“One of the really tough things is figuring out what questions to ask … Once you figure out the question, then the answer is relatively easy. I came to the conclusion that really we should aspire to increase the scope and scale of human consciousness in order to better understand what questions to ask.”

Elon Musk is the living embodiment of never giving up. This book is written by business columnist Ashley Vance, and it covers Elon’s life up to the current day, and the day to day of his life managing Tesla and SpaceX. It particularly covers the come up and early days of both companies, and the struggles that Elon faced to get to where he is, and his mindset towards problem solving.

I appreciate how Elon is more focused on saving humanity unlike the others that are focused on generating money through ads. While I don’t always agree with his antics, I do have to say he seems to always reach his goals. I was genuinely stunned at the tactics that were used to keep both companies afloat. For instance, Elon would get government funding from NASA and use it to keep Tesla alive, and vice versa. Additionally, the book clearly shows how his work leaves a toll on his relationships and mental state. It is clear to see that it is difficult being him. Despite all this, his ability to envision paired with his work ethic is something that I really admired throughout the book.

The only thing that rubbed me the wrong way was Vance’s obsession with Elon. While I get it, and I doubt if you put anyone else in his position it would be borderline impossible to get the same results, the idolatry seems a tad bit unnecessary.

Even despite its flaws, this biography is still a great read. I found Elon to be a very interesting figure, and more polarizing as his story continues beyond the book. I am genuinely curious to see where Elon is in 5 years, and even beyond that, and I have no doubts there will be another follow up book in the future.

Overall Rating: 7/10