Steve Jobs - By Walter Isaacson
A window into the mind of Steve Jobs. A visionary, an artist, a man of science and a master showman.
Why am I reading this book?
I began appreciating the quality and simplicity of Apple products after reading “Start with Why-By Simon Sinek". Reading this book was my way of trying to understand the thought behind the design.
About the book:
Chronicles from the life of Steve Jobs, who created multiple ripples and redefined technology as we know it.
“We’re here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise why else even be here?”
Bird’s Eye View
The biography of Steve Jobs takes us through a journey of the life of a complex man who stood at the intersection of art and technology and was able to prove that the two can become one. His father’s love for design that he inherited, his spiritual quests, and his ability to identify A players and work with them by removing the noise and focusing on what truly matters allowed him to leave behind a legacy for the modern world.
Who should read?
Product enthusiasts, Design lovers, Tech Entrepreneurs.
Fun Facts
Between 1978 and 2006, there were a number of legal disputes between Apple Corps (owned by The Beatles) and the computer manufacturer Apple Computer (now Apple Inc.) over competing trademark rights. (src. Wikipedia)
Steve Jobs was a majority shareholder and actively involved in the running of Pixar before it was purchased by Disney. He was even involved in the making of Toy Story.
Jobs had harbored a vision for a computer the size of a notebook long before it was possible to build one i.e. in the late 80s and early 90s, and as I sit here typing this on my Macbook air, I cannot help but marvel at how well the Apple accomplished this feat.
The Macintosh popularised graphical user interfaces and paved the way for computers as we know them today.
Itunes played a major role in revolutionizing the music industry by offering individual songs instead of entire albums.
“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully.”
Book Summary
Charging Walter Isaacson to write his own biography goes on to show that Steve Jobs still wanted to have some control over the way his story would be told even after his death. While it is evident he did not try to control the narrative, it is quite apparent that this is indeed one of the better-written biographies. It shows the complexity of his character, which stemmed from being an adopted child, his inherited and cultivated traits from both sets of parents contributed to who he became. He loved tinkering in his parents’ garage, and they supported him in whatever he wanted to pursue. He was so strong-willed that, at times, he could distort reality for himself and others. His charisma stemmed from the ability to inspire others to believe in his cause and unite them to work towards a single goal.
The book takes us through his tumultuous life during his early 20s, his spiritual journey in India, his dubious diets, and the journey of building a company at such a young age. It also gives us a glimpse into his relationship with his daughter and how it shaped their relationship in the future.
The story of Steve Jobs and Apple is intertwined, so the book also takes through a tour of the innovations at Apple and how they have contributed to the world as we know it. Indeed if they hadn’t popularised the GUI (Graphical user interface), personal computers would only have been for hobbyists. They came up with iPods and iTunes, which revolutionized the music industry. Iphones were the first phones to have touchscreen displays and scrollable apps, which paved the way for most smartphones today.
Steve Jobs had a short but very interesting life in which he definitely managed to make a dent in the universe!
