Elon Musk : Tesla, SpaceX, and the quest for a fantastic future

“[T]his work will likely serve as the definitive account of a man whom so far we’ve seen mostly through caricature. By the final pages, too, any reader will sense the need to put comparisons to Steve Jobs aside. Give Musk credit. There is no one like him.” — New York Times Book ReviewElon Musk is the most daring entrepreneur of our time. There are few industrialists in history who could match his relentless drive and ingenious vision. A modern alloy of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, and Steve Jobs, Musk is the man behind PayPal, Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and SolarCity, each of which has sent shock waves throughout American business and industry. More than any other executive today, Musk has dedicated his energies and his own vast fortune to inventing a future that is as rich and far-reaching as a science fiction fantasy. In this lively, investigative account, veteran technology journalist Ashlee Vance offers an unprecedented look into the remarkable life and times of Silicon Valley's most audacious businessman. Written with exclusive access to Musk, his family, and his friends, the book traces his journey from his difficult upbringing in South Africa to his ascent to the pinnacle of the global business world. Vance spent more than fifty hours in conversation with Musk and interviewed close to three hundred people to tell the tumultuous stories of Musk's world-changing companies and to paint a portrait of a complex man who has renewed American industry and sparked new levels of innovation — all while making plenty of enemies along the way. “Mr Vance tells the stories of both SpaceX and Tesla with intricacy and insight... What does come through is a sense of legitimate wonder at what humans can accomplish when they aim high, and aim weird." — Dwight Garner, New York Times 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. - Publisher. There Are Few Industrialists In History Who Could Match Elon Musk's Relentless Drive And Ingenious Vision. A Modern Alloy Of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, And Steve Jobs, Musk Is The Man Behind Paypal, Tesla Motors, Spacex, And Solarcity, Each Of Which Has Sent Shock Waves Throughout American Business And Industry. More Than Any Other Executive Today, Musk Has Dedicated His Energies And His Own Vast Fortune To Inventing A Future That Is As Rich And Far-reaching As A Science Fiction Fantasy. In This Lively, Investigative Account, Veteran Technology Journalist Ashlee Vance Offers An Unprecedented Look Into The Remarkable Life And Times Of Silicon Valley's Most Audacious Businessman. Written With Exclusive Access To Musk, His Family, And His Friends, The Book Traces His Journey From His Difficult Upbringing In South Africa To His Ascent To The Pinnacle Of The Global Business World--from Publisher Description. Elon's World -- Africa -- Canada -- Elon's First Start-up -- Paypal Mafia Boss -- Mice In Space -- All Electric -- Pain, Suffering And Survival -- Liftoff -- The Revenge Of The Electric Car -- The Unified Field Theory Of Elon Musk. Ashlee Vance. Includes Bibliographical References. Elon Musk is the most daring entrepreneur of our time There are few industrialists in history who could match Elon Musk's relentless drive and ingenious vision. A modern alloy of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, and Steve Jobs, Musk is the man behind PayPal, Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and SolarCity, each of which has sent shock waves throughout American business and industry. More than any other executive today, Musk has dedicated his energies and his own vast fortune to inventing a future that is as rich and far-reaching as a science fiction fantasy. In this lively, investigative account, veteran technology journalist Ashlee Vance offers an unprecedented look into the remarkable life and times of Silicon Valley's most audacious businessman. Written with exclusive access to Musk, his family, and his friends, the book traces his journey from his difficult upbringing in South Africa to his ascent to the pinnacle of the global business world. Vance spent more than... Elon's world Africa Canada Elon's first start-up PayPal mafia boss Mice in space All electric Pain, suffering and survival Liftoff The revenge of the electric car The unified field theory of Elon Musk Epilogue Appendixes. Intrigue surrounding Zip2, Musk's academic record Musk's time at Paypal and the coup Memo to SpaceX personnel : going public An authorized portrait of one of Silicon Valley's most dynamic entrepreneurs evaluates his role in the successes of such innovations as Tesla and Space X while evaluating America's technological competitiveness