Books Recommended by Elon Musk

notionopia.com

4 months ago

Elon Musk, the visionary behind Tesla and SpaceX, is widely acknowledged for his intelligence and audacious vision. Many who meet him remark, “He’s the smartest person I’ve ever encountered.” Charlie Munger once referred to Musk as “a genius” and “one of the boldest individuals to come along” during the 2014 Daily Journal Meeting. In this blog, you will find 5 Books Recommended by Elon Musk for ultimate success

When asked how he mastered rocket science, Musk consistently credits his extensive reading. He doesn’t merely read books; he immerses himself in them.

Here are key books recommended by Elon Musk over the years::

Science Fiction

“In terms of science fiction, Isaac Asimov is truly exceptional. I believe the Foundation series is probably one of the greatest of all time. Robert Heinlein is another favorite. I enjoy The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress and Stranger in a Strange Land, although the latter gets a bit off track towards the end.”

Biographies

Musk recommends Benjamin Franklin: An American Life and Einstein: His Life and Universe, both by Walter Isaacson. He recently appreciated Howard Hughes: His Life and Madness by Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele, calling it a “cautionary tale.”

Business and Technology

Musk suggests Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel, his former colleague. He also mentioned Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies by Nick Bostrom on Twitter, warning that AI could be “potentially more dangerous than nukes.”

Structural Design

“There’s an excellent book on structural design titled Structures: Or Why Things Don’t Fall Down. It’s incredibly informative if you want an introduction to structural design.”

Musk also elaborated on the significance of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy during an interview, explaining why it was a pivotal book for him:

Alison van Diggelen: I understand Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, that wonderful book by Douglas Adams, was a key book for you. What was it about that book that sparked your imagination?

Elon Musk: Around the age of 12 or 15, I had an existential crisis, reading various books trying to figure out the meaning of life. It all seemed quite meaningless. Then we happened to have some books by Nietzsche and Schopenhauer at home, which you shouldn’t read at age 14 (laughter). They’re very negative.

So, I read Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which is quite positive. It highlighted an important point: often, the question is harder than the answer. If you can properly phrase the question, then the answer becomes easy. The more we understand the universe, the better we know what questions to ask. So, to the extent that we can expand the scope and scale of consciousness and knowledge, that would be beneficial.”

Other Books Recommended by Elon Musk

Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future

By Blake Masters and Peter Thiel
Category: Business & Money

The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves

By Matt Ridley
Category: Business & Money
“It’s a story about humanity’s journey from dire, violent conditions to the incredible world we live in today. It’s truly a tale of progress.”