Book: “Steve Jobs” (Biography)

Author: Walter Isaacson

Every time I read a biography I use to feel contented of the highly inspiring qualities of the person whom the book is written about. Never could I get to know the other side of the person into as much of depth as I could get in this book about the legendry Steve Jobs. The first view of mine off this book is the frankness the author, Isaacson, has put into. It always feels good to get a frank feedback about yourself; I felt almost the same goodness while reading the book, because I was reading my choice and it was admirably expressed.

If it would be a nice read for the entrepreneurs it’s the must read for the entrepreneurs-to-be. Getting to know how the circumstances mainly have helped Jobs to become the Jobs has made me positive enough to face in case of such. Nevertheless, may others would have been surrounded by same or similar circumstances but Jobs is just the one who has invented the new game! Well, circumstances do matter, a lot in fact, but not to an extent that they stand as a sole reason for a person’s success/failure. If one has the aim from within the external issues die out one after the other.

The way Jobs could turn his turmoil into his turn around during the days of his separation with Apple is an absolute eye-opener for all those, who are exactly in the same situation and feels ‘this is it’. Many things stay in store for you and me. We just need to walk the extra mile before becoming comfortable on the carpet. His emotions, aim to come back and the determination to make something new have been explained so dearly. Miseries often bring out the best of a person and when a person from the middle of the miserable ocean comes out with flying colors that must be an amazing experience.

Its written in the book that Jobs had a habit of ignoring the things which he would not like to feel their existence in his very own life. He could get through the tough days of his cancer diagnostics just because of his this quality. Well of course that later would ruin him. One line which he used to tell to his employees, i.e. keep it simple, has made me wonder how the simplicity could produce such wonderful products from Apple which every time made scintillating break-through in the industry of computers, music and electronics.

560 odd pages is the book; the one line without mentioning which I can not end this post is the one said by Mr. Jobs during his last days, when your life is ending you have no reason why you do not want to do what your heart says (in my words). Well, its easy to say “follow your heart” but no need to mention how difficult it is to turn it into action. Jobs wanted his children to know why their father was not always there for them. This is the same reason why he had asked Isaacson to write his biography after his diagnosis to cancer. Fair enough and I loved it.

What a great inventor of this century! Earlier days, it used to be the person who would invent but these days its the turn of the teams. Leading the teams always is a challenge. Hats off to Jobs not just for the brain and braveness he had but the way he handled people, teams to make the pioneering products. “The Steve Jobs Way” a book on his leadership way is in pipe line of my next-to-go. I paused reading this book till I complete reading his biography. I think its the best time now for me to go ahead with it.