Walter Isaacson

They were the kindest people you'd ever want to meet.

I grew up in a magical place in New Orleans.

My dad was an engineer, an electrical engineer, and he was always kind.

Perhaps...

I'm not quite as driven or as crazed.

I don't have to prove things.

So I get to write about Elon Musk.

I get to write about Einstein or Steve Jobs or Leonardo da Vinci, who, as you know, was totally torn by demons and had different difficult childhood situations, not even legitimized by his father.

So sometimes those of us who are lucky enough to have really gentle, sweet childhoods,

We grow up with fewer demons, but we grow up with fewer drives.

And we end up maybe being Boswell and not being Dr. Johnson.

We end up being the observer, not being the doer.

And so I always respect those who are in the arena.

I don't, you know.

You don't see yourself as a man in the arena.

I've had a gentle, sweet career.

And I've got to cover really interesting people.

But I've never shot off a rocket that might someday get to Mars.

I've never moved us into the era of electric vehicles.

I've never stayed up all night on the factory floor.