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About The Book

About the author.

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

Product Details

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (September 12, 2023)
• Length: 688 pages
• ISBN13: 9781982181284

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Raves and Reviews

Shortlisted for the Financial Times and Schroders Business Book of the Year "Whatever you think of Mr. Musk, he is a man worth understanding— which makes this a book worth reading." — The Economist "With Elon Musk , Walter Isaacson offers both an engaging chronicle of his subject’s busy life so far and some compelling answers..." — Wall Street Journal "Walter Isaacson’s new biography of Elon Musk , published Monday, delivers as promised — a comprehensive, deeply reported chronicle of the world-shaping tech mogul’s life, a twin to the author’s similarly thick 2011 biography of Steve Jobs . Details ranging from the personally salacious to the geopolitically volatile have already made the rounds — the rare example of a major book publication causing a news cycle in its own right...What Isaacson’s biography reveals through its personalized lens on Musk’s work with Tesla, SpaceX, OpenAI, and more is not only what Musk wants, but how and why he plans to do it. The portrait that emerges is one that resembles a hard-charging, frequently alienating Gilded Age-style captain of industry, with a particular fixation on AI that ties everything together....Isaacson’s book is like a decoder ring, tying the mercurial Musk’s various obsessions into a coherent worldview with a startlingly concrete goal at its center." — Politico "[The book] has everything you'd expect from a book on Musk—stories of tragedy, triumph, and turmoil.... While the stories are fascinating and guaranteed to spark a mountain of coverage, founders and entrepreneurs will also unearth valuable lessons." — Inc. "Isaacson has gathered information from the man’s admirers and critics. He lays all of it out.... The book is bursting with stories....A deeply engrossing tale of a spectacular American innovator. " — New York Journal of Books "One of the greatest biographers in America has written a massive book about the richest man in the world. This fast-paced biography, based on more than a hundred interviews...[is] a head-spinning tale about a vain, brilliant, sometimes cruel figure whose ambitions are actively shaping the future of human life." —Ron Charles on CBS Sunday Morning "A painstakingly excavation of the tortured unquiet mind of the world’s richest man… Isaacson’s book is not a soaring portrait of a captain of industry, but rather an exhausting ride through the life of a man who seems incapable of happiness." — The Sunday Times "An experienced biographer’s comprehensive study." —The Observer "Walter Isaacson’s all-access biography… Its portrait of the tech maverick is fascinating." —The Telegraph "Isaacson boils Musk down to two men… the result is a beat-by-beat book that follows him insider important rooms and explores obscure regions of his mind." —The Times

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Elon Musk Hardcover – 11 September 2023

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• Print length 688 pages
• Language English
• Dimensions 6 x 15 x 25.7 cm
• Publisher ? Simon & Schuster Ltd
• Publication date 11 September 2023
• ISBN-10 1398527491
• ISBN-13 978-1398527492
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ ? Simon & Schuster Ltd (11 September 2023); Simon & Schuster UK
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 688 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1398527491
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1398527492
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ Customer suggested age: 16 years and up
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 810 g
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 15 x 25.7 cm
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ United Kingdom
• Importer ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster India
• Packer ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster India
• Generic Name ‏ : ‎ Book
• #2 in Engineering & Technology (Books)
• #11 in Computers & Internet
• #61 in Biographies & Autobiographies (Books)

About the author

Walter isaacson.

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

Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 79% 15% 3% 1% 2% 79%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 79% 15% 3% 1% 2% 15%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 79% 15% 3% 1% 2% 3%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 79% 15% 3% 1% 2% 1%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 79% 15% 3% 1% 2% 2%

Customers say

Customers find the writing quality excellent, fascinating, and brilliant. They say the story is interesting, deep, and exhilarating. Readers also mention the book keeps them hooked completely and immersed.

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Customers find the book excellent, fascinating, and brilliant. They say it's a must-read for entrepreneurs and fun to read.

"Walter Isaacson has again done it .. wonderfully written .... detailed.... thorough deep-dive into everything that makes Elon Clicks n Shucks" Read more

"except for the Twitter part, everything else is just perfect . Book is completely unbiased in its narration...." Read more

"...And the in depth information was well explained and entertaining . Had to bookmark and highlight lot of ideas in this book...." Read more

"This is a great read , there is no doubt about that. It gives close peek into the life of Elon the maverick...." Read more

Customers find the story interesting, deep, and exhilarating. They say it offers a close peek into the life of Elon Musk. Readers also mention the book is engaging and inspiring.

"Walter Isaacson has again done it ..wonderfully written.... detailed .... thorough deep-dive into everything that makes Elon Clicks n Shucks" Read more

"...Book is completely unbiased in its narration . Would recommend this book to every entrepreneur." Read more

"This book is just a wealth of information about oke of the most impactful enterpreuner of this generation. The business lessons and the life lessons...." Read more

"This is a great read, there is no doubt about that. It gives close peek into the life of Elon the maverick...." Read more

Customers find the pacing of the book easy, immersive, and incredible.

"...The writing is just excellent and keeps you engaged throughout . Highly recommend." Read more

"In the world of tech, it is a must read. An incredible journey so far and what is in store next." Read more

"Easy and immersive read ..." Read more

"One of the very few books which kept me hooked completely !..." Read more

Customers find the chapters short, which makes it easy to keep their attention. They also appreciate the approach with smaller chapters, which helps them take time outs in between.

"...Walter issacson has done a tremendous job in Biographing Elon. Chapters are short that makes it easy to keep your attention...." Read more

"...I really like the approach with smaller chapters which helped in taking time outs in between...." Read more

"Brilliant! The langauge is so smooth and the book is divided into small chapters that goes according to the timeline of this genius billionaire." Read more

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Elon Musk Kindle Edition

• Print length 680 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Simon & Schuster
• Publication date September 12, 2023
• File size 96389 KB
• Page Flip Enabled
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• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BW9TRGKV
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Simon & Schuster (September 12, 2023)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 12, 2023
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 96389 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 680 pages
• #1 in Biographies of Scientists
• #1 in Business & Management Technology History
• #1 in Biographies of Business Professionals

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Review of Elon Musk/Worth a read?

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Customer Review: Rocketing Through Elon's Universe by Walter Isaacson's lens

About the author

Walter isaacson.

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

Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 77% 17% 4% 1% 1% 77%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 77% 17% 4% 1% 1% 17%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 77% 17% 4% 1% 1% 4%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 77% 17% 4% 1% 1% 1%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 77% 17% 4% 1% 1% 1%

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Customers say

Customers find the book very interesting and readable. They also say the approach is educational and inspiring. Readers describe the writing quality as well-written, seamless, and thrilling. They describe the biography as compelling, enchanting, and wonderful. They mention the story is meticulously crafted and gripping. Customers also appreciate the well-balanced portrayal of an eccentric man.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the book interesting, excellent, and comprehensive. They say it shows the good, the bad, and the ugly of Elon Musk. Readers also mention the first three-quarters of the book is great and leaves them with a profound understanding.

"...curious about the world-changing ideas of our time, this book is a captivating and enlightening journey that is not to be missed...." Read more

"...This biography is a masterclass in storytelling, offering a captivating and nuanced exploration of Musk's life, from his childhood to his..." Read more

"... it's a good read imo . a page turner. overall i'd say it's a study of character rather than a cut and dry accounting of what elon has done...." Read more

"Fascinating biography. Well written and very readable. Most enjoyable ." Read more

Customers find the book insightful, educational, and inspiring. They say it's well-researched and helps them understand the man who will be influencing their lives. Readers also mention the achievements are obvious.

"...of Elon Musk and his ventures, I found this book to be an incredibly insightful and inspiring read that goes far beyond the typical biography...." Read more

"...The book provides invaluable insights into Musk's innovative spirit, his relentless drive, and his passion for shaping the future...." Read more

"...Rarely have I found a page-turning biography. This is an extremely literate insight to one of the most innovative visionaries...." Read more

"I thoroughly enjoyed reading “Elon Musk”. His contributions to humanity are awesome ...." Read more

Customers find the book well-written, easy to read, and rendered with a level of finesse and understanding. They appreciate the short, concise chapters that flow very easily. Readers also mention the book is educational and inspiring, simplifying the details of Musk's large-scale projects.

"...The prose flows seamlessly , keeping the reader engaged and eager to turn the page.Timely and Relevant:..." Read more

"...Isaacson's writing is engaging , and his research is meticulous...." Read more

"Fascinating biography. Well written and very readable. Most enjoyable." Read more

"...Plus, Elon is always highly readable , and short...." Read more

Customers find the biography compelling, enchanting, and wonderful. They say the author is extraordinary at making the reader follow the ideas and science. Readers also appreciate the great interviews that flesh out the reality of Musk.

"...In conclusion, "Elon Musk" by Walter Isaacson is an exceptional biography that offers a profound and intimate look at the life and mind of a modern..." Read more

"...This biography is a masterclass in storytelling , offering a captivating and nuanced exploration of Musk's life, from his childhood to his..." Read more

" Fascinating biography . Well written and very readable. Most enjoyable." Read more

"...His Steve Jobs biography was utterly enchanting . Elon Musk's biography even more so with his current relevancy. Bravo on his Space X launch today...." Read more

Customers find the story length of the book meticulously crafted. They say it's a complex story and gripping tale full of amazing events and details. Readers also mention the book is a lengthy tome that delivers a comprehensive look at Elon's life.

"... Compelling Narrative Style :Walter Isaacson's storytelling skills are evident throughout the book...." Read more

"...Most of the chapters are a bite-sized 3-7 pages. Good for brief reading periods ...." Read more

"...is accurate, though as a genuine believer in that mission, seemed awfully short ...." Read more

"...Isaacson has great writing style, both dramatic and understated, and his thoroughness is admirable...." Read more

Customers find the character portrayal fascinating, well-balanced, and fantastic. They appreciate the quirky personality, incredible drive, and objective portrayal. Readers also mention the book is nuanced and comprehensive.

"...automotive industry, Musk's visionary ideas are portrayed with enthusiasm and intellectual depth ...." Read more

"...Isaacson tackles it all, painting a portrait that's both nuanced and comprehensive...." Read more

"...This is a fascinating character study and read about one of the main characters shaping our time in history.What he has accomplished to date" Read more

"...And about Elon Musk - an amazing guy - temperamental, moody, genius, flawed , spontaneous. He has accomplished so much in such a short time...." Read more

Customers find the book well-designed, breathtaking, and engaging. They appreciate the details and pictures that help convey his persona.

"..." by Walter Isaacson is an exceptional biography that offers a profound and intimate look at the life and mind of a modern visionary...." Read more

"...It displays both the brilliance and the outrageous craziness in equal measures. Absolutely fascinating!" Read more

"...By existing he makes this world a better place. The pictures were very helpful in conveying his persona. Thank you!" Read more

" Interesting look into the interworkings of Tesla, SpaceX and X. Elon is a high energy guy. Driven. That though? Success? Madness?..." Read more

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book. Some mention it's fast, timely, and dynamic. Others say it feels rushed, disjointed, and chaotic.

"...are at the forefront of global discussions, "Elon Musk" is incredibly timely and relevant...." Read more

"...book, hard to put down like all of Issacson's books, but this one felt rushed ...." Read more

"Elon Musk is the most influential genius of our lifetime. He is dynamic , witty and has a great sense of humor...." Read more

"...was really plugged into what Elon was all about...it's kind of a disjointed , time jumping at times narrative...." Read more

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Elon Musk Wants to Save Humanity. The Only Problem: People.

Walter Isaacson’s biography of the billionaire entrepreneur depicts a mercurial “man-child” with grandiose ambitions and an ego to match.

Credit... Illustration by Jan Robert Dünnweller; Photo reference by Steven Ferdman/Getty Images

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By Jennifer Szalai

• Published Sept. 9, 2023 Updated Sept. 11, 2023
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ELON MUSK , by Walter Isaacson

At various moments in “Elon Musk,” Walter Isaacson’s new biography of the world’s richest person , the author tries to make sense of the billionaire entrepreneur he has shadowed for two years — sitting in on meetings, getting a peek at emails and texts, engaging in “scores of interviews and late-night conversations.” Musk is a mercurial “man-child,” Isaacson writes, who was bullied relentlessly as a kid in South Africa until he grew big enough to beat up his bullies. Musk talks about having Asperger’s, which makes him “bad at picking up social cues.” As the people closest to him will attest, he lacks empathy — something that Isaacson describes as a “gene” that’s “hard-wired.”

Yet even as Musk struggles to relate to the actual humans around him, his plans for humanity are grand. “A fully reusable rocket is the difference between being a single-planet civilization and being a multiplanet one”: Musk would “maniacally” repeat this message to his staff at SpaceX, his spacecraft and satellite company, where every decision is motivated by his determination to get earthlings to Mars. He pushes employees at his companies — he now runs six, including X, the platform formerly known as Twitter — to slash costs and meet brutal deadlines because he needs to pour resources into the moonshot of colonizing space “before civilization crumbles.” Disaster could come from climate change, from declining birthrates, from artificial intelligence. Isaacson describes Musk stalking the factory floor of Tesla, his electric car company, issuing orders on the fly. “If I don’t make decisions,” Musk explained, “we die.”

By “we,” Musk presumably meant Tesla in that instance. But Musk likes to speak of his business interests in superhero terms, so it’s sometimes hard to be sure. Isaacson, whose previous biographical subjects include Leonardo da Vinci and Steve Jobs, is a patient chronicler of obsession; in the case of Musk, he can occasionally seem too patient — a hazard for any biographer who is given extraordinary access. At one point, Isaacson asks why Musk is so offended by anything he deems politically correct, and Musk, as usual, has to dial it up to 11. “Unless the woke-mind virus, which is fundamentally anti-science, anti-merit and anti-human in general, is stopped,” he declares, “civilization will never become multiplanetary.” There are a number of curious assertions in that sentence, but it would have been nice if Isaacson had pushed him to answer a basic question: What on earth does any of it even mean?

Isaacson has ably conveyed that Musk doesn’t truly like pushback. Some of his lieutenants insist that he will eventually listen to reason, but Isaacson sees firsthand Musk’s habit of deriding as a saboteur or an idiot anyone who resists him. The musician Grimes, the mother of three of Musk’s children (the existence of the third, Techno Mechanicus, nicknamed Tau, has been kept private until now), calls his roiling anger “demon mode” — a mind-set that “causes a lot of chaos.” She also insists that it allows him to get stuff done.

It’s a convenient assessment, one that Isaacson seems mostly to accept. “As Shakespeare teaches us,” he writes, “all heroes have flaws, some tragic, some conquered, and those we cast as villains can be complex.” Well, yes — but couldn’t this describe anyone? What is there to say specifically about Musk himself?

For that we can turn to Isaacson’s reporting, of which there is plenty. (Another thoroughly reported biography, by Ashlee Vance , was published in 2015 — four years before SpaceX started launching Starlink satellites and seven years before Musk acquired Twitter.) Isaacson even managed to get Errol, Elon’s intermittently estranged father, to talk — though mostly what Errol offers are rambling bigoted comments (while insisting he isn’t racist) and self-aggrandizing tales (at least one of which turns out to be “provably false”).

Errol has two children with his stepdaughter. As for Elon, he has 10 children with three women, one of whom — Shivon Zilis, who bore his twins in 2021 — is an executive at one of his companies. (Another child, Musk’s first, born in 2002, died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome when he was 10 weeks old.)

“He really wants smart people to have kids,” Zilis said of Musk, who offered to be her sperm donor so that, Isaacson adds, “the kids would be genetically his.” At the time, Grimes and Musk were expecting their second child, a girl. Musk didn’t tell Grimes that he had just had twins with one of his employees.

But the details of such domestic intrigues are, in the book and in Musk’s life, largely beside the point. He is mostly preoccupied with his businesses, where he expects his staff to abide by “the algorithm,” his workplace creed, which commands them to “question every requirement” from a department, including “the legal department” and “the safety department”; and to “delete any part or process” they can. “Comradery is dangerous,” is one of the corollaries. So is this: “The only rules are the ones dictated by the laws of physics. Everything else is a recommendation.”

Still, Musk has accrued enough power to dictate his own rules. In one of the book’s biggest scoops, Isaacson describes Musk secretly instructing his engineers to “turn off” Starlink satellite internet coverage to prevent Ukraine from launching a surprise drone attack on Russian forces in Crimea. ( Isaacson has since posted on X that contrary to what he writes in the book, Musk didn’t shut down coverage but denied a request to extend the network’s range.) Musk decided that he was saving humanity from a nuclear war. When Ukraine’s vice prime minister texted him to say that Starlink service was “a matter of life and death,” Musk instructed him to “seek peace while you have the upper hand.”

Counseling the Ukrainians to “seek peace” sounds especially rich coming from someone who is “energized,” Isaacson says, by “dire threats.” But then the overall sense you get from this biography is that for all of Musk’s talk about the world-changing magic of “the algorithm,” he ultimately does what he wants. He will order his companies to scrimp fanatically on some things while insisting that they spend lavishly on others. At Tesla, Musk’s obsession with the minutiae of automotive design inflated costs and drained the company of cash. At SpaceX, instead of spending $1,500 for the kind of latch used by NASA, an engineer figured out how to modify a $30 latch intended for a bathroom stall. When Musk acquired Twitter last year, he eliminated 75 percent of the staff.

Since Musk’s acquisition, hate speech on the platform has proliferated while ad sales have plunged . Reading this book, one begins to wonder if the old bird-site will be Musk’s Waterloo. “He thought of it as a technology company,” Isaacson writes, “when in fact it was an advertising medium based on human emotions and relationships.” Isaacson believes that Musk wanted to buy Twitter because he had been so bullied as a kid and “now he could own the playground.” It’s an awkward metaphor, but that’s also what makes it perfect. Owning a playground won’t stop you from getting bullied. If you think about it, owning a playground won’t get you much of anything at all.

ELON MUSK | By Walter Isaacson | Illustrated | 670 pp. | Simon & Schuster | $35

Jennifer Szalai is the nonfiction book critic for The Times. More about Jennifer Szalai

The World of Elon Musk

The billionaire’s portfolio includes the world’s most valuable automaker, an innovative rocket company and plenty of drama..

Elon Musk, the Candidate: The billionaire is spending a fortune to support Donald Trump. But at a town hall event in Pennsylvania, he looked an awful lot like a politician himself .

Conflicts of Interest: Musk has gone all in to elect Trump . In return, Trump has vowed to essentially give Musk the power to regulate the federal regulators who hold sway over his companies .

Blocking on X : A lot has changed on the site formerly known as Twitter since Musk bought it. Now, X is making another major shift, allowing people to see posts by users who have them blocked

SpaceX’s ‘Chopsticks’ Landing: Musk’s space company pulled off a feat of technical wizardry, not only flying a 233-foot rocket booster back to its launch site, but also catching it out of the air with two giant mechanical arms .

Reinstating Banned X Users: A large set of users who were barred from the social network for spreading misinformation were reinstated after Musk took control of the platform. Many picked up where they left off .

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