It is no secret that Steve Jobs is one of the most influential business leaders and entrepreneurs of all time. He was a visionary who affected the lives of almost every American whether they know it or not. If you look at the industries and people he has affected you can't help but recognize how he has left his imprint on the world for a long time to come.
He had an unshakable quest for perfection, style, design and maybe most importantly, functionality. A few years ago I read John Sculley's autobiography Odyssey, and I could not help but be fascinated by Steve Jobs and his decisions in life. There are so many stories about his temper and demands that he seemed like nothing more than a punk at times. Now with Walter Isaacson's unprecedented access to this extraordinary man and the people in his life, we finally have an accurate representation of what made him tick throughout the years.
Walter Isaacson gives the good, the bad and yes, the ugly Steve Jobs. He was a complex character and this biography digs deep into his childhood, parents, relationships and the world that shaped himbefore he helped shape the world. Many of the stories are well known including the success of Apple and the failure of Next computer, but the author gives never heard before behind-the-scenes accounts of many first-hand participants. The negotiation with the music industry and eventual launch of iTunes is a good example of a world-shaping event that was a few short years ago and is now taken for granted by many. The author puts you in the room with Steve Jobs and the music executives and helps you understand the tenacity of Jobs and how he forced an industry to change for the better whether they liked it or not. Like iTunes, the subjects of Apple, iPod and the iPad could all have books of their own.
The personal stories of this remarkable man gave me a better understanding of his unique personality. As I read the sad ending of a life cut short by cancer on my iPad, I could not help but think that someday there will be a cure for cancer and that cure just may be discovered by someone using a Apple product.
He had an unshakable quest for perfection, style, design and maybe most importantly, functionality. A few years ago I read John Sculley's autobiography Odyssey, and I could not help but be fascinated by Steve Jobs and his decisions in life. There are so many stories about his temper and demands that he seemed like nothing more than a punk at times. Now with Walter Isaacson's unprecedented access to this extraordinary man and the people in his life, we finally have an accurate representation of what made him tick throughout the years.
Walter Isaacson gives the good, the bad and yes, the ugly Steve Jobs. He was a complex character and this biography digs deep into his childhood, parents, relationships and the world that shaped himbefore he helped shape the world. Many of the stories are well known including the success of Apple and the failure of Next computer, but the author gives never heard before behind-the-scenes accounts of many first-hand participants. The negotiation with the music industry and eventual launch of iTunes is a good example of a world-shaping event that was a few short years ago and is now taken for granted by many. The author puts you in the room with Steve Jobs and the music executives and helps you understand the tenacity of Jobs and how he forced an industry to change for the better whether they liked it or not. Like iTunes, the subjects of Apple, iPod and the iPad could all have books of their own.
The personal stories of this remarkable man gave me a better understanding of his unique personality. As I read the sad ending of a life cut short by cancer on my iPad, I could not help but think that someday there will be a cure for cancer and that cure just may be discovered by someone using a Apple product.