Overview

What happened to Elon Musk? In six years, he turned Tesla into the world's most valuable automaker and cast himself as a saviour of humanity, an altruist whose fortune would stop climate change and colonise Mars. How did this modern day Edison devolve into a polarising and perpetually distracted CEO and the biggest bag-fumbler in human history? He didn't suddenly lose his mind, or morph into a tool of foreign agents. Elon Musk torched his reputation and put his entire empire at risk simply by being himself. Hubris Maximus provides a gripping, detailed portrait of the billionaire's rapid ascent and his spectacular public implosion. Washington Post reporter Faiz Siddiqui methodically deconstructs the making of the self-anointed Technoking, arguing that the warning signs were always visible to anyone willing to look. Musk's audacity and erratic behaviour drove his success from the start, and at every turn, he spurned regulators and whistleblowers, and replaced those who dared question him with loyalists. Now he is in a unique position to sabotage it all, and there is no one left to save him from himself. This remarkable case study in the pitfalls of unyielding loyalty to one man and the fecklessness of a gridlocked government is ultimately a cautionary tale: in a world that can't turn away from its screens, competence is no match for the power of influence and sustained attention.

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9781250327178

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Reviews

""Siddiqui blends insightful reporting with prescient analysis to give an authoritative look at one of the world's most polarizing figures. He captures the ambition of Elon Musk's innovations while also holding power to account, questioning the societal and cultural impact at the heart of his transformation. In this time, when Musk's influence is tangible in everything from how information is shared to the race for space colonization, Siddiqui's work could not be more vital."" --Astead Herndon, host of the New York Times political podcast ""The Run-Up"" ""Siddiqui dissects the rise and psychological unraveling of one of the most influential and controversial figures of our time. Combining meticulous research with vivid storytelling, he reveals how Musk's bold vision and unchecked ambition transformed industries, reshaped public narratives, and courted chaos. From Tesla's triumphs to Twitter's disasters, this gripping book exposes the cost of power without accountability in a world that idolizes innovation."" --Bradley Hope, Pulitzer Prize finalist and coauthor of New York Times bestseller Billion Dollar Whale ""An electrifying masterpiece of investigative journalism, offering a riveting deep dive into the rise and fall of Elon Musk, and the definitive account of his transformation from inspirational entrepreneur to a dangerous and polarizing figure. With unmatched clarity and depth, Siddiqui dissects Musk's power and influence. The book is a gripping cautionary tale and a masterful cultural critique--essential reading for anyone captivated (or confounded) by the most controversial billionaire of our time."" --Taylor Lorenz, Author of Extremely Online and founder of User Magazine

Author Information

Faiz Siddiqui is a technology journalist who writes for the Washington Post and has covered companies such as Tesla, Uber and Twitter (now X) for the Business Desk. His reporting has focused on transportation, social media and government transformation, among other issues. His work has been recognized by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing and he has earned multiple Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence and Hearst Journalism awards. His writing has also appeared in the Boston Globe and NPR.

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