Authorized Steve Jobs biography will include resignation details

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
The authorized biography of Steve Jobs is still on track for release this November, and the book will include details on his resignation as Apple CEO from Jobs' perspective.



Publisher Simon & Schuster told PC Magazine that the author of the forthcoming book, entitled "Steve Jobs: A Biography," is still hard at work on completing the biography. Spokeswoman Tracey Guest reportedly said that Walter Isaacson "speaks to Jobs regularly and is still working on the final chapter of the book."



The book remains on track to hit bookshelves in November, despite Wednesday's bombshell announcement that Jobs had resigned as the chief executive of Apple, the company he co-founded. Jobs still remains at Apple as chairman of the board.



The book was originally set to arrive in 2012, but this month its release was bumped up to Nov. 21, 2011. The title is currently available for preorder from Amazon in both hardcover form, as well as in a digital Kindle edition.



Simon & Schuster's description of the book states that Jobs "asked for no control over what was written nor even the right to read it before it was published. He put nothing off limits and instead encouraged the people he knew to speak honestly -- even foes, former girlfriends, and colleagues he had once fired or infuriated."



The book was originally titled "iSteve: The Book of Jobs, but the name was changed to the current "simpler and more elegant" selection. Isaacson, who has written biographies on Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein, said his wife and daughter felt the original title was "too cutesey."







Jobs himself has said the book will be open about his own failures and mistakes and life. He said it will touch on subjects he is "not proud of," such as getting his girlfriend pregnant when was 23 years old. "But I don't have any skeletons in my closet that can't be allowed out," he said.







There have been many unauthorized books about Jobs previously published, including 2005's "iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business." Dissatisfaction with that title prompted tApple to remove all titles from publisher Wiley & Sons from its retail stores.



Isaacson's take, however, is the first-ever official authorized biography of Jobs, with the Apple co-founder taking part in numerous interviews for the title. Isaacson is said to have received unprecedented access to the normally private Jobs, and even took a tour of his childhood home.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    I will be getting this. If he wrote a non-fiction management book that would sell like hotcakes too.
  • Reply 2 of 21
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    I thought Isaacson said, when the release date was bumped up by a few months, that the book was already completed and ready for publishing. It sounded weird then, because it didn't seem like much time was being allowing for the publishing process and ramp up of the release. Pulling it back again now to include yesterday's news seems to make this an even shorter window.
  • Reply 3 of 21
    Will it be exclusive to the iBookstore at first? That would be one final last boost he gives his company.
  • Reply 4 of 21
    gordygordy Posts: 1,004member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by theguycalledtom View Post


    [...]That would be one final last boost he gives his company.



    Umm...he's still at Apple, just not as CEO.
  • Reply 5 of 21
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    I want to see Steve Jobs do at least one more Keynote. He couldn't stay away from the iPad 2 release, even though he was on leave at that time also.



    When they release the iPhone 5, I am thinking that Steve Jobs will be on stage too.



    Apple will be fine post-Jobs, but the one thing they will lose is that NOBODY can give a presentation like Steve Jobs does.
  • Reply 6 of 21
    diddydiddy Posts: 282member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post


    I thought Isaacson said, when the release date was bumped up by a few months, that the book was already completed and ready for publishing. It sounded weird then, because it didn't seem like much time was being allowing for the publishing process and ramp up of the release. Pulling it back again now to include yesterday's news seems to make this an even shorter window.



    It's possible that Jobs already had realized that he would be resigning this year when the book was being written. The only unknown would have been the date. It's not really that big of a deal if that was the case, they have enough time to still get it to the printers for release by November.
  • Reply 7 of 21
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ascii View Post


    I will be getting this. If he wrote a non-fiction management book that would sell like hotcakes too.



    Interesting idea, but I think that's the theory behind Apple University.
  • Reply 8 of 21
    djintxdjintx Posts: 454member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by diddy View Post


    It's possible that Jobs already had realized that he would be resigning this year when the book was being written. The only unknown would have been the date. It's not really that big of a deal if that was the case, they have enough time to still get it to the printers for release by November.



    Make no mistake, Steve has known of this plan for months, and so has Apple. He confided in his biographer, and likely made him sign an NDA. He probably didn't tell him the time frame of resignation, but they discussed it at length and it was not added at the last minute.



    It all makes so much sense now. Steve is not the kind of person that would have authorized a biography while he was still in the thick of things at Apple. Sure he will still be chairman of the board, but I do not believe there will ever be another SteveNote. And yes, this makes me very sad. No one does it like Steve Jobs. Steve has methodically planned this for months if not years, and this is exactly the way he envisioned it. With Steve there are no accidents or missed details.
  • Reply 9 of 21
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post


    I thought Isaacson said, when the release date was bumped up by a few months, that the book was already completed and ready for publishing. It sounded weird then, because it didn't seem like much time was being allowing for the publishing process and ramp up of the release. Pulling it back again now to include yesterday's news seems to make this an even shorter window.



    I guess typesetting, layout, pasteup, pulling proofs ain't the slog they used to be. Dunno why.



    Maybe, now I think about it, this was a good time for Steve to make the transition, during the slow month of August, when it could be written into a book, fer godssake, at a nice, leisurely pace. Though I imagine Mr. Issacson might be hustling right now. Or maybe he was the first to know and the chapter's already written.



    Gruber once again has a couple of links to stories that should forever be part of the Jobs Lore. Vic Gundotra is redeemed in my eyes.

    http://daringfireball.net/



    Edit: I see diddy and DJinTX preceded me with more assurance.
  • Reply 10 of 21
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Flaneur View Post


    I guess typesetting, layout, pasteup, pulling proofs ain't the slog they used to be. Dunno why.



    along with printing and shipping, that process usually take quite a few months today.



    Cars are more efficient now than they used to be. That doesn't mean I expect to drive from New York to San Fran in a day. dunno why.



    Edit: I also liked Gundotra's story.
  • Reply 11 of 21
    flaneurflaneur Posts: 4,526member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tulkas View Post


    along with printing and shipping, that process usually take quite a few months today.



    Cars are more efficient now than they used to be. That doesn't mean I expect to drive from New York to San Fran in a day. dunno why.



    Edit: I also liked Gundotra's story.



    Point taken, so maybe the chapter's already written since a while ago?
  • Reply 12 of 21
    tulkastulkas Posts: 3,757member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Flaneur View Post


    Point taken, so maybe the chapter's already written since a while ago?



    Makes sense.
  • Reply 13 of 21
    jd_in_sbjd_in_sb Posts: 1,600member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DJinTX View Post


    With Steve there are no accidents or missed details.



    I completely agree.
  • Reply 14 of 21
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gordy View Post


    Umm...he's still at Apple, just not as CEO.



    Well, you're correct, but that's not really my point. Why isn't Steve making this book iBookstore exclusive for a while? That would be kind of interesting, they would get plenty of feedback on the performance of the iBooks app.
  • Reply 15 of 21
    elrothelroth Posts: 1,201member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by theguycalledtom View Post


    Well, you're correct, but that's not really my point. Why isn't Steve making this book iBookstore exclusive for a while? That would be kind of interesting, they would get plenty of feedback on the performance of the iBooks app.



    Because he's not in control of the book - the author and publisher are. This is not published by Apple. The only way for Apple to get an exclusive is to pay the publisher for that right, which would be expensive. I don't see either Apple or Simon & Schuster wanting to do that - why would the publisher hold back the print copies and just make it available on one online store?
  • Reply 16 of 21
    chris_cachris_ca Posts: 2,543member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ascii View Post


    I will be getting this. If he wrote a non-fiction management book that would sell like hotcakes too.



    FYI: Steve hasn't written any books at all.
  • Reply 17 of 21
    I loved this photo from the new Steve Jobs Biography book.



    http://www.makeyourappsboom.com/press/SteveJobsBook.jpg
  • Reply 18 of 21
    chris_cachris_ca Posts: 2,543member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by majiclite View Post


    I loved this photo from the new Steve Jobs Biography book.



    http://www.makeyourappsboom.com/press/SteveJobsBook.jpg



    It's the picture in his bio at Apple.

    -> http://www.apple.com/pr/bios/steve-jobs.html
  • Reply 19 of 21
    am8449am8449 Posts: 392member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Jobs "asked for no control over what was written nor even the right to read it before it was published. He put nothing off limits and instead encouraged the people he knew to speak honestly -- even foes, former girlfriends, and colleagues he had once fired or infuriated."



    This is quite brazen and unorthodox of Steve Jobs, and shows why Jobs is such a unique personality; not just in the tech world, but overall. Most people would only want to reveal their good side to the public, especially where their legacy is concerned.
  • Reply 20 of 21
    nvidia2008nvidia2008 Posts: 9,262member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Flaneur View Post


    Gruber once again has a couple of links to stories that should forever be part of the Jobs Lore. Vic Gundotra is redeemed in my eyes. http://daringfireball.net/



    It's a nice (though somewhat scary) story, but Vic ain't redeemed in my eyes by far...
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