Books Recommended by Elon Musk
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Life 3.0
Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Max Tegmark
Source: "A compelling guide to the challenges and choices in our quest for a great future of life, intelligence and consciousness—on Earth and beyond." - Elon Musk
On War
Carl von Clausewitz
Source: "There should be a chapter saying 'if you have a decisive technology advantage, you can actually win with minimal casualties.'" - Elon Musk
4 recommenders
Superintelligence
Paths, Dangers, Strategies
Nick Bostrom
Source: "Worth reading [this book]. We need to be super careful with AI. Potentially more dangerous than nukes." - Elon Musk
Dune (6 books)
Frank Herbert
Source: "Brilliant. [The author] advocates placing limits on machine intelligence." - Elon Musk
Merchants of Doubt
How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming
Naomi Oreskes
Source: "Worth reading [this book]. Same who tried to deny smoking deaths are denying climate change." - Elon Musk
1 recommender
Acts of Love
Talulah Riley
Source: "All characters – even those based on real people – are entirely fictional..." - Elon Musk
1 recommender
The Capitalist Manifesto
Johan Norberg
Source: "An excellent explanation of why capitalism is not just successful, but morally right, especially chapter 4." - Elon Musk
1 recommender
Game of Thrones (5 books)
George R. R. Martin
Source: "Best books in recent years imo are Iain Banks & George Martin." - Elon Musk
3 recommenders
Deep Learning
Ian Goodfellow
Source: "Written by three experts in the field, [this book] is the only comprehensive book on the subject." - Elon Musk
4 recommenders
Screw Business As Usual
Turning Capitalism into a Force for Good
Richard Branson
Source: "This approach should be taken to heart by all, as it really is the smart move." - Elon Musk
1 recommender
Atlas Shrugged
Ayn Rand
Source: "A counterpoint to communism and useful as such, but should be tempered with kindness." - Elon Musk
Culture (10 books)
Iain M. Banks
Source: "Compelling picture of a grand, semi-utopian galactic future. Hopefully not too optimistic about AI." - Elon Musk
5 recommenders
Waiting for Godot
A Tragicomedy in Two Acts
Samuel Beckett
Source: "Have recently come to appreciate the awesome, absurdist humor of [this book]." - Elon Musk
1 recommender
Explore/Create
My Life in Pursuit of New Frontiers, Hidden Worlds, and the Creative Spark
Richard Garriott
Source: "A chronicle of wonder, and the many wondrous things the future may hold." - Elon Musk
1 recommender
The Selfish Gene
Richard Dawkins
Source: "Most people don't realize that the origin of the word 'meme' is [this book]." - Elon Musk
Foundation (7 books)
Isaac Asimov
Source: "[This series is] fundamental to [the] creation of SpaceX." - Elon Musk
Catherine the Great
Portrait of a Woman
Robert K. Massie
Source: "I know what you're probably thinking ... did she really f* a horse?" - Elon Musk
1 recommender
Structures
Or Why Things Don't Fall Down
J. E. Gordon
Source: "Really, really good if you want a primer on structural design." - Elon Musk
1 recommender
The Fault in Our Stars
John Green
Source: "Must admit to liking [this book]. Sad, romantic and beautifully named." - Elon Musk
3 recommenders
The Lord of the Rings (4 books)
J. R. R. Tolkien
Source: "I know it's cliche, but [this] is my favorite book ever." - Elon Musk
Zero to One
Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future
Peter Thiel
Source: "[This author] has built multiple breakthrough companies, and [this book] shows how." - Elon Musk
Stranger in a Strange Land
Robert A. Heinlein
Source: "I like [this book], although it kind of goes off the rails at the end." - Elon Musk
4 recommenders
The Story of Civilization (11 books)
Will & Ariel Durant
Source: "The first books are a little dry. Gets much better when Ariel is co-author." - Elon Musk
3 recommenders
Stalin
The Court of the Red Tsar
Simon Sebag Montefiore
Source: "One of the few books so dark I had to stop reading." - Elon Musk
2 recommenders
Benjamin Franklin
An American Life
Walter Isaacson
Source: "A great biography. [...] Highly recommended." - Elon Musk
What We Owe the Future
William MacAskill
Source: "Worth reading. This is a close match for my philosophy." - Elon Musk
The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World
From Marathon to Waterloo
Edward Shepherd Creasy
Source: "Insightful analysis, ensconced in eloquent prose." - Elon Musk
2 recommenders
If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens ... Where is Everybody?
Seventy-Five Solutions to the Fermi Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life
Stephen Webb
Source: "Great book. Read it when it came out." - Elon Musk
2 recommenders
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
Britannica Editors
Source: "Read through [this book]. I'd recommend that." - Elon Musk
1 recommender
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Douglas Adams
Source: "A book of philosophy disguised as a silly humor book." - Elon Musk
The Wages of Destruction
The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy
Adam Tooze
Source: Elon Musk recommended this book on Twitter.
1 recommender
1 recommender
American Caesar
Douglas MacArthur 1880 - 1964
William Manchester
Source: Elon Musk recommended this book on Twitter.
2 recommenders
Ignition!
An Informal History of Liquid Rocket Propellants
John Drury Clark
Source: One of Elon Musk's favorite books about space.
1 recommender
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
Robert A. Heinlein
Source: One of Elon Musk's favorite books about space.
Das Kapital
A Critique of Political Economy
Karl Marx
Source: "Read [this book] when I was 14." - Elon Musk
2 recommenders
Modern Engineering for Design of Liquid Propellant Rocket Engines
Dieter K Huzel
Source: One of Elon Musk's favorite books about space.
1 recommender
2 recommenders
A Woman Makes a Plan
Advice for a Lifetime of Adventure, Beauty, and Success
Maye Musk
Source: "My Mom wrote a book ❤️." - Elon Musk
2 recommenders
3 recommenders
1 recommender
1 recommender
1 recommender
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
Edward Gibbon
Source: "[The author]'s famous book." - Elon Musk
3 recommenders
Twelve Against the Gods
The Story of Adventure
William Bolitho
Source: "It's really quite good." - Elon Musk
1 recommender
The Big Picture
On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself
Sean Carroll
Source: "Highly recommend." - Elon Musk
2 recommenders
- 4 recommenders
The Life of Greece
The Story of Civilization, Book 2
Will & Ariel Durant
Source: "Rereading [this book]." - Elon Musk
1 recommender
The Age of Napoleon
The Story of Civilization, Book 11
Will & Ariel Durant
Source: "An amazing book." - Elon Musk
2 recommenders
1 recommender
Our Final Invention
Artificial Intelligence and the End of the Human Era
James Barrat
Source: "Worth reading." - Elon Musk
3 recommenders
Human Compatible
Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control
Stuart Russell
Source: "Worth reading." - Elon Musk
1 recommender
Destined for War
Can America and China Escape Thucydides's Trap?
Graham Allison
Source: "Worth reading." - Elon Musk
4 recommenders
Liftoff
Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX
Eric Berger
Source: "Book is accurate." - Elon Musk
2 recommenders
Masters of Doom
How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture
David Kushner
Source: "A great book." - Elon Musk
The Parasitic Mind
How Infectious Ideas Are Killing Common Sense
Gad Saad
Source: "Great book." - Elon Musk
1 recommender
Designing Brand Identity
An Essential Guide for the Whole Branding Team
Alina Wheeler
Source: "Great book." - Elon Musk
The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe
How to Know What's Really Real in a World Increasingly Full of Fake
Steven Novella
Source: "[This] book is 👍" - Elon Musk
2 recommenders
94 books
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