Elon Musk
Author(s): Walter Isaacson
Publisher: Simon & Schuster, Year: 2023
From the author of *Steve Jobs* and other bestselling biographies comes an astonishingly intimate portrait of one of the most intriguing and controversial innovators of our time—a rule-breaking visionary who has ushered in the era of electric vehicles, private space exploration, and artificial intelligence. And yes, he also took over Twitter.
As a child in South Africa, Elon Musk faced relentless bullying, culminating in a brutal incident where he was pushed down steps and beaten, resulting in a week-long hospitalization. However, the physical scars paled in comparison to the emotional wounds inflicted by his father, an engineer, rogue, and charismatic fantasist.
The influence of his father left a deep mark on Musk’s psyche, shaping him into a tough yet vulnerable individual, marked by sudden Jekyll-and-Hyde mood swings, an exceptionally high tolerance for risk, a craving for drama, and an intense sense of mission. His maniacal focus would drive him to incredible heights, but it also came with its own set of challenges.
### #1 New York Times Bestseller
From the author of *Steve Jobs* and other bestselling biographies comes an astonishingly intimate look at one of the most fascinating and controversial innovators of our time—a rule-breaking visionary who has propelled the world into the age of electric vehicles, private space exploration, and artificial intelligence. Oh, and he also took over Twitter.
As a child in South Africa, Elon Musk faced relentless bullying, including a harrowing incident where he was pushed down steps and beaten, leaving him hospitalized for a week. However, the emotional scars inflicted by his father—a charismatic engineer and rogue—would prove even more significant.
His father’s influence left a lasting mark on Musk, shaping him into a tough yet vulnerable figure with intense Jekyll-and-Hyde mood swings, a high tolerance for risk, and an insatiable craving for drama. As of early 2022, following a year in which SpaceX launched thirty-one rockets, Tesla sold a million cars, and he became the richest person on earth, Musk expressed a desire to escape his crisis-driven mindset, which he felt had dominated his life.
This wistful comment came even as he was secretly acquiring shares of Twitter—the ultimate playground. Whenever Musk found himself in dark moments, he recalled the bullying he faced, and now he had the opportunity to own that playground.
For two years, Walter Isaacson shadowed Musk, attending meetings, touring factories, and conducting extensive interviews with him, his family, friends, colleagues, and rivals. The result is a revealing inside story filled with remarkable tales of triumph and turmoil that explores the question: do the demons driving Musk also fuel the innovation and progress he embodies?
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