Steve Jobs

Another excellent biography by Isaacson. Very well written, a real page-turner that completely captured my attention for almost two weeks, until I finished with a sensation of wanting for more. Not only it is a very well researched biography, but Mr. Isaacson had access to Mr. Jobs and his close circle of family and friends, his foes, and most importantly, without any Steve Jobs interference or previous censorship in content. As the typical biography, the story is told chronologically, but alone the way you will learn much more than about Mr. Jobs personality, genius, his successes (Apple and Pixar) and failures (Next). The story also tells the evolution of the computer industry from the inception of the PCs with the Apple II, through the Mac, to the revolution brought by the iPod, iPhone and the iPad, and the lessons for corporate America. The book presents quite a paradoxical business case, in which great successes were based on fostering creativity and innovation, plus Jobs almost neurotic micromanagement and endless search for perfection, but against the book, achieved in a hostile environment due to Steve Jobs' mercurial personality, his tantrums and his selfish and arrogant attitude toward his partners, employees and competitors. I would not be surprise if this book becomes a mandatory reading for MBA students. It is one of a kind example of the key role and importance of a solid organizational culture that nurtures creativity and innovation, and cares about the quality of its products and the customer. Also it is an example of how you should not treat your employees. For those readers that enjoy biographies, I recommend Isaacson's Einstein: His Life and Universe and Benjamin Franklin: An American Life . For those interested in the business side of this biography, I recommend the following books that also deal about successful firms that are more centered on the customer than short term profit Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul and One Click: Jeff Bezos and the Rise of Amazon.com . And for a remarkable example of what happens when short term profit and financial reward are put as the main priorities instead of the product and the customers, do not miss Bob Lutz' Car Guys vs. Bean Counters: The Battle for the Soul of American Business . For those readers more interested in the development of the information technology industry, the IBM story as told in Making the World Work Better: The Ideas That Shaped a Century and a Company is an excellent complementary reading. And those that simply enjoy biographies, I recommend Isaacson's biographies Einstein: His Life and Universe and Benjamin Franklin: An American Life .

First and foremost, this is just a good read. I found that Isaacson's bio of Einstein was both interesting and did a profoundly better job of explaining relativity than my physics professors ever did. This book didn't disappoint. It was both captivating, and offered meaningful insight into Steve Jobs and the history of Apple. On way of my own biases, I was an Apple bigot before being an Apple bigot was cool. I learned to program on an Apple II that my father brought home in 1980. I've been a shareholder since I was given a single share of Apple stock for my bar mitzvah in 1981. I later grew up using Macs in college for everything from writing papers to digital circuit simulation to writing shareware apps that paid off debt I had accumulated as a starving grad student and provided the down payment on my first home. I even continued to use a Mac (eventually a PowerPC clone) as my exclusive home computer during most of my tenure with IBM! But around 1998-99, I finally gave up on Macs and bought my first PC. By then I had concluded that Windows hadn't simply caught up, but in many regards had surpassed the Mac. Mac had become a lesser computer that cost a premium, for which applications were fewer in number, and cost more. Even after Apple finally made substantial improvements and moved to a Unix kernel, I've never been tempted to look back. What's more, as Apple entered the consumer electronics domain and began producing closed devices and systems characterized by excessive proprietary control, I developed a decidedly anti-Apple viewpoint. Not a reflexive anti-Apple bias -- I did eventually start using a hand-me-down iPod when my daughter just had to upgrade to a iTouch. And we eventually all got iPhones after I concluded that, whatever it's limitations, it was still a better option than the available Android alternatives. But you get the point -- I'm now closer to being an anti-Apple bigot than one of the hordes of Apple fans. This book provides real insight into why Apple systems are as closed as they are, and why Apple acts as controlling as it does. It provides a good understanding of just how Steve Jobs drove Apple to where it is today. Ultimately, the book does not paint a flattering picture of Jobs. I've read other reviewers who complained that Isaacson clearly disliked Jobs, and that the book was a hatchet job. I've seen Isaacson doing interviews since Jobs' death, however, and if anything, I'd say the opposite is true. I think he actually holds Jobs in awe. (Those who find the description of Jobs as such an unrelenting jerk incompatible with the extremely strong positive feelings expressed by many who worked with him have clearly never worked with somebody of his ilk, and fail to recognize something basic in human psychology. When people go through what is effectively prolonged hazing, one of two things happen: either they part ways prior to completion, in which cases they are left only with enormous resentment over the hazing/bad behavior, or they survive the hazing and feel empowered and strongly bound to the others involved, as a result. What you would expect from those who worked closely with/for Jobs is precisely a polarized love or hate reaction. But even those who come out with strong positive feelings will still very much recognize, and likely even resent, the bad behavior.) I've also seen complaints that the book gives short shrift to specific events or aspects of Jobs' life. That strikes me as inevitable. The book is ~600 pages as it is. I think the purpose of the book is to provide meaningful insight into Jobs, including what formed him and what he formed, not to comprehensively document each and every aspect and occurrence of his life. Are there places where the book is lacking? Yes, I think so. The book suggests that there was a substantial change in Jobs -- a maturation -- between his initial stint with Apple and his second run there. But if he became more reasonable and effective at his interpersonal interactions with Apple employees in his second stint, that certainly wasn't apparent to me from the book. In any case, whatever its limitations, and whatever your feelings toward Apple or Steve Jobs, this book is enlightening and entertaining, and well worth the read. P.S. For the record, this is the first book I've read in it's entirety on an eReader. (A Kindle Fire -- perhaps there's some irony there.)

The book, Steve Jobs (SG), is an authorized biography by Walter Isaacson, a past Chairman of CNN and managing editor of Time Magazine. Isaacson has authored biographies on Einstein, Franklin and others. He writes in the style of an on-air news report, simply recounting the facts in lucid, laconic, largely stolid prose. He bars no holds and strips Jobs of all pretensions, a veritable dissection and post mortem of Jobs’ mind, character, idiosyncrasies and genius. Jobs asked Isaacson to write it and to do so candidly; Jobs neither edited nor read the book. If you want to understand Apple, the world’s possibly most fascinating corporate success story and the largest company in market value in 2012, and the life of its idiosyncratic founder, Steve Jobs, and if unvarnished genius, with all its foibles, interests you, this book is for you. Jobs was an illegitimate child who adored his “real” parents who adopted him, a high school dropout who went to India to become a Zen Buddhist, a vegetarian, an incipient mendicant, but was also a patent genius, a loner, irascible, choleric, mercurial, a megalomaniac, manic depressive, entertaining, kind, cruel, selfish and selfless, an intensely focused workaholic, a romantic and afraid to be romantic, a control freak who was sometimes indecisive, a mass of contradictions, or “a teddy bear inside”, depending on the day, weather, the other person, the latest events. A hippie at heart, he rarely bathed and had to be cajoled to do so, lest his odors drive people away in droves. He didn’t smoke or drink and was a vegan who consumed no dairy products either, and he lived with effectively no furniture in his homes; preferring to sit on the floor, Indian style. A charismatic mesmerist, he could charm those he loathed and eviscerate those he loved, but he could spot and attract great talent and fostered a culture of collaboration within Apple, even though, when times were tough, he could fire people with impunity and without severance. Like Kissenger, Isaacson notes, Jobs often avoided the truth, not to advance his interests, but because it was part of his nature. His attitude towards wealth was complex. He was an anti-materialistic hippie who capitalized on the innovations of a friend who wanted to give them away for free, and he was a Zen devotee who made a pilgrimage to India and then decided that his calling was to create a business. But, he didn’t allow a craving for profits to take precedence over his passion for building great products, but he did admonish staff to “Think profit.” He searched for people who were creatively, wickedly smart and somewhat rebellious, and he expected others to do the impossible, and, when they failed, he was often almost inhumanly cruel to them in very public ways. Neither a hardware nor software specialist, Jobs was a visionary who seemed to able to anticipate what the public wanted. Jobs proved that the public doesn’t know what it wants until it is shown to them. As he cynically asked, “Did Alexander Graham Bell do any market research before he invented the telephone? Jobs’ 1983 Olympics add to introduce “MacIntosh” would eventually be selected as the greatest commercial of all time. (“You’ll see why 1984 won’t be like 1984.”) Over time, Steve Jobs became the grand master of product launches. He was proud of his failures, as he gave them credit for his later successes. He believed that it is crucial, now and then, to roll the dice and bet the company. To Jobs, innovation, execution and simplicity were the keys in all products. He strived to be his own competition, to cannibalize his own company, thus, always staying in front. Money was not his primary motivation, often working for “$1 a year and refusing stock options. Eventually, Jobs asked for access to a Gulfstream 4 plus options on 20M Apple shares. At his death, Jobs was believed to be worth around $7 Billion, but, we must remember, he “didn’t do it for the money”, and he wasn’t kidding. Key staff summarized Jobs as “very impetuous and very difficult” but his “vision was compelling.” A college dropout, like Bill Gates, he was fired by Apple and later re-hired, and then diagnosed with cancer. I do not grade this as prose, i.e., by the unrelenting standards of great fiction, but, rather, purely as a biography, a form of school text, a Must Read for Business Majors. Its revelations about a genius entrepreneur, as detailed candidly, deserve our attention and will fascinate most. 4 Stars BookAWeekMan ([...])

I would not have been considered as part of the `target market' for Walter Isaacson's new biography of Steve Jobs. I knew very little about Jobs. I am at best a point and click MicroSoft computer user and really only have a vague idea of what an operating system is. I began reading this book because over the last 4 years, I have been told I look like Steve Jobs, maybe a hundred times. I was actually pulled out of line by the TSA last year at Seattle-Tacoma Airport and brought through a special line. I thought I was going to be searched but as I was walking through, the TSA agent said, "I am praying for you, Mr. Jobs." I laughed and told him I appreciate the prayers but I was not Mr. Jobs. He then asked to see my license. He didn't believe me. I have worn black turtlenecks for years. I didn't know Jobs wore them. I hate to shave, so usually have a face full of stubble. I only pull out a razor when I am speaking (I am an author and professional speaker) or have a "suit and tie" business meeting. I began wearing glasses full-time in 2008 and the mistaken identity began almost immediately. My only other connection to the man is that I love my iPhone. The publicity surrounding his death increased the "do you know who you look like?" questions by ten times. During a recent walk through Midway Airport in Chicago, the young lady at the ticket counter said, "I know everyone must tell you that you look like Steve jobs, right?" As I walked to security, the TSA agent looked at me and asked if I was a celebrity impersonator. I said "No, but I do get mistaken for John Wayne often." Then, as I loaded into the Southwest flight, one of the flight attendants was looking at me and walked up with her copy of the book and held it up to my face and asked, "Are you trying to look like him?" I assured her I was not. I then told her that I bet Steve was often mistaken for me. She looked at me and responded, "Nah." So when I landed in Dallas, I downloaded this book on my new Kindle and the unexpected happened - I was mesmerized. People will say in reviews, as a standard line, "I could not put this book down." We all know they certainly were able to put it down ... but never in my life have I been so captivated by a book. Walter Isaacson has performed an incredible service in his skillfully writtten examination of a life. It is structured perfectly, flows beautifully and is a brutally honest look at a brilliant man who will become a colorful part of our cultural history. Through most of this story, I did not like Steve Jobs but tolerated his arrogance and rudeness as part of what makes this story great. Then came the point in the book where I realized it is not arrogance if it is true and I believe Steve Jobs to be a genius. I feel sorry for those who loved and respected him but suffered his wrath and continued to do so because of their loyalty to him and the "Apple Idea." I despise him for the rejection and denial of his first daughter and know she will suffer for the rest of her life because of both his actions and inactions. I feel sorry for him because of the joy his daughter could have brought to his earlier life, that he chose to miss. Yes, he tried to make up for it later, but I think those are the kinds of losses that can never be regained. As the book progressed, I still did not like him, but the tremendous respect I felt for his accomplishments and intellect blossomed. Steve Jobs is the most interesting human being I have ever encountered, even though my only introductions are through this book ... and being occasionally misidentified as him. However, Walter Isaacson's skillful masterpiece is more than enough. Through Isaacson's insightful eyes and his carefully chosen and crafted words, I feel I have personally met a man that will be remembered as an American icon and revered for generations to come. Through this book, I witnessed a combination of his genius and severe personality defects in a way that displayed, what I believe is, a complete picture of Steve Jobs. When I began reading this book, the LAST thing I ever expected to say was this ... "This is the best book I have ever read. Period." Go figure ... I would have never guessed.

This review is being typed on a Macbook Pro, which I purchased two years ago. Later, when I go to the gym, I will listen to songs purchased on iTunes, which I have transferred over (using Firewire) to my iPhone 4s; I have been caught in the snare of Apple's enclosed system for the past year and have no intention of leaving it anytime soon. What this book has done, for me and countless other Apple fans, is help me understand the devices I use through an understanding of the man who created them. Walter Issacson's biography is highly readable and very compelling. I admit that before opening this book I was ignorant of just how much of an impact Steve Jobs has had on Silicon Valley and technology generally. It was engaging to read Isaacson's account of the construction of the Apple II in his parents garage, the development of the Macintosh, the creation of Next, the acquisition of Pixar, and his eventual return to Apple where he saved the company and entered his most creative years at the age of 40 (developing iTunes, the iPod, the iPhone, and the iPad). Most interesting to me though was how his devices (take your pick between the iPhone, Macbook, etc.) are an almost perfect analogy to his personality and disposition. The clean and elegant design is an undoubted result of his Zen Buddhist background. The enclosed system, in which the case cannot be opened, the software altered, and the multiple device connectivity, are a striking parallel to his ridiculous demand for control. It was hard not to read the book and find yourself liking Jobs. Yes, he was an ego-maniac, a control freak, a sometimes cruel individual, an abandoner, and he had the temperament of a rattle-snake, but he was also a genius. It isn't that he was always correct, but he was right on SO MANY things that it is astounding to look back and consider some of his most strategic business decisions and creative endeavors. Important also is noting that he himself invented little. Instead, he combined the ideas and notions of others (from Steve Wozniak to John Lasseter) to create products that people had as of yet not understood they even needed. This ability, combined with a borderline debilitating perfectionism, gravitational personality, and ingenuity made it possible for him to bring together the best and the brightest and create a company which will hopefully endure for many years following his death. Being a Seattle-ite I was drawn as well to his interactions with Bill Gates and how different (yet similar) their egos and ideologies were. This biography was an excellent read and a must for anyone interested in Silicon Valley, Steve Jobs himself, or the creation of one of technologies biggest companies. I found myself very much rooting for Apple and Jobs, and I believe that Isaacson was too, because his affection is evident in his writing. Academically, this could be a good thing or a bad thing, but it is clearly the most heavily researched and exhaustive biography that is likely to emerge in a very long time. Because Jobs had no control over the product (other than the cover design), it is a compelling, but not always flattering bio of a mercurial and important individual.

I'm among those who felt sorrow at Steve Job's passing. I must confess, not so much for him and his family as for the rest of the human family. That said, my heart does very much go out to his wife and children and to all those who loved him. I have no doubt that his absence is leaving an enormous hole. Why I am so sad is because I think the order of his accomplishments is on par with Prometheus bringing fire to humanity and he had it in him to do so, so much more. "Steve Jobs" was a riveting, fast and easy read, utterly fascinating because Jobs' life, accomplishments and personality was so. The rise of consumer technologies changed our world dramatically and it's surprising what an exciting story it makes. It's fairly clear to me that, had Jobs allowed others to temper him any more than they did, or had he done so himself, we would not be enjoying the fruits of his labor. He was of a piece and his products a clean expression of him. I read the book on my iPhone, using the Kindle app. It tells you what percentage of the book you've already read. When, as I was reading, I felt that the biographer was not getting to the meat of Steve's personality, when he failed to explore the deeper meaning of Steve Jobs, I thought there was plenty of time. I didn't realize that such a large percentage at the end of the book would be notes, etc. I was startled and disappointed when the book ended without any introspection around Jobs. This still being a 5 star review is a testament to what an amazing man Steve Jobs was and what a great story the story of Apple is. It fell to Isaacson to gain a deep (40 interviews) understanding of the man, the company, the times and the accomplishments and impact. And by deep I mean, the psychological, spiritual and even transcendent aspects of the life of this man who had such an extraordinary effect on so many of us. Isaacson, regrettably, truly and utterly missed the opportunity, to do so. It seems he made lots of notes and cobbled them together well. The reader gets many facts and quite a few opinions, but what is utterly lacking is insight. I don't understand how Walter Isaacson, an important man with many great responsibilities, could fail so completely in delivering insight that comes from a soulful understanding, that is overarching and gazes beyond the surface. Does he, himself, lack introspection and an active and conscious connection with his own subconscious, soul and spirit? Did he not see the mythological, another fine intersection, this one of the worldly and the transcendent? If he had made this connection he could have given us Steve Jobs and the story of Apple in a way such that we could apply it to our own lives, as the mythological is a universal context. But there is no one to blame but Jobs, I fear. He selected Isaacson and in those forty interviews, considering his perfectionism, as described by Isaacson, should have spotted the glaring absence of the special quality in the questions that allows for this deeper insight and revelation. It seems we will have to contend ourselves more so with his products than with insight into what made this all possible. And maybe that's okay. Maybe he couldn't be copied anyway; not everyone can be. The one hope I hold out is that, over time, Isaacson will gain a better understanding of what he got in those interviews, that things will gel and that he, himself will grow and that he will write another book that gives us what was absent in this one. To be fair, he was rushed. Steve Jobs did die too young. Addendum: It didn't happen right away, as my glowing review evinces, but something unexpected has transpired in the little over a year since I read this book. Before doing so, I was a genuine Apple and Steve Jobs admirer. It appears that "Steve Jobs," ultimately, was a turn-off. I experience none of the enchantment I once felt with Apple and its products.

Steve Jobs wanted to change the world, "put a dent in the universe." And he did. If you are interested in life and want to know how Jobs changed it right before our eyes, you should read this book. No other book on Jobs has been based on first hand information from the Master himself, his colleagues and his detractors. There is no other way to know the man who changed the way we live and work. The fact that the book is engaging is a big bonus. First Jobs' personal life, personality and beliefs. Like all fascinating people in history, Jobs was a bundle of contradictions. Born out of wedlock, he was an American icon and yet born of a Syrian Muslim whom he never knew, but had accidentally met. Adopted at birth by working class parents, he became skeptical of the Church as the all-knowing god did not help the starving children in Biafra and alternated between being a believer and a non-believer. He was, at different times, a vegan and a fruitarian (hence the name Apple). Jobs was influenced by the counter cultural ideas of the 60's and the 70's and yet become one of the most revered corporate figures of all time. He was a multi-billionaire who lived on a regular street with no high fenced compound, security or live-in servants; a Zen Buddhist who was obsessed with Zen-like simplicity but did not possess Zen-like tranquility; a son who tried to abandon his child like the way he had thought he was abandoned; a leader who was highly demanding of his colleagues and coworkers; a vastly influential figure in computing who neither built computers not wrote codes himself; a genius who was mean to many people. All these factoids had to have some influence on who he was and who he became and may keep interested psychologists busy for years. Yet, it is not for these tabloid fodder that he is looked upon with awe. To get caught up in the contradictions of a man is to miss the man. So who is the man then? Isaacson presents Jobs life and work as a play in three acts. During the first act, two unlikely partners named Steves (Jobs and Woz) create the world's first commercially viable personal computer, Apple II. Jobs then creates the revolutionary but unsuccessful Lisa. Apple goes public, Jobs creates the Mac, which carves itself a distinct niche. He then brings in Pepsi's Scully to manage the company only to find himself ousted from the company he founded. During his exile Jobs creates another revolutionary but not-so-successful computer NeXT. But Jobs other venture, Pixar, an outstanding animation company, is a huge commercial success. The second act is Jobs' return to Apple. Apple was in decline and it buys the money losing NeXT. Job returns to the company he founded as the interim CEO. Introduces a series of products: peppermint colored iMacs followed b y 21st Century Macs. The third act is the post-pc revolution, the most dramatic of all: the creation of ipod (almost 10 years ago to the day), paradigm-changing iphone and the category-creating ipad, along with many other things and cloud computing. We can't imagine a world today without ipads, ipods and iphones. The rewards are high. Apple first surpasses Microsoft and becomes the most valuable tech company. Then Apple becomes, for brief periods of time, the most valuable company in the world. But this is not the story of Apple, but of Job. What was happening in the background while the three act play is being staged - to his family, his health, his odd beliefs that might have cost him his life, and his relationships with other giants of technology - is the focus of this book. The story is told with many interesting anecdotes such as Bill Gates incredulously exclaiming "Do ALL of you live here?" when visiting for the first time Steve Jobs' modest house. This is an "authorized biography" and I'm wary of "authorized" biographies. Always thought they were full-length PR pieces. This one is different. Jobs gave Isaacson complete freedom to write the book and Jobs didn't demand editorial control. He didn't even want to see the book before it was published. And it shows. You see Jobs as he was. Warts and all. This is Jobs' last gift to those of us who admired his vision of the world, but wondered about the essence of the man behind it all. Now we know. As you finish reading Job's biography of nearly 600 pages, something strikes you as odd. Steve Jobs' death is not mentioned in the book. Not the date, not the time and not even the fact that he is no more. Strangely fascinating. Like the man himself.

Book review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D. This is a fascinating, if not riveting, story that is not only well-written and well-constructed (organized in a chronological manner), but it is incredibly well-researched, too. It not only revealed how open Jobs was with Isaacson, but how open all of those who were part of, influenced, or were on the fringes of Job's life, were when Isaacson interviewed them. From reading this book, you get this intricate portrait of a mercurial, sometimes vicious, self-absorbed, genius who had serious difficulties dealing with the realities of day-to-day living. But, it is Jobs' peculiarities--his uniquenesses--that make this book so engaging. You simply have a hard time believing such a person like Jobs even existed! (Remember, Jobs did not read this book before he died.) One aspect of Jobs' personality--reinforced throughout the book--was that "ordinary rules didn't apply to him" (p. 313). I found it astonishing, for example, that he couldn't be relied on to tell the truth. It was said about him by Helmut Sonnerfeldt, "He lies not because it's in his interest, he lies because it's in his nature" (p. 313). He was adept at misleading, being secretive, as well as being brutally honest. He could be incredibly brutal! Whatever you thought about Steve Jobs--based on his public persona--this book will shake (destroy?) that image. Isaacson pulls no punches, nor do the individuals interviewed. Jobs was a temperrmental, insensitive, authoritative, control freak, with an emphasis on freak! Sure, he was incredibly bright, imaginative, creative, intelligent, educated, and knowledgeable, but the way he treated others, the way he thought about others who were not his intellectual equals (or intellectual superiors!), was near pathological and perverse. He was an egomaniac's egomaniac (terribly selfish and demanding). To give you a mere glimpse of how selfish he was, he seldom remembered anniversaries or birthdays (p. 530). Jobs was not one to emulate when it comes to effective human relations, however, even though many of his personal eccentricities were not exemplary, this is a motivational book. There are a number of great motivational messages throughout the book. Some of the messages include: never give up, create a vision or dream, pursue your dream, whatever it takes, surround yourself with great minds and supportive personnel (not just "yes people"), don't worry about going against the grain, be creative, take risks, defy failure, bet your career on doing things in a different way, be hands-on, know your product, be thorough, check-and-re-check, perfectionism is good and it works, have passion, infuse everything you do with emotion, focus, prepare thoroughly, do nothing half-assed, and always keep your customers in mind (be user friendly). Jobs knew that "deciding what not to do is as important as deciding what to do" (p. 336). On the basic values Jobs supported--and a value seen in every Apple product which he oversaw (and a value that made Apple successful!)--is the effective marriage between technology and the humanities (p. 527). The marriage was consummated in the silicon architecture, in the Aple organization, as well as in Jobs' own soul (p. 527)! If you really want an overview of who Steve Jobs was and how he operated, Isaacson does a beautiful job of summarizing in Chapter 42, "Legacy" (pp. 560-571). It is an honest, complete, and intimate conclusion that accurately and completely draws together many of the comments, reactions, and insights scattered throughout the book. It is a wonderful closing chapter. In this final chapter, too, Isaacson allowed Jobs, who had shared with him what he hoped his legacy would be throughout the course of their conversations, to be the one to conclude the book (pp. 567-570). No, there are no completely new insights in Jobs' essay, because you absorb his personal values, approaches, feelings, and reactions throughout the book, but Isaacson was correct, just hearing Jobs express himself at the end was a beautiful, warm, and touching way to conclude the book. Just as Jobs was a true genius (very few measure up!), Isaacson is a genius in the manner with which he introduces him to the general public. This is truly an incredible book.