Apple co-founder and legendary tech giant Steve Jobs led an intriguing life. Jobs may have died, but his words and deeds continue. Many of the people are fascinated by one of the great personalities of the 20th century, and if you want to know more about him, the right books can provide you with deep insight.
We have selected the best books written about Steve Jobs and Apple. The following seven volumes provide all the job information you need to know about, and much more besides.
Author: Walter Issacson
Year: 2011
Jobs selected Walter Isaacson to write the only authorized biography of him. Isaacson tells perhaps the best story that encompasses his life and his many contradictions. The interviews with Jobs were done close to his death, so the perspective of him recalling events is, in a way, the final version..
Isaacson also interviewed several people associated with Jobs, and isn't afraid to paint his many flaws. In fact, sometimes the book appears as a successful piece. In fact, the famous designer of Apple, Jonny Ive, expressed his opinion about the book. "Couldn't be lower." And yet, there are enough people who have read the book and walked away thinking that Jobs was a great man. It's no wonder he made it to our list of the best nonfiction books for geeks. 5 Nonfiction Books All Tech Geeks Should Read 5 Nonfiction Books All Tech Geeks Should Read You can learn a lot about consumer technology and its effect on society by reading blogs, but online sources tend to follow the latest fad instead of providing exhaustive research on a topic... Read More .
Whether or not you read anything else on this list, be sure to read this book. And preferably before Aaron Sorkin turns it into a movie.
Why it is important: Your the Biography. This is the one that Jobs authorized and gave several exclusive interviews, and yet it still presents a balanced picture.
Authors: Brent Schlender and Rick Tetzeli
Year: 2015
Isaacson's biography was criticized by Apple insiders and Jobs loyalists, who said it was too negative and did not paint a fair picture of the man everyone knew. Most of those people love this book by Schlender and Tetzeli. In this book, Apple CEO Tim Cook says of Isaacson's biography, “He didn't capture the person. The person I read about there is someone I never wanted to work with all this time.” however, Becoming Steve Jobs He seems to suffer from Apple's famous reality warp:the idea among his followers that Apple, and Jobs in particular, can do no wrong.
Jobs' failures are limited to a single chapter, mainly covering his first stint at Apple. Andy Hertzfeld, a member of the original Macintosh team, says Jobs wouldn't have liked it, since his first Apple career looks like a flop. Most of the book covers the period of his life when he first left Apple and got involved with NeXT and Pixar computers. As most people know, he then made his triumphant return to build Apple into the behemoth it is today..
Why it is important: In addition to the Apple years, it takes a very detailed look at Jobs' life outside of the company, through the rise and fall and rise of Apple The Rise And Fall And Rise Of Apple:A Brief History The Rise And Fall And Rise Of Apple:A Brief History Apple's success lies in its "Think Different" attitude. While the company hasn't always been heralded as a success, its strength over the years has come from great vision and... Read More In many ways, it illustrates why Jobs made such a profound impact where he worked. Business-minded readers will especially enjoy this one.
Author: Andy Hertzfield
Year: 2004
Who better to talk about the early years of Apple computers than a member of the original Macintosh team? Andy Hertzfeld worked at Apple from 1979 to 1984 as a "Software Assistant," and was in direct contact with Jobs during that time. Those early years at Apple were a manic time, and Hertzfeld is able to provide an insider's tale.
The book is a collection of stories from Hertzfeld and other people who worked at the company at the time. What cuts through the most is the excitement and energy of the people who worked at Apple at the time; People who truly believed they were changing the world. Although Jobs is not mentioned all the time, his shadow is large in various conversations and small incidents, illustrating how his vision was becoming a reality..
Why it is important: It's rare to find insiders willing to talk about what goes into starting a business, let alone have a book accepted for nearly all confidential information. Hertzfeld gets it right on both counts.
Author: Alan Deutschmann
Year: 2000
Considering that this book came out when Apple was preparing to launch the iPod, it's unclear how it holds up today in the post-Apple Watch era. However, from a purely historical perspective, it is a thorough account of Jobs's re-entry into Apple, including his phases at the NeXT and Pixar computers. At the time of writing, the author obviously had no idea that Apple would become the world's largest technology company, but this book offers perhaps the best insight into how Jobs thought about his job.
In particular, the book focuses heavily on his phase at Pixar, and how he created a company whose values will spell success 6 Pixar Lessons That Will Set You Up For Success 6 Pixar Lessons That Will Set You Up For Success The secrets of the narration They tend to reflect the secrets of success in real life. You owe it to yourself to take a minute and consider how Pixar can make you more successful. Read more . The entire episode of controversies and negotiations about The life of a bug provides incredible insight into how much pride and ego played a role in Jobs's decisions, and how he was able to transform those seemingly negative traits into positive and encouraging forces for the people who worked with him and for him.
Why it is important: Not many people know that Jobs started Pixar, and those who do still don't know how much he actively contributed to it. Although John Lasseter was the chief creative officer, this book illustrates how Jobs' understanding of the intersection of creativity and technology was crucial in making Pixar a success.
Author: George Beam
Year: 2011
Good leaders also tend to be good communicators. In the business world, Steve Jobs was perhaps the best person to make speeches. Instant Inspiration:Watch Steve Jobs' Best Speeches. Instant Inspiration:Watch Steve Jobs' Best Speeches. Not everyone is an Apple fan. Not everyone was a fan of Steve Jobs either, one of the two Steves who founded the company, and the one who turned it from a… Also, he discovered products or gave interviews. His words carried weight and he knew how to use them. This book is a collection of the best quotes from him, taken from the 30 years spent in the public eye..
Apple fans will love this book because of how inspiring Jobs is. Apple haters will love this through how some of his arguments went. Apple watchers will love this just to ponder a variety of topics including death, technology, our future, and more. Whether I agreed with him or not, when this man spoke, I wanted to listen.
Why it is important: It would take you a long time to sift through the reams and interviews and speeches Jobs gave over the years. But you still want to hear things straight from the horse's mouth. In just 160 pages, Beahm can give you the cream of the crop.
Author: Steve Wozniack
Year: 2006
This book lets you hear all about Steve from the other Steve. Jobs wasn't the technical brains behind Apple Computers, that credit goes to Steve Wozniak. Wozniak's autobiography covers everything from his early white-hacking days to 5 of the World's Most Famous and Influential White Hat Hackers 5 of the World's Most Famous and Influential White Hat Hackers In this article, I'm going back to the original Define and explore the world of "good hackers," otherwise known as "white hat hackers." Let's take a look at five of the most influential computers... Read More But Jobs is the elephant in the room at all times, even though he doesn't log in until two-thirds of the way through the book.
Wozniak was the co-founder of Apple. He is largely regarded as one of the nicest people you will ever meet in the tech industry. And the book tells the story of Jobs through his lens:his friend, his co-worker, his confidante, his boss, his betrayer. Even aside from that, Wozniak's book is a good read on how an engineer needs someone like Jobs to achieve greatness, and vice versa.
Why it is important: Wozniak was perhaps the closest person to Jobs in his formative years at Apple, and this book presents a refreshing perspective on Jobs.
Author: dan lyons
Year: 2007
Have you heard of Dan Lyons? Lyons is an influential tech personality. 8 Essential Tech Influencers to Follow on Twitter. 8 Essential Tech Influencers to Follow on Twitter. Twitter continues to grow in strength, with more people using it to communicate with the world with each passing month. Sure, there are plenty of people who enthusiastically join Twitter after being seduced by... Read More Lyons attempted a satire of what Steve Jobs would be like if he didn't have to be the polite, politically correct boss of the world's largest tech corporation, needing to answer to a board of directors.
See, this book will not give you an idea of the real Steve Jobs. But Lyons has a good grasp of the inner workings of Apple, along with a fluid writing style that makes his humor seem natural and easy throughout. You'll find yourself laughing out loud at various points.
Why it is important: It's not important. It's fun. And that is important in itself..
Not all ideas come from a book, and not all great stories are written in novels. So we want you to tell us the best Steve Jobs story you've ever heard.
My favorite is the one about the guy whose car broke down outside Jobs' house, but can you do any better? If so, let us know in the comments below.
Let's take some time to remember Steve Jobs!
