Elon Musk, the entrepreneur and innovator behind Tesla, SpaceX, and other groundbreaking ventures, has often attributed his success to a lifelong love of reading. He once famously said, “I read books.” This page delves into the fascinating world of Elon Musk’s favorite books, exploring the titles that have shaped his perspectives on technology, philosophy, the future, and more. Discover the key takeaways from these influential works and gain a deeper understanding of the mind of a visionary.
Lex Fridman Podcast
Conversations about science, technology, history, philosophy and the nature of intelligence, consciousness, love, and power. Lex is an AI researcher at MIT and beyond.
Episode: Elon Musk: Neuralink and the Future of Humanity | Lex Fridman Podcast #438 (Published on August 2, 2024)
Snow Crash
Buy Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson on Amazon
Some of the first books I picked up included 'Ender’s Game,' the entire saga by Orson Scott Card, 'Neuromancer' by William Gibson, and 'Snow Crash' by Neal Stephenson.
DJ Seo, co-founder, president, and COO of Neuralink, shares his experience of reading influential books, including 'Snow Crash' by Neal Stephenson, during his teenage years while learning English.
Episode: Elon Musk: War, AI, Aliens, Politics, Physics, Video Games, and Humanity | Lex Fridman Podcast #400 (Published on November 9, 2023)
Brave New World
Buy Brave New World by Aldous Huxley on Amazon
No, it probably will go to Brave New World. What would be the question? Tell us about the drug called Soma.
Elon mentions *Brave New World* as context for a discussion about the drug named 'Soma' and an example of the dystopian realities created by artificial happiness in the society depicted in the novel.
Brave New World
Buy Brave New World by Aldous Huxley on Amazon
(Elon) No, I mean Soma from Brave New World. It’s going to be like, oops, I’m really sorry.
Elon refers to the concept of Soma from *Brave New World*, illustrating a comparison that evokes the themes from the book.
Brave New World
Buy Brave New World by Aldous Huxley on Amazon
Soma from Brave New World is a different beast altogether. Now in this Huxley's dystopian novel, Soma is a drug that plays a central role in society as depicted in the book.
Grok revisits *Brave New World*, identifying it as a dystopian novel written by Aldous Huxley, and explains the function of Soma within the narrative.
Elon Musk
Buy Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson on Amazon
Walter Isaacson, in his new biography of you, wrote about your difficult childhood. Will you ever find forgiveness in your heart for everything that has happened to you during that period of your life?
During the conversation, Lex Fridman references Walter Isaacson's recent biography of Elon Musk, using it as a springboard to ask Elon about forgiveness concerning his challenging childhood.
Episode: Elon Musk: SpaceX, Mars, Tesla Autopilot, Self-Driving, Robotics, and AI | Lex Fridman Podcast #252 (Published on December 28, 2021)
Stalin
Buy Stalin by Simon Sebag-Montefiore on Amazon
There aren't many books I had to stop reading due to their darkness, but 'The Court of the Red Tsar' about Stalin was too heavy and dark for me.
Elon Musk mentions that he had to stop reading the book 'The Court of the Red Tsar' because it was too dark. This remark came during a discussion about history and the darker aspects of human behavior, where the book served as an example of a challenging historical narrative.
The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Buy The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams on Amazon
Well, really, I think what Douglas Adams was saying in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is that the universe is the answer. What we really need to figure out are the questions to ask about the answer that is the universe.
During a discussion about the meaning of life, Elon Musk references Douglas Adams' 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,' highlighting the book's concept that while the universe is the answer, understanding the right questions to ask is crucial.
... Trotzdem Ja zum Leben sagen
Buy ... Trotzdem Ja zum Leben sagen by Viktor E. Frankl on Amazon
Man's search for meaning—it's not the whole thing; a search for meaning is, yeah, what's the meaning of life and all, you know? But just generally, like I said, I would encourage people to read broadly in many different subject areas.
Elon Musk discusses 'Man's Search for Meaning' while exploring the idea of how humans seek meaning and purpose in life, emphasizing the importance of broad reading.
Episode: Joe Rogan Experience #2223 - Elon Musk (Published on November 4, 2024)
The Real Anthony Fauci
Buy The Real Anthony Fauci by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Amazon
If you read RFK's book, 'The Real Anthony Fauci', if that's correct, if the facts are in there, that's true, it's all referenced, you could find the sources and on top of it he's never been sued for that book, which doesn't make any sense.
Joe Rogan and Elon Musk discuss the book 'The Real Anthony Fauci' by RFK, questioning the factual accuracy and the notable absence of legal action against it, suggesting it contains well-referenced information.
Blitzed
Buy Blitzed by Norman Ohler on Amazon
That book over there, Blitzed, is all about the use of methamphetamines and the different drugs that they gave their soldiers. The guys on the front line, they gave the most meth! They had different dosages!
Elon Musk discusses the book 'Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich', highlighting its exploration of the use of methamphetamines by soldiers during wartime.