W H Allen Power Play: Elon Musk, Tesla, and the Bet of the Century

His personal thinking , perception of the world, how he got the inspiration every morning at his first day gave me a lot to think ,not only about money but the all human beings , who gonna suffer after all the fights and wars for self-Center attitude. Insightful book.

Really enjoyed this book. It focused on the history of and business decisions made by Tesla as opposed to other auto/biographies which focused mainly on the man himself (Elon). While Musk is a controversial character, this book is still an inspiring read for those who want to build something great in their lifetimes!

Very detailed story of the most important new business on earth. Well written. Interesting. Cuts all the FUD out.

OK this is going to be a difficult review to write because although I found the book gripping and felt as though I'd learned a lot, it felt as though I knew less at the end than the beginning. Let me try to explain. Overall I got the impression that Tesla has succeeded almost despite Elon Musk, rather than because of him. Not just through his management style but by his own admission, his blind spots over eg the Model X design and Model 3 production plan. And this is the problem. In a seemingly relentless series of challenges and own goals there is so little to praise, and the innovative technologies literally unmentioned (the Octabottle, the giga presses, the heat pumps, Dojo etc) that such things become noticeable by their absence. The book might have benefitted from a chapter on engineering innovations. And sure, people who were fired will have (justified) reason to complain. But it would have been interesting to have some positive insights. Glad I read it, but equally glad to have had info from other perspectives, such as Herbert Diess of VW saying that Tesla can make a car in about a third the time, and inviting Elon to their 'crisis meeting', or Sandy Munro talking about some of the best engineering on the planet. We may still talk about Elon time with FSD and the Cybertruck etc, but I feel that a lot of the issues raised on the book have been or are being addressed. So overall, some balance needed, and it feels like journalism rather than insightful and in-depth authorship.

I just finished Power Play over the weekend and enjoyed it immensely. For a book that covers a lot of ground and a story that has numerous players & acts, it's accessible and the author carefully tied together the story. I specifically appreciated the detail with which the core engineering problems of early Tesla were described, as they really help explain what the company became today. The book clearly was well researched. Worth a read.