Succesful people know the value of good habits and reading is something which most of the leaders follow. Books open our mind and help in shaping our mind. Elon Musk is known for his risk-taking ability and self-esteem.
With the thinking process of changing the world with his courageous decisions, there are several things we can learn from him. From his interviews and social media posts, we have collected some books which Elon Musk thinks everyone should read. Take a look:
1. Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (Max Tegmark)
Technology has transformed the world into a very different place as it used to be some decades ago. With the inventions of technologies like artificial intelligence, the future of humanity is in danger as everything is turning robotic. In this book, Max explains the tips on keeping artificial intelligence beneficial and ensuring technological progress to contribute in the wellness of humanity.
2. The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (Robert Heinlein)
This science-fiction novel was published in 1966 and takes the reader into a fantasy world where a group of people are transferred from Earth to the Moon. This book is quite similar to Musk’s idea of moon tourism.
3. The Foundation Trilogy (Isaac Asimov)
Musk’s interest in science fiction led him to read Isaac Asimov’s “Foundation” series. Here’s what he said about this series in an interview with Guardian:
“The lessons of history would suggest that civilizations move in cycles. You can track that back quite far — the Babylonians, the Sumerians, followed by the Egyptians, the Romans, China. We’re obviously in a very upward cycle right now and hopefully, that remains the case. But it may not. There could be some series of events that cause that technology level to decline. Given that this is the first time in 4.5 billion years where it’s been possible for humanity to extend life beyond Earth, it seems like we’d be wise to act while the window was open and not count on the fact it will be open a long time.”
Also Read: List Of E-books Every Marketer Should Read
4. Merchants of Doubt (Naomi Orestes and Erik M. Conway)
Musk recommended this book for public-health issues which happen due to tobacco, pesticide use, and holes in the ozone layer.
5. Our Final Invention (James Barrat)
Another book based on the dangers of artificial intelligence. Musk shared this book in a 2014 tweet.
6. The Lord of the Rings (J.R.R. Tolkien)
If you don’t know, Musk had a nickname called Muskrat during his childhood and was very lonely when he read this book. According to Elon, these books helped him to make a vision of his future self.
Also Read: This One-Page Elon Musk Resume Will Give You CV Writing Goals
7. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
This sci-fi comedy book gives the tips about living a meaningful life. Musk read this during his teenage and considers the spaceship in this book as his favourite among all science fiction works.
8. Benjamin Franklin: An American Life ( Walter Isaacson)
Musk is a fan of Benjamin Franklin and has shared this in multiple interviews. His love for Franklin led him to read most of his books.
9. Structures: Or Why Things Don’t Fall Down (J.E. Gordon)
The decision of launching SpaceX was a surprise for most of his followers as Musk was from a coding background and he decided to learn the fundamentals of rocket science for SpaceX. This book helped him in understanding some basics of structural designs.
10. Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies (Nick Bostrom)
Musk believes that we are heading towards a future where digital intelligence will make humans feel worthless which is not true. When asked about what makes him worried about AI he said everyone should read Nick Bostrom’s ‘Superintelligence’ to know the answer.
