The Mars Madness
People often ask me- what are you reading? When I was reading this book, I hesitated to answer people because I was worried, they might judge me. However, this book is genuinely worth reading; not because it’s about one of the richest and most successful person in the world, but because of its writing and content.
On Writing:
Walter Isaacson’s writing is consistently excellent. As with his other biographies, he presents a clear timeline that is easy to follow, and his language is straightforward and accessible. At times, I felt there were too many subjective details, but I don’t think that’s Isaacson’s fault. These perspectives come from the people he interviewed rather than his own opinions. Naturally, when someone talks about a person as accomplished as Elon Musk, there’s a tendency to recall things in a positive light; even his obsessive work habits are often framed as strengths. This is clear confirmation bias of human nature. Had Musk been unsuccessful, these same traits might have been labeled as flaws like “obsessive-compulsive.”
On Content:
Everyone has their own views about Elon Musk, often polarized. But I believe this book offers lessons beyond judgment, particularly about his work ethic, leadership, and approach to problem-solving. Musk’s success did not come easily. The challenges he overcame, especially in building up Tesla and starting SpaceX, are remarkable stories of resilience and bold vision. One key lesson is Musk’s focus on first principles thinking. For example, when he envisioned making humanity multiplanetary, he started with basic questions: What does it take to build a rocket? Metal and fuel were his answer. Then he learned from scratch, which is both awe-inspiring and humbling; rest is history.
Bottom line, Walter Isaacson’s Elon Musk offers an intimate and unflinching portrait of one of the most polarizing and influential persons of our time. Known for his deep dives into visionaries like Steve Jobs and Leonardo da Vinci, Isaacson again excels at blending biography with narrative storytelling, chronicling Musk’s life from his turbulent South African childhood to his leadership of Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and Twitter (now X! I still say Twitter).
This book covers Musk’s story up to April 2023, before much of his political involvement. While I have my own opinions on that, it is beyond the scope of this review. Regardless of whether you admire or criticize Elon, I recommend reading this book with an open mind. Some of Musk’s views may not resonate with you, but others will and there is much to learn from his journey. Whether you admire him or roll your eyes, Musk’s story can teach you how to hold contradictions in your mind without losing it. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll be planet-hopping someday, like Le Petit Prince but with a SpaceX boarding pass.
