Quinn Slobodian’s Muskism is available on Audible as a 5 hrs 59 mins unabridged audiobook, narrated by Adam Grupper.
Publisher’s Summary
A NEW YORKER AND ECONOMIST BEST BOOK OF 2026
“An illuminating book that examines where Mr. Musk came from and the episodes that shaped his worldview. In many ways it is the inverse of Walter Isaacson’s authorised biography. . . . the authors provide a portrait of his psyche that is arguably more revealing. . . . the resulting book is, you might say, a Musk-read.” –The Economist
“Muskism cuts straight to the core of the man and the moment, explaining how a mercurial, conspiracy-prone, vicious bastard can inspire loyalty and billions in other peoples’ money, and the nightmare world he wants to build with those billions.” –Cory Doctorow, author of Enshittification
A Financial Times Best Book of Summer 2026 • A Kirkus Most Anticipated Nonfiction Book of Spring 2026 • A Literary Hub Most Anticipated Book of the Year
A pyrotechnic examination of Elon Musk as a symptom and avatar of our postliberal age
Everyone’s got an Elon take. He’s a messiah. A menace; a genius; a clown. The verdicts differ, but they share one theme: they treat him as an individual.
Muskism argues otherwise. Elon Musk isn’t a glitch in the system—he is the system. His worldview promises sovereignty through technology: plug in, power up, and become self-reliant. But the more you connect, the more he owns you.
If Fordism defined the capitalism of the twentieth century, Muskism may define the twenty-first. Fordism helped build the welfare state. Musk undoes it. He thrives on dependence while preaching freedom. His cars run on subsidies; his satellites run the battlefield; his social networks train the AI that trains us.
Muskism sells itself as the future but entrenches age-old hierarchies. It offers autonomy for some and exclusion for others. It’s pro-natalist but anti-immigrant, futurist but reactionary. It speaks of humanity but warns against empathy.
Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff cut through the hype and the hate to reveal what Musk really represents: a new political economy, where to be “free” means to serve a Technoking. Muskism isn’t about the man. It’s about the machine that made him—and the world he’s making next. To read Muskism is to understand the machinery that made the man, and the world he’s making next, based on his philosophy of power in the spheres of:
- Silicon Valley: A sharp analysis of Elon Musk as more than a tech CEO, introducing “Muskism” as a new Silicon Valley paradigm shaping artificial intelligence, startups, and 21st-century capitalism.
- Big Tech, AI & the Future of Capitalism: Examines Tesla, SpaceX, and digital platforms through concepts like techno-sovereignty, automation, and “state symbiosis,” revealing how Big Tech is restructuring markets, innovation, and economic power.
- Geopolitics, Power & the Tech Billionaire Era: Explores how Musk’s companies influence global politics, infrastructure, and governance—from satellite networks to energy systems—showing how private tech power is reshaping international relations.
Audiobook Details
- Narrated by: Adam Grupper
- Length: 5 hrs 59 mins
- Publisher: Harper
- Release year: 2026
- Audible category: Biographies & Memoirs / Professionals & Academics / Science & Technology
Listener Ratings
Muskism holds an average listener rating of 4.1/5 from 47 Audible ratings.
On Audible, ratings for this title break down into narration performance and story separately:
- Performance (narration): 4.3/5
- Story: 4.1/5
- 5-star ratings: 51% of all ratings
What Audible Listeners Are Saying
4/5 stars — “Grok what are your thoughts?”
hey audible i have enjoyed this program. Thank you for requiring 15 words for a review!— James, Audible listener
5/5 stars — “A fantastic explanation of the political economics of something I truly don’t understand”
This is the second book I’ve read by this author… Both of them have covered subjects that are very ideologically different from where I’m at… But in both cases, the write a really goes out of his way to tell a story that makes a phenomenon.
that is hard to understand more coherent. I think this book for the most part would appeal to anyone who wants to understand the impact Musk has had whether you agree with him or not.— Keith, Audible listener
4/5 stars — “Both sides of the medal”
The authors do a great job keeping a suspense until the end. The story is as neutral as possible leaning on the very critical side.While the book is a very good review of Musk’s business acumen, or total lack thereof sometimes. Listening to it feels like it’s building toward something, but falls short of arriving to the point.
I think the book is good if you’d like to have a perspective on the consequences of Musk’s actions. It covers his business career and how he navigated through the hurdles he faced.
It really felt like the book was trying to build an argument, and failed to deliver it for the sake of neutrality.
— Michael, Audible listener
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