The wonderful genius, the clever thief, the shallow business man and the mighty showman... Steve Jobs was all of it and a lot more. And thanks to Mr. Isaacson, we get a smooth field trip into the life of a man, and the beginnings of the computer era. Don't we all want to make a dent in the universe?A compelling and quite even-handed look at the life of someone who may very well turn out to be one of the most influential people of the 20th and 21st centuries. Isaacson is at turns compassionate and candid in revealing the facets of someone who, by the end of the book, you will be calling either the world's most brilliantly unpleasant person or a idiotic genius.This is ...view middle of the document...
My thoughts: good book. Isaacson did a nice job of presenting Jobs as a man, with warts and all, and not some deity. It made me contemplate my own mortality, even if just for an evening. We're all given limited time, and Jobs certainly made a dent in the universe, as he always wanted. Most of us will never make such a large splash.How he did it is also interesting. Jobs' defining characteristics seemed to be narcissism and perfectionism.What is impressive is that Jobs was able to coordinate all these people to act in concert. He could convince smart and capable people to bend to his will and row in the same direction. He could see the big picture and future trends. He wasn't afraid to say what he thought.Isaacson leaves no stone in Jobs sad, crazy, genius life unturned. More biz details than you may want to know. The first half of the book is more vivid. Like with many contemporary biographies, the insights into individuals and honest descriptions fade towards the end. There is lots of food for thought in this book for anyone who is interested in management, innovation, or technology. Very fascinating.Would we have had Apple if any adult in Steve Jobs childhood had said 'NO!' to his outrageous behavior? Probably not. As an Apple fan who appreciates the simplicity, functionality, and beauty of its products and vision I am grudgingly glad. However it does beg the question, should our geniuses be given a pass on civility and decency? Should they be allowed to ignore the rules the rest of us follow for a civil society? That's a tough call.
