Brent Schlender

Brent Schlender was an American journalist and author who was particularly well known for his writing about the technology industry for publications such as Fortune and The Wall Street Journal. Schlender's works are known and respected for mixing insider knowledge and an outsider's perspective on the topic, making him one of the most respected commentators on the tech industry in the past few decades.

Schlender was born in 1949 and began his career in 1976 by covering the energy industry for The Dallas Morning News. From there, he went on to cover the economy, technology, and energy for The Wall Street Journal. During his time with The Wall Street Journal, he frequently wrote about Apple and Steve Jobs, eventually becoming the paper’s lead technology journalist.

In November of 1997, Schlender moved to Fortune Magazine, making him the first journalist to cover both The Wall Street Journal and Fortune. The same year, he released his first book titled Dealers of Lightning: Xerox PARC and the Dawn of the Computer Age. The book focused on the 'Big Bang of the personal computer' - the 1970's when Xerox researchers created the first personal computer.

Dealers of Lightning quickly earned credits from publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Harper’s, and The Critic. Brent was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction in 2000 for his work on the book. In 2014, a revised version of the book was released, which included additional information about technological advances since the 'Big Bang'.

Schlender's later works include Becoming Steve Jobs (co-authored with Rick Tetzeli) which was released in March 2015. The book gave insight into Steve Job's complex personality, focusing on his evolution as a person and leader. Even though the book was received with mixed reviews, MSNBC named it the best biography of Steve Jobs.

In 2009, Brent Schlender began working on a biography of Microsoft's Bill Gates, tentatively titled Hitting the Wall. However, the book was put on hold after Schlender's unexpected death in February 2015.

Apart from his writing career, Brent also appeared on CNBC, Fox Business, PBS, CNN, and Bloomberg TV, often providing commentary on the tech industry. Throughout his life, Schlender remained a passionate believer in the potential of technology. Even in his last article for CNBC, he highlighted the incredible potential for self-sufficiency that technology provides for humans.

Brent Schlender was an engaging writer and commentator who won numerous awards for his books. Despite his death in 2015, his works remain a source of inspiration for many who continue to create innovations in technology.