From humble beginnings as an awkward boy from Pretoria, who loved comics and science fiction books, to the influence of his mother and the complex relationship with his father, Musk’s early years were crucial in shaping his stellar ambitions.

Journalist and author Michael Vlismas traces his remarkable life, from his early years in America and the development of his entrepreneurial vision to the billionaire, who seeks to turn science fiction into reality with grand plans of inhabiting Mars and saving planet Earth.

Thoroughly researched, this engaging book dispels several myths and presents other sides to the controversy surrounding Musk’s father. Vlismas attended the same school as Musk and has an intimate knowledge of the environment that shaped him. This is the story of a man utterly uncowed by risk who is driven to preserve the optimism he sees in humanity and to find a future for mankind out there among the stars .