Walter Isaacson’s new Elon Musk biography is already taking off in China

BEIJING — Walter Isaacson’s new biography of Elon Musk hit the Chinese market Tuesday, a number of hours forward of the U.S. launch as a result of a time distinction that places Beijing 12 hours forward of New York.

A day earlier, writer Citic Press Group raised the e-book’s promoting worth to 79 Chinese yuan ($10.84), up from 59 yuan beforehand, in keeping with Chris Sun, lead translator of Isaacson’s e-book into Chinese.

Citing conversations with the writer, Sun stated a uncommon, pressing further printing was carried out in the course of the pre-sale interval and that the work was Citic Press’ “highest-level confidential challenge” of the 12 months. That’s in keeping with a CNBC translation of the Chinese feedback.

Citic didn’t instantly reply to a CNBC request for remark. The Shenzhen-listed firm reported income from operations of 872.65 million yuan for the primary half of the 12 months, up 2.9% from a 12 months in the past.

Sun stated Citic was unable to supply gross sales figures of the new biography as of Tuesday.

On the net retailer JD.com’s app Tuesday, variations of the new Elon Musk biography in Chinese held the highest three spots in the class of hottest finance and economics biographies.

In fourth place was Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs in Chinese.

About a decade in the past, copies of the Jobs’ biography might be discovered at quite a few street-side stands in China. They had been nearly at all times knockoffs, however the distinctive black-and-white cowl stood out.

Sun identified that a lot has modified between the U.S. and China since then, in addition to extraordinary Chinese folks’s consciousness of such tech entrepreneurs.

When Jobs died in 2011, he was higher recognized amongst China’s elites, whereas extraordinary folks had been nonetheless studying about Apple’s merchandise, Sun stated.

Today, “ordinary people [in China] have a very high opinion of Musk,” Sun stated, noting some individuals are proud to be Tesla homeowners. Ashlee Vance’s earlier biography of Musk has been fashionable in China as effectively.

Read excerpts from Isaacson’s new Musk biography right here: