First published 2015
Steve Jobs cofounded Apple as a reckless young entrepreneur whose arrogance got him fired from his own company. This biography by journalists Brent Schlender and Rick Tetzeli examines how that impulsive founder became one of the most effective business leaders of our time. The authors conducted extensive interviews with Jobs's inner circle, family members, friends, and competitors to create a nuanced portrait that goes beyond the typical genius-and-tyrant narrative. They trace Jobs's complicated journey of reinvention, beginning with his founding of NeXT and accelerating after his 1986 purchase of Pixar. The book reveals how Jobs learned management skills from Pixar president Ed Catmull, matured when he became a father again in the early 1990s, and benefited from Bill Gates's pioneering work in personal computers. His wife Laurene called him a constantly learning machine, and that education continued throughout his return to Apple in 1997. Schlender and Tetzeli show that Jobs's stunning success stemmed from more than just creating the right products. He became less impatient, trusted his closest associates more, and rebuilt Apple gradually rather than chasing breakthrough ideas at any cost.
Genres: biography, business, non-fiction, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: reinvention
Setting: NeXT, Pixar
Period: 1986, 1990s, 1997
616 pages · Paperback · Insignis