Steve Jobs

By: Walter Isaacson, Walter Isaacson - introduction

Narrated by: Dylan Baker

2012 Audie Award Finalist for Audiobook of the Year

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.

Remarkable man

Really well written and balanced delivery of a remarkable man's contribution to this world! As with most great achievers its sad to see how they failed to balance their family life, try as they may.

Unflinching biography

One of the best biographies I’ve ever read. Isaacson paints a portrait of Steve Jobs that is a testament to his genius, yet shows his struggles at relating to those whom love him the most — his family. A comprehensive and inspiring biography, and also a reminder to love your children.

Aweinspiring story

Very true to life story of the great man. Steve was in a class on his own and the book is very detailed and lucid.

Inspiring and interesting but has a few flaws

I think Steve Jobes was one of the smartest people in the tech industry. His innovations still have their mark on the tech world and probably won't fade away anywhere soon. I think the first half of the book is the weaker part with not much interesting information IMO. The second part starts when Steve taking back the CEO chair and continues with all the innovative devices he and Apple brought to the world. While listening to the book I thought to myself "Jobs was a jackass, a big one" but I think the last chapter or so made me feel I'm accepting Jobs the way he is. It's focusing on why Jobs was so rude to people and how he saw Apple as a company compared to others and his vision.
Other than that I didn't like the narration. It felt very robotic most of the time and I didn't feel like the narrator is telling the story like it should been told.

I recommended only if you can go through the first half of the book without loosing it and of course if you a die hard Apple fan

Good Book... wish I got the unabridged version

When I ordered this book, I thought "how many hours of Steve Jobs do I need"?
Turns out, I could have used more. Very enjoyable.