Steve Jobs - Walter Isaacson

Steve Jobs

By Walter Isaacson

  • Release Date: 2011-10-24
  • Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 20,844 Ratings

Description

Walter Isaacson’s “enthralling” (The New Yorker) worldwide bestselling biography of Apple cofounder Steve Jobs.

Based on more than forty interviews with Steve Jobs conducted over two years—as well as interviews with more than 100 family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues—Walter Isaacson has written a riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing.

At a time when America is seeking ways to sustain its innovative edge, Jobs stands as the ultimate icon of inventiveness and applied imagination. He knew that the best way to create value in 21st century was to connect creativity with technology. He built a company where leaps of the imagination were combined with remarkable feats of engineering.

Although Jobs cooperated with the author, he asked for no control over what was written. He put nothing off-limits. He encouraged the people he knew to speak honestly. And Jobs speaks candidly, sometimes brutally so, about the people he worked with and competed against. His friends, foes, and colleagues provide an unvarnished view of the passions, perfectionism, obsessions, artistry, devilry, and compulsion for control that shaped his approach to business and the innovative products that resulted.

Driven by demons, Jobs could drive those around him to fury and despair. But his personality and products were interrelated, just as Apple’s hardware and software tended to be, as if part of an integrated system. His tale is instructive and cautionary, filled with lessons about innovation, character, leadership, and values.

Steve Jobs is the inspiration for the movie of the same name starring Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, and Jeff Daniels, directed by Danny Boyle with a screenplay by Aaron Sorkin.

Reviews

  • Awesome and inspiring book

    5
    By MyKOHR
    This was a wonderfully written book about the life of Steve Jobs
  • Excellent but what about Linux?

    4
    By FranckHLMartin
    Excellent book but one glaring omission. MacOS became popular because many engineers could have a Unix laptop that works for them at their company. It would have been cool to have Steve perspective on Unix and Linux.
  • No Words…

    5
    By Local Resident77
    Loved it
  • Life Changing

    5
    By Bigalmick
    An incredible tribute to one of the few to truly change the course of history and life as we know.
  • No words

    5
    By Don Quijote XX
    No words
  • Great read

    5
    By tiestvangool
    Just a great read dissecting a great but divided genius.
  • Extraordinary

    5
    By KentuckyGirl983
    Review - Nov 9, 2012: I purchased this book, not knowing what a journey it contained, being that I wanted to better understand the mindset of this man. I found it amazing. Through sheer force of will and tenacity, this man among men accomplished what only a handful before him had. I don't books as often as I have in the past, but this is definitely worth your time. ———————————— Update - May 15, 2022: So weird that it is nearly 10 years since I reviewed this book, but I am yet again working my way through it. I originally had read it on my iPhone 4S, and am now reading it on my iPhone 12 Pro Max and it is SO weird. It feels like when you find and meet up with an old girlfriend from years ago and catching up on everything you both have had happen. I am pleased to say that much like before, I find myself in awe of the man that, with amazing teams, ushered in changes to a number of industries (though at times he was ruthless and rubbed people the wrong way). Walter Isaacson’s work is still as satisfying a read now as it was when released. I highly recommend this book. You will NOT be disappointed.
  • Inspiring

    5
    By Deadly Fog
    Read on my iPhone and iPad, as he would have wanted. Inspiring to learn more about the man who helped to shape how so many use and look at technology.
  • Edge of my seat

    5
    By cydomax
    This book had me up for hours after putting it down for the night.
  • Beautiful biography

    5
    By Mikevvv
    Such a fascinating person and such a beautifully written biography. At the end, you feel like you’ve lost a close friend.

Comments