Elon Musk’s ability to inspire us to have big dreams once more is his best quality.
The genius and billionaire behind Tesla and SpaceX, Musk, always discuss the future and how we will get there.
But it wasn’t always that way for him. He was once a pretty average kid. So, what changed?
What changed for Musk was that he started reading voraciously. Musk’s early interest in fantasy and science fiction led to his reading Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series.
If you’re looking for some reading material that will change your life as it did for Musk, look no further.
Here Is The List Of Elon Musk Recommended Books
When he’s not launching rockets into space, Elon Musk, the multibillionaire CEO of SpaceX, Tesla, and other ground-breaking tech businesses, finds time to read many books.
Musk attributes his achievement to reading, citing everything from detailed studies on artificial intelligence to classic science fiction.
He is infamous for saying, “I read books,” when asked how he learned to make rockets.
Below is the list of Elon Musk’s recommended books:
1. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
Like Musk, Steve Jobs carved out his niche in the tech world. This book recounts the bold, adventurous life of the creative businessman and quirky Apple pioneer.
Steve Jobs recounts the man’s successful endeavors and the challenges he fought along the way, drawing on Jobs’s earliest experiences with spirituality and LSD to his zenith as a global computer star.
2. Human Compatible by Stuart Russell
Musk has been extremely outspoken on the subject, and Human Compatible outlines why the development of artificial intelligence might be humanity’s ultimate act.
The book explores what must be done to prevent the potential catastrophe that society is on the verge of experiencing.
3. Zero to One by Peter Thiel with Blake Masters
“Peter Thiel has built multiple breakthrough companies, and (this book) illustrates how,” tweeted Elon Musk in support of the book.
Zero to One explores how companies can better predict the future and take action to ensure their startup success. The author enlivens the book’s key takeaways with his own experiences.
Key lessons from the book are brought to life by the author’s personal experiences.
4. Merchants of Doubt by Naomi Oreskes & Erik M. Conway
The most important scientific discussions on the environment, smoking, and nuclear weapons are examined in this book.
The explainer will go over how some prominent scientists have misrepresented these problems in the media, often to aid corporate and industry interests.
5. Life 3.0 by Max Tegmark
If you notice a recurring pattern in the books on this list, it’s because Musk is very interested in the potential applications of artificial intelligence.
In this piece, MIT scientist Max Tegmark discusses how to keep artificial intelligence good for human life and ensure that technological advancements continue to align with humanity’s long-term objectives.
It’s one of the few novels Musk suggests discussing AI being employed for good rather than evil on the planet.
6. The Big Picture by Sean M. Carroll
Musk is passionate about the past, the origins of humanity, and expanding life to other planets. The Big Picture is an ambitious examination of our current reality and how we can use scientific reasoning to explain most of it. This book provides readers with a deductive approach to thinking about the most challenging topics offered by philosophy, physics, and biology. It does this by exploring the beginnings of life, consciousness, and the world itself.
7. Lying by Sam Harris
Lying explains why telling lies is such a dangerous activity. And all lies are included in that, from the little white lies that people tell each day to the big white lies that are occasionally said on the international stage. The truth is always preferable in the end.
8. Superintelligence by Nick Bostrom
Worth reading Superintelligence by Bostrom. We need to be super careful with AI, and Musk has frequently expressed concern about the dangers of unchecked artificial intelligence. It’s “possibly more destructive than nukes,” Musk called the book a “worthy read,” he tweeted in 2014, so “we need to be careful with AI.” Musk argues it’s worth reading
Superintelligence to see why these hazards are so terrifying.
Daringly, the book asks what would happen if computational intelligence were to surpass human intelligence.
9. The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
In the field of economics, The Wealth of Nations has had a significant impact on how we think about economic development. Adam Smith, a supporter of whom Musk even tweeted, “Adam Smith FTW,” contends that societies will advance if people follow their interests in a free market without interference from the government.
10. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
He told the New Yorker that he started reading science fiction and fantasy as an “undersized and picked-on smart-aleck.” “The Lord of the Rings” and the “Foundation” series heroes all felt responsible for defending the Earth.
11. Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson
In an interview, Musk claimed that “He was an entrepreneur.” “He had nothing, to begin with. He was just a runaway kid.
12. Howard Hughes: His Life and Madness by Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele
He recently claimed having just finished this book in an interview with CNN. As a “cautionary tale,” Musk refers to it.
13. Ignition: An informal history of liquid rocket propellants by John D. Clark
Finally, we get to the rocket science part. “There is a good book on rocket stuff called ‘Ignition!’ by John Clark that’s a really fun one,” Musk said in an interview. Becoming a rocket scientist isn’t cheap.
14. Our Final Invention Artificial Intelligence and the End of the Human Era By James Barrat
“Musk called “Our Final Invention,” yet another ode to the dangers of artificial intelligence, a “worthy read” in a 2014 tweet.”
15. Dune By Frank Herbert
The Dune series by Herbert is also brilliant. He advocates placing limits on machine intelligence.”
Conclusion
Elon Musk is an avid reader and has a wide range of interests. He believes that books can help us understand the world better and make it a better place.
