Steve Jobs

Walter Isaacson’s authorized portrait of the Apple co-founder is exhaustive, candid and unflinching. Drawing on over forty interviews with Jobs and more than a hundred conversations with family, friends and colleagues, the 627-page volume maps his mercurial trajectory—from garage tinkerer to global icon—while exposing the flaws behind the legend. Depth of Access and Personal Candor - Jobs personally sanctioned Isaacson’s project, granting unrestricted interviews even during his terminal illness. - He refused editorial control, insisting on truth over image, which yielded revelations about his “reality distortion field,” perfectionism and personal eccentricities. - Isaacson does not shy away from Jobs’s more unsettling quirks: he often went days without bathing, viewing regular hygiene as a distraction from work. - The biography candidly explores his adoption and quest for identity: although he traced Abdulfattah Jandali, his biological father, in 2006, Jobs never informed him of the empire he built. - It also confronts his callous early treatment of daughter Lisa Brennan-Jobs—initially denying paternity, forcing a court-ordered DNA test and approving minimal support—revealing a harshness that contrasts with his creative brilliance. A-Player Culture and Obsessive Detail Jobs insisted on hiring only A-players who could deliver A-performance, famously believing “a small team of A+ players can run circles around a giant team of B and C players”. He pushed teams to rework products right up to their release date, refusing to ship anything less than perfect. His obsession extended beyond the product’s exterior: Jobs demanded that internal layouts, circuit boards and component placements be as beautiful as the consumer-facing shell. Well worth reading (Read Jony Ive The Genius Behind Apple’s Greatest Products for more insights into Apple’s design revolution.)

First, the book. It is packed with anecdote, wisely interpreted with unbroken narrative energy. It is the kind of book which will irritate those you are on holiday with, because you keep peeling away from the pack to be alone with it. An excellent biography, verging on tribute, which it tries repeatedly to avoid by dealing with Steve's unkindness whenever it crops up. Second, the man. If you want to focus on his shortcomings as a colleague or father, then there is enough material in here to keep many dinner party conversations going. (Just make sure that whenever you snap at your kids or your colleagues you remind yourself of your hypocrisy.) Steve created a company at 21 (in 1976), was kicked out because of his bad manners at 30 (1985), spent a decade in the wilderness, only to be asked back at the age of 40 to rebuild and recharge the creative potential invented by the design-led marriage of art and technology. Oh, and during the wilderness years, he fathered Pixar. When you get to the pearly gates, you may be asked how many faces you brought a smile to, net of those you brought tears to. I can't think of a bigger winner than Steve Jobs. I wouldn't recognise a RAM or a ROM, but, since reading this book, I think about the riddle that was Steve Jobs all the time. A bit like the way he thought of Yo-Yo-Ma (on page 425). "Jobs tended to be deeply moved by artists who displayed purity and he became a fan. He invited Ma to play at his wedding, but he was out of the country on tour. He came by the Jobs house a few years later, sat in the living room, pulled out his 1733 Stradivarius cello and played Bach. Jobs teared up and told him,"You playing is the best argument I've ever heard for the existence of God, because I don't really believe a human alone can do this." This was written on my iPad. Thank you, Steve Jobs and all the people you abused, exploited and extracted the best from in the name, as I see it, of your version of truth, honesty and joie de vivre. Your reality distortion probably accelerated your demise, and may well have wounded some people who rode with you, but, with the dent you made in the universe, you leave the world an immeasurably better place than you found it for millions of us. And this book deserves to do the same for thousands and thousands of us.

I’m enjoying the book so far, but unfortunately it arrived with black stain marks, as shown in the attached pictures.

MUY INSTRUCTIVO

I first read this biography back in 2011, in its Spanish edition and in ebook format. Taking advantage of the great price, I decided to get the physical English version, and I’m enjoying it just as much as I did the first time. In fact, rereading it now feels even more fascinating. Steve Jobs’ life was truly remarkable. As the chapters unfold, I can clearly recognise the technological milestones he helped shape — probably because I’ve lived through many of them myself. The early Apple computers, the first Macs, the Cube, the iPods, and eventually the iPhone… each one opened a new market and redefined an entire industry. Isaacson’s biography captures all of this with depth and honesty. The mix of interviews — from friends to rivals — paints a vivid picture of a complex, obsessive and visionary figure. It’s a compelling read, both for those who admire Jobs and for anyone interested in the evolution of modern technology. A great purchase and a pleasure to revisit in its full printed edition.

It reached quickly and in good status. 4 Stars because the book was heaving dust on the cover.

Ho appena terminato di leggere "Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography" e sono ancora completamente immerso nel mondo affascinante di uno dei più grandi innovatori del nostro tempo. Questo libro, scritto con maestria da un autore esperto come Walter Isaacson, offre un'analisi approfondita della vita e delle opere di Steve Jobs, il co-fondatore di Apple. La biografia è un'autentica pietra miliare che riesce a cogliere l'essenza di Jobs come persona e come leader carismatico. Isaacson ci conduce attraverso un viaggio emozionante, partendo dall'infanzia di Steve Jobs fino ai suoi trionfi e fallimenti nel mondo degli affari. L'autore non si limita a raccontare una sequenza di eventi, ma ci fornisce una comprensione intima di chi era realmente Steve Jobs e di cosa lo ha spinto a diventare l'uomo che ha cambiato il modo in cui viviamo e lavoriamo. Uno degli aspetti più notevoli del libro è la sincerità con cui vengono descritte le sfaccettature complesse della personalità di Jobs. Isaacson non esita a mostrare i lati negativi del suo carattere, evidenziando la sua determinazione quasi ossessiva e il suo carattere spigoloso. Questo rende la narrazione ancor più coinvolgente, poiché ci permette di apprezzare appieno le sue realizzazioni straordinarie, ma anche di riflettere sulle conseguenze che il suo approccio può avere sulle relazioni personali e professionali. La ricerca di Isaacson è encomiabile e la sua abilità nel raccogliere testimonianze e interviste di persone vicine a Steve Jobs aggiunge una dimensione autentica alla narrazione. Sono rimasto affascinato dai retroscena di Apple e dalle interazioni tra Jobs e altre figure chiave come Steve Wozniak e Tim Cook. La biografia offre una panoramica completa degli alti e bassi dell'azienda, comprese le decisioni coraggiose e i momenti di scontro che hanno plasmato l'industria tecnologica. Inoltre, il libro affronta tematiche più ampie come l'importanza del design, l'innovazione e l'arte nella creazione di prodotti che cambiano il mondo. È stimolante leggere di come Jobs abbia integrato la sua passione per l'estetica nella filosofia di Apple, creando prodotti che hanno ridefinito gli standard dell'industria e hanno influenzato il modo in cui viviamo e ci connettiamo.