Steve Jobs

By: Walter Isaacson

Narrated by: Dylan Baker

Length: 9 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 Simon & Schuster (P)2011 Walter Isaacson

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.

Brillant Writing and Story

What made the experience of listening to Steve Jobs the most enjoyable?

the growth and challenges of the apple and Steve Jobs really came out in the story

What did you like best about this story?

I loved the writing style combined with the powerful story

Which character – as performed by Dylan Baker – was your favorite?

All great!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Seizing the Days

Captivating account of Steve Jobs

As far as biographies go, this one hits the mark. This book does its best to accurately tell the story of Steve Jobs from a perspective that was both entertaining and enlightening. Much detail was packed in to show Jobs' critical side, but portrays it in a way that was Jobs-esque... That is to say that he was "hard on people because he cared." That manner of presentation might not always resonate with the people that knew him, especially if they were the ones being berated but to an outside observer, it sounds as though the author was, at times, caught in Jobs'" Reality distortion wave. " With that said, this book was an entertaining production and worth a listen.

Now an Apple fan

I was not a big Apple fan, yet after hearing this audiobook I am now. This book is fascinating. I enjoyed hearing about Steve Jobs and his passion for the Apple product.

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

GREAT story - terribly edited

What did you like best about this story?

The story was absolutely fascinating. I purchased the abridged version though and thought that it didn't flow well. That could have been improved but the overall story was worth it.

Great book

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Reads / hears like a novel! great and definitely recommended

What did you like best about this story?

What does Dylan Baker bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Any additional comments?