Authorized Steve Jobs biography gets 'more elegant' title
Dissatisfied with the working title of his authorized biography of Apple CEO Steve Jobs, author Walter Isaacson has decided to follow the design philosophy of his subject and go with a "simpler and more elegant" title.
The original title, "iSteve: The Book of Jobs," was apparently chosen by publisher Simon & Schuster's publicity department and never sat well with the author, Fortune reports.
After Isaacson's wife and daughter opposed the title for being "too cutesy," the former Time Magazine executive convinced his publisher "to go with something simpler and more elegant: "Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson," the report noted.
The biography, which will be the first to receive Jobs' blessing, is scheduled to arrive in early 2012. Interest in the book appears to be strong, as online retailer Amazon's initial preorder offer briefly carried the title into the top 50 of its bestseller list.
Amazon is offering the hardcover version for $16.50, 45 percent off the list price and down from last month's preorder price of $19.80, while the Kindle version presells for $14.99.
According to Simon & Schuster publisher Jonathan Karp, the book will tell a "unique story of revolutionary genius," though in the same vein as Isaacson's best-selling biographies of Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein.
As a result of Jobs' willing collaboration, Isaacson has enjoyed unprecedented access to the normally private CEO, receiving permission to interview family members, coworkers and competitors and even touring Jobs' childhood home.
While Isaacson's work isn't the first biography about Jobs, unauthorized biographies about the Apple co-founder have been known to suffer consequences. In 2005, the release of the book "iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business" prompted Apple to remove all titles by publisher John Wiley & Sons from its retail stores.
A more light-hearted comic book biography of Jobs is due out later this summer, though it will sell without Jobs' expressed approval.
The original title, "iSteve: The Book of Jobs," was apparently chosen by publisher Simon & Schuster's publicity department and never sat well with the author, Fortune reports.
After Isaacson's wife and daughter opposed the title for being "too cutesy," the former Time Magazine executive convinced his publisher "to go with something simpler and more elegant: "Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson," the report noted.
The biography, which will be the first to receive Jobs' blessing, is scheduled to arrive in early 2012. Interest in the book appears to be strong, as online retailer Amazon's initial preorder offer briefly carried the title into the top 50 of its bestseller list.
Amazon is offering the hardcover version for $16.50, 45 percent off the list price and down from last month's preorder price of $19.80, while the Kindle version presells for $14.99.
According to Simon & Schuster publisher Jonathan Karp, the book will tell a "unique story of revolutionary genius," though in the same vein as Isaacson's best-selling biographies of Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein.
As a result of Jobs' willing collaboration, Isaacson has enjoyed unprecedented access to the normally private CEO, receiving permission to interview family members, coworkers and competitors and even touring Jobs' childhood home.
While Isaacson's work isn't the first biography about Jobs, unauthorized biographies about the Apple co-founder have been known to suffer consequences. In 2005, the release of the book "iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business" prompted Apple to remove all titles by publisher John Wiley & Sons from its retail stores.
A more light-hearted comic book biography of Jobs is due out later this summer, though it will sell without Jobs' expressed approval.
Comments
Apparently the long-held tradition of authors having their name just once on a book cover wasn't enough.
I will neither buy nor read it too. Biography is lame, regardless who.
I hated that title. Glad they changed it, though I'm sure I neither buy the book nor read it.
Then it's a pretty poor job of retitling. You're obviously the wrong demographic.
Now it's too bland. He should've just cut off "iSteve" and left it at "The Book of Jobs."
I agree totally. We may yet see that.
Title says little. Also, 'thou shalt not judge books by the cover!'
I will neither buy nor read it too. Biography is lame, regardless who.
All biographies are lame? Is this a serious opinion?
I will neither buy nor read it too. Biography is lame, regardless who.
Wow... your intellectual curiosity is astounding.
I sense a large comic book collection in your bedroom.
Then it's a pretty poor job of retitling. You're obviously the wrong demographic.
We're talking about a biography here, not a work or fiction. I see no reason the title needs to be showy. If the person in question isn't compelling enough for the appropriate demographic then a silly title isn't going to help.
I see a need for it to be based on a small subset of the marketing and retail success from Jobs long and successful career. If it was actually clever I would be all for it, but it wasn't.
Title says little. Also, 'thou shalt not judge books by the cover!'
I will neither buy nor read it too. Biography is lame, regardless who.
"Biography is lame, regardless who" That is truly one of the most puzzling statements I've ever read, and I read a lot of crap every day. I wish that I could say more, but how do you respond to that attitude?
Should prove to be a very interesting read.
"Biography is lame, regardless who" That is truly one of the most puzzling statements I've ever read, and I read a lot of crap every day. I wish that I could say more, but how do you respond to that attitude?
Yep, it's one of the dumbest statements ever written on these forums. The person who wrote that ridiculous statement is certainly entitled to their own opinion, no matter how anti-intellectual, strange or dumb that opinion might seem, but others are also entitled to mock that opinion, and I most certainly do.
He should've just cut off "iSteve" and left it at "The Book of Jobs."
That title oughta stimulate the economy
That title oughta stimulate the economy
Very funny, and ironic, since not very many people have done more to stimulate the economy over the last 30 years.
As for Mr. Splash-reverse, I hope you don't make it worse by trying to defend yourself. Judging from your name, I would imagine that biography, and maybe history, are just too linear and left-brain for you. This is to be understood, given the times you have lived through. Post-literate, McLuhan used to say.
You might take a look at The Orientalist by Tom Reiss, about Essad Bey/Lev Nussimbaum, a most amazing Azeri/German/Jewish writer of the early 20th. You read about whole continents and eras of history in that book, because Reiss jumps around in a most panoramic and nonlinear way. A bio made for you. Left-brain types didn't like it, thought it was unfocused.
Anyway, biography is the best way to learn about the times surrounding the life being told.
... would be a good title.
Would have been. Already used.
You had me at Steve.
Yep, "Steve Jobs" or just "Steve" (maybe with an Apple logo displayed) are great titles, the original one was too much. And the simplified title pushes home that this is the authorised one.
I read this cover to cover when it was released and I can't recall anything derogatory written about Steve, other than his various idiosyncrasies which are well known and documented elsewhere.
Megalomaniacs gonna megalomaniac-icise...