Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs details the entrepreneurial genius of Apple cofounder and ex-CEO Steve Jobs. It documents his childhood, his years founding and running Apple, and his career as a highly successful CEO. Isaacson’s documentation of Jobs’s life is comprehensive and provides readers with an intimate look into the life of a legendary entrepreneur.
The biography begins with an introduction to Jobs’s parents, Paul and Clara Jobs. They were both unconventional and fiercely independent people, and this is where their son Steve’s values were born. His parents raised him with a sense of adventure, which Steve later credited for developing his creative and entrepreneurial spirit. His passion for technology was evident from a young age, and he would later create a computing empire.
Isaacson then goes into detail about Jobs’s college years. Jobs initially attended Reed College, but dropped out after only one semester. Despite the bad grades he received, he spent the rest of his time at Reed studying Eastern religions and observing classes that interested him. The bold risk of dropping out paid off in the long run as he was eventually accepted at Atari and was propelled into the silicon valley culture.
He partnered up with Steve Wozniak, where he quickly established the Apple company. With their innovative ideas and strong work ethics, their business experienced enormous growth in a very short amount of time. The success of the Apple products revolutionized the personal computer industry, and their loyal following made it an international success. This was also the birth of Jobs’s i-Life philosophy, which has continued to remain a part of Apple and its products even after Jobs’s passing.
Though the company enjoyed success, corporate America was not quite ready for the groundbreaking style of Jobs’s management. After a tense altercation between him and the company’s board of directors, he was eventually pushed out of the company. Despite his departure, Jobs’s reached new heights with his next project, Pixar. With the strong leadership and business acumen he had developed over the years, Jobs managed to exceed all expectations and make Pixar the most successful animation studio in the world.
Isaacson also covers Jobs’ triumphant return to Apple and his vision for the company’s future. This was the beginning of the digital revolution and Jobs pushed Apple to the forefront of the industry. He was a driving force for innovation, launching products such as the iPhone, iPod, and iPad. His meticulous attention to detail and obsession with product design became signatures of his style, and after many years of success he was reinstated as Apple’s CEO.
Illnesses and death were prominent focuses in the later years of Jobs’s life. He was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer, and he addressed this difficulty with the same fearlessness that had guided him throughout his life. Jobs passed away in October of 2011, but his legacy lives on in the innovation of Apple products.
Walter Isaacson’s comprehensive biography of Steve Jobs is an impressive look into the life of one of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs. It provides a detailed look at his successes and failures, and offers readers with an intimate look at the inner life of a man whose brilliance changed the world.
