What kind of books has Elon Musk read? 13 books that nurtured the world’s best entrepreneurs

The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

Musk was born and raised in South Africa, where he was nicknamed “Muskrat” because he was a small and talkative child.

According to a 2009 article in The New Yorker, Musk “read a lot of fantasy and science fiction in isolation.” In particular, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings was a book that influenced Musk in shaping his future self.

“The heroes in the books were always on a mission to save the world,” Musk told The New Yorker.

For those who have already finished reading “The Lord of the Rings” and watched the movie “The Lord of the Rings,” but want to experience more of “Middle-earth,” we recommend watching the “Lord of the Rings” television series. is being produced by Amazon.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

A supercomputer derives the answer to the question of the meaning of life. It’s the number “42”. “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” is a science fiction comedy with such a plot.

Musk came across this book as a teenager in South Africa, and it had a huge influence on shaping his way of thinking.

Musk was fascinated by the book, as the words “Don’t Panic” were engraved on the instrument panel of a Tesla Roadster that was released into space from a spacecraft in February 2020. I can tell. These are the words that appeared on the cover of an early edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

In a 2015 interview, when asked about his favorite spaceship in science fiction, Musk replied, “It would have to be the one from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” “It’s a spaceship,” he said.

Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson

Musk has often said that Benjamin Franklin, the founding father and inventor of the United States, is one of his heroes.

Franklin was the first to prove that lightning was electricity through his famous kite experiment, which later led to the invention of the lightning rod. He is also credited with inventing bifocal glasses, which are a combination of two types of optical lenses.

“It shows that Franklin was a true entrepreneur,” Musk said in an interview with the nonprofit platform Foundation, which fights climate change. “He was an entrepreneur. He started from nothing, as a runaway kid,” she said, adding, “He’s just amazing.”

James Edward Gordon, “The World of Structures: Why do objects never collapse?”

When SpaceX was founded, Musk’s specialty was coding. However, he taught himself the basics of rocketry.

One of the books that was useful for my self-study was “The World of Structure.” This is a general guide to structural engineering written by British materials scientist James Edward Gordon.

In an interview with Southern California radio station KCRW, Musk described the book as “a great introduction to structural design.”

Musk, who had an interest in rocket structures, served not only as the company’s CEO but also as its chief designer for a time, and was deeply involved in the planning and design of SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket.

Musk said, “I ended up taking on the concurrent roles of chief engineer and chief designer because we had a difficult time recruiting. None of the best candidates joined the company.” . Musk made this comment in 2017 while talking about plans to colonize Mars.

Ignition: An Informal History of Liquid Rocket Propellants by John D. Clark

Musk has said that Ignition was critical in helping him learn and master the complex subject of rocketry.

The author, John D. Clark, was an American chemist who was active in the field of rocket fuel development in the 1960s and 1970s. This book charts the evolution of the field of rocket fuel development and explains what science is all about.

Musk took the book’s teachings to heart as he worked on SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket. SpaceX used kerosene-based fuel and liquid oxygen, which are used in the cryogenically cooled RP-1 jet, to burn the rocket’s fuel.

This book is difficult to obtain, but it is available online here.

Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies by Nick Bostrom

Musk has frequently warned of the dangers of unchecked AI.

“We have to be extremely careful with AI,” he tweeted in 2014, adding that it was “in some cases more dangerous than nuclear weapons.”

In a documentary entitled “Do You Trust This Computer?”, he argues that AI has the potential to become “an invulnerable dictator from which we will never escape.” “We are clearly moving rapidly toward superintelligence that surpasses any human being,” Musk said.

Musk says Nick Bostrom’s “Superintelligence” is worth reading to understand just how scary these risks are. This book takes a bold look at what happens when computer intelligence exceeds human intelligence.

“Artificial Intelligence: Mankind’s Worst and Last Invention” by James Barratt Barratt

Artificial intelligence is issuing an even stronger warning about the dangers of AI. Musk called the book “worth reading” in a 2014 tweet.I’m commenting.

In this book, author Barratt examines the future of AI in detail and weighs its advantages and disadvantages.

Barratt writes on his website that the book is, at least in part, “about the devastating downside of AI that Google, Apple, IBM, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) will never talk about. It’s a thing.”

Barratt’s view is echoed by Musk, who says in a documentary about AI:

“AI doesn’t even have to be a demon to destroy humanity. If AI has a purpose and humans happen to be in the way of fulfilling that purpose, then of course it will destroy humanity. There’s nothing about that. I don’t think about it or feel bad about it.”

Foundation series by Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov’s “Foundation” series, along with “The Lord of the Rings,” propelled Musk as a boy into the world of science fiction and fantasy.

The “Foundation” series is set in the “Galactic Empire,” which is made up of millions of galactic planets colonized by humans. This story seems to have had a huge impact on Musk’s career.

In a 2013 interview with The Guardian, Musk said:

“History’s lessons show that civilizations change in cycles, going back to ancient times like Babylonia, Sumer, and later Egypt, Rome, and China.

Our civilization is currently on the upswing. I hope that continues, but it may not. A series of events may occur that reduce the level of technology.

For the first time in 4.5 billion years, humans have a chance of surviving forever, so it would be wise to act while we still have the chance. Instead of relying on that opportunity to last for a long time.”

The Moon is the Merciless Queen of the Night by Robert A. Heinlein

This book is a Hugo Award-winning science fiction novel published in 1966 that depicts a dark world in the near future. This work vividly depicts a fantasy world that satisfies the rich imaginations of readers like Musk.

In this book, people exiled from Earth build a liberal society on the moon. The story is set in 2076, and an anti-establishment group consisting of a supercomputer named Mike and a one-armed computer engineer lead a revolution through a lunar colony to oppose the rulers of Earth.

Musk described the book as Heinlein’s best work at a symposium held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmark

Some readers may be starting to notice common themes in the books discussed in this article. Yes, Musk is exploring the future of AI.

Max Tegmark, author of Life 3.0, is also a professor at MIT. In his book, he discusses how AI can continue to be beneficial to humans and how technological advances can continue to align with humanity’s future objectives.

This book is one of the few books recommended by Musk that depicts the possibility of AI becoming a force for good rather than evil.

Eric M. Conway and Naomi Oreskes, “Scientists Who Fool the World”

“Scientists Who Fool the World,” which was recently made into a documentary, was written by two science historians.

The book takes issue with how scientists with ties to politics and industry have covered up facts that threaten public health, such as smoking, pesticide use, and the ozone hole.

Musk recommended this book at a conference held in 2013,Tweet after thatHowever, I will introduce the main points of this book. He says the same forces that deny that smoking causes cancer are also denying the dangers of climate change.

“Einstein: His Life and Universe” by Walter Isaacson

Musk is a big fan of Walter Isaacson’s biography.

In a 2012 interview, Musk recommended a biography of Einstein by Walter Isaacson. Einstein is a person who left a huge mark on science and human history.

This book, based on Einstein’s personal correspondence, tells the story of how he rose from a down-on-his-luck patent office worker to a Nobel Prize winner. Musk must have been inspired by this book as well.

Howard Hughes: His Life and Madness, by Donald L. Barrett and James B. Steele

Musk is a longtime fan of Howard Hughes, the wealthy businessman and American aviator.

Musk said in an interview with CNN that he had just finished reading the biography “Howard Hughes.”

Hughes is an eccentric filmmaker and aviation tycoon. It is well known that he suffered from mental abnormalities in his later years. “I definitely don’t want to grow my nails long or urinate in a bottle,” Musk said.

It’s no wonder Musk is attracted to Hughes, who has worked in multiple industries, set speed records and pushed the boundaries of flight.

*This article was first published on July 9, 2020.