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Elon Musk: A Mission to Save the World
A riveting and beautifully designed YA biography that shows how a once-bullied school boy became an iconic visionary who the New York Times described as "arguably the most important and successful entrepreneur in the world."
Elon Musk is the visionary behind SpaceX and CEO of the electric car company Tesla. He is working on unique and daring improvements to both public transit and solar energy. And then, there's his highly-publicized plans for colonizing Mars...
But behind the mind-blowing headlines and legendary drive is the story of a bullied and beaten school boy, who through creativity and determination decided to rewrite his story and find his own way to make the world a better place. And to do so with a sense of fun and style.
From hosting raves to pay for college to re-writing the rules on space travel, Elon Musk has always gone his own way. And now, award-winning investigative journalist, Anna Crowley Redding takes readers on a well-researched trip through Elon's life and accomplishments.
Elon Musk is the visionary behind SpaceX and CEO of the electric car company Tesla. He is working on unique and daring improvements to both public transit and solar energy. And then, there's his highly-publicized plans for colonizing Mars...
But behind the mind-blowing headlines and legendary drive is the story of a bullied and beaten school boy, who through creativity and determination decided to rewrite his story and find his own way to make the world a better place. And to do so with a sense of fun and style.
From hosting raves to pay for college to re-writing the rules on space travel, Elon Musk has always gone his own way. And now, award-winning investigative journalist, Anna Crowley Redding takes readers on a well-researched trip through Elon's life and accomplishments.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published July 2, 2019
66 people are currently reading
1049 people want to read
About the author
Anna Crowley Redding
12 books49 followersBefore diving into the deep end of writing books, Anna Crowley Redding’s first career was as an Emmy-award winning investigative television reporter, anchor, and journalist. The recipient of multiple Edward R. Murrow awards and recognized by the Associated Press for her reporting, Anna now focuses her stealthy detective skills on digging up great stories for young readers — which, as it turns out, is her true passion. Anna's books have been translated into Russian and Czech.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
August 3, 2019
2.5 stars
A bit hard to rate this one. I actually had no idea until I came on here to write this that this was supposed to be a young adult book; it changed my opinion a bit for the better when I realized that. I would actually even consider it middle grade. I thought the information itself in the book was very interesting but I did not enjoy the writing style at all.
I found that it came across sounding kind of like a gossip column in a lot of spots. Like it seemed to focus on the trivial aspects of a conversation that didn't even seem important. The tone came across as a bit superficial to me. There was also A. Lot. Of. Writing. One. Word. Sentences. to make a point. It was very annoying to me. And I'm not sure that most of the little boxes of random facts or information were necessary.
It's hard for me to say but I feel like if I was a teenager maybe this book may have been more enjoyable? Otherwise, I would definitely recommend skipping this book and instead reading the book on Elon written by Ashlee Vance. In my opinion it was much better.
A bit hard to rate this one. I actually had no idea until I came on here to write this that this was supposed to be a young adult book; it changed my opinion a bit for the better when I realized that. I would actually even consider it middle grade. I thought the information itself in the book was very interesting but I did not enjoy the writing style at all.
I found that it came across sounding kind of like a gossip column in a lot of spots. Like it seemed to focus on the trivial aspects of a conversation that didn't even seem important. The tone came across as a bit superficial to me. There was also A. Lot. Of. Writing. One. Word. Sentences. to make a point. It was very annoying to me. And I'm not sure that most of the little boxes of random facts or information were necessary.
It's hard for me to say but I feel like if I was a teenager maybe this book may have been more enjoyable? Otherwise, I would definitely recommend skipping this book and instead reading the book on Elon written by Ashlee Vance. In my opinion it was much better.
January 22, 2025
*no review*
Read
October 23, 2020Gotta love a book that worships capitalists. Gotta get those young people before they start thinking too critically.
Musk is on a mission to save the world. . . while getting as rich as possible along the way.
Give me a fucking break.
Musk is on a mission to save the world. . . while getting as rich as possible along the way.
Give me a fucking break.
May 25, 2019
This is a flattering biography of Elton Musk aand his vions in various areas. The book is written in a style suitable for middle schoolers. It does in a round-about way offer encougagement for those who want to succeed in life. There is a bibliography. This was a free review copy obtained through Goodreads.com.
Read
October 1, 2019I mean, it’s probably useful to compare and contrast with Trevor Noah’s life growing up in South Africa.
A little too conversational and “according to Rolling Stone magazine” for me.
The audio is so annoying I abandoned that and went back to the print.
A little too conversational and “according to Rolling Stone magazine” for me.
The audio is so annoying I abandoned that and went back to the print.
October 22, 2019
A good biography of Musk, starting with his childhood and then following him throughout his career. The emphasis is on his businesses and creations, with sections devoted to the main people in his life slipped into various chapters along the way.
I like the overview and the details of the risks and challenges of his various companies, but it seemed very accommodating of him. Looking at the bibliography, a lot of the information is from interviews from him and other places where he told his story. That's obviously a great place to start, but I want to feel the biographer had verified stuff. Anyone telling the story of their own life is going to verge into fiction sometimes, because that's how we build the story of ourselves. This book seemed to accept Musk's version as always correct. And he's done amazing things!
I like the overview and the details of the risks and challenges of his various companies, but it seemed very accommodating of him. Looking at the bibliography, a lot of the information is from interviews from him and other places where he told his story. That's obviously a great place to start, but I want to feel the biographer had verified stuff. Anyone telling the story of their own life is going to verge into fiction sometimes, because that's how we build the story of ourselves. This book seemed to accept Musk's version as always correct. And he's done amazing things!
Read
May 3, 2022read this one for book club. Learned a lot. Still don't know what I think of him.
August 27, 2019
Book 68 for #30booksummer was awesome! 🚀 @annacrowleyredding .
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Like Google It, this biography is immensely readable and well structured. Short chapters are interrupted by black one page bios of important figures in Musk's life (I had no idea his mother was a professional model -- still! at age 70!), as well as other interesting information about challenges that Musk has faced like Tesla's need for lithium-ion batteries and his desire to put Internet on Mars. The main text is interrupted occasionally by small gray-shaded boxes with definitions of various terms, "throwback" descriptions of old technology that today's teens might not know about (like pay phones!), and other short tidbits like that Musk once tried to apply for a job at Netscape. Interesting black and white images are scattered throughout the book. I couldn't put this book down and I bet most students won't be able to either.
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I couldn't help admiring Musk for several qualities Redding highlighted. For one, Musk was an insatiable learner from a young age; he read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica as a child and exhausted his local libraries (he read over 10 hours a day sometimes -- that's my kind of kid!). The science fiction books he read as a child helped him dream big and keep an open mind about possibilities. He is also described as stubborn and bull-headed from a young age. He once walked twelve miles to a birthday party when his parents told him he wasn't allowed to go; this determination has certainly served him well in his career of attempting "impossible" things! Finally, I also admired Musk's bravery -- he and his brother moved from their home in South Africa to Canada with hardly any money and nowhere to stay and then proceeded to try to live on $1 a day while they created their first company. .
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We know Musk as the founder of Space X, a company that has a goal of life on Mars by 2028; Tesla, the electric car company; and the Boring Company, which proposes to eliminate traffic problems by creating an underground tunnel system. While he has experienced setbacks and personal drama (so many marriages!), he has been the bravest entrepreneur of our time.
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〰️
Like Google It, this biography is immensely readable and well structured. Short chapters are interrupted by black one page bios of important figures in Musk's life (I had no idea his mother was a professional model -- still! at age 70!), as well as other interesting information about challenges that Musk has faced like Tesla's need for lithium-ion batteries and his desire to put Internet on Mars. The main text is interrupted occasionally by small gray-shaded boxes with definitions of various terms, "throwback" descriptions of old technology that today's teens might not know about (like pay phones!), and other short tidbits like that Musk once tried to apply for a job at Netscape. Interesting black and white images are scattered throughout the book. I couldn't put this book down and I bet most students won't be able to either.
.
〰️
〰️
I couldn't help admiring Musk for several qualities Redding highlighted. For one, Musk was an insatiable learner from a young age; he read the entire Encyclopedia Britannica as a child and exhausted his local libraries (he read over 10 hours a day sometimes -- that's my kind of kid!). The science fiction books he read as a child helped him dream big and keep an open mind about possibilities. He is also described as stubborn and bull-headed from a young age. He once walked twelve miles to a birthday party when his parents told him he wasn't allowed to go; this determination has certainly served him well in his career of attempting "impossible" things! Finally, I also admired Musk's bravery -- he and his brother moved from their home in South Africa to Canada with hardly any money and nowhere to stay and then proceeded to try to live on $1 a day while they created their first company. .
〰️
〰️
We know Musk as the founder of Space X, a company that has a goal of life on Mars by 2028; Tesla, the electric car company; and the Boring Company, which proposes to eliminate traffic problems by creating an underground tunnel system. While he has experienced setbacks and personal drama (so many marriages!), he has been the bravest entrepreneur of our time.
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October 2, 2020
For me, a person who generally dislikes reading, this book was a pretty good read. I found it very interesting going chronologically through the events and Ideas of Elon Musk. The book displays a sort of mini story for every business opportunity and trial he faces along the way, which I find makes this book nice and exciting. This book also helps convey to the reader just what it takes to be a billionaire genius like Elon Musk. What is that?Hard work. Which is true in the world today, and is what Elon knew to be the way to success. This book shows what made him different. How, despite having many opportunities to either quit or go into early retirement, Elon chose to push society to new heights. The following quote from the book show what the book is like:
“He pushed technology to the limit until he forced innovation and breakthrough.”
Overall this book is a good way to go and is a good way to go if you're interested in knowing what Elon Musk went through and what he did to be where he is today. I would recommend this book to plenty of people especially if this person has similar interests. It’s well worth the rather short time it takes to read.
“He pushed technology to the limit until he forced innovation and breakthrough.”
Overall this book is a good way to go and is a good way to go if you're interested in knowing what Elon Musk went through and what he did to be where he is today. I would recommend this book to plenty of people especially if this person has similar interests. It’s well worth the rather short time it takes to read.
November 16, 2020
Have you ever wondered what the early life of a multi-billionaire looks like? If so, Elon Musk: A Mission to Save the World is the book for you.
Elon Musk: A Mission to Save the World is one of two books Anna Crowley Redding has released. It is a biography of Elon Musk’s life from birth to the present day (2019). Anna Crowley reading previously-released a book titled ‘Google It’, and seems to specialize in books about modern-day tech giants, which is clearly shown here.
The book starts off in the 1970s, in Pretoria, South Africa. This is where Elon Musk was born, and where he spent his childhood years. When he was 17, he moved to Canada, alone, to attend Queen's University. Two years later, he transferred to University of Pennsylvania on a scholarship, where he graduated, receiving dual degrees in economics and physics. In 1995, he moved to California, starting fresh at Stanford University to begin a Ph.D. He dropped out two days later. This is where the ball starts rolling. In 1999 he invented Zip2, an online version of the Yellow Pages. He then sells it to Compaq for $307 million, where Elon bags $22 million. He immediately began work on X.com, an online banking system. By October 2002, X.com (now renamed to PayPal) became a huge success and was purchased by eBay for $1.5 billion. After tax, Elon took $180 million. At this point Musk is so rich, he could easily retire. Instead, he decides to found SpaceX, a rocket company focused on a long-term goal of a multi-planetary civilization. In 2004, he joined Tesla Motors, Inc. By 2008, he became CEO. While these are his main endeavors, he has also founded The Boring Company, has helped create SolarCity (now a part of Tesla), and has co-founded Neuralink and OpenAI.
I really enjoyed this book. I look up to Elon, he has already done so much good in his life and still manages to stay human. This book was good for many reasons. For one, Anna Crowley Redding put an immense amount of research into this book, which is clearly shown. As I read, I became drawn in, making me feel like the author interviewed Musk himself! As I just said, the book ‘draws you in’. It does that with its intricate language and comprehensive sentence structure, giving a reader a sense of what his growing up was actually like. I know a lot more about Elon Musk than the average person, but even this book astounded me with some of the things I found. Who knew that while he attended University of Pennsylvania, he and his roommate Adeo rented out a 10-bedroom house and transformed it into a nightclub on weekends? He would host over 500 people, and charged $5 admission per person. That is just one of the many things this book taught me. However, the book isn't perfect. While including a considerable amount of detail is generally good, it can be boring at times. It seemed as if there was almost rambling going on at a few points. All in all, the book is exceptional.
I would recommend this book to the young and tech-savvy. It tells the story of a man who is born and raised in a third-world country, but broke out of his shell, and became one of, if not the greatest inventors of all time.
Overall, I would give this book four out of five stars. It is a great book, but can only be truly appreciated by people of its niche.
Elon Musk: A Mission to Save the World is one of two books Anna Crowley Redding has released. It is a biography of Elon Musk’s life from birth to the present day (2019). Anna Crowley reading previously-released a book titled ‘Google It’, and seems to specialize in books about modern-day tech giants, which is clearly shown here.
The book starts off in the 1970s, in Pretoria, South Africa. This is where Elon Musk was born, and where he spent his childhood years. When he was 17, he moved to Canada, alone, to attend Queen's University. Two years later, he transferred to University of Pennsylvania on a scholarship, where he graduated, receiving dual degrees in economics and physics. In 1995, he moved to California, starting fresh at Stanford University to begin a Ph.D. He dropped out two days later. This is where the ball starts rolling. In 1999 he invented Zip2, an online version of the Yellow Pages. He then sells it to Compaq for $307 million, where Elon bags $22 million. He immediately began work on X.com, an online banking system. By October 2002, X.com (now renamed to PayPal) became a huge success and was purchased by eBay for $1.5 billion. After tax, Elon took $180 million. At this point Musk is so rich, he could easily retire. Instead, he decides to found SpaceX, a rocket company focused on a long-term goal of a multi-planetary civilization. In 2004, he joined Tesla Motors, Inc. By 2008, he became CEO. While these are his main endeavors, he has also founded The Boring Company, has helped create SolarCity (now a part of Tesla), and has co-founded Neuralink and OpenAI.
I really enjoyed this book. I look up to Elon, he has already done so much good in his life and still manages to stay human. This book was good for many reasons. For one, Anna Crowley Redding put an immense amount of research into this book, which is clearly shown. As I read, I became drawn in, making me feel like the author interviewed Musk himself! As I just said, the book ‘draws you in’. It does that with its intricate language and comprehensive sentence structure, giving a reader a sense of what his growing up was actually like. I know a lot more about Elon Musk than the average person, but even this book astounded me with some of the things I found. Who knew that while he attended University of Pennsylvania, he and his roommate Adeo rented out a 10-bedroom house and transformed it into a nightclub on weekends? He would host over 500 people, and charged $5 admission per person. That is just one of the many things this book taught me. However, the book isn't perfect. While including a considerable amount of detail is generally good, it can be boring at times. It seemed as if there was almost rambling going on at a few points. All in all, the book is exceptional.
I would recommend this book to the young and tech-savvy. It tells the story of a man who is born and raised in a third-world country, but broke out of his shell, and became one of, if not the greatest inventors of all time.
Overall, I would give this book four out of five stars. It is a great book, but can only be truly appreciated by people of its niche.
June 6, 2021
A great read that was written in layman's terms to that the rest of us earthlings can understand what is happening to our world, thanks to Elon Musk.
So many projects on the go - and more in the making. That pretty much describes what Elon Musk, the greatest inventor, collaborator and forward-thinker of our time is busy with. What people forget is that he couldn't have done it alone...he hires people that are experts in their field, he invests in people and puts his trust into the CEOs of his companies. He seeks investors to help fund projects that he knows will benefit us all in the future. He 'let's go' of certain creations (like Zip2 and X.com) to fund other, more important projects. I believe all entrepreneurs around the world, can learn something from reading this book. It's about balance, focus and passion about what you want to achieve...and the aptly timed 'know when to fold them'.
Most people are complacent in their daily grind, never questioning if there is a better, more efficient way of working or achieving the goal that their business or company they work for.. is aiming to accomplish. The pandemic is helping us progress, in a way, forcing many companies to adapt and offer options to their employees to stay home and work. Now you can choose your location, you don't need to worry about wasting time in traffic jams on your daily commute. Choose a home in the mountains - or on an island in the Pacific, and someday - far (?) in the future - on Mars. Perhaps we are seeing the beginning of the end of cities. The global pandemic of Covid19 is helping all these wheels start: By bringing the world to a grinding halt - we have kick-started a move forward.
The need for roads, repair of roads and gas vehicles is becoming a thing of the past. The need for transportation, period, may even be brought into question. Perhaps a hyperloop under the surface is not the best idea. Perhaps it will destroy the earth even more. Creating ‘space’ underground may push us towards colonizing space. This may sound crazy – but I’m not alone. Elon is at the top of the heap of 'thinking outside of the box'. He realized that one of the core problems in the world is our education system, and the archaic way we teach our children. Hopefully he'll attack that with the same fervor as he had launching rockets into space...because when Elon Musk dies - his dreams and ability to alter the future based on those dreams may die along with him. Honestly, what we do need – is the ability to make more Elon Musks.
I will predict something right here...
....the man who warned us of A.I. will be the man who creates, and perfects it. The man who wants to save the Earth, could be the man who causes its destruction. Elon Musk is scared of the one thing he is using in every Tesla that hits the road, in every rocket that 'knows' how to land itself without breaking apart. Why? ...because he is scared of the destruction of the human race due to climate change (or an asteroid hitting the planet) even more!
Just like life and work or simply reading a book - take it all with a grain of salt. There is always a point where inventors start bottling their urine! :P So watch Elon closely – ‘cause it’s only a matter of time - and hopefully by that time...we have an army of inventors that are waiting eagerly to pick up the torch...and run.
Our lives depend on it.
So many projects on the go - and more in the making. That pretty much describes what Elon Musk, the greatest inventor, collaborator and forward-thinker of our time is busy with. What people forget is that he couldn't have done it alone...he hires people that are experts in their field, he invests in people and puts his trust into the CEOs of his companies. He seeks investors to help fund projects that he knows will benefit us all in the future. He 'let's go' of certain creations (like Zip2 and X.com) to fund other, more important projects. I believe all entrepreneurs around the world, can learn something from reading this book. It's about balance, focus and passion about what you want to achieve...and the aptly timed 'know when to fold them'.
Most people are complacent in their daily grind, never questioning if there is a better, more efficient way of working or achieving the goal that their business or company they work for.. is aiming to accomplish. The pandemic is helping us progress, in a way, forcing many companies to adapt and offer options to their employees to stay home and work. Now you can choose your location, you don't need to worry about wasting time in traffic jams on your daily commute. Choose a home in the mountains - or on an island in the Pacific, and someday - far (?) in the future - on Mars. Perhaps we are seeing the beginning of the end of cities. The global pandemic of Covid19 is helping all these wheels start: By bringing the world to a grinding halt - we have kick-started a move forward.
The need for roads, repair of roads and gas vehicles is becoming a thing of the past. The need for transportation, period, may even be brought into question. Perhaps a hyperloop under the surface is not the best idea. Perhaps it will destroy the earth even more. Creating ‘space’ underground may push us towards colonizing space. This may sound crazy – but I’m not alone. Elon is at the top of the heap of 'thinking outside of the box'. He realized that one of the core problems in the world is our education system, and the archaic way we teach our children. Hopefully he'll attack that with the same fervor as he had launching rockets into space...because when Elon Musk dies - his dreams and ability to alter the future based on those dreams may die along with him. Honestly, what we do need – is the ability to make more Elon Musks.
I will predict something right here...
....the man who warned us of A.I. will be the man who creates, and perfects it. The man who wants to save the Earth, could be the man who causes its destruction. Elon Musk is scared of the one thing he is using in every Tesla that hits the road, in every rocket that 'knows' how to land itself without breaking apart. Why? ...because he is scared of the destruction of the human race due to climate change (or an asteroid hitting the planet) even more!
Just like life and work or simply reading a book - take it all with a grain of salt. There is always a point where inventors start bottling their urine! :P So watch Elon closely – ‘cause it’s only a matter of time - and hopefully by that time...we have an army of inventors that are waiting eagerly to pick up the torch...and run.
Our lives depend on it.
January 16, 2020
Elon Musk a Mission to Save The World tells the story about Elon his plans and his journey. It starts off from his childhood and it works his way up. Telling stories about his rocket obsession learning to cement bricks and his insane love for books anything he could get his hands on he could read. I think Anna Crowley Redding did a fantastic job, I am an eighth grader who likes these types of books and highly recommend it.
When he had his heart set to find more books when he had nothing left to read he wanted nothing more than to move to north america, where he can get the latest news tech and most importantly books. Elon tried to convince his wealthy father but he just would not budge. Finally a day came where he got his very own computer, he became obsessed with coding everything from the coding books he had learned elon put it into the system. And he soon had a game which he sold the code for five hundred dollars. Elon finally moved away to Canada where he attended school at queen's university, He lived on his cousins farm, where he lived off of hotdog's and oranges.
Later in the book it talks about his journey from paypal which he sold in 2002 for 1 billion and with his first billion he decided to join and raise space x, while the following year joining tesla and working on the roadster. The owner and chairman of tesla left when it overwhelmed him leaving elon in a mess, he hadn't had one successful space x launch he was in quite the predicament. In 2008 Elon had to make a decision save one company or take a risk and save both or have them both fail. He took the risk which helped tesla and space x had its first successful launch which nasa then donated 1.6 billion dollars which saved elon completely. since then elon has had so much success with both companies he started boring, which is a side company that made not a flamethrower and is starting a system of tunnels which he says will be the future of driving.
When he had his heart set to find more books when he had nothing left to read he wanted nothing more than to move to north america, where he can get the latest news tech and most importantly books. Elon tried to convince his wealthy father but he just would not budge. Finally a day came where he got his very own computer, he became obsessed with coding everything from the coding books he had learned elon put it into the system. And he soon had a game which he sold the code for five hundred dollars. Elon finally moved away to Canada where he attended school at queen's university, He lived on his cousins farm, where he lived off of hotdog's and oranges.
Later in the book it talks about his journey from paypal which he sold in 2002 for 1 billion and with his first billion he decided to join and raise space x, while the following year joining tesla and working on the roadster. The owner and chairman of tesla left when it overwhelmed him leaving elon in a mess, he hadn't had one successful space x launch he was in quite the predicament. In 2008 Elon had to make a decision save one company or take a risk and save both or have them both fail. He took the risk which helped tesla and space x had its first successful launch which nasa then donated 1.6 billion dollars which saved elon completely. since then elon has had so much success with both companies he started boring, which is a side company that made not a flamethrower and is starting a system of tunnels which he says will be the future of driving.
November 11, 2019
Although I'd heard the name--Elon Musk--before and knew that he was responsible for electric cars and possible space exploration of Mars, I didn't know much else about him. I came away from this very complimentary biography feeling impressed with his determination, passion, and creativity but not knowing much about the man himself. While it might have been painful to explore those early years when he didn't fit in and was bullied, doing so in more depth than just a few passing references as is seen here would have made his accomplishments and inspiration all that more impressive. The focus here seems to be on his businesses, pet projects, and innovations, which are arguably groundbreaking--online banking, affordable public transportation, rockets that can be used more than once, solar panels for heat--but I longed to know more about the man behind these innovations and what has motivated him to be on a mission to save the world. There is a shallow, almost gossipy and gasp-worthiness about the text that left me feeling annoyed instead of feeling impressed. Fans of this man will enjoy the suggestions for places to visit on a road trip as well as some of the books that have inspired him. If nothing else, I came away from this book with a vivid reminder of just how much the world has changed in the past twenty years--and perhaps, if Elon Musk has his way--how much it will change in the next two decades. Another good lesson came from his persistence and ability to rise after multiple failures and the comments of naysayers, but man! the kind of wealth described here leaves me gobsmacked. At least he seems to be trying to do good with it. I now know more about all his projects and innovations but not much about Elon himself. Even the snippets about other Musk family members don't reveal very much.
March 10, 2024
[Elon Musk: A Mission to Save the World - Anna Crowley Redding]
Rating: 4.67/5.00
"Failure is an option, but giving up is not.
After completing this book, I understand why numerous individuals find Elon Musk as their role model. Despite being a flawed character with a far-from-perfect childhood, Elon chooses to break the barriers and invest in his future while finding a purpose in saving humanity.
The road to this seemingly out-of-reach dream is not smooth sailing for him. However, he stands for his beliefs and challenges the status quo to make the impossible possible. While failures are inevitable in his trial-and-error processes, he never gives up on his pursuits and instead pours more effort into his passion.
As a result, his resilience and dedication have led to many revolutionary companies, products, and services (SpaceX, Tesla, etc.). And while his unstable personal life and the medium of naysayers have been trying to spot the flaws to bring him down, he has almost always risen from the ash in triumph like a phoenix.
Overall, I am not here to praise Elon Musk as a flawless, perfect person. Yet, we can all use our logic to recognise and appreciate his endless attempts and accomplishments to find ways to save and alleviate the way humankind has been living. And I bet his mission is far from completion."
#ElonMuskAMissionToSaveTheWorld #AnnaCrowleyRedding #Biography #Nonfiction
Rating: 4.67/5.00
"Failure is an option, but giving up is not.
After completing this book, I understand why numerous individuals find Elon Musk as their role model. Despite being a flawed character with a far-from-perfect childhood, Elon chooses to break the barriers and invest in his future while finding a purpose in saving humanity.
The road to this seemingly out-of-reach dream is not smooth sailing for him. However, he stands for his beliefs and challenges the status quo to make the impossible possible. While failures are inevitable in his trial-and-error processes, he never gives up on his pursuits and instead pours more effort into his passion.
As a result, his resilience and dedication have led to many revolutionary companies, products, and services (SpaceX, Tesla, etc.). And while his unstable personal life and the medium of naysayers have been trying to spot the flaws to bring him down, he has almost always risen from the ash in triumph like a phoenix.
Overall, I am not here to praise Elon Musk as a flawless, perfect person. Yet, we can all use our logic to recognise and appreciate his endless attempts and accomplishments to find ways to save and alleviate the way humankind has been living. And I bet his mission is far from completion."
#ElonMuskAMissionToSaveTheWorld #AnnaCrowleyRedding #Biography #Nonfiction
February 26, 2021
Have you ever wondered how one of the richest people in the world was so successful and what he has done. Or if you want to know how he got so smart. Elon Musk A Mission to Save the World is a great fit for you. Elon Musk A Mission to Save the World by Anna Crowley Redding is about Elon Musk’s life. It starts out when he is a kid and brings you through his life. Through him getting smart, traveling, making his first good amount of money, and all the way to launching his most popular company Tesla.
Elons life was not the best as a boy. As he got older it got better and better. He never stopped thriving to be better and solve problems. He looked at all the problems in the world. He now is trying to solve them all. The big theme that I thought popped out at me was knowledge brings success. Just because he is so smart and has gained so much knowledge and is now one of the most successful people ever. “‘At one point, I ran out of books to read at the school library and the neighborhood library’, Elon said” (9). One way he got extremely smart is constantly reading. This helped him with a lot of things and helped him develop as a kid.
If you like this book, you may also like Sam Walton: made in america by Sam Walton and John Huey. I rate this book a 5/5 stars because it is really detailed into his life and shows how successful Elon Musk really is.
Elons life was not the best as a boy. As he got older it got better and better. He never stopped thriving to be better and solve problems. He looked at all the problems in the world. He now is trying to solve them all. The big theme that I thought popped out at me was knowledge brings success. Just because he is so smart and has gained so much knowledge and is now one of the most successful people ever. “‘At one point, I ran out of books to read at the school library and the neighborhood library’, Elon said” (9). One way he got extremely smart is constantly reading. This helped him with a lot of things and helped him develop as a kid.
If you like this book, you may also like Sam Walton: made in america by Sam Walton and John Huey. I rate this book a 5/5 stars because it is really detailed into his life and shows how successful Elon Musk really is.
February 16, 2020
The reason I chose the biography of Elon Musk was my love for space and space exploration. Which makes it quite hard to ignore his name floating around that topic. Still, I didn’t know much about him so I decided to read more about him through this book.
What I liked about Elon Musk is the structure of the book, making it easy to read and understand. Filling in and context or gaps in the writing with little boxes. The author captures this sort of determination of a mood during the book making it extremely inspiring. The trial and error that is shown throughout the book and in Elon’s life was extremely captivating and special.
Issues I had with this book was the sometimes repetitive feel of it, going from adding a lot of detail to something and quickly switching to something else with much less detail included. For example, when the topic of the failure of SpaceX’s three launches came up, not much war said about them and was covered in about a page. It was never put into detail about why they failed for what happened, but it was pretty frustrating and sometimes made the book boring.
But still, my final verdict for this book is a 4/5. Simply for the easy to follow layout and my enjoyment on the topic. I’d possibly consider to read it again or refer a book to a friend
What I liked about Elon Musk is the structure of the book, making it easy to read and understand. Filling in and context or gaps in the writing with little boxes. The author captures this sort of determination of a mood during the book making it extremely inspiring. The trial and error that is shown throughout the book and in Elon’s life was extremely captivating and special.
Issues I had with this book was the sometimes repetitive feel of it, going from adding a lot of detail to something and quickly switching to something else with much less detail included. For example, when the topic of the failure of SpaceX’s three launches came up, not much war said about them and was covered in about a page. It was never put into detail about why they failed for what happened, but it was pretty frustrating and sometimes made the book boring.
But still, my final verdict for this book is a 4/5. Simply for the easy to follow layout and my enjoyment on the topic. I’d possibly consider to read it again or refer a book to a friend
April 27, 2020
The book Elon Musk: A Mission to Save the World is a biography of the famous billionaire Elon Musk. Throughout the book Elon Musk does some pretty amazing things. He starts life in South Africa, and then moves to Canada. He pioneers online banking with X-com, becomes a billionaire, and moves to the U.S..
It seems that he can see the monetary potential in just about everything. More importantly, he also wants to make the world a better place, no matter the cost. The book consists of several stories about the companies that he has made; their challenges, and their accomplishments. By far my favorite story is the story of SpaceX.
Basically Elon Musk wants to put some green plants on Mars. Decides to buy a rocket from the Americans, and then the Russians. Neither work. So of course the obvious choice of action is to build an entire rocket factory.
The book goes surprisingly quick. Before you know it you are halfway done with it. It is fun, entertaining, and does not take months to read. Definitely a great book to read.
It seems that he can see the monetary potential in just about everything. More importantly, he also wants to make the world a better place, no matter the cost. The book consists of several stories about the companies that he has made; their challenges, and their accomplishments. By far my favorite story is the story of SpaceX.
Basically Elon Musk wants to put some green plants on Mars. Decides to buy a rocket from the Americans, and then the Russians. Neither work. So of course the obvious choice of action is to build an entire rocket factory.
The book goes surprisingly quick. Before you know it you are halfway done with it. It is fun, entertaining, and does not take months to read. Definitely a great book to read.
June 7, 2019
"Elon Musk: A Mission to Save the World" is a biography written for kids, but would appeal to anyone who is interested in knowing more about the man behind SpaceX and Tesla. This book was very enjoyable to read. It doesn't give give the pretty info about Elon, but also dabs on some of the more ugly things. I really liked how throughout the book they have inserts called Elon's Bookshelf and it will have a book he recommends and why he recommends it. They also have inserts called Road Trips that has the various addresses of Elon's projects that you can check out if in that area.
Elon Musk is a great believer in never giving up. This is a great message for everyone to take when they read this book.
***I received this book through GoodReads Member Giveaway. The review is solely my own opinion.***
Elon Musk is a great believer in never giving up. This is a great message for everyone to take when they read this book.
***I received this book through GoodReads Member Giveaway. The review is solely my own opinion.***
December 22, 2019
What impressed me most about Elon Musk after reading this book is the way he thinks about problems - he never thinks that a problem can't be solved. While most of us are pretty much bound by the present, Elon is forever looking into the future and what we can do to get there faster. Anna Crowley Redding has written a book that should inspire all of us to rethink the way we view obstacles. This is a page-turner that describes advanced technology in a way that makes it understandable and relatable. I am intrigued to find out where Elon will go with the Mars mission and the Loop and Hyperloop projects. I suspect that this book will hook budding young scientists into making their own remarkable discoveries and inventions.
March 27, 2020
It is a quick and fun read. It's probably targeted to a younger audience than me. That may turn out to be an enjoyable aspect of this book for you, because the narrative sticks to the exciting stuff for the most part. It doesn't get bogged down in minute details. It really moves along, and I read it in two sittings. I'm a big Elon Musk fan already, so I admit I may be a little biased. However, this book covers some more recent events in Musk's life (as compared to the Ashlee Vance book). As fast as things develop in the worlds of Tesla and SpaceX, I really enjoyed reading the more recent events in this one. They may need to publish a sequel soon though, because there's already been BIG doings in both companies since this book was published!
May 20, 2024
I think that this book was pretty interesting i found it very good and how it talked about his success on what he did and how the dates on every thing that he did and how there are chapter to the book that have detailed on them like how on chapter 7 it talks on the first car that can drive by it self and how there are more stuff like that and like how there are more that show when he launched the rocket to space and how there were some of them that blow up and the he quoted that he never gave up on it then he finale did it. so this books talks a lot about how the successfully accomplish his dream and how he never gave up on what he what suppose to do and how took risk. but overall i really liked this book it showed me that to never give up on what to do and to not give myself a hard time.
July 20, 2019
As it states on various websites, this is a book geared towards young adult readers. With that said, it's laid out in a fashion meant to inspire a new —and old, for that matter— generation of dreamers.
It goes over Musk's knowledge driven beginnings, continues through his ambitious adolescent years, and ends up to his Iron-Man-esque lifestyle where he's is CEO of multiple companies of tomorrow yet still willing to answer the cries of the people for help, hope, and faith in the future.
But that's just my take.
It goes over Musk's knowledge driven beginnings, continues through his ambitious adolescent years, and ends up to his Iron-Man-esque lifestyle where he's is CEO of multiple companies of tomorrow yet still willing to answer the cries of the people for help, hope, and faith in the future.
But that's just my take.
December 7, 2020
This biography on Elon Musk is a remarkable read. It explains Elon's life in detail. His youth in South Africa to his billion-dollar career in the states. The book is easy to read and keeps you interested throughout. The author uses many interviews with Elon Musk as well as quotes or tweets for direct information about Elon and his companies like Tesla, SpaceX, and The Boring Company. You will read about Elon's goals for the future, what he aims to achieve in his lifetime and his secrets to success.
June 1, 2021
Another great Elon book
Every time I listen to a book about the guy I get inspired to read more books (his initial method for gaining intelligence) and to develop my life
His will and determination to get to America from South Africa then to aggressively pursue his ideals, even though he knew they could bankrupt him, is a testament towards the power of grit
I recommend this book to anyone who wants some additional motivation in life
Every time I listen to a book about the guy I get inspired to read more books (his initial method for gaining intelligence) and to develop my life
His will and determination to get to America from South Africa then to aggressively pursue his ideals, even though he knew they could bankrupt him, is a testament towards the power of grit
I recommend this book to anyone who wants some additional motivation in life
March 4, 2023
I thought this was a good concise biography but I am slightly confused why it was written as it is extremely similar to the Ashlee Vance biography. Many of the stories overlap or are the exact same. Redding goes a little more in-depth into Solar City and comes from a more personal and relational perspective but if you have read the Ashlee Vance biography you are not going to get a lot of new information from this.
October 24, 2019
I thought that this book was very good and well made. The author did a good job in recreating Elon Musk's life in a nutshell. The book was very short and was very detailed. It was not a book that was boring, but it was very interesting. Most biographies are long and boring, but this book keeps you entertained. I would definitely recommend everyone to read this book.
May 11, 2020
Highly informative! I love the writing style so much that I’m going to read “Google It” next. This book teaches everything Elon Musk has accomplished from his humble beginnings in South Africa to current day. I highly recommend this to any software, space, or car nerds! It really makes you want to get out and do something meaningful with your life! He makes it seem easy.
April 16, 2021
A Book written for Young Adults / Middle School students and tbh, its pretty engaging in its part, The Trivia Section, Vocabulary Alert etc has certainly made it a more entertaining read.
A good place to start and get a glimpse about Musk 's Biography but for more thorough read, Ashlee Vance Version is much superior.
A good place to start and get a glimpse about Musk 's Biography but for more thorough read, Ashlee Vance Version is much superior.
August 13, 2023
Listened to as an audiobook book, about 5:30hrs so it was a quick ‘read’.
I learned many things about Elon which I didn’t know before. I also watched some Netflix documentaries.
And I must say, he is an inspiration and a gem. He is smart, innovative, creative. Yes, he is rich and has 10 kids…
But we need more people like him - when it comes to science and humanity.
I learned many things about Elon which I didn’t know before. I also watched some Netflix documentaries.
And I must say, he is an inspiration and a gem. He is smart, innovative, creative. Yes, he is rich and has 10 kids…
But we need more people like him - when it comes to science and humanity.
category-dnf
September 28, 2023A DNF as it was too similar to a previous read, Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future.
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