Andy Hertzfeld:
I suspect that Steve Jobs would not be thrilled with Becoming Steve Jobs, a new business biography by Brent Schlender and Rick Tetzeli. While it’s a worthwhile book filled with previously unheard stories and insightful industry analysis, Steve would have disliked it because of the persistent negative spin it applies to the first half of his career.
That’s why it’s puzzling to see Apple throw their considerable weight behind it.
Interesting comments from Hertzfeld, a guy who was there in the beginning. While he acknowledges his own biases, he does bring up some interesting questions about the descriptions of the early part of the book, the lack of interviews of the people involved in those early days and why Apple threw considerable weight behind this book.
He does say the book is interesting and still worth a read. Like most biographies, it takes several versions and editions to get a complete picture of the subject and even then, you are looking through a foggy window to do so.
I still think Isaacson’s telling was more interesting and compelling.
I’m in the midst of reading the new one, but my favorite telling of the Jobs/Woz story is the first half of Michael Malone’s “Infinite Loop.” It is most definitely not a flattering portrayal, but it is a very entertaining read, perhaps because it isn’t a Jobs biography but the story of Apple as a company.
More compelling, perhaps, but I think the numerous criticisms from Apple and pundits like Gruber and Snell are on the money in that as a biography, it’s rather poor.
I’m just a bit more interested in reading Hertzfeld’s own book than in his opinions about whether Jobs would’ve liked this one.
Have to agree with Herzfeld. The Isaacson book is a biography. “Becoming Steve Jobs” bogs down in the second half as it tries to impose the “change” in Jobs’ life and behavior. Psychoanalysis in pop biographies is common and often viewed through a prism that imparts meaning where there may not be any.
You can find him at folklore.org
I know; I still need to get a copy of “Revolution in the Valley.”
i never really got that criticism. Gruber and the other tech bloggers chief complaint is that the bio didn’t explain how Jobs went from being kicked out to creating Apple 2.0. but i dont know where anyone stated that was going to be the purpose of the book… rather, as Isaacson said, Jobs asked him to write a book about him as a man, so his kids would know his story better. it seemed to meet that goal. so it not being a definitive tech-leadership manual is fine with me.
they’re almost the same. i found the online version more compelling due to occasional web comments from the players involved…
I don’t think it’s about his leadership, it’s that not covering those years fails to inform readers about a key part of Jobs’ life. I wouldn’t write any biography and say “what happened here wasn’t important.” Clearly, it was to a great number of people, and Isaacson seemed not to realize that.
did you read it? it did cover those years — starting next, meeting his wife, and Pixar. what it didn’t do was explain exactly how he learned to be wiser. which kinda happens as you raise a family, age, and get more business experience.
again, what should it have done? it wasn’t a leadership manual.
“i never really got that criticism.”
My general complaint about WI’s SJ biography was the narrative voice. I found it so off-putting that I could barely keep reading. That’s subjective criticism, of course.
My overarching complaint, however, is the sense that WI squandered his access to SJ. Fingers crossed that the many hours of recorded interviews are released at some point in the near future; that will prove to be the real magic.