Best Environmental Engineering
This bold, contrarian view, backed up by exhaustive research, introduces our near-term future, where exponentially growing technologies and three other powerful forces are conspiring to better the lives of billions. Examining human need by category—water, food, energy, healthcare, education, freedom—Diamandis and Kotler introduce dozens of innovators making great strides in each area: Larry Page, Steven Hawking, Dean Kamen, Daniel Kahneman, Elon Musk, Bill Joy, Stewart Brand, Jeff Skoll, Ray Kurzweil, Ratan Tata, Craig Venter, among many, many others. "This engaging book is a needed corrective, a whirlwind tour of the latest developments in health care, agriculture, energy, and other fields as well as an introduction to thinkers and innovators such as Daniel Kahneman, Ray Kurzweil, and Craig Ventor."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Abundance by Peter Diamandis revolves around the concept that our perception on life is based off of our own experiences, but collectively taken life has improved in many categories such as lifespan, economic wages, & number of conflicts in a given time period."
"It is an excellent place to start for anyone. interested in exponential technologies, the. future, artificial intelligence, global social. issues or business."
"A must read for all generations, I couldn't put the book down...."
"If you read nothing else this year, next year, the year after - read Peter Diamandis Abundance."
"We think the world today is worst than ever, this book will tell you how we are wrong, how we are better now and how Technologies are shaping our future, a future of abundance."
"The authors rightly point out that if you study any period of human existence on planet Earth, you will see both incredible advancements and terrible tragedies. Diamandis and Kotler define abundance as having a life of possibilities where the day is spent dreaming and doing as opposed to scrapping and scraping just to get by. The bulk of the book describes how science and technology will be used to address each of the challenges identified in the tiers of the abundance pyramid. Its contents leave the reader full of hope that science and technology will solve our problems and better life on the planet."
A New York Times bestseller, Deep Down Dark brings to haunting, tactile life the experience of being imprisoned inside a mountain of stone, the horror of being slowly consumed by hunger, and the spiritual and mystical elements that surrounded working in such a dangerous place. “Weaving together the drama of the miners' harrowing ordeal below ground with the anguish of families and rescuers on the surface, Tobar delivers a masterful account of exile and human longing, of triumph in the face of all odds. Taut with suspense and moments of tenderness and replete with a cast of unforgettable characters, Deep Down Dark ranks with the best of adventure literature. As Tobar works his way through each miner's recovery, the TV headlines recede from our memory, and a more delicate series of portraits emerges.” ― Noah Gallagher Shannon, The Washington Post. Whether the story is completely new to you, or if you were one of the millions glued to the news reports and wondering, will they make it--physically, emotionally, spiritually--you'll be greatly rewarded to learn how they did.” ― Mac McClelland, The New York Times Book Review. A novelist and Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, [Tobar] combines a historian's eye for context with a gifted storyteller's ear for minor-key character traits . “If Dante's Inferno was a real place, it would look and feel like the subterranean fever dream Héctor Tobar describes in Deep Down Dark . Taking us into the post-apocalyptic landscape of Chile's Atacama Desert and guiding us through the labyrinthine hell of the world's most famous mine accident, Tobar's taut narrative plumbs the depths not only of the mine itself, but of the 33 trapped miners' hearts and souls as they fight for life, and reconcile themselves--first, to death, and then to the far more challenging task of surviving. “Héctor Tobar takes us so far down into the story and lives of the Chilean miners that his reconstruction of a workplace disaster becomes a riveting meditation on universal human themes. “In this masterful dissection of the 2010's dramatic sixty-nine day ordeal by thirty-three trapped Chilean miners, Héctor Tobar weaves a suspenseful narrative that moves back and forth between the waking nightmares of the buried men, and those of their families on the earth's surface. “It's almost hard to believe that Héctor Tobar wasn't himself one of the trapped Chilean miners, so vivid, immediate, terrifying, emotional, and convincing is his Homeric narration of this extraordinary incident. Deep Down Dark is a literary masterpiece of narrative journalism, surgical in its reconstruction, novelistic in its explorations of human personality and nuance. In a manner that feels spiritual, Tobar puts himself at the service of his story, and his fidelity to and unquenchable curiosity about every fact and detail generates unforgettable wonderment and awe.” ― Francisco Goldman. I know 2014 still has three months left to go, but I don’t expect to find anything I liked better than Héctor Tobar’s Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free. You know the story – 33 men were buried in a spectacular mine collapse, stayed underground for two months, and then were rescued, all of them unharmed. Henry Leyva's audiobook credits include reading Colin Harrison's The Havana Room , Michael Palmer's Fatal , Lawrence Block's Killing Castro , and John Grisham's The Testament as well as works from popular authors such as Nicholas Sparks and Phyllis Naylor.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"33 men: 69 days unimaginable but it happened in Chile in 2010. Until now it was one of those news stories we all remember but Hector Tobar has brought these men to live as human beings; fathers, brothers, husbands and sons. The truth about the conditions is as bad as one would imagine but to hear it told straight from the miners experiences is heart wrenching but also speaks to the human spirit and ones ability to survive even under the worst conditions. These men experienced a full gamete of emotions: hope, despair, loneliness, companionship, isolation, encouragement, depression."
"The book, a chronology of the events and a collection of portraits of the men both above and below ground, is the first of its kind, honoring an agreement the miners made to one another to tell their story only as a group. Tobar begins DEEP DOWN DARK with a description of the San José mine: a rocky, lifeless mountain situated in the Atacama Desert of Chile. Tobar, however, eagerly invites readers into this male-dominated world, exposing the dilapidation and ever-blowing dust of the mine and preparing them for the miners’ eerie descent into the depths of the earth. As they prepare to enter the mine shaft, Tobar handles their characters with great care, presenting them neither as heroes nor villains, but as regular men dealing with the monotony and banality of working life. Still, their personalities begin to shine --- from Mario Sepúlveda, nicknamed Perri (short for “Perrito,” or “small dog”) for his canine-like loyalty and aggression, to Yonni Barrios, a paunchy Romeo who moves between the homes of his wife and girlfriend depending on their moods. Tobar takes readers through the day, weaving personal details and stories seamlessly with the plot, distinguishing each of the 33 miners from one another with nicknames and humorous anecdotes. Others, like the young Bolivian immigrant Carlos Mamani, were terrified and took shelter in the Refuge, a fortified room within the mine stocked with basic medical supplies and enough food for about 15 men to survive for only a few days. His talent for pen portraits continues as he exposes the miners’ family members --- their dramas, fears and hopes --- accurately without feeling vulgar or voyeuristic. The owners of the San José appear to have completely given up, making the collapse a disaster of the people, uniting estranged families and unconnected citizens alike. It is at this point that they deliver their world famous message “Estamos bien en el refugio, los 33.” Though it seems that all will be well from now on, Tobar carefully details the dangers still present: the miners must learn to eat normally again, several of them have entered the early stages of kidney failure, and their hope is dwindling. Exposing the days of the miners post-contact is the greatest strength of Tobar’s book, as people worldwide focused only on the excitement of the men, rather than the agony of their time spent waiting for rescue even after contact was made. Tobar is quick to point out that their journey is not over, with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the pains of celebrity making their transitions even more difficult, but they are alive and stronger than ever before."
"I have absolutely no sense of how large or small their underground space was but just the thought of being buried alive scares most people, and these guys had to endure that situation, the longer time was while they were waiting to be drilled out."
Here, the authors teach how to design and use incentive competitions, launch million-dollar crowdfunding campaigns to tap into tens of billions of dollars of capital, and finally how to build communities—armies of exponentially enabled individuals willing and able to help today’s entrepreneurs make their boldest dreams come true. “ Bold is a visionary roadmap for people who believe they can change the world---and offers invaluable advice about bringing together the partners and technologies to help them do it.”. (President Bill Clinton ). "BOLD is an essential navigation tool for any proactive CEO who wants to remain relevant. When Peter and I cofounded Singularity University, we based it on the ideas of exponential change and ‘learn by doing.’ This book clearly explains how to apply these concepts to change the world and overcome the age old afflictions of human civilization.”- (Ray Kurzweil, inventor, author, director of engineering at Google, Chancellor of Singularity University ). "Expressed with sunny optimism and promise, Diamandis and Kotler share their extensive experience and knowledge, hoping to boost innovative potential within the technology startup arena and inspire readers to "get off the couch and change the world." "This is a manual for today’s big thinkers to become tomorrow’s bold leaders, using crowd-powered tools accessible to everyone." “It makes bold predictions and teaches entrepreneurs how to thrive in the same way as our mammalian ancestors: by being nimble and resilient.” (HuffingtonPost.com). Steven Kotler is a New York Times bestselling author, award-winning journalist and the Cofounder and Director of Research for the Flow Genome Project (FlowGenomeProject.co).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The book was promoted as a "how to" book. Since there aren't any practical breakthrough how-to's in this book, I can summarize the entire book in two words, "Think Big!" I am not being negative, since this book tries to prevent such comment by indicating that if you don't think the way this book tells you to think, you are not on the right mindset. With all it's shallowness, this book is still well done. Ultimately, by the end of the book, I found out that this book is actually a promotional material to bring your attention to the author's $10,000 motivational event called "Abundance 360." In the Afterword: Next Steps--How to take Action, the author urges you to join his expensive programs and services, to seize the golden opportunity the book has hyped up. ===== UPDATE 02-12-2015=====. Just would like to add value to those who are reading this review: I received a new book for review a couple of days ago which is somewhat in the same vain of this book about futuristic enterprises, but that book spends only a few pages hyping the golden opportunity but the rest of the book is completely filled with practical applications that you can put to action immediately for your company, instead of just a bunch of BOLD air. Plus, that book doesn't sell you anything at the end."
"I read / listen to about 30 books a year and the best of those I share with our clients and prospects -- we've already purchased 100 copies for our best prospects, with a hope that we can help inspire some BOLD new ideas for their current vision."
"It's a great primer for areas you should look to get into for the future, and a way to think about how to bring value to the future. Lastly, the section on contests seemed a little long-winded, but I guess that's great if you're going to hold a contest and need detailed advice."
"There is no doubt in my mind that Peter and Steven have done some extraordinary things with their lives. If you have never read an article about Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk or Richard Branson, you can find those here. On page 126 the authors highlight a glass bottom plane as an industry "first." I suppose my contribution is to you, a potential reader, to strongly consider if this book is what you are looking for before you add it to your cart."
Best Environmental Hydrology
World renowned scientist, Dr. Gerald Pollack, takes us on a fantastic voyage through water, showing us a hidden universe teeming with physical activity— providing simple explanations for common everyday phenomena, which you have inevitably seen but not really understood. When touching most surfaces, water transforms itself into so-called EZ (Exclusion Zone) water, also known as structured water or fourth phase water. Praise for The Fourth Phase of Water: “The most informative, eye-opening, mind-blowing book that I ever recall reading.”. -Henry Bauer, Dean Emeritus, Arts and Sciences, Virginia Tech. Ever wonder What mysteries lurk in the depths of a glass of water? What keeps Jell-O's water from oozing out? Questions such as those have remained unanswered not only because they have seemed complex, but also because they require that scientists pursue a politically risky domain of science: water research. Scientists trying to understand the social behavior of H20 do so at grave risk to their reputations and livelihoods because water science has suffered repeated fiascos. Water scientists have been virtually tarred and feathered.Undaunted, one scientist has navigated the perils of water science by conducting dozens of simple, carefully controlled experiments and piecing together the first coherent account of water's three dimensional structure and behavior.Professor Pollack takes us on a fantastic voyage through water, showing us a hidden universe teeming with physical activity that provides answers so simple that any curious person can understand. In conversational prose, Pollack relentlessly documents just where some scientists may have gone wrong with their Byzantine theories, and instead lays a simple foundation for understanding how changes of water structure underlie most energetic transitions of form and motion on Earth.Pollack invites us to open our eyes and re-experience our natural world, to take nothing for granted, and to reawaken our childhood dream of having things make sense. ". The most interesting science book I've ever read. Devouring his book has inspired in me a whole new burst of enthusiasm for science." " With balance and grace, Pollack seems to have come closest to presenting a 'unified field' vision of matter through the lens of water." " This amazing book has changed my understanding of all the processes going on in water which I was confident I knew about -- the understanding that dictated my many years of teaching and organized my research.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As a biologist I kept waiting to see what sorts of behaviors we would expect in biological systems, but I also appreciated a thorough treatment of the basic chemistry involved here."
"This book is not like other books that hang together on a few less-than-game-changing discoveries, it is absolutely full of insights and evidence that will stimulate you to think and restore your faith in the scientific approach."
"Awesome expiration on the peculiar properties of water can't wait for his book on how waterworks in the body."
"Doubt mainstream neutonians will endorse it."
"Very thorough text on an interesting theory."
"Very informative for scientist and non-scientist."
"This is an expansion on the previous "Cells, Gels, and Engines of Life" by the same author, and just as clearly presented."
Best Mining
A New York Times bestseller, Deep Down Dark brings to haunting, tactile life the experience of being imprisoned inside a mountain of stone, the horror of being slowly consumed by hunger, and the spiritual and mystical elements that surrounded working in such a dangerous place. “Weaving together the drama of the miners' harrowing ordeal below ground with the anguish of families and rescuers on the surface, Tobar delivers a masterful account of exile and human longing, of triumph in the face of all odds. Taut with suspense and moments of tenderness and replete with a cast of unforgettable characters, Deep Down Dark ranks with the best of adventure literature. As Tobar works his way through each miner's recovery, the TV headlines recede from our memory, and a more delicate series of portraits emerges.” ― Noah Gallagher Shannon, The Washington Post. Whether the story is completely new to you, or if you were one of the millions glued to the news reports and wondering, will they make it--physically, emotionally, spiritually--you'll be greatly rewarded to learn how they did.” ― Mac McClelland, The New York Times Book Review. A novelist and Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, [Tobar] combines a historian's eye for context with a gifted storyteller's ear for minor-key character traits . “If Dante's Inferno was a real place, it would look and feel like the subterranean fever dream Héctor Tobar describes in Deep Down Dark . Taking us into the post-apocalyptic landscape of Chile's Atacama Desert and guiding us through the labyrinthine hell of the world's most famous mine accident, Tobar's taut narrative plumbs the depths not only of the mine itself, but of the 33 trapped miners' hearts and souls as they fight for life, and reconcile themselves--first, to death, and then to the far more challenging task of surviving. “Héctor Tobar takes us so far down into the story and lives of the Chilean miners that his reconstruction of a workplace disaster becomes a riveting meditation on universal human themes. “In this masterful dissection of the 2010's dramatic sixty-nine day ordeal by thirty-three trapped Chilean miners, Héctor Tobar weaves a suspenseful narrative that moves back and forth between the waking nightmares of the buried men, and those of their families on the earth's surface. “It's almost hard to believe that Héctor Tobar wasn't himself one of the trapped Chilean miners, so vivid, immediate, terrifying, emotional, and convincing is his Homeric narration of this extraordinary incident. Deep Down Dark is a literary masterpiece of narrative journalism, surgical in its reconstruction, novelistic in its explorations of human personality and nuance. In a manner that feels spiritual, Tobar puts himself at the service of his story, and his fidelity to and unquenchable curiosity about every fact and detail generates unforgettable wonderment and awe.” ― Francisco Goldman. I know 2014 still has three months left to go, but I don’t expect to find anything I liked better than Héctor Tobar’s Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine, and the Miracle That Set Them Free. You know the story – 33 men were buried in a spectacular mine collapse, stayed underground for two months, and then were rescued, all of them unharmed. Henry Leyva's audiobook credits include reading Colin Harrison's The Havana Room , Michael Palmer's Fatal , Lawrence Block's Killing Castro , and John Grisham's The Testament as well as works from popular authors such as Nicholas Sparks and Phyllis Naylor.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The book, a chronology of the events and a collection of portraits of the men both above and below ground, is the first of its kind, honoring an agreement the miners made to one another to tell their story only as a group. Tobar begins DEEP DOWN DARK with a description of the San José mine: a rocky, lifeless mountain situated in the Atacama Desert of Chile. Tobar, however, eagerly invites readers into this male-dominated world, exposing the dilapidation and ever-blowing dust of the mine and preparing them for the miners’ eerie descent into the depths of the earth. As they prepare to enter the mine shaft, Tobar handles their characters with great care, presenting them neither as heroes nor villains, but as regular men dealing with the monotony and banality of working life. Still, their personalities begin to shine --- from Mario Sepúlveda, nicknamed Perri (short for “Perrito,” or “small dog”) for his canine-like loyalty and aggression, to Yonni Barrios, a paunchy Romeo who moves between the homes of his wife and girlfriend depending on their moods. Tobar takes readers through the day, weaving personal details and stories seamlessly with the plot, distinguishing each of the 33 miners from one another with nicknames and humorous anecdotes. Others, like the young Bolivian immigrant Carlos Mamani, were terrified and took shelter in the Refuge, a fortified room within the mine stocked with basic medical supplies and enough food for about 15 men to survive for only a few days. His talent for pen portraits continues as he exposes the miners’ family members --- their dramas, fears and hopes --- accurately without feeling vulgar or voyeuristic. The owners of the San José appear to have completely given up, making the collapse a disaster of the people, uniting estranged families and unconnected citizens alike. It is at this point that they deliver their world famous message “Estamos bien en el refugio, los 33.” Though it seems that all will be well from now on, Tobar carefully details the dangers still present: the miners must learn to eat normally again, several of them have entered the early stages of kidney failure, and their hope is dwindling. Exposing the days of the miners post-contact is the greatest strength of Tobar’s book, as people worldwide focused only on the excitement of the men, rather than the agony of their time spent waiting for rescue even after contact was made. Tobar is quick to point out that their journey is not over, with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the pains of celebrity making their transitions even more difficult, but they are alive and stronger than ever before."
"33 men: 69 days unimaginable but it happened in Chile in 2010. Until now it was one of those news stories we all remember but Hector Tobar has brought these men to live as human beings; fathers, brothers, husbands and sons. The truth about the conditions is as bad as one would imagine but to hear it told straight from the miners experiences is heart wrenching but also speaks to the human spirit and ones ability to survive even under the worst conditions. These men experienced a full gamete of emotions: hope, despair, loneliness, companionship, isolation, encouragement, depression."
"I have absolutely no sense of how large or small their underground space was but just the thought of being buried alive scares most people, and these guys had to endure that situation, the longer time was while they were waiting to be drilled out."
Best Civil Engineering
Vance spent over 40 hours in conversation with Musk and interviewed close to 300 people to tell the tumultuous stories of Musk's world-changing companies: PayPal, Tesla Motors, SpaceX and SolarCity, and to characterize a man who has renewed American industry and sparked new levels of innovation while making plenty of enemies along the way. "Ashlee Vance's new book, 'Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the Quest for a Fantastic Future,' is a tremendous look into arguably the world's most important entrepreneur. Vance paints an unforgettable picture of Musk's unique personality, insatiable drive and ability to thrive through hardship." "Vance's lively book yields all manner of fascinating insights about Musk's companies, his vision, and his personal life." - Whitney Tilson Founder, Kase Capital Management There are few industrialists in history who could match Elon Musk's relentless drive and ingenious vision. A modern alloy of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, and Steve Jobs, Musk is the man behind PayPal, Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and SolarCity, each of which has sent shock waves throughout American business and industry. More than any other executive today, Musk has dedicated his energies and his own vast fortune to inventing a future that is as rich and far-reaching as a science fiction fantasy. In this lively, investigative account, veteran technology journalist Ashlee Vance offers an unprecedented look into the remarkable life and times of Silicon Valley's most audacious businessman. Written with exclusive access to Musk, his family, and his friends, the book traces his journey from his difficult upbringing in South Africa to his ascent to the pinnacle of the global business world. In 1992, Elon Musk arrived in the United States as a ferociously driven immigrant bent on realizing his wildest dreams. After being forced out of PayPal, fending off a life-threatening case of malaria, and dealing with the death of his infant son, Musk abandoned Silicon Valley for Los Angeles. At a time when many American companies are more interested in chasing easy money than in taking bold risks on radical new technology, Musk stands out as the only businessman with enough dynamism and vision to tackle--and even revolutionize--three industries at once. Vance makes the case that Musk's success heralds a return to the original ambition and invention that made America an economic and intellectual powerhouse.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"2 pages in, I decided I was in this for the long haul and sat on the floor, right there in the middle of the store. Because as you experience the story, as you see the challenges Musk went through to reach the pinnacle he's at today, the question nags at you. Musk isn't soft-spoken, or easy on his employees, or a man who kicks his legs up on his desk and snoozes while his companies mill around him. Vance shows how Musk is both the CEO and an employee of his companies, simultaneously the teacher and student. Vance takes you deep into the details, from Musk's childhood and lineage in South Africa, all the way to Canada and the United States, where the bulk of the story unfolds. When Musk looks at big businesses, he sees unmovable behemoths that refuse to change their methodologies. So we follow Musk's journey from his small start-ups, Zip2 and X.com, and move into his larger, more permanent ventures, namely SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity. Did you know SpaceX tested these rockets on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and would fix problems they encountered in a matter of days, as compared to months by standard companies? I'm going to reread this book in a few weeks (probably after the scheduled June 19th third Falcon 9 landing attempt, this time on solid ground, as opposed to a barge). Anyone who wants a ridiculously thorough insight into Elon Musk's life and companies should read this book. This is an incredibly inspiring book, a important look into a game-changing business strategy, and a valuable lesson to the world."
"I loved the insight into Musk and how he operates, and you get a very broad and complete picture of Musk as a driven visionary that is absolutely set on delivering some of the most aspirational goals of any human in history. You also get some great insight into the overall ecosystem around Musk - his companies (SpaceX and Tesla primarily), relationships with other companies and gov entities, as well as the important people around him."
"Solid, well researched book about Musk's early life, early companies (Zip2 and PayPal), and current companies (Tesla, SpaceX and SolarCity). Throughout the book, Vance doesn't just let a startling assertion or quote stand still, he researches events to give the reader a balanced view of what transpired."
Best Construction Engineering
Simply put, you won’t find a more complete and up-to-date book on home wiring: from basic skills—including an overview of electricity and wiring safety; wire, cable, and conduits; boxes and panels; switches; and receptacles—to foolproof circuit maps for 30 common wiring set-ups and step-by-step walkthroughs of every essential home wiring and electrical repair project, this book teaches you everything you need to know. For a remodel, mark the mirror location, run cable, and position boxes before drywall installation. You can also retrofit by installing new boxes and drawing power from the existing fixture. The size of your mirror and its location on the wall may affect how far apart you can place the sconces, but 36" to 40" apart is a good guideline. Drywall saw, drill, combination tool, circuit tester, screwdrivers, hammer, electrical boxes and braces, vanity light fixtures, NM cable, wire connectors, eye protection. Make the opening large enough that you have room to route cable from the existing fixture to the boxes. Install the boxes about 66" above the floor and 18" to 20" from the centerline of the mirror (the mounting base of some fixtures is above or below the bulb, so adjust the height of the bracing accordingly).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I wanted to know how three-way switches do their magic (it's the traveler wire), and I wanted to know tricks of the trade about how to put a switch in the middle of a "run" of lighting wires or at the end, and how would I properly tie into existing circuits."
"This book is PERFECT!"
"With this book I have learn so much about wiring my house have already done socket, wall switch, and run new wiring."
"great for a home owner, but always remember to get county to inspected."
"Great book for the basics, has helped me with a few home projects."
"Good book with pictures for basic remodel and initial installation."
"It is a great book with good quality pictures in detail."
"Makes it much easier than I anticipated."
Best Surveying & Photogrammetry
Vance spent over 40 hours in conversation with Musk and interviewed close to 300 people to tell the tumultuous stories of Musk's world-changing companies: PayPal, Tesla Motors, SpaceX and SolarCity, and to characterize a man who has renewed American industry and sparked new levels of innovation while making plenty of enemies along the way. "Ashlee Vance's new book, 'Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the Quest for a Fantastic Future,' is a tremendous look into arguably the world's most important entrepreneur. Vance paints an unforgettable picture of Musk's unique personality, insatiable drive and ability to thrive through hardship." "Vance's lively book yields all manner of fascinating insights about Musk's companies, his vision, and his personal life." - Whitney Tilson Founder, Kase Capital Management There are few industrialists in history who could match Elon Musk's relentless drive and ingenious vision. A modern alloy of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, and Steve Jobs, Musk is the man behind PayPal, Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and SolarCity, each of which has sent shock waves throughout American business and industry. More than any other executive today, Musk has dedicated his energies and his own vast fortune to inventing a future that is as rich and far-reaching as a science fiction fantasy. In this lively, investigative account, veteran technology journalist Ashlee Vance offers an unprecedented look into the remarkable life and times of Silicon Valley's most audacious businessman. Written with exclusive access to Musk, his family, and his friends, the book traces his journey from his difficult upbringing in South Africa to his ascent to the pinnacle of the global business world. In 1992, Elon Musk arrived in the United States as a ferociously driven immigrant bent on realizing his wildest dreams. After being forced out of PayPal, fending off a life-threatening case of malaria, and dealing with the death of his infant son, Musk abandoned Silicon Valley for Los Angeles. At a time when many American companies are more interested in chasing easy money than in taking bold risks on radical new technology, Musk stands out as the only businessman with enough dynamism and vision to tackle--and even revolutionize--three industries at once. Vance makes the case that Musk's success heralds a return to the original ambition and invention that made America an economic and intellectual powerhouse.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"2 pages in, I decided I was in this for the long haul and sat on the floor, right there in the middle of the store. Because as you experience the story, as you see the challenges Musk went through to reach the pinnacle he's at today, the question nags at you. Musk isn't soft-spoken, or easy on his employees, or a man who kicks his legs up on his desk and snoozes while his companies mill around him. Vance shows how Musk is both the CEO and an employee of his companies, simultaneously the teacher and student. Vance takes you deep into the details, from Musk's childhood and lineage in South Africa, all the way to Canada and the United States, where the bulk of the story unfolds. When Musk looks at big businesses, he sees unmovable behemoths that refuse to change their methodologies. So we follow Musk's journey from his small start-ups, Zip2 and X.com, and move into his larger, more permanent ventures, namely SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity. Did you know SpaceX tested these rockets on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and would fix problems they encountered in a matter of days, as compared to months by standard companies? I'm going to reread this book in a few weeks (probably after the scheduled June 19th third Falcon 9 landing attempt, this time on solid ground, as opposed to a barge). Anyone who wants a ridiculously thorough insight into Elon Musk's life and companies should read this book. This is an incredibly inspiring book, a important look into a game-changing business strategy, and a valuable lesson to the world."
"I loved the insight into Musk and how he operates, and you get a very broad and complete picture of Musk as a driven visionary that is absolutely set on delivering some of the most aspirational goals of any human in history. You also get some great insight into the overall ecosystem around Musk - his companies (SpaceX and Tesla primarily), relationships with other companies and gov entities, as well as the important people around him."
"Solid, well researched book about Musk's early life, early companies (Zip2 and PayPal), and current companies (Tesla, SpaceX and SolarCity). Throughout the book, Vance doesn't just let a startling assertion or quote stand still, he researches events to give the reader a balanced view of what transpired."
Best Hydrology
A key figure is William Mulholland, the self-taught engineer who created an unprecedented water system, allowing Los Angeles to become America's second-largest city, and who was also responsible for the design and construction of the St. Francis Dam. An Amazon Best Book of January 2016: How does a man-made disaster that killed 500 innocents near a burgeoning metropolis become a historical footnote? "Jon Wilkman retells the harrowing story of the St. Francis Dam break with ardent imagination and scholarly insight. His book is essential reading for anyone interested in the human consequences of the unrestrained quest for water and electricity in twentieth-century America." "Wilkman demonstrates a balanced perspective on Mulholland’s lifetime of labor, acknowledging both the good and the bad that the man’s actions wrought. Moreover, the author ties the events at the St. Francis Dam to the contemporary American experience -- with a high demand for water in a severe drought, combined with the aging and failing infrastructure of dams, waterworks, and energy grids, Wilkman convincingly argues that the United States is primed for another such disaster." "The St. Francis Dam failure was one of the pivotal events in U.S. history that forced policymakers to consider how public safety and environmental impacts would fit into national growth and the insatiable need for water. It is a fascinating technological detective story and a compelling human drama, including the impact of a powerful engineer’s overconfidence and the loss of hundreds of innocent lives."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Wilkman masterfully brings to life the now all-but-forgotten story of the St. Francis Dam, 50 miles north of Los Angeles, which suddenly collapsed one spring night in 1928, releasing more than 12 billion gallons of water that wrought death and destruction as it roared to the sea. Wilkman tells Mulholland’s story fairly and accurately, and he tells all of it—the St. Francis Dam and Mulholland—against the backdrop of the overarching story: Water in the West. In recounting the story of the St. Francis Dam and its failure, Wilkman splendidly puts all of the strands together and makes the dam disaster of long ago relevant to today."
"It’s just that I almost gave up on this book after a sluggish beginning, and wouldn’t want another reader to make the same mistake. While some of the early background material was slow, there was a lot of Los Angeles history I found interesting. Even back in 1928, when the population was just a few hundred thousand, city planners foresaw the need for water for both agriculture and its residents. Reading about the city’s efforts to acquire land and the additional steps needed to undertake such a massive engineering project bogged down the story in details that probably could have been left out. Fortunately, the very next chapter dealt with the dam break and subsequent flooding of the valley below. As it turns out, I had just watched the film San Andrea around the same time I started reading about the dam collapse. As dawn breaks, and the extent of the damage and loss of life is first realized, questions as to the cause of the collapse begins. The chief architect of the dam was William Mulholland, a respected director of the City’s Water Works department. I certainly was unaware of a series of dam collapses in China that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands."
"However, the rest of the country likely knows little. Often with this kind of history, a reader needs some background knowledge to understand the authors point. Not in this case: Wilkman gives enough background information that a reader will not only understand why the dam was built, and why it collapsed, but also understand the history of an important part of the country and the role water plays in that history."