Steve Jobs

By: Walter Isaacson

Narrated by: Dylan Baker

Length: 25 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

Featuring a new epilogue read by the author.

From the author of the best-selling biographies of Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein, this is the exclusive biography of Steve Jobs.

Based on more than 40 interviews with Jobs conducted over two years - as well as interviews with more than a hundred 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, and when societies around the world are trying to build digital-age economies, Jobs stands as the ultimate icon of inventiveness and applied imagination. He knew that the best way to create value in the 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 this book, 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.

©2011 Walter Isaacson (P)2011 Simon & Schuster

A must read

Isaacson is simply masterful. This is about as unbiased of a biography as one could ask for. You’ll spend many chapters both amazed and repulsed by Jobs, but in the end, you’ll be teary eyed hearing about his final days on Earth.

A classic biography

Probably one of the best biographies I’ve read in someone. You really get a great sense of who Steve was, what motivated him and how he viewed the world.

Interesting to know the story

This books gives all the details on how Apple was started as well as the story of Steve Jobs life. All of his influences in Apple, Next, and Pixar are included. Great story telling.

Fascinating, Devastating...

What a story. Isaacson is an amazing writer. Jobs was an incredible and complicated soul.

Great book

There seemed the be a lot of repeating dialog in different chapters and a lot of going over things twice. But over it was a great retrospective of a genius

Truly outstanding!

One of the best books I've read in a long time. Sting motivator and a must read for every entrepreneur!

Warning: Lots of swearing

Lots of swearing due to the people the book quotes. Seems like a balanced and unbiased view of Steve Jobs and the people that surround him in his life. I loved that Isaacson really seemed to grasp not just the man, but the technology, with a high enough understanding to break it down into simple terms.

I really enjoyed this book

I knew nothing about Steve Jobs before listening to this book. I don't typically select biographies, but when I decided to try one this was the first one I thought of. The writing and story kept my interest. I learned so much and I was not disappointed. I recommend the book to anyone considering it.

Steve Jobs - inspirational and a cautionary tale

What did you love best about Steve Jobs?

His ability to see that reality is highly malleable and his belief that he could dent the universe. I deeply appreciated his capacity to see the future and pay attention to detail. A rare creature. And I loved that he successfully pushed people to succeed doing the impossible.

What other book might you compare Steve Jobs to and why?

He reminded me of the title "In the Garden of Good and Evil". Steve's personality seemed really I integrated and he was cruel and brilliant. Difficult.

Have you listened to any of Dylan Baker’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I've never heard Dylan narrate before but he was fantastic. He really captured the spirit of Steve Jobs - his drive and his whine!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

This book was highly compelling and very dense. It took me several weeks to finish.

Any additional comments?

I'm an Apple enthusiast so it was great to get a deep understand of their journey and my appreciation for their products were deepened by reading this book.

incredible

Where does Steve Jobs rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The Story changed my view of Jobs, he really was a special person in HIS own way.

What did you like best about this story?

Details

Have you listened to any of Dylan Baker’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

His soft side

Any additional comments?

Great author