Steve Jobs

Great read about a very unconventional, non-vanilla guy

I bought this book after seeing a promotional interview with Walter Isaacson and this book. I didn't know much about Steve Jobs or Apple. I have not been an avid Apple products devotee. This is a wonderful book! I found it to be a compelling read and had a hard time putting it down. Mr. Isaacson is a really good writer and I now plan on reading his biography of Benjamin Franklin. I now know that Steve Jobs was a very interesting individual following his own head and heart. Isaacson writing is SMOOTH. It is succinct, but not boringly so, treating Job's sometimes not so great personality characteristics as honestly as he treated his very good traits and his genius. And apparently both Jobs and his wife wanted it that way which was very wise on their part. To do otherwise would have been a mockery of his life. If Isaacson had an agenda while writing this book or about Jobs it doesn't come out in the book. I felt no tug pulling me toward or against Jobs. This is one of those books that stays with you. Fascinating man! It made me feel that I/we may be missing out because of the mediocrity that is so prevalent in this country. There just are not a lot of Jobs's around, we discourage them. One thing I wish Isaacson had given us. Some sense of what it was like for Jobs to grow up in his rather conventional family without having his unconventional genius squashed. From what little was said they sound like they were suppportive, but I would like to hear some details. Can you imagine if some little boy like Jobs was in your child's elementary school? How many of these creative geniuses are molded into conformity? Excellent read - buy it!

70 out of 73 people found this review helpful.

The only Steve Jobs biography which exposes Steve Jobs completely in terms of his work and personal philosophy. We finally know Steve as a mortal through this book.

65 out of 99 people found this review helpful.

RIP Mr. Jobs

You have literally change my life and my son who is autistic thnaks you for creating the iPad it has helped him a great deal. You will be terribly missed!

34 out of 102 people found this review helpful.

The Discussion Of Steve Jobs Formative Years Needs To Be Expanded

This is a very comprehensive book that details all aspects of Steve Jobs life and work bar one. Details about his formative years are sketchy. Walter Isaacson did not interview the one living person, adopted sister Patty Jobs, who could enlighten him more about interactions in the Jobs household that helped form Steve Jobs. Living relatives of Paul or Clara Jobs, his adoptive parents, were also not interviewed. Isaacson places more emphasis upon his biological parents. It seems that the literary works of Mona Simpson, Jobs biological sister, over influenced Isaacson. Even when there is a strong father figure in a home, mothers do help to form their children's personality. Clara Jobs gets no more than a few lines in a 600+ page book. Patty Jobs is mentioned only once or twice in passing. Research shows that she is still living and works at De Anza College in the payroll department, a position similar to that of her late mother. Hopefully a later biography will delve more thoroughly into Steve Jobs formative years.

29 out of 31 people found this review helpful.

Shockingly revealing

I was really anticipating reading this biography. We all know about Steve Jobs' claim to fame and he has been idolized by so many young, hip and technologically aware people. As a visionary, he deserves the hype. What a surprise when you read the book and see the real person behind "the stare". As I depressingly read each chapter, the only words that seem to come to mind are kook, somewhat insane, nastier than hell, manipulative, misanthrope, and disloyal to friends. He is a one-man study in what an ambitious but mentally disturbed, amoral person is capable of. He is NOT a model person but a great example of self-absorbed egotism run amok. However, he was in the right time and place and has earned billions for his technological designs and ideas including some he stole or finessed from other companies and his employees; so he was well rewarded. But that is all he was. As a human being, he was a FAILURE!

27 out of 44 people found this review helpful.

I'm sure this will be a good read

Walter Isaacson is a great biographer (as evidenced in his book about Benjamin Franklin), I'm sure this one won't be a disappointment.

19 out of 70 people found this review helpful.

This Generation's John Lennon

What John Lennon was to music Steve Jobs is to technology. They both revolutionize their respected fields and both were taken from the world too soon.

18 out of 63 people found this review helpful.

So Sad

I wish we would let those that we admire how much we appreciate them while they're still alive.

13 out of 49 people found this review helpful.

INTERESTING< NOT GREAT

I have read business books on and off for many years, and only in the past few years have I given up on most of them. This book is another example of why I did so. Not Isaacson's best writing by any means, the book seems like a last minute attempt by a savvy, intelligent Steve Jobs to leave his message behind, and "hire" a writer to do it. It fails to do so, and only gives us a picture of the man that may make him cetainly more human, but also highly unlikeable. I am afraid that beyond the fans, this one will end up in the discount area of B&N quickly, like so many of it's ilk. Steve, you may have deserved better, or maybe you should have left well enough alone... time will tell. Still, I would wait for the price to go down, or skip altogether

12 out of 29 people found this review helpful.

Have some respect

I can't believe some of the things I'm reading from people here. Show some respect. I for one am really looking forward to reading the book and think Steve Jobs was a pioneer and one of the most influential people of all time in moving us forward. Thanks to the author and the publisher for putting this out.

11 out of 30 people found this review helpful.

Buy it!

I have never been much into autobiographies. I had to read them when I was younger, and never enjoyed them. Walter Isaacson however, has written an autobiography that I am still thoroughly enjoying. I just can't put it down! Mr Isaacson has written a very interesting, deep, well written book, about one of America's modern iconic entrepreneurs!

9 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

Thorough and Fair

Isaacson maintained his objectivity throughout the book, with only rare - and refeshing - comments indicating he actually likes Jobs. The book is better for it.

9 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

Awesome book

Awesome book so far.

7 out of 23 people found this review helpful.

Insightful, inspiring and emotionally moving

This was a much better book than I expected it to be. It was interesting where the author chose to delve into extraordinary detail and where he flew over what seemed like big pieces of the Jobs puzzle but all-in-all the book was a pragmatic retelling of a great man who was deeply in pain for his entire life.

6 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

Great read

I did not know much about Steve Jobs before reading this book and in fact the only apple products I have ever owned are ipods. It is a great read and perhaps a great marketing tool as I now want am interested in more apple products :)

6 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

Just read the book!!!

To offset those who complain about the cost of eBooks.....anyone who can spend the money for a Nook/Kindle can surely afford the cost of this book. Go back to the paper version and stop using this place to air your gripes.

All that I've seen about this book intriques me and I will surely read it whether as a hard cover or eBook. Steve Jobs is one of the most brilliant Americans of our generation and his story will definitely be discussed and reviewed for years to come.

6 out of 24 people found this review helpful.

Great book!

This is very well written and is very interesing.

5 out of 12 people found this review helpful.

Best book ever

Im reading this book and im only10 years old.

4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

STEVE JOBS

Hopefully, he is on his iCloud, playing Angry Birds on his iPad, texting his buddies on his iPhone, while listening to iTunes. If any one should, it is him. He started everything our world has become. RIP

4 out of 16 people found this review helpful.

RIP Steve

He made the computer... therefore he made ROBLOX... he rules.

4 out of 16 people found this review helpful.