Elon Musk: A Biography by Walter Isaacson Publisher: CITIC Press

Introduction · · · · · ·
Renowned biographer Isaacson uses a close observation perspective to unveil the mystery of one of the world's most eye-catching and controversial innovative entrepreneurs: he is good at breaking conventions, leading the world into the era of electric vehicles, private space exploration, and artificial intelligence, and also owns Twitter.

When Elon Musk was a child in South Africa, he was often bullied at school, but these injuries were insignificant compared to the emotional trauma caused by his father. His childhood was soaked in human nature, which shaped him into a strong but fragile boy. He has a high tolerance for risks and is eager to create a dramatic life. His grand goal is to make human civilization an interstellar civilization.

In 2008, when SpaceX rockets exploded during their first three launches and Tesla was about to go bankrupt, it was a hellish, dark period in his life. He was one of the most excited people when a hurricane was approaching. He was attracted to turbulent environments and violent conflicts, and sometimes he even craves them, whether it is at work or in the romantic relationships he tried to maintain but failed to last. Whenever he faced a difficult challenge, the tension often kept him awake at night and even vomited, but these were the nutrients he relied on.

At the beginning of 2022, one year after SpaceX successfully launched 31 satellites, Tesla sold nearly 1 million cars, and Elon became the richest man on earth, he talked about his reflections with a little sadness about the motives behind his repeated provocations of dramatic conflicts.

“I need to change my mindset from being in this constant state of crisis preparedness that I’ve been in for about 14 years, or most of my life,” he said, in what sounded more like a self-pitying assessment than a New Year’s resolution. He made these reflections and pledges while secretly buying Twitter shares.

For two years, Isaacson has been following Musk around, attending his meetings, visiting factories with him, and interviewing him in depth, as well as his family, friends, colleagues, ex-wife, and opponents. Isaacson unveils Musk's inside story, which includes thrilling victories and ups and downs. These stories answer the question: Is the demon that drives Musk necessary to drive innovation and progress?