Reviews

Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance

queeniecraft's review

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slow-paced

2.0

If you're looking for an unbiased look at this man, this is not the book for it.

fbroom's review against another edition

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4.0

I listened to this on audible. Highly entertaining and highly recommend for car road trips and long commutes.

Excellent narration, not slow.

He definitely has a point, while all companies rush to make safe and profitable products (Everyone wants to make a watch / tv nowadays!!), he is pursuing more risky and way more interesting problems to solve (solar energy, electric cars and space travel).

The other dark side is that he seems to be a workaholic who is tough on people working for him and who expects people to show up every weekend to work on their deadlines.

emilyb_chicago's review against another edition

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3.0

I listened to the audio book and the reader is pretty flat and there are a lot of long winded parts that I likely would have skimmed over if I'd read it in person. However, I really enjoyed learning about Elon Musk. I knew almost nothing prior to this book and it has good foundational information. I really enjoyed hearing about the different companies Elon has been involved in and also the connection of his companies by his hope/vision to travel to Mars.

The author very much admires Elon and has high hopes for him and his companies. The book was written in 2015, but doesn't feel totally out of date reading it in 2018.

matig0's review against another edition

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4.0

The book covers Elon Musk's biography and the forces that led him to become the man he is today, somewhere between Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller. "When Elon gets into something, he develops just this different level of interest in it than other people. That is what differentiates Elon from the rest of humanity". His accomplishments in sustainable technology have led to astonishing new levels - along with a complex personality and enormous ego. "For Elon, the word 'No' does not exist, and he expects that attitude from everyone around him." He's being notorious for setting unrealistic goals, assigning incredible workloads, and verbally abusing his employees. "The longer you wait to fire someone, the longer it has been since you should have fired them," once said. Yet, Musk is rightly considered today's leader in the aerospace, automotive, and solar industries.

mrbear's review

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4.0

This was an interesting and worthwhile insight into Musk’s life. Like many of these kinds of biographies about public figures who are still alive, it fell short on details sometimes - disappointingly even historical details that set the scene more in the early years. But still worth a read if you want to know more about the man, his approach to work, and his ambitions.

mpkennedy's review

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5.0

Great book sharing a few things a didn't even know about Mr Tesla! Worth a read!

rebecanunez's review against another edition

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4.0

"Elon Musk" de Ashlee Vance es una biografía fascinante que nos sumerge en la vida y la mente del visionario empresario. Vance presenta un retrato completo de Musk, desde su infancia en Sudáfrica hasta su papel pionero en varias empresas innovadoras, como PayPal, Tesla y SpaceX.

La narrativa está llena de detalles, revelando la tenacidad y la determinación que caracterizan a Musk. Vance no elude los desafíos y controversias que han marcado la carrera de Musk, proporcionando una visión equilibrada y honesta de su compleja personalidad.

La biografía destaca la ambición audaz de Musk y su búsqueda incansable de transformar industrias enteras para el bien de la humanidad. A medida que los lectores siguen su viaje, se sumergen en los desafíos, los éxitos y las innovaciones que han convertido a Musk en una figura influyente en el mundo empresarial y tecnológico.

En última instancia, "Elon Musk" de Ashlee Vance ofrece una mirada reveladora a la vida de uno de los empresarios más influyentes de nuestro tiempo, capturando la esencia de su enfoque disruptivo y sus contribuciones significativas al futuro de la tecnología y la exploración espacial.

rdesanto's review

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informative inspiring medium-paced

4.75

Rockets, cars, start ups and Elon musk.

If you love the hipe and painstaking details that go into making groundbreaking history, you will love this book. 

Yes, it takes a look at the life of Elon Musk but it strongly highlights the HISTORY that Elon Musk has now created including the blood, sweat, and tears of the many of people who built up these world changing companies under Musks leadership is more than inspirational. 

This book is a dream for space buffs and Mars enthusiast. If you enjoy learning about electronic innovation and dreaming what that would look like in the future you will love this book. 

paulotoureiro's review

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informative medium-paced

2.75

maxain_kelsier's review

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1.0

0/5

En su momento en 2019 le habia dado 4/5, a dia de hoy puedo rectificar que algunas cosas dichas en este libro estan totalmente modificadas de la realidad, Ashlee habla multiples veces de lo dificil que era para otros escritores hacer una biografia de Elon ya que este no queria.

La personificación como heroe en la figura de Elon de sus delirios mentales cuando se esta por ir a banca rota y lo salva la Nasa, no es un heroe pero el texto lo hace parecer que lucho hasta el ultimo momento.

La mayoría del texto es "Elon es un idiota pero es un idiota inteligente", simplemente no lo es y creo que mucho de esto es en parte de intentar completar el libro sin que se lo denegara Elon, todo este libro esta altamente revisado por Elon y por eso no hay otra obra de la misma "calidad".

Multiples veces se comprobó que Zip2 parte del fondo de inversion estuvo a nombre de su padre, esto va en contra de todo el texto que aclama que nunca tuvieron contacto y que viajo a América solo con unos cuantos dólares entre otras cosas.

No tengan como heroes ni lideres a gente billonaria, quieranse un poco.