Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

Mr. Isaacson had written biographies of Einstein and Benjamin Franklin and Steve Jobs wanted him to also write his biography. Typical of this arrogant, amazing man.

"He didn't seek any control over what I wrote or even ask to read it in advance."

The story of Steve Jobs is interesting because the story of Apple Computer is interesting. Today, for instance, Apple stock which had dropped about 50 to 60 points in the last 2 weeks and which closed today at 560, rose with vigor after closing prompting the WSJ to blog:

Alright, Apple believers. You win.

In recent days, the clamor and the selling seemed to be gaining momentum. Would iPhone sales disappoint? Was AAPL’s extraordinary run at an end? The stock fell for 10 of the past 11 days. The company lost about $70 billion in market capitalization. That’s like taking Apple and slicing off a Hewlett-Packard-sized chunk ($48 bill) off of the company, and then hacking another Dell-sized lump ($28 bill) — all in the span of 11 days.

But with yet another crushing earnings beat — Apple topped the earnings consensus estimates by almost 23% — is it time to put those fears to rest?

The stock is up 7.5% in after hours trading at last glance, back up over $600 though not quite enough to totally wipe out the stock’s 12% decline since April 9 — yet.

I have been an Apple believer for a long long time which is why I liked this book. It was the maverick company that made products that were/are elegant and classy and worked intuitively. Almost for certain, without Steve Jobs, there would not have been Apple Computer. That he was often rude and unreasonable is true, but his genius superseded that which this book conveys, and while not stinting in writing about the harsh and sometimes unpleasant side of Steve Jobs,  the author also describes a less public man who could and did at times acknowledge his abrasiveness. He was driven to perfect and control everything. He sought out and coerced people to join Apple who appreciated his vision. There is a wonderful photo of Steve sitting in front of his computer, hands behind his head, looking at a screen photo of his wife and son which softens and humanizes him, or at least it did for me. 
The biographer took his subject and wrote well enough that Steve Jobs became more than a guy in a black turtleneck, more than the legendary one-half of the two guys who started Apple in a garage, more than the intensely private person he was and more than just another rich Silicon Valley billionaire.