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

Good enough to listen to again.

This is a very impressive work. Isaacson makes you want to learn about Steve Jobs.

A great listen. Great narration. Great book.

The narration, pace, inflection and tone really set this book atop anything else I've ever listened to when it comes to audio books. The changes from one person's perspective to the next really helped me hone in on the dialog. The narrator was not chosen to sound like jobs and I can appreciate that. An excellent listen.

It is also a great biography of a complex man and his unbelievable approach to make great products. His tantrums can be brutal. His unbelievable passion drove people crazy or made them overcome insurmountable obstacles. Decisions that typically has companies up in arms for months, Jobs did in 30 minutes. I get he was not an inventor. He was not an engineer, but put his love of making a great product above anything. I can't recommend it enough. I will probably rewind back to the beginning and immediately listen to it again.

Very nostalgic and well done

My biggest issue was with one historical fact, the Apple computer was not the first personal computer on the market, it was the Commodore PET 2001 :) Also, there was no coverage of the Apple TV side of his story :( Otherwise it kept me totally captivated and wanting to not stop listening.

Thought I might hate it

I am as far from an Apple fan as you can be, I respect them but dislike the products. I find this fascinating because it is brutal and honest. It is not a Steve Jobs lamentment piece. It is the real thing. Much like Steve himself.

Super interesting listen

Thought it would be boring but I was glued to it from start to finish.

Inspirational, funny, insightful

Steve was always a kind of historical figure I’d wish I’d knew in person. He was a person of many talents and of various good and bad character traits. His genius gave us multiple revolutions across all types of industries.
And I enjoyed how well this book portrayed him and made me feel like I actually had a chance to sit down with a person I admire so much. This book is well worth every minute of the 25 hours!

one of the best bios i've read

absolutely fascinating, start to finish. riveting. had no idea. a must for all entrepreneurs, designers, social media peeps. hats off to isaacson for a phenomenal job.

Entertaining and Informative

Any additional comments?

Listening to this book took my knowledge of Steve Jobs from superficial to relatively informed. Before, I wouldn't have known why 1984 was a significant year in his life. After, I was able to spot countless artistic liberties and timeline errors in the movie starring Ashton Kutcher. Not only did I learn plenty, but I was entertained. Jobs' life made (unsurprisingly) for a great story.

Really Insightful

the book is magnificent and really gives as much of a full overview of Steve Jobs as anyone could get.

A real gem if you suffer from multi-tasking

don't think for a second that this book is only for techie people who are in product development. Nooo waayyy Jose !!! It's a book about resiliency, about cleaning out the cobwebs in your head, about writing down your top 10 goals and feeling good about crossing off 9 of them to focus on the top one that is most important to you right now. Apple may one day turn into the next Sony, but it didn't start out that way. Steve Jobs is quoted often in this book that the journey is the true reward...the money takes care of itself. Have a laser focus on what you are really trying to accomplish. Invest your days and nights answering that question first. spoiler alert...after you finish this book you will be cured of "multi-tasking".
Dylan Baker as narrator crushes it!!