Here you will find Elon Musk book recommendations.
Elon Musk needs no introduction. The visionary South African business magnate, investor, and the world’s wealthiest person as of June 2023. Musk has cofounded six companies, including electric car maker Tesla, rocket producer SpaceX, OpenAI, Neuralink, and the Boring Company. As of 2022, Musk is also the majority owner and CTO of Twitter.
Elon Musk is also considered one of the great thought leaders of this generation. No wonder, people are always eager to know Elon Musk book recommendations.
Musk is also the president of the Musk Foundation, a foundation whose sole purpose is to provide solar-power energy systems in disaster-prone areas, along with advocacy for renewable energy and “safe artificial energy,” development and research.
Musk also co-founded OpenAI, a not-for-profit research company that aims to develop artificial general intelligence.
An avid social media user, Musk joined Twitter in 2009 and amassed a following of over 100 million people. He tweets regularly to provide social, cultural, and political commentary and to promote his business interests.
Many of his statements on Twitter have provoked controversy, due to him continuously mocking preferred gender pronouns. He is even accused of antisemitism for spreading George Soros conspiracy theories.
He was also criticized for his comments and conducts during the Covid-19 pandemic, with many even accusing Musk of spreading Covid misinformation.
He publicly condemned the lockdowns and defied the local-stay-at-home order by reopening the Tesla factory and warning the workers that if they didn’t report to work, their unemployment benefits would be jeopardized.
Musk is often described as eccentric for making spontaneous and controversial statements that have adversely affected his business dealings. Musk also served as an inspiration for the characterization of Tony Stark in Iron Man and even made an appearance in Iron Man 2.
He has also made appearances in other movies and tv shows like Machete Kills, Men in Black, and The Big Bang Theory. He has been listed among Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2010, 2013, 2018, and 2021.
Elon Musk Book Club: Elon Musk book recommendations
1) Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence by Max Tegmark
Nominated for Goodreads Choice Award for Best Science & Technology, Life 3.0 was published in 2017 and explores the impact of Artificial Intelligence on Life on Earth and beyond.
Elon Musk called the book, “A compelling guide to the challenges and choices in our quest for a great future of life, intelligence and consciousness- on Earth and beyond.”
2) On War by Carl von Clausewitz
On War by Prussian general Carl von Clausewitz was written during the Napoleonic wars and is a book that discusses military strategies during the war. The book attempts to understand war as an instrument of policy.
3) Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies by Nick Bostrom
Superintelligence by Swedish philosopher Nick Bostrom was published in 2014 and was ranked #17 on The New York Times bestsellers list of science books. In the book, Bostrom tries to argue that if machines can surpass the intelligence of human beings, then they will dominate the lifeform on Earth. After reading the book, Elon Musk commented “Worth reading Superintelligence. We need to be super careful with AI. Potentially more dangerous than nukes.”
4) Dune Chronicles by Frank Herbert
Dune Chronicles is a series of science fiction novels by Frank Herbert. Set thousands of years in humanity’s future, humanity continues to develop and advance other branches of technology and is run by a feudal interstellar empire known as the ‘Imperium.’
Several Great Houses exist that oversee various planets and the planet of key interest is “Arrakis,” a desert planet with almost no rainfall and spice that allows space travelers to fold space and travel great distances quickly. Frank Herbert wrote 6 novels and after that, his son took over the franchise.
A) Dune (1965)
Dune is an epic science fiction that was the winner of the Nebula Award for Best Novel and the Hugo Award. It tells the story of Paul Atreides of House Atreides, whose father has accepted to take over the stewardship of the planet Arrakis from the Harkonnen.
B) Dune Messiah (1969)
Dune Messiah is a sequel to Dune and is set 12 years into Paul Atreides’ rule as the Emperor. The Bene Gesserit, Spacing Guild, and Tleilaxu conspire to dethrone Paul and they have enlisted Paul’s wife to carry out their plan. Critics have praised Herbert for following Dune with a sequel that is just as good, if not better than it, whilst simultaneously adding more characters and lore to the story.
C) Children of Dune (1976)
Children of Dune is the third book in Frank Herbert’s Dune series. The book is set 9 years after Paul Atreides walked into the desert. Arrakis has changed completely, with the Fremen living without stillsuits and moving out of their stillsuits and into the cities. At the same, Paul’s young children are under the supervision of his sister Alia.
D) God Emperor of Dune (1981)
Leto Atreides, Paul’s son has ruled the universe as a tyrant after becoming a hybrid and giant sandworm. The result of his terraforming on Dune resulted in the death of all other sandworms and has turned the planet into a lush forested biosphere.
E) Heretics of Dune (1984)
Heretics of Dune is the fifth novel in Frank Herbert’s Dune Series. The book is set fifteen hundred years after Leto Atreides’s assassination. The Sandworms have reappeared on Arrakis and contain a fragment of the God Emperor’s consciousness.
F) Chapterhouse: Dune (1985)
A direct follow-up to Heretics of Dune, the novel chronicles the struggles of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood against the violent Honored Matres.
5) Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway
Merchant of Doubt is a non-fiction book that focuses on a group of high-level scientific advisors and scientists who had connections with politicians and ran campaigns to mislead the public and deny well-established scientific claims. It predominantly focuses on American physicists- Bill Neirenberg, Fred Seitz, and Fred Singer. Elon Musk said, “Worth reading (Merchants of Doubt). Same who tried to deny smoking deaths are denying climate change.”
Worth reading (Merchants of Doubt). Same who tried to deny smoking deaths are denying climate change.
Elon Musk
6) Acts of Love by Talulah Riley
Published in 2016, Acts of Love is actress and entrepreneur, Talulah Riley’s debut novel. The novel is described as a modern love story that follows Bernadette, a journalist who lures powerful men into telling her their secrets only to then expose them in her ruthless profile pieces. She meets her match in Radley Blake.
7) Deep Learning by Ian Goodfellow, Yoshua Bengio, and Aaron Courville
Deep Learning offers mathematical and conceptual background about deep learning, a form of machine learning that enables computers to learn from experience and the world in terms of a hierarchy of concepts. While commenting on the book, Elon Musk said, “Written by three experts in the field, (deep learning) is the only comprehensive book on the subject.”
Written by three experts in the field, (deep learning) is the only comprehensive book on the subject.
Elon Musk
8) The Game of Thrones Series by George R.R. Martin
The Game of Thrones or A Song of Ice and Fire is a series of epic fantasy novels that includes 7 book.
A) A Game of Thrones (1996)
A Game of Thrones is the first novel in the A Song of Ice and Fire series. The basis for the first season of HBO’s Game of Thrones, the book is told from the perspective of multiple characters, such as Bran Stark, Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, and Eddard Stark.
B) A Clash of Kings (1998)
Told from multiple perspectives, the book is set in the backdrop of a civil war between the seven kingdoms of Westeros. Meanwhile, Daenerys Targaryen plans to conquer the Seven Kingdoms. The book is adapted into the second season of HBO’s Game of Thrones.
C) A Storm of Swords (2000)
While Westeros is still in the grips of a raging war, Robb Stark declares their independence and Daenerys Targaryen sails west in order to retake the throne. Martin raises the stakes with each installment and transports us into a fantasy world with loads of action, violence, deception, and intrigue.
D) A Fears for Crows (2005)
The book is split into materials based on plot location rather than chronological order and focuses mainly on the events taking place in Southern Westeros. As the civil war in Westeros simmers down and the only claimant to the throne, Stannis Baratheon has left to fight off invading tribes, Tommen Baratheon becomes the ruler of King’s Landing under the regency of his mother.
E) A Dance with Dragons (2011)
The Seven Kingdoms is beset by threats from every direction- Daenerys Targaryen has thousands of enemies and many have set out to find her. Tyrion Lannister is also making his way back to Daenerys, whereas, Jon Snow must defeat the land of the creatures of ice.
F) The Winds of Winter (TBA)
While there is no information about the release date of this book, The Winds of Winter will be the sixth novel in A Song of Ice and Fire. According to Martin, in this book the ‘Others’ will appear and the storylines of several characters will be resolved.
G) A Dream of Spring (TBA)
A Dream of Spring is the seventh and apparently last book in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series. No information is available about the plot or release date.
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9) Screw Business as Usual: Turning Capitalism into a Force for Good by Richard Branson
Published in 2011, Screw Business as Usual is by British business magnate, Richard Branson. Through this book, Branson motivates and inspires people by revealing his vision for the future and how businesses should shift their values from a profit focus to caring for people. Elon Musk comments, “This approach should be taken to heart by all, as it really is the smart move.”
This approach should be taken to heart by all, as it really is the smart move.
Elon Musk
10) Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
Regarded by many as the magnum opus in the realm of fiction writing, Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand is the winner of the Prometheus Award in 1983. Published in 1957, Atlas Shrugged depicts a dystopian United States in which businesses suffer under burdensome laws.
Through the book, Rand explores a number of philosophical themes, including but not limited to libertarianism, capitalism, and individualism. While reviewing the book, Elon Musk said, “A counterpoint to communism and useful as such, but should be tempered with kindness.”
A counterpoint to communism and useful as such, but should be tempered with kindness.
Elon Musk
11) Waiting for Godot: A Tragicomedy in Two Acts by Samuel Beckett
Published in 1952, Waiting for Godot is a tragicomedy in two acts by Irish writer Samuel Beckett. It is centered around the conversation between Vladmir and Estragon, who are waiting for the arrival of the mysterious Godot. While they wait for Godot, they discuss their miseries and their lots in life. Many people have concluded that the two vagabonds are written as a parody of a married couple.
12) Culture by Iain M. Banks
The Culture series by Iain M. Banks is a science fiction series that is centred around a utopian, space society of humanoid aliens known as The Culture.
On Culture, Elon Musk commented that it provides a “Compelling picture of a grand, semi-utopian galactic future. Hopefully not too optimistic about AI.”
Compelling picture of a grand, semi-utopian galactic future. Hopefully not too optimistic about AI.
Elon Musk
A) Consider Phlebas (1987)
Consider Phlebas is the first novel in the Culture. It revolves around the Idiran-Culture War and the protagonist Bora Horza Gobuchul is an enemy of the Culture.
B) The Player of Games (1988)
The Player of Games is the second novel in the Culture book series. It follows Jernau Morat Gurgeh, Player of Games who is bored with success and travels to the Empire of Azad, to try their fabulous game.
C) Use of Weapons (1990)
Use of Weapons is the third instalment in Iain Banks’ Culture series. Cheradenine Zakalwe was saved from Diziet Sma and is pushed towards his present eminence
D) The State of the Art (1991)
The State of the Art is a collection of short stories, with two stories set in the Culture universe- The State of the Art and A Gift from the Culture.
E) Excession (1996)
In this instalment, one group of Minds uses an ancient artifact to lure a civilization into their war while another group of Minds tries to work against this group. It also follows the story of two humanoids who are trying to resolve their differences 40 years after suffering from traumatic events together.
F) Inversions (1998)
Inversions is the sixth instalment in Iain Banks’ Culture book series. In Inversion, we follow Dr Vosill, a woman who has become the personal physician of the king in a backward world with six moons. Meanwhile, across the mountains, a man named DeWar serves as the chief bodyguard to the General of Tassesen. Learn about the hidden commonality that links DeWar with Dr Vosill.
G) Look to Windward (2000)
Look to Windward is set 800 years after Idiran war. The light from the first explosion is the war finally reaches the home of Culture’s most adventurous souls who gather to commemorate the deaths of the innocent and reflect on Culture’s own complicity in the war.
H) Matter (2008)
Published in 2008, Matter is the eighth instalment in Iain Banks’ Culture series. A special agent of an early-industrial society learns that her father and brother have been killed and decides to return to her homeworld.
I) Surface Detail (2010)
In this novel, a young woman is brought back to life and tries to seek revenge on her murderer. At the same time, a war over the digitized souls of the dead is expanding from cyberspace into the real world.
J) The Hydrogen Sonata (2012)
Published in 2012, The Hydrogen Sonata is set in the last days of the Gzilt civilization. A secret from their past threatens to unravel their plans before Sublime.
13) Explore/Create: My Life in Pursuit of New Frontiers, Hidden Worlds, and the Creative Spark by Richard Garriott
Richard Garriott is a British-American video game developer, space tourist, and entrepreneur. Explore/Create is a fascinating memoir in which Garriott invites readers on the adventure of his life. Readers and critics alike have found the book to be engaging, enlightening, and full of adventure. While reviewing the book, Elon Musk commented, “A chronicle of wonder, and the many wondrous things the future may hold.”
A chronicle of wonder, and the many wondrous things the future may hold.
Elon Musk
14) The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins
Listed in The Guardian’s 2016 list of the 100 best non-fiction books and in the Royal Society’s 2017 list of the most influential book of all time, The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins is a book on the subject of evolution.
In this book, ethnologist Richard Dawkins looks into the DNA’s role in evolution and introduces the idea of the evolutionarily stable strategy to explain why alternative strategies like bullying and retaliating exist.
15) Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie
Nominee for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best History & Biography in 2011, Catherine the Great is written by Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Massie. It follows Catherine the Great who became the world’s most powerful woman. It focuses on her correspondence with notable Enlightenment philosophers and how she used their principles to rule a backward empire.
16) Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Foundation by Isaac Asimov is a political science fiction novel that is the first in Asimov’s Foundation series. The book is a collection of four short stories, along with an introductory story, and is set in a declining Galactic Empire that is inspired by the fall of the Roman Empire. The five stories in the book are- The Psychohistorians, The Encyclopdists, the Mayors, The Traders, and The Merchant Princes.
17) Structures: Or Why Things Don’t Fall Down by J. E. Gordon
Published in 1978, Structures is a nonfiction book on the subject of architecture and design. The book is an informal explanation of the forces that hold the essential things of the world together. This book can be appreciated by architects and engineers because the book is full of explanations of concepts like stress, torsion, fracture, and compression.
18) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Elon Musk said, “Must admit to liking (The Fault in Our Stars). Sad, romantic and beautifully named.” The Fault in Our Stars by John Green follows Hazel Grace Lancaster, a teenager with thyroid cancer who falls in love with Augustus Waters, an amputee, and survivor of osteosarcoma. John Michael Green is an American author, YouTuber, podcaster, and philanthropist.
Must admit to liking (The Fault in Our Stars). Sad, romantic and beautifully named.
Elon Musk
19) Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel and Blake Masters
Published in 2014 by American entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel, Zero to One was a nominee for Goodreads Choice Award for Best Business Books. The book presents an optimistic view of the future of progress in America and teaches that a new way to innovate in business is by learning to ask questions that will take you to unexpected places.
20) The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings is a high-fantasy novel by English author J.R.R. Tolkien. Set in Middle- Earth, the series is a sequel to Tolkien’s children’s book The Hobbit. The Lord of the Rings series is considered one of the best-selling books of all time with over 150 million copies sold in at least 38 languages.
A) The Hobbit
The Hobbit or There and Back Again was published in 1937 as a children’s fantasy novel. It tells the story of Bilbo Baggins and his quest to win the treasure guarded by Smaug, a dragon. The plot involves a host of characters, such as two types of elves, man-eating trolls, boulder-throwing giants, Gollum, Elrond the sage, and evil wolves among many others.
B) The Fellowship of the Ring
Published in 1954, The Fellowship of the Ring is the first volume in J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. This novel consists of a prologue that explains the origins of hobbits, their habits, and their homeland. It also gives the reader some idea about the events of the Hobbit.
C) The Two Towers
The Two Towers is the second volume in The Lord of the Rings series. It was published in 1954. It is composed of two books: The Treason of Isengard (Book 3) and The Ring Goes East (Book 4). In the third book, the Fellowship is attacked by a large party of Orcs sent by Saruman and Sauron.
D) The Return of the King
Published in 1955, this volume consists of books 5 and 6; The War of the Ring and The End of the Third Age respectively. It also includes several appendices which provide the readers with more details about the larger world of Middle-earth, the timeline of events throughout the series, hobbit genealogy, calendars used by the characters, description of dwarves and elvish runes, and the various languages used.
21) Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
Published in 1961, Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein is a science fiction novel that tells the story of Valentine Michael Smith, a human who was born and raised on the planet Mars and returns to Earth in early adulthood. It was the winner of the 1962 Hugo Award for Best Novel and was named by the Library of Congress as one of the 88 “Books that Shaped America.”
22) Lying by Sam Harris
Lying by Neuroscience expert and author Sam Harris is a long-form essay that was expanded into a book. Published in 2011, in this book, Harris argues that we can improve society and simplify our lives significantly if we just told the truth in situations where others often lie.
23) Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar by Simon Sebag Montefiore
Published in 2003, Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar is a history book by Simon Sebag Montefiore. The book focuses on Joseph Stalin, his inner circle, and the people in his life from the 1920s to his death in 1953. It also covers World War 2 and the beginning of the Cold War. While reviewing the book, Elon Musk commented, “One of the few books so dark I had to stop reading.”
One of the few books so dark I had to stop reading.
Elon Musk
24) The Story of Civilization by Will and Ariel Durant
The Story of Civilization is a series of 11 books published between 1935 and 1945 by Will and Ariel Durant. The book series covers the history of Eastern and Western civilizations, and won a Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1968.
A) Our Oriental Heritage: The Story of Civilization Book 1
Published in 1935, Our Oriental Heritage is the first volume in Will and Ariel Durant’s The Story of Civilization. It covers the fall of the Achaemenid Empire and the history of China, Japan, and India up to the 1930s.
B) The Life of Greece: The Story of Civilization Book 2
Published in 1939, The Life of Greece is the second volume in Will and Ariel Durant’s The Story of Civilization. It covers the beginnings of the Greek civilization, the death of Alexander the Great, and the Roman Conquest. It also focuses on several battles, sieges, and tyrants.
C) Caesar and Christ: The Story of Civilization Book 3
The third instalment in Will and Ariel Durant’s The Story of Civilization, Caesar and Christ was published in 1944. It depicts the rise of the Roman Empire, and the spread of the Roman civilization across the Mediterranean and the Western European world. It also focuses on the birth of Christianity and how it influenced the fall of Rome over the next few centuries.
D) The Age of Faith: The Story of Civilization Book 4
Published in 1950, The Age of Faith or The Story of Civilization: History of Medieval Civilization- Christian, Islamic, and Judaic- from Constantine to A.D. 325-1300. It covers the Middle Ages in both Europe and the Near East.
E) The Renaissance: The Story of Civilization Book 5
The fifth volume in Will and Ariel Durant’s The Story of Civilization book series. In The Renaissance, Durant’s studies the Italian Renaissance as a great contribution to the progress of humankind.
F) The Reformation: The Story of Civilization Book 6
The Reformation is the sixth instalment in Will and Ariel Durant’s The Story of Civilization series. It explores the history of European civilization from Wyclif to Calvin. It also focuses on the Protestant Reformation.
G) The Age of Reason Begins: The Story of Civilization Book 7
The Age of Reason Begins is the seventh volume in Will and Ariel Durant’s Pulitzer Prize-winning award series, The Story of Civilization. It focuses on the religious strife and scientific progress between the 1550s and 1650s that led to the Enlightenment, the age of great artists and monarchs.
H) The Age of Louis XIV: The Story of Civilization Book 8
The Age of Louis XIV is the eighth novel in Will and Ariel Durant’s The Story of Civilization. It focuses on the period of Louis XIV of France in Europe and the Near East.
I) The Age of Voltaire: The Story of Civilization Book 9
The Age of Voltaire is the ninth volume in Will and Ariel Durant’s The Story of Civilization. It is a biography of Voltaire, his satirical work, and theatrical work, along with his banishment to England. It also focuses on the music of Bach and the struggle between Frederick the Great and Maria Theresa of Austria.
J) Rousseau and Revolution: The Story of Civilization Book 10
Rosseau and Revolution is the tenth volume in The Story of Civilization. The book is centered around Jean-Jacques Rosseau, whose political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment throughout Europe. Rousseau and Revolution received the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1968.
K) The Age of Napoleon: The Story of Civilization Book 11
The Age of Napoleon is the 11th book in The Story of Civilization. It focuses on the French Revolution, the leaders of the revolution, and Napoleon’s meteoric rise, along with his fall.
25) Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson
Published in 2003 by American journalist and historian Walter Isaacson, Benjamin Franklin: An American Life is a non-fiction biographical book that details the life of U. S. statesman and Founding Father Benjamin Franklin.
26) What We Owe the Future by William MacAskill
What We Owe the Future by William MacAskill is a 2022 book by ethicist William MacAskill. The book discusses the philosophy of longtermism, an ethical view that the moral priority of our time should be positively influencing the long-term future.
The concept is based on effective altruism. The book is divided into five parts- The Long View, Trajectory Changes, Safeguarding Civilization, Assessing the end of the world, and taking action. Elon Musk said, “Worth reading. This is a close match for my philosophy.”
Worth reading. This is a close match for my philosophy.
Elon Musk
27) The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World: From Marathon to Waterloo by Edward Shepherd Creasy
The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World was published in 1851 and tells the story of the fifteen military engagements which had a significant impact on world history.
Each chapter describes a different battle, like the Battle of Marathon, the Defeat of the Athenians at Syracuse, the Battle of Gaugamela, the Battle of the Metaurus, and the Battle of Chalons.
Elon Musk says that the book provides an “Insightful analysis, ensconced in eloquent prose.”
Insightful analysis, ensconced in eloquent prose.
Elon Musk
28) If the Universe is Teeming with Aliens…Where is Everybody? : Seventy-five Solutions to the Fermi Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life by Stephen Webb
If the Universe is Teeming with Aliens…Where is Everybody by Stephen Webb is a beautifully concise and thought-provoking account of the Fermi paradox and its possible solutions
29) Britannica Concise Encyclopedia by Britannica Editors
The Britannica Concise Encyclopedia provides quick answers to everyday questions about science, art, history, and other fields of human knowledge.
30) The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adam
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is the first book in Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy comedy science fiction comedy series. It follows Earthman Arthur Dent minutes before Earth is about to be destroyed in order to make way for a galactic freeway. Luckily, Dent’s friend Ford Prefect is an alien and he rescues him. The two then travel the galaxy with an array of alien fellow travelers.
31) The Art of War by Sun Tzu
Published in the 5th century, The Art of War by ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu is a book on Chinese warfare and military strategy. It is composed of 13 chapters and each chapter is devoted to a different set of skills and how it can apply to military tactics.
32) The Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy by Adam Tooze
The Wages of Destruction is a book on the history of the Nazi economy. Published in 2006 and written by Adam Tooze, The Wages of Destruction was the winner of the Wolfson History Prize and the Longman/History Today Book of the Year Prize.
Tooze Argues that Hitler was driven to invade the Soviet Union in order to obtain the necessary natural resources to challenge the United States and the British Empire.
33) Not Much of an Engineer by Sir Stanley Hooker
Published in 1984, Not Much of an Engineer is written by Sir Stanley Hooker. In this autobiography, Stanley Hooker describes his time in the Bristol Aeroplane Company and his efforts to become a fierce competitor to Rolls-Royce. He also delves into Rolls-Royce’s efforts to buy the Bristol Aeroplane Company, their biggest rival in the aero-engine industry.
34) American Caesar: Douglas MacArthur 1880-1964 by William Manchester
Published in 1978, American Caesar by William Manchester is a biography of General of the Army, Douglas MacArthur. Manchester tries to offer a sympathetic yet balanced portrait of MacArthur, praises his administrative skill and personal bravery, and criticizes his vanity and tendency toward insubordination. He also delves into the personal life of Douglas MacArthur.
35) Ignition! : An Informal History of Liquid Rocket Propellants by John Drury Clark
Ignition! by John D. Clark is a 1972 science nonfiction novel. In this novel, we delve into the Cold War-era search for a rocket propellant. It goes deep into the history of rival labs working against the known laws of nature itself with no guarantee of safety or success.
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36) The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
Published in 1966, The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress is a science fiction novel by Robert A. Heinlein. This novel follows a lunar colony that revolts against the absentee rule from Earth. The novel explores a novel form of family dynamic and marriage structure as each family unit comprises two men for every woman.
37) Das Kapital: A Critique of Political Economy by Karl Marx
Karl Marx’s Das Kapital is considered one of the most important works of the 19th century. In this book, Marx expounds his theory of the capitalist system, its dynamism, and its tendencies toward self-destruction.
38) Modern Engineering for Design of Liquid Propellant Rocket Engines by Dieter K Huzel
Published in 1992, Modern Engineering for Design of Liquid Propellant Rocket Engines by Dieter K. Huzel, is a guide that bridges the gap between basic physical and design principles and actual rocket-engine design as it’s done in industry.
39) Storm of Steel by Ernst Junger
Written by Ernst Junger and published in 1920, Storm of Steel is a memoir in which Junger describes his experiences on the Western Front during the First World War. Storm of Steel was the first personal account of trench warfare and can be read as an anti-war book.
40) A Woman Makes a Plan: Advice for a Lifetime of Adventure, Beauty, and Success by Maye Musk
Published in 2019, A Woman Makes a Plan is by Maye Musk, Elon Musk’s mother. In the book, Maye delves into her past after becoming a single mom, struggling through poverty to provide for her three children, dealing with weight issues and overcoming ageism in the modelling industry, and establishing a long career as a dietician across three countries and two continents. The book is filled with hard-won advice and has a good dose of humor.
41) Daemon by Daniel Suarez
Published in 2006, Daemon by Daniel Suarez tells the story of a persistent computer application, the Daemon, that after the original programmer’s death begins to change the world. It is a high-tech thriller that explores the unthinkable consequences of a computer program designed to dismantle society running without human control.
42) Howard Hughes: His Life and Madness by Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele
Howard Hughes was an American manufacturer, motion-picture director, and producer, who was known for his eccentricities, especially his reclusiveness.
In Howard Hughes: His Life and Madness, authors Donald Barlett and James Steele explore the dashing lifestyle, reclusiveness, and secrecy.
43) Starhammer by Christopher B. Rowley
For centuries, humans have been ruled by the Laowon Imperium. The humans serve the aliens as slaves and pets, and the aliens are fond of creating new breeds of humans which can never grow too powerful.
However, it’s the beginning of the end of Laowon tyranny when John Lehard orders to hunt Eblis Bey, a terrorist that holds half the key to a weapon that could destroy the Laowon.
44) The Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison
A) The Stainless Steel Rat (1961)
In the first instalment, the readers are introduced to Slippery Jim DiGriz, also known as the Stainless Steel Rat, the biggest criminal of them all.
B) The Stainless Steel Rat’s Revenge (1970)
In the second instalment of The Stainless Steel Rat, Jim DiGriz is the Robin Hood of the future. However, unlike Robinhood, DiGriz robs the rich and gives it to the even richer.
C) The Stainless Steel Rat Saves the World (1972)
The Stainless Steel Rat’s wife, Angelina is fading out as one of the victims of a timeless limbo. To rescue his wife, he must also save the world again.
D) The Stainless Steel Rat Wants You (1978)
After freeing Angelina from the clutches of the Interstellar Income Tax people, Jim DiGriz must save the human galaxy from invading aliens. To do so, he must disguise himself as an alien and enter the alien’s stronghold, where he finds himself the object of desire among the aliens.
E) The Stainless Steel Rat For President (1982)
The Stainless Steel Rat for President is the fifth book in Harry Harrison’s Stainless Steel Rat series. In this novel, interstellar con man Slippery Jim DiGriz and his family hope to clean up corruption in the banana republic world of Paraiso-Aqui.
F) A Stainless Steel Rat is Born (1985)
In A Stainless Steel Rat is Born, the young Slippery Jim DiGriz finds himself getting into jail and out again in search of criminal contacts.
G) The Stainless Steel Rat Gets Drafted (1987)
In The Stainless Steel Rat Gets Drafted follows the master criminal, who plans to seek revenge by joining the army.
H) The Golden Years of the Stainless Steel Rate (1993)
In the Golden Years of the Stainless Steel Rat Jim DiGriz is sent to the Terminal Penitentiary.
I) The Stainless Steel Rat Sings the Blues (1994)
In The Stainless Steel Rat Sings the Blues, after being caught during a robbery, Jim DiGrix is sent to a prison filled with homicidal maniacs to recover a lost alien artifact that will win him his freedom.
J) The Stainless Steel Rate Goes to Hell (1996)
Jim DiGriz’s wife is abducted by a con man who preys on religious believers and windles them out of their money in order to enslave them in his mining operation.
K) The Stainless Steel Rat Joins the Circus (1999)
The Stainless Steel Rat and his wife Angelina find themselves on a boring backwater planet where the only activity they can participate in is practicing their computer crime scene. They are then hired by a billionaire who wants them to investigate a string of unsolved interstellar bank robberies.
L) The Stainless Steel Rat Returns (2010)
The Stainless Steel Rat is back after a decade of absence. This time slippery Jim DiGrix has retired from interstellar crime and is living on the planet of Moolaplenty.
45) The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is a historical work by Edward Gibbon that was published in six volumes between 1776 and 1788.
It tells the story of the fall of Constantinople, the history of early Christianity, the establishment of the Roman State Church, and the end of the empire in the West. From Gibbon’s perspective, the material decay of the Roman empire was the effect and symbol of moral decadence.
46) The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself by Sean Carroll
Published in 2016, The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself is a non-fiction book on the subject of poetic naturalism. In this novel, theoretical physicist Sean Carroll defends his argument that the universe can be interpreted by science.
A reviewer for Publishers Weekly reviewed that, “Much of the material here will be new to many readers, but regardless of familiarity, Carroll presents a means through which people can better understand themselves, their universe, and their conceptions of a meaningful life.”
47) Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
Published in 2011 and the winner of Goodreads Choice Award for Best History and Biography, Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson is the biography of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.
Steve Jobs personally requested Isaacson to write the book after enjoying his previously written biographies, Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein.
Isaacson wrote the novel based on more than forty interviews with Jobs and interviews with Jobs’ family members, competitors, colleagues, and friends.
48) The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith
The Wealth of Nations, also known as An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations was written in 1776 by Scottish economist and moral philosopher Adam Smith.
Smith wrote the book to describe the industrialized capitalist system that was upending the mercantilist system. The central thesis of the book is that social benefit is the result of the individual need to fulfil self-interest.
49) The Machine Stops by E. M. Forster
Published in 1909 in The Oxford and Cambridge Review, The Machine Stops is a science fiction story set in a world where humanity relies on a giant machine to provide for its needs and live underground after losing its ability to live on the surface of the earth.
It follows two characters, Vashti and her son Kuno, while Vashti is satisfied with her life, Kuno is rebellious and tells her that he has visited the surface of the earth and has seen people living on it.
50) Our Final Invention: Artificial Intelligence and the End of the Human Era by James Barrat
Named Huffington Post’s Definitive Tech Book of 2013, Our Final Invention is written by James Barrat and aims to discuss the potential benefits of human-level artificial intelligence, along with its risks, which could include the extermination of the human race. He does so by explaining the history and concepts of AI and interviewing prominent AI researchers.
51) Human Compatible: Artificial Intelligence and the Problem of Control by Stuart Russell
Human Compatible is a non-fiction book on the subject of AI control problems. In the book, computer scientist and author Stuart Russel argues that there is artificial intelligence poses a huge risk to humanity even though there is a considerable amount of uncertainty surrounding it.
52) What’s Our Problem? : A Self-Help Book for Societies by Tim Urban
Published in 2023, What’s Our Problem? by Tim Urban is a self-help book and an expansive analysis of our modern times. In this book, Tim Urban provides its readers with a new framework and language for dealing with today’s complex world.
53) Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX by Eric Berger
SpaceX or the Space Exploration Technologies Corporation is an American spacecraft manufacturer founded in 2002 by Elon Musk. The book delves into the shaky starting of the company to the many space explorations and satellites it has sent up into space yet. It goes into details of the four historic flights and how the company is doing 20 years after its founding.
54) Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture by David Kushner
Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture was published in 2003 and focuses on the video game company id Software, its influence on popular culture, focusing on their co-founders- John Romero and John Carmack.
David Kushner weaves a plot that takes the readers on the adventure of two rebellious entrepreneurs who shaped an entire generation of video game players.
55) The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin
Written between 1771 to 1790, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is the unfinished record of Benjamin Franklin’s life. The book is divided into four parts, which reflect the different periods during which he wrote them.
56) The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe: How to Know What’s Really Real in a World Increasingly Full of Fake by Steven Novella
Published in 2018, The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe is a guide to skeptical thinking by Steven Novella is co-authored by other hosts of The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe podcase- Cara Santa Maria, Jay and Bob Novella, and Evan Bernstein.
