that story). Or, an employee who took time to "witness the birth of his child" remembered Musk sending him (note: no email corroborating the event was found): "That's no excuse. I am extremely disappointed. You need to figure out where your priorities are." I once had a similar experience when I was in the Navy - when a CO wanted to tell me where my priorities were while my newborn son was in the NICU. I'd have a hard time respecting Musk if he pulled that on me.
But he didn't, and I'm just a bystander watching Musk do things I like.
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LibraryThing member markwhiting
The life of an incredible and fascinating man.
LibraryThing member pramodghuge
I am not a fan of biographies however having heard of Elon Musk so much in the recent news made me pick up this book.
I had this image of Elon as an eccentric billionaire CEO and reading how he had tried to upend banking, automobile, space industries had captured my imagination.
SpaceX's
I would highly recommend it to anyone who has the slightest love for cars, space or technology. My only regret is that the book didnt have more chapters :)
I had this image of Elon as an eccentric billionaire CEO and reading how he had tried to upend banking, automobile, space industries had captured my imagination.
SpaceX's
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breakthrough elevated him to an icon status in my mind and reading this well researched and well written book has made me upgrade his status to a legend!I would highly recommend it to anyone who has the slightest love for cars, space or technology. My only regret is that the book didnt have more chapters :)
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LibraryThing member willszal
Now that Musk is the wealthiest person in the world, I'm sure many people are reading this book. That said, I picked it up for a different reason—that I'm President of the Board of a visionary startup.
Last year I read Isaacson's biography of Jobs, and learned a lot about the business culture of
Like Jobs, Musk is not a caring person. Some say that the media was unduly harsh to Musk's enterprises in their early days, and yet I think this is a direct result of Musk's personal characteristics. He isn't the kind of person that you wish well for; he has bad karma. His relentlessness and rationalism detract from his ability to be a humanist. Musk has accomplished a lot, and it has come with massive interpersonal and cultural debts. To use the language of Tyson Yunkaporta, Musk is a narcissist, in that he believes that his conviction and vision for the future is more important than those around him. This ties in perfectly with the superhero inventor ethos of the USA—an ethos I have by no means entirely escaped—and, we should have the cultural humility to recognize that it is because of this narcissism that we have condemned the earth.
To take this from another perspective, Musk's vision of Mars as a "backup plan" for humanities belies his subconscious understanding that humanity is failing to live up to its responsibility to be a steward of planet earth. As the carbon market Nori has spoken to, this creates massive moral hazard. The big banks took so many risks in the 2000s in part because they knew that the federal government would bail them out if they failed. Mars creates the same risk here. Sometimes it is better to "burn the ships" as Cortez is lored to have done, as it creates a commitment that is impossible when we have the option to eject.
In the language of Greg Grandin, Musk is the epitome of the colonial frontiersman, the contemporary poster boy of Manifest Destiny. Musk's vision to colonize Mars is no different than the European vision of colonizing the America's; and history will someday see Musk as just as much a villain as Columbus. In the ebullience of the moment, in the midst of all this shiny technology, it is easy to dismiss Musk's compromised ethos, and I'll step into some of that attitude for the remainder of this post.
The engineer in me has an admiration for Musk's inventiveness and aesthetic. After exiting Zip2, Musk bought a McLaren F1—one of the most iconic supercars of all time, and a decade ahead of everything else of its era.
What are the management pointers can we learn from Musk?
- Speed creates exponential advantage
- Dominance in a resegmented market is based upon low prices
- Vertical and horizontal integration support with both of these factors
Last year I read Isaacson's biography of Jobs, and learned a lot about the business culture of
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Apple. This book does the same for Zip2, X.com, SpaceX, and Tesla. It also was published at an ideal time in Musk's trajectory; after he'd established all of his major enterprises, but before he's come into quite the limelight he's in now. So although Tesla and SpaceX have come a long ways since this book was published, Vance accurately predicted this course.Like Jobs, Musk is not a caring person. Some say that the media was unduly harsh to Musk's enterprises in their early days, and yet I think this is a direct result of Musk's personal characteristics. He isn't the kind of person that you wish well for; he has bad karma. His relentlessness and rationalism detract from his ability to be a humanist. Musk has accomplished a lot, and it has come with massive interpersonal and cultural debts. To use the language of Tyson Yunkaporta, Musk is a narcissist, in that he believes that his conviction and vision for the future is more important than those around him. This ties in perfectly with the superhero inventor ethos of the USA—an ethos I have by no means entirely escaped—and, we should have the cultural humility to recognize that it is because of this narcissism that we have condemned the earth.
To take this from another perspective, Musk's vision of Mars as a "backup plan" for humanities belies his subconscious understanding that humanity is failing to live up to its responsibility to be a steward of planet earth. As the carbon market Nori has spoken to, this creates massive moral hazard. The big banks took so many risks in the 2000s in part because they knew that the federal government would bail them out if they failed. Mars creates the same risk here. Sometimes it is better to "burn the ships" as Cortez is lored to have done, as it creates a commitment that is impossible when we have the option to eject.
In the language of Greg Grandin, Musk is the epitome of the colonial frontiersman, the contemporary poster boy of Manifest Destiny. Musk's vision to colonize Mars is no different than the European vision of colonizing the America's; and history will someday see Musk as just as much a villain as Columbus. In the ebullience of the moment, in the midst of all this shiny technology, it is easy to dismiss Musk's compromised ethos, and I'll step into some of that attitude for the remainder of this post.
The engineer in me has an admiration for Musk's inventiveness and aesthetic. After exiting Zip2, Musk bought a McLaren F1—one of the most iconic supercars of all time, and a decade ahead of everything else of its era.
What are the management pointers can we learn from Musk?
- Speed creates exponential advantage
- Dominance in a resegmented market is based upon low prices
- Vertical and horizontal integration support with both of these factors
Show Less
LibraryThing member sjh4255
If you ever wondered what’s the deal with Elon, this is the book for you! I would say one of the great minds of the time, with very ambitious goals that he will stop at nothing to achieve... the book gives you an idea on how he came to be involved in and successful at two of mankind’s most
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challenging technologies, electric cars with Tesla and manned space flight with SpaceX. This book really gives you a behind the scenes look at Elon and can also get you excited about the future. Very up to date with the latest news being a successful return of the Crew Dragon capsule and the next step being crewed flights... Show Less
LibraryThing member Okies
Fascinating but could have been written with a little more flair. Didn't get it finished unfortunately.
Subjects
Awards
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Nominee — 2020)
Financial Times and Schroders Business Book of the Year (Longlist — 2015)
NPR: Books We Love (2015)
Los Angeles Public Library Best of the Year (Non-Fiction — 2015)
Language
Original publication date
2015
Physical description
280 p.; 22 cm
ISBN
9780062463289