Matt's Reviews > Elon Musk

When looking for a stellar biography of a person who piques my interest, I turn to Walter Isaacson. Never once have I been disappointed with Isaacson at the helm, as the author ensures each of his books is both highly entertaining and full of educational moments. Such was the case yet again with this biography of Elon Musk, the man who sought to push the limits and strive far beyond the stars so that he might reshape the future and impact the world. Isaacson delves deeply, yet effectively, to show how complex Musk has been and explores many of the choices made by the man whose money speaks and who seeks to make a difference for many. My eyes are open and respect has been gain for Elon Musk, as well as what he’s done for technology!

As a child growing up in South Africa, Elon Musk regularly found himself on the losing end of a bully’s fists. He would often have witty retorts when challenged in the playground and the young Elon refused to stand down, as though it were a badge of honour. Elon may have left blood on the ground and scars on his body, but the true bully in his life awaited him at home, where his father, an engineer and man whose expectations were as high as the heavens, sought to knock him down in the emotions ring.

The impact on this emotional barrage helped shape the man that Elon Musk became. Not only was there an odd emergence of two personalities—playful at times and highly strict in other situations— but also a divorcing from others at times to protect himself. As Isaacson also posits, this was also where Musk’s Aspergers became even more prevalent, a removal from the signs of how others around him would perceive actions. Musk did not let the emotional stunting diminish the fire inside him to make a difference.

Isaacson discusses the tough veneer that Elon Musk developed and how, after leaving South Africa for Canada, Musk became hungry to challenge all that he saw and those around him. No challenge was too monumental and no one could stand in his way, ass long ad Musk saw an issue, the solution was simply one that he had yet to devise.

Isaacson uses much of the novel exploring that various interests of Musk, from rocket development with SpaceX, the creation of a fully electric and self-driving vehicle at Tesla, and many of his other endeavours, eventually including the world of X (Twitter’s newest permutation). At no point was Elon Musk satisfied with what was taking place, he always wanted a little more. There were times when Musk failed absolutely, but he never left it all on the ground and walked away. Instead, he sought to better himself and the issue at hand with repeated redevelopments and ideas to make things even better. As Isaacson describes, this was Musk’s way of striving for perfection and a way to get under the skin of others.

Musk’s personal life was just as topsides-turvy as his business ventures. Musk found himself with a gaggle of children, all through IVF or surrogacy, creating a large entourage that would follow him. While never a hands-on parent, Musk appeared to love his children. This might have been a reaction to the lack of love his father offered him, Isaacson surmises, but there was a definitely disconnect between Musk and the first number of children, to the point that one disowned him for his views on society and political ideology.

Never fully feeling as though he had accomplished much, Elon Musk always sought to define himself as seeking more. He would push for more in all his companies, though it appeared to be less about the spotlight and ore in hopes of pending new doors for the world to experience. Elon Musk continues to push for new and exciting ideas, though some have vilified him as being too concerned with his own image, I was one of those people, but Walter Isaacson helped me see a new and exciting side of to the man whose ideas have helped push society further and to strive for more. Be it a vehicle that could travel on its own across the United States, a rocket that could take people well into the atmosphere, or eve harvesting solar power to make a difference with a carbon footprint, Elon Musk will never be satisfied until it all makes sense and comes together seamlessly.

One cannot call this review complete without touching on Musk’s acquisition of Twitter and turning it into X. Isaacson depicts this thoroughly and with great intrigue through the latter portion of the book. Exploring issues of free speech, how to keep the platform relevant, and showing how Musk sought to make it his own, Isaacson explores the fight to gain control of Twitter and then turning it on its head to ensure that the smooth transition to create a platform for true free speech took front and centre in Musk’s life, adding more fires to his already busy business lifestyle and yet Musk did not blink at making a difference once more.

The stunning depictions in this biography will surely surprise many, though I am quite well-versed when it comes to Walter Isaacson and his writing that it is almost expected. Delving deeply into the life and times of his subject, Isaacson ekes out great stories and anecdotes to fully explain the person on offer, while never being completely satisfied until all the rocks have been turned over and every interview complete. Isaacson develops his story in strong chapters that lead the reader along, though it is impossible to do so in an entirely linear fashion. Rather, Walter Isaacson keeps the reader on a short leash and keeps the story flowing, with new and exciting information at every turn. Another winning biography for Walter Isaacson and yet again I have been shocked to learn so much about a person whose life I knew so minutely. This is definitely a piece well worth my time and effort.

Kudos, Mr. Isaacson, for a great piece of writing that helped me better understand the life and times of a truly complex man.

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