Elon Musk is one of the modern age’s most controversial figures. He’s made commercial spaceflight a viable business and brought electric cars into public awareness, but the way that Musk presents himself has led many to see him as disruptive toward society. His drive and lack of empathy have stirred up chaos in the companies he owns, and his need for absolute control of his businesses silenced criticism that he may have found useful.

Renowned biographer Walter Isaacson shadowed Musk for two years, gaining access to his thoughts and those of the people closest to him. In this guide, we’ll follow Isaacson on Musk’s journey from a traumatic South African childhood to his founding of SpaceX and Tesla, as well as his takeover of Twitter. We’ll compare the views of Musk’s supporters and detractors while giving context to his innovations and decisions that have shaped the path of technological progress.