The Elon Musk reading list: 10 books to understand why the man does what he does

Produced by: Manoj Kumar

Elon Musk" by Walter Isaacson (2023)

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"Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future" by Ashlee Vance (2015)

[{"selector":"#anim-d0fc9af0-0454-43c0-95e1-19b6483cfa87","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f84fbfd6-fc60-44d4-adb8-caba9f006fa3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(147.22224%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] A comprehensive look at Musk's life, from his challenging childhood to his success with SpaceX and Tesla, highlighting his relentless drive and ambition.

"The Space Barons" by Christian Davenport (2018)

[{"selector":"#anim-94cb51bf-7e09-476d-8714-0229a4e05d3c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-244af339-8b4b-4159-9939-cf4e496ac8ac","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-128.51406%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Tells the story of billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos leading the commercial space race, showcasing their innovative visions and rivalries.

"Power Play: Tesla, Elon Musk, and the Bet of the Century" by Tim Higgins

[{"selector":"#anim-cd3cb4af-ddca-4c5e-92a2-911d1912c7c6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-480ee5dc-e7c8-4831-a054-0e18bb3f24be","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(131.49605%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Focuses on Tesla's journey, detailing the company's struggles and eventual success under Musk's leadership.

"Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX" by Eric Berger

[{"selector":"#anim-7f353ee8-e4a1-4201-a204-fe1488914547","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6743db8f-515f-4013-88b1-14117e9a3791","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-140.72398%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Explores the early days of SpaceX, focusing on the company's first four launches and Musk's vision for space exploration.

"Elon Musk: The Unauthorized Autobiography" by Jessica Easto

[{"selector":"#anim-90a52b5a-c012-4d3f-b5a3-c219a94e597c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-31e0a67a-09ae-4714-84af-b3d09839cea8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(134.02489%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Presents Musk as an extraordinary entrepreneur focused on saving humanity through innovative technology and sustainable energy.

"Elon Musk and the Quest for a Fantastic Future" by Ashlee Vance (Young Readers' Edition, 2017)

[{"selector":"#anim-fffcdf85-4208-419c-960b-491b7b578bf5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fa65dffd-5a68-447d-889d-153f6f8ddb5e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-137.5%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] An engaging adaptation of Vance's biography for younger readers, tracing Musk's path from South Africa to becoming a pioneering entrepreneur.

"The Engineer: Follow Elon Musk on a journey from South Africa to Mars" by Erik Nordeus

[{"selector":"#anim-e6e3ba7c-7bf1-4895-9817-257fb8a5bcd3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c0ab7c7f-26dd-40d1-aae0-ec5cffecbe68","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(145.85154%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] A detailed account of Musk's life and career, emphasizing his engineering mindset and ambitious goals.

"Elon Musk: A Mission to Save the World" by Anna Crowley Redding

[{"selector":"#anim-0ea4f99a-792d-4783-be23-ccae2729853c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e0e1bf85-4597-496e-a515-53d2de130600","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-139.74895%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Focuses on Musk's mission to address global issues through his various business ventures and technological innovations.

"Elon Musk: How the Billionaire CEO of SpaceX and Tesla is Shaping our Future" by Ashlee Vance (UK Edition)

[{"selector":"#anim-9af7739c-9a75-4254-9942-5430c2ea1adc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-388063a1-0a76-493e-b94f-e48ca4f51922","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(143.63636%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] A UK version of Vance's biography, offering insights into Musk's impact on technology and industry.

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