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The Engineer: Follow Elon Musk on a journey from South Africa to Mars
This is a book about the beginning of a journey. Elon Musk is the main person in the journey through a roller-coaster life. His journey includes everything from Winston Churchill’s adventures in British colonies to demolished sports cars. From failed marriages to German scientists escaping from the Red Army. From the oil industry to the Burning Man festival.
Elon has been described as the Steve Jobs of heavy industry, as a modern version of the scientist Nikola Tesla, and as the Henry Ford of rockets. There’s a high probability that the British Secret Intelligence Service has a file on him. As the files of other James Bond villains, it describes secret rocket launches in the Pacific Ocean. But Elon doesn’t own a white cat - he’s more of a dog person. Maybe the most comparable persons are the great explorers who voyaged across the globe. They had an entrepreneurial spirit, were a little crazy, tried what no one else had tried, and thought what no one else had thought.
If you want to describe the companies Elon has founded with one theme, you can say that they improve the world with the help of innovative technologies. This is exactly what our world needs.
Buy it here: https://leanpub.com/theengineer/
Elon has been described as the Steve Jobs of heavy industry, as a modern version of the scientist Nikola Tesla, and as the Henry Ford of rockets. There’s a high probability that the British Secret Intelligence Service has a file on him. As the files of other James Bond villains, it describes secret rocket launches in the Pacific Ocean. But Elon doesn’t own a white cat - he’s more of a dog person. Maybe the most comparable persons are the great explorers who voyaged across the globe. They had an entrepreneurial spirit, were a little crazy, tried what no one else had tried, and thought what no one else had thought.
If you want to describe the companies Elon has founded with one theme, you can say that they improve the world with the help of innovative technologies. This is exactly what our world needs.
Buy it here: https://leanpub.com/theengineer/
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First published January 1, 2013
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About the author
Erik Nordeus
1 book10 followers"The Engineer - Follow Elon Musk on a journey from South Africa to Mars" was my first book, but it was fun to write it so it will probably not be my last.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 20, 2014
Hats off to the author, Erik Nordeus, who compiled hundreds of public sources into this inspiring story about a great man who will soon become even greater.
The book is chock-full of facts and information, clearly laid out in a digestible timeline which ends in 2012. The best stories, I am sure, are yet to come, and I hope this book gets more updates.
The missing fifth star in my review goes to the fact that this self-published book needs professional editing and cleaning up. But don't let this keep you from reading it, it is worth your time and your money.
I'm also hopeful that Elon Musk would find a couple of hours in his crazy busy schedule to give additional authority and authenticity to this book. Maybe someone should give the man a little nudge? ;)
Being a self-published author myself, I can only say that the world needs books like these and authors like Erik Nordeus, whose number one motivation was to inspire more people to dream bigger, just like Musk dreams bigger. Telling a story about a contemporary man who is too busy bringing humanity to Mars to tell his own story himself is important. The world needs more troublemakers like Musk, and in order to manufacture them, we need stories like this one. Get the book, I guarantee you will be inspired to be more while you're still alive.
The book is chock-full of facts and information, clearly laid out in a digestible timeline which ends in 2012. The best stories, I am sure, are yet to come, and I hope this book gets more updates.
The missing fifth star in my review goes to the fact that this self-published book needs professional editing and cleaning up. But don't let this keep you from reading it, it is worth your time and your money.
I'm also hopeful that Elon Musk would find a couple of hours in his crazy busy schedule to give additional authority and authenticity to this book. Maybe someone should give the man a little nudge? ;)
Being a self-published author myself, I can only say that the world needs books like these and authors like Erik Nordeus, whose number one motivation was to inspire more people to dream bigger, just like Musk dreams bigger. Telling a story about a contemporary man who is too busy bringing humanity to Mars to tell his own story himself is important. The world needs more troublemakers like Musk, and in order to manufacture them, we need stories like this one. Get the book, I guarantee you will be inspired to be more while you're still alive.
August 9, 2016
3 stars for the story and 1 for Elon. Amazing journey and no matter what is the motives of Elon the truth is that he is pushing humanity forward
February 14, 2017
I hope a few centuries later people will be remembering Elon Musk for his positive contributions (successfully achieved) to the history of humanity.
September 13, 2013
Erik Nordeus has done a commendable job, scouring the web of resources to build a narrative of Elon Musk— a man too busy to get involved in a biography— and doing so in a different language! The book is an interesting business model (see leanpub.com/theengineer for more information) and it serves well as a first pass on the story of Elon Musk. I actually learned quite a bit.
In the future I really hope Nordeus is able to get an English editor and make some follow up interviews with the man himself. Also, since the book has the tinge of hero worship, I hope that Nordeus can give us some more constructive criticism of Elon (who, admittedly I worship as a hero myself). Regardless, it is an easy and quick read, and well worth it.
In the future I really hope Nordeus is able to get an English editor and make some follow up interviews with the man himself. Also, since the book has the tinge of hero worship, I hope that Nordeus can give us some more constructive criticism of Elon (who, admittedly I worship as a hero myself). Regardless, it is an easy and quick read, and well worth it.
April 19, 2018
I love to read anything about Elon Musk--and this book sure gave me a lot more details about his business and his personal life. This book helped me get to know better how Elon works and operates.
Strongly recommended for everyone....as soon as you can read. Elon Musk sure is a unique individual...he is already up-there with the great minds that helped humanity--and he still working at it...he is not done yet, not yet.
Strongly recommended for everyone....as soon as you can read. Elon Musk sure is a unique individual...he is already up-there with the great minds that helped humanity--and he still working at it...he is not done yet, not yet.
March 8, 2017
First the bad. Has some typos and inconsistent language - could have been better edited. Also might be opinionated and biased as it's one author's racounting of Musk's life events.
The good: it's a valuable, extensive biography and history of Musk. It gives you perspective on all his different enterprises and the context for each. Very comprehensive.
The good: it's a valuable, extensive biography and history of Musk. It gives you perspective on all his different enterprises and the context for each. Very comprehensive.
February 24, 2016
The Book was a partial of a biography of Elon Musk Innovative life , I enjoyed every chapter of it only one chapter which was about his romance life and stuff ( i found it boring) , i recommend this book to every person love technology,engineer or engineer student ... Enjoy it
December 9, 2025
I love to read anything about Elon Musk--and this book sure gave me a lot more details about his business and his personal life. This book helped me get to know better how Elon works and operates.
Strongly recommended for everyone....as soon as you can read. Elon Musk sure is a unique individual...he is already up-there with the great minds that helped humanity--and he still working at it...he is not done yet, not yet.
Strongly recommended for everyone....as soon as you can read. Elon Musk sure is a unique individual...he is already up-there with the great minds that helped humanity--and he still working at it...he is not done yet, not yet.
October 30, 2019
What really shines about this book is the depth of research that Erik Nordeus has done. Despite never meeting with Elon Musk, the author is able to print a very vivid and detailed picture of his various ventures. However, this leads the book to be more about the ventures and less about the man himself. Also, this book could have used a little more marketing.
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October 1, 2020I require this book
May 25, 2015
This unofficial biography is not very well written. There are typos, grammatical mistakes and the writing is often confusing and hard to follow. But since it's the closest thing we have right now to Elon Musk's biography, I don't want to complain too much. If you're interested in the man, this is the only decent option right now.
January 22, 2014
There will be a better biography, as it's mainly based on public articles. But for now, this is a must-read.
October 31, 2023
Very good and detail all you need to do is reading and learn by doing
November 16, 2015
Motivating story. A must read.
April 24, 2016
A man to inspire the world through his innovation.
January 8, 2016
Very detailed biography of Elon Musk. I would say it as good as the biography from Ashlee Vance.
June 7, 2016
A really interesting read
Want to read
April 18, 2017great book describing Elon Musk history
June 15, 2017
A Very inspiring account of Elon musks journey so far. One good thing I like about this book is that the author has given a good timeline at the end. Sort of a refresher. Also there a lot more subjects and people touched while talking about Elon Musk. Definitely recommend this book.
September 24, 2017
A really interesting read.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews