Steve Jobs
Walter Isaacson
November 2011
571 pages (excluding the notes and index)
Published by Simon and Schuster
Purchased by me
********************
I’m going to refer to the book as iSteve, because:
1) I swear at some point I’d heard this was a possible title
2) the man thought he was god’s gift to the universe, so it seems fitting
3) because if I say Steve Jobs, there’s always the question as to whether I mean the man or the book
4) it’s just so appropriate, in so many other ways
I knew very little about Steve Jobs going into this book (other than the fact that he was the Apple guy), and I can honestly say I now know more about him than I wanted to. Which isn’t to say this isn’t a great book…it is. But holy crapola, the man was an asshole. Seriously. Say what you want about his ability to build a company, design products (although he had designers doing much of the work), and bring a company back from the nearly dead, the man was, straight up, a fucking asshole.
He thought he was special, he had screaming tantrums, he refused to ever register a vehicle, he parked in the handicap spot just because he felt like it, he treated people like crap, he cried when he didn’t get his way, he co-opted other people’s ideas (and had raging tantrums when others did the same to him), he had some weird ideas about diet and health (he would eat only apples and carrots for weeks at a time), he tweaked reality to fit into his own idea of the world, and he treated people like crap (yes, that bears repeating).
And yes, he founded an incredibly successful company (Apple, for those of you who don’t know what or who I’m talking about), he brought us the Apple II, the Macintosh, iTunes, the iPhone and iPad, he brought Pixar back from the dead and led the company into a successful movie making studio (Bug’s Life, Toy Story), he inspired greatness in others, he was charismatic and charming when he wanted to be, and he managed to stay married for 20 years (the woman was either a saint or equally deranged).
He also let Walter Isaacson write an unbiased account of his life, even if he came out as less than stellar. I’m actually amazed that he relinquished control (except for the cover, which reflects his signature style), given that the man was a control freak about just about everything in his life. It took him years to decide on furniture, because it had to be just right. He was known for complaining viciously about the food in restaurants. He refused to initially believe that the doctors knew the best treatment for his cancer.
So iSteve shows both the good and bad in Steve Jobs. I know I’m focusing more on the bad, but that’s because I believe that he was incredibly harsh in his personal interactions. I know he’d argue otherwise, and he’d think I was worthless (because he either thought you were a total genius or a worthless piece of shit) because I’d refuse to argue back, but I truly believe that it’s not always necessary to act like a complete and total dick to get your way (although I will concede that it does come in handy upon occasion). Here’s a taste of what he was like:
Like the original Macintosh team, the iMac crew staggered to completion just in time for the big announcement. But not before Jobs had one last explosion. When it came time to rehearse for the launch presentation, Rubinstein cobbled together two working prototypes. Jobs had not seen the final product before, and when he looked at it onstage he saw a button on the front, under the display. He pushed it and the CD tray opened. “What the fuck is this?!?” he asked, though not as politely. “None of us said anything,” Schiller recalled, “because he obviously knew what a CD tray was.” So Jobs continued to rail. It was supposed to have a clean CD slot, he insisted, referring to the elegant slot drives that were already to be found in upscale cars. “Steve, this is exactly the drive I showed you when we talked about the components,” Rubinstein explained. “No, there was never a tray, just a slot,” Jobs insisted. Rubinstein didn’t back down, Jobs’s fury didn’t abate. “I almost started crying, because it was too late to do anything about it,” Jobs later recalled. (pp. 351-352)
Not only does this showcase his argumentative style (and just what is less polite than saying “What the fuck is this?!?”?), but also his “reality distortion field,” as it was known. Jobs had a tendency to remember things falsely, but insist that he was right so vehemently that people eventually began to believe it to be so.
However, if you can get past the asshole tendencies, iSteve is a fascinating book. There are whole sections on how his adoption led to some of his personality traits, how his love of music influenced his life, his obsession with diets and fasting, his obsession with design, his contentious relationship with Bill Gates (and numerous other people), his years with NeXT and Pixar, and all sorts of other stuff. It’s interesting for both the history of the man and Apple, but also for the insight into a complex and contentious personality. There are a few moments of redundancy (as if Isaacson forgot that he’d already told us that) and some technical sections that are boring, but overall, the book focuses more on the man than the technology (although it’s certainly there, since it was so much a part of him). And even though I felt the book was unbiased, I still got a sense that Isaacson liked Steve Jobs.
I don’t. Even if I do adore my MacBook, my iPhone, and my iPad. So thank you Steve (and everyone else at Apple) for all of my shiny Apple devices. And good luck to Apple in this post-Steve world.
I bought this book when it came out and Carl grabbed it. He hasn’t gotten far, but has said Jobs was a jerk. It’s a wonder people continued to work for him.
bermudaonion (Kathy)´s last [type] ..Review: Plugged
Oh good, I’m glad Carl is in agreement. I was starting to think maybe I was overreacting (although given the shit he pulled, the jerkiness seems pretty obvious).
My husband and brother-in-law are devout Jobs and Apple lovers, and my husband is reading this book right now. I read him your review, and he just went on and on about all the great things Jobs has done, so obviously the distortion field is greater than we originally thought. I have to say that I agree with you and think that Jobs was an incredible dick, and I would have hated to know him in real life. He may have been a technological genius, but still, he was such an insufferable asshole! Very awesome review today, Jill!
zibilee´s last [type] ..Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand — 496 pgs
But see, that’s the thing. I don’t think he was a technological genius. He had good ideas, but he browbeat other people into the execution. And then he fooled everyone into thinking he was the only guy responsible. Okay, not everyone. But still, the world seems to tink he single-handedly created all those nifty gadgets.
I know nothing about the man, but it sort of sounds like he actually had a mental disorder. Narcissistic personality disorder, anti-social disorder, something like that or both plus more…. This does sound like an interesting book though; people like Jobs fascinate me.
Trisha´s last [type] ..Happy Haulidays from Chronicle Books
Narcissistic personality disorder is mentioned in the book. One of his ex-girlfriends is convinced he had it, although Isaacson never pursued it.
I know absolutely nothing about Steve Jobs. Sometimes I love a good asshole story but this sounds like a little much.
Stephanie´s last [type] ..The Sunday Salon
He was definitely over the top when it came to being an asshole.
I’m gonna read this one…I think there’s a lot of truth in the saying there’s a fine line between genius and mentally ill. And, I actually mean that seriously…
Patti Smith´s last [type] ..Weekend Cooking – The Annual Thanksgiving Feast
And this book will further support that saying!
I love your perfectly honest assessment of Steve Jobs. I just posted my review today. I loved the book, found it fascinating He WAS “one of a kind”.
Diane@BibliophileBytheSea´s last [type] ..Steve Jobs; Walter Isaacson
I felt like I read it with my jaw dropped in horror.
Wow – imagine what the book would have read like if Isaacson hadn’t like Jobs! It is amazing that Jobs let all of this out, although I suppose he knew that it would all come out after he died and he might as well get something that had some good as well as the bad in it.
Lisa´s last [type] ..Sunday Salon – November 27
I’m still astounded by how many people forgive him and/or make excuses for his behavior.
Interesting. I’d always heard it was a real humanitarian, and very approachable. But then again, I’ve heard it from huge Mac geeks…
Amanda´s last [type] ..Two Year Anniversary of my Weight Loss Journey
I wouldn’t call him a humanitarian. Isaacson points out a few times that he was reluctant to donate money to any causes. And he was so intolerant about a number of things.
I have heard positive things about this book for the most part. I am curious, but I am not sure if I will read it or not. It is hard to say…
Kailana´s last [type] ..Week in Review (43)
It’s pretty long, and not exactly the type of book you can fly right through.
I’m all over this no-holds-barred review! Is the bottom line that the book is worth reading, despite its size? I’m impressed that Isaacson was able to convey Jobs’ narcissistic personality (since it came across that he admired him).
Did you read iSteve on your iPad?
Dawn – She Is Too Fond of Books´s last [type] ..Popcorn and coffee and Boy Scouts, oh my!
Yes, way worth reading! At least I think so. And Diane does, too.
Oh, and nope. I read it in print. Although I did use the flashlight app on my iPhone as a reading light in the car.
your sentiments that he was a fucking asshole actually have me MORE curious in this book. Scott has mentioned this “fact” several times in the past but somehow it seems weird for that to be so prevalent in a book published after his death. SO many put him way up there on the top of the mountain, huh? But… hmmm, maybe I’ll listen on my iPhone.
Trish´s last [type] ..Sunday Salon 52: What to Read Next
But the book was going to come out as is no matter what.
And it’s funny…those who love him still seem to love him despite all evidence as to his assholishness.
This is going to sound pretty bad, but the thing that interests me most about Steve Jobs is that Mona Simpson is his half-sister.
What I like about Steve also: That habit of just buying multiples of clothing? I wish I could do that. It chaps me unmercifully to have to figure out what to wear to work each day.
But yeah, he was pretty harsh. And crying when things didn’t go his way? Awful.
Bybee´s last [type] ..Understood Betsy – Dorothy Canfield Fisher
Full sister, actually. He was adopted and she wasn’t.
And he bought 100s of those black turtlenecks at once! Always had to take things to the extreme…
I am hoping for the book for Christmas! (and if not, I will go out and get it myself
)
I am fascinated by the book – even the jerk.
Sheila (Book Journey)´s last [type] ..It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
May all your Christmas dreams come true.
I am so much more interested in reading about Wozniak. Thanks for reading this and writing a terrific review. Now I don’t have to read the book myself.
I do feel a bit smug, I know, but now I can continue to roll my eyes when I hear another despairing wail of “HOw-Will-Apple-Be-Able-Continue-without-Steve-Jobs!??!!”
(Now, I have to go look up Mona Simpson – should I know who this is? AM I that OUT-of-IT?)
Care´s last [type] ..Beet Pie
I’ve never read any of her books either.
He’s the boss from hell. And basically the human from hell. But boy, he sure was a workhorse slavedriving successful fucker.
Can’t wait to read about all his jerkiness.
Andi´s last [type] ..Review: You Know When the Men Are Gone
That’s totally it in a nutshell.
Ah, great review. I love your honesty. I’m always just a little bit suspicious, when people gush over a recently-deceased famous person, that perhaps they’re gushing about something other than the individual in question. We don’t really know the rich and famous, after all. We’re only familiar with an image deliberately projected to us. Having said that, now I know I can bypass this book completely. My suspicions were confirmed. Thank you for saving me some time.
And, congrats on the Karmann Ghia purchase. I had a friend who owned one, in high school. Three of us rode in it across town. Not recommended, even for skinny people.
I’ve heard a lot about how he was as a leader/boss. I don’t think I could have worked directly for someone like that, and I applaud those who could, but wow, the vision on this guy! I also love all my Apple products and thank goodness that there was someone who could help propel our technology to the next thousand levels, but working for him. Nah. At least I don’t think so. Perhaps if it was a really, really, really good salary? Ok, maybe.
EXCELLENT review.
Natalie ~ the Coffee and a Book Chick´s last [type] ..11/22/63, by Stephen King
Wow … this is probably the best, less jokey, most impassioned review you’ve done for awhile. Love it. Makes me glad that Mr. Jenners bought this book and is (slooooowwwwly) reading it so I have it to jump into when he finally finishes is… because now I really want to read it. You’ve gotten me excited because your review.
Amazing that someone who was so controlling allowed this book to present such an unbiased view of him.
Great JOB!!!
Jenners´s last [type] ..Review: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
I love that you call this iSteve! They so should have named it that. I knew he was an asshole, but WOW, he was an asshole! Sounds sort of like a psychopath… anyway, I’m sure I’ll still read this at some point. My sister is getting it for my husband for Christmas so I’ll have a copy in the house soon!
A fucking asshole, huh? Darn, another icon shot down.
This book is on my TBR list. I’m not sure whether this revelation deflated my interest in the book or made me want to read it even more. 
Great review!
Stephanie´s last [type] ..Shanleya’s Quest and Eliza’s Laboratory of Potions
Wow, I had no idea Steve Jobs was a jerk. That’s so interesting and strange to me for some reason. I’m glad the book is good even if it seems Steve Jobs wasn’t.
Kim (Sophisticated Dorkiness)´s last [type] ..Review: ‘Gluten-Free Girl’ by Shauna James Ahern
iSteve, I love it! I’ve been wondering about the bio and appreciate your honest write up about it. I love my Macbook and iPod but and appreciate the genius of Jobs, but to deify the man? I’m glad the book isn’t a gush-fest. I’ll have to put myself in the hold line for the book at the library.
Stefanie´s last [type] ..At Home
My hubby is a fan so I wonder how he’ll feel after he listens to the book, as I’m sure he will. I find it hard to excuse people for arrogant and mean behavior, but I am still interested in this one. He accomplished many great things in his shortish life and that always motivates me.
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