Hubris Maximus: The Shattering of Elon Musk

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Description

Once heralded as a modern-day Edison, Elon Musk has taken up a new role in public consciousness, with his growing desire to both transform global politics and engage in online arguments.

What happened In six short years, Musk 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 colonize Mars. Now he is the most polarizing and perpetually distracted CEO on the planet.

Hubris Maximus provides a gripping, detailed portrait of the billionaire's rapid ascent and his spectacular public implosion. Musk's audacity and erratic behaviour drove his success from the start; he spurned regulators and whistle blowers, and replaced those who dared question him with loyalists. As the scale of his wagers have grown in recent years, he alternately seems to be in either complete command or on the verge of a meltdown.

At a moment when the world's tech gods are more influential than ever, this is a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of magnetic leaders. Washington Post journalist Faiz Siddiqui offers a gripping and detailed portrait of a singularly messy and lucrative period in Musk's career, one which has seen him ascend into a key role in Trump's administration.

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 critiqueessential 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 Bio

Faiz Siddiqui is a technology journalist with the Washington Post, covering companies such as Tesla and Twitter for the Business Desk. Siddiqui's work has earned multiple Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence and Hearst Journalism awards, and his writing has also appeared in the Boston Globe, NPR, and The Guardian, among others.