Elon Musk and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance (review)

This adaptation of Vance’s adult biography Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future offers a glimpse into the life of this driven individual, focusing primarily on his work rather than his personal life. Of course for Musk, that is an appropriate balance, as one thing that is abundantly clear about the man is that he is happiest when working, and that he expects shockingly long hours and intense commitment from his employees as well. Musk may not be as instantly recognizable to teens as Zuckerberg or Jobs, but given his work with PayPal, Tesla, and SpaceX, he should be. Vance delves into all of his work with detailed passion (understanding Musk’s work even in this younger adaptation requires more than a bit of scientific knowledge and enough curiosity to be willing to slow down during the dense instructional portions). The title mostly glosses over his divorce and remarriage, and edges around, for the most part, his run-ins with colleagues or employees that built his reputation as an irascible, ruthless guy. But again, the man’s nearly always working anyway, so it’s a fair choice on Vance’s part to hone in on that aspect most. A timeline is more impressive than helpful, offering snippets of glory or interesting moments in a two-page spread.