Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future
Written by Ashlee Vance
Narrated by Fred Sanders
4.5/5
()
About this audiobook
A New York Times Bestseller
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 titans.
Ashlee Vance
Ashlee Vance is the New York Times bestselling author of Elon Musk and a feature writer at Bloomberg Businessweek. He's also the host of Hello World, a travel show that centers on inventors and scientists all over the planet. Previously, he worked as a reporter for The New York Times, The Economist, and The Register.
More audiobooks from Ashlee Vance
When the Heavens Went on Sale: The Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Elon Musk and the Quest for a Fantastic Future Young Readers' Edition Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Related to Elon Musk
Related audiobooks
My Inventions Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Elon Musk: Risking it All Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Alibaba: The House that Jack Ma Built Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Elon Musk: A Biography of Business, Success and Entrepreneurship Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Einstein: His Life and Universe Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Bezonomics: How Amazon Is Changing Our Lives and What the World's Best Companies Are Learning from It Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different: A Biography Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Invent and Wander: The Collected Writings of Jeff Bezos, With an Introduction by Walter Isaacson Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Leonardo da Vinci Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Elon Musk: A Mission to Save the World Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Elon Musk: The truth about Elon Musk’s life and business success revealed Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Grinding It Out: The Making of McDonald's Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Chaos Monkeys Revised Edition: Obscene Fortune and Random Failure in Silicon Valley Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life Without Losing Its Soul Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Trillion Dollar Coach: The Leadership Playbook of Silicon Valley's Bill Campbell Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5To Pixar and Beyond: My Unlikely Journey with Steve Jobs to Make Entertainment History Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Benjamin Franklin: An American Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Finding the Next Steve Jobs: How to Find, Keep, and Nurture Talent Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 5AM Club: Own Your Morning. Elevate Your Life. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Autobiography of Henry Ford: My Life and Work Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Technology & Engineering For You
Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Knowing What We Know: The Transmission of Knowledge: From Ancient Wisdom to Modern Magic Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Death of Expertise: The Campaign Against Established Knowledge and Why it Matters Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Ransomware Hunting Team: A Band of Misfits' Improbable Crusade to Save the World from Cybercrime Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Elon Musk Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-made World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Design of Everyday Things Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Island of the Lost: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Perfectionists: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Technology Trap: Capital, Labor, and Power in the Age of Automation Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Knowledge: How to Rebuild Our World from Scratch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Future of Geography: How the Competition in Space Will Change Our World Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Smart Phone Dumb Phone: Free Yourself from Digital Addiction Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fallout: The Hiroshima Cover-up and the Reporter Who Revealed It to the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Death in Mud Lick: A Coal Country Fight Against the Drug Companies that Delivered the Opioid Epidemic Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The End of the River Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Einstein's Fridge: How the Difference Between Hot and Cold Explains the Universe Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Path Between the Seas Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Tesla: Wizard at War: The Genius, the Particle Beam Weapon, and the Pursuit of Power Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for Elon Musk
1,275 ratings118 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Elon 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 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.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wow, 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 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."
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A very iseful book.. if you need a goal in your life
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great insight to Elon and the world’s future. excellent Read
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Elon’s story is a fascinating and inspiring one. Vance’s account isn’t as current as the recent biography but he goes deeper on some areas and is arguably more balanced in his treatment.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Should be required reading for every high school student . We need this kind of thinking to solve the declining education, agricultural , and other legacy systems in need of radical transformation. Anything is possible.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It is a very thoughtful biography. Also it inspires a lot. The coolest thing is that you get insights from Elon Musks life and u see the mistakes he made. Also all his principles and the desire to make expensive things cost less in different industries. Would recommend to every tech, science fan.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5T
Great story, not so great narrator choice and pretty pathetic quotation style. - Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Elon Musk is a fascinating and controversial figure. This book was enlightening and concise. An important read on the person who has perhaps had the biggest impact on technology and space exploration in the modern era.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Elon Musk is one of a kind and is on his way to changing the world!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It's an awesome and motivational audiobook and recommended it ???
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It’s interesting book and long one! I recommend it as you can have a perspective of Elon and it makes you feel like you are living his story.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book gave me a lot of insight about what Elon Musk is trying to achieve. And my respect for him has tremendously improved. Although the book is sometimes a bit boring with too much information about engineering and physics, i really enjoyed it and a have picked up a few things along the way for myself and my business.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Incredible insight into Elon Musk life so so inspiring the author and readers did a good job
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I learned a lot of info and was left inspired.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fascinating and inspiring as well. Unbiased and well balanced view of Elon Musk
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5An interesting biography of a man of our times! This is an insight to both pre and post "Iron Man" status of Elon Musk. Many predictions made in this book has since come to fruition including him becoming the the richest man in the world and the commercialisation of space internet.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Awesome book that gives insight into thr great Musk life upto 2015
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The life of an incredible and fascinating man.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It’s a good book and shows a different insight of how hard it is to be successful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5As an entrepreneur this is one of the best books I’ve ever listened to.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This book gives insights and an overview of Elon’s life, his upbringing and his career. It further sheds light on Elon’s absolutely strong work ethic, his passion, his attention to the minutest detail, his resilience and tenacity as well as the amount of hard work and commitment he’s put into each of his endeavors over the years.
I highly recommend this book especially If you’re a business owner, an entrepreneur, a college student or if you’re just on a career path. - Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Elon Musk is fake, dont buy this book at all
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Stunning. That’s all I can say. Elon has such a magical vision for the future and I’m infatuated with the progress he wants to make, it inspires me in my own business ventures to think astronomically big.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5So amazing...
I love the fact that even tho he falls back behind schedule, he still pushes on and do the crazy things he said he was going to do..
One thing I really love about him is that he was always moving on..
And whatever he chose to handle, he made sure he dominate.... - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5So fun to read, opened up my creativity and overall a great book with a lot to learn
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Very good book! It provides detailed insights about Musk’s businesses and life. Must read for young entrepreneurs
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5the guy who reads this has gods voice morgan freeman that you?
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Awesome job, interesting take on Elon Musk up to this point. Look forward to learning more about Tesla and SpaceX as the cards play out.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I 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 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