Books Recommended by Elon Musk
Twelve Against the Gods
William Bolitho
Source: "It's really quite good." - Elon Musk
Zero to One
Peter Thiel
Source: "[This author] has built multiple breakthrough companies, and [this book] shows how." - Elon Musk
Life 3.0
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
The Big Picture
Sean Carroll
Source: "Highly recommend." - Elon Musk
Deep Learning
Ian Goodfellow
Source: "Written by three experts in the field, [this book] is the only comprehensive book on the subject." - Elon Musk
Lying
Sam Harris
Source: "Excellent cover art and lots of good reasons not to lie!" - Elon Musk
Screw Business As Usual
Richard Branson
Source: "This approach should be taken to heart by all, as it really is the smart move." - Elon Musk
Superintelligence
Nick Bostrom
Source: "Worth reading [this book]. We need to be super careful with AI. Potentially more dangerous than nukes." - Elon Musk
Daemon
Daniel Suarez
Source: "A great read." - Elon Musk
Stalin
Simon Sebag Montefiore
Source: "One of the few books so dark I had to stop reading." - Elon Musk
Ignition!
John Drury Clark
Source: One of Elon Musk's favorite books about space.
Acts of Love
Talulah Riley
Source: "All characters – even those based on real people – are entirely fictional..." - Elon Musk
The Wealth of Nations
Adam Smith
Source: "Adam Smith FTW obv." - Elon Musk
The Player of Games
Iain M. Banks
Source: "Compelling picture of a grand, semi-utopian galactic future. Hopefully not too optimistic about AI." - Elon Musk
If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens ... Where is Everybody?
Stephen Webb
Source: "Great book. Read it when it came out." - Elon Musk
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
Robert A. Heinlein
Source: One of Elon Musk's favorite books about space.
Surface Detail
Iain M. Banks
Source: "[I recommend] all of [Banks' books]. Especially [this book]." - Elon Musk
Atlas Shrugged
Ayn Rand
Source: "A counterpoint to communism and useful as such, but should be tempered with kindness." - Elon Musk
Das Kapital
Karl Marx
Source: "Read [this book] when I was 14." - Elon Musk