Inside Steve's brain

From Publishers Weekly Throughout his storied Silicon Valley career, Apple CEO and Pixar Studios founder Steve Jobs has been labeled, among other things, an egomaniac, a Zen Buddhist, a business mastermind, a sociopath and a music mogul. Blogger, author and Wired News editor Kahney, who has chronicled Apple in previous books (The Cult of Mac), attempts to plumb the depths of Jobs's prodigious mind in this engrossing biography. The author devotes much time to the sensational aspects of Jobs' life, including his demeaning and ferocious interactions with employees, his relentless high-mindedness and fanatical attention to detail, clearly demonstrating how his tyrannical and perfectionist impulses have have shaped the award-winning designs and consumer-friendly products that have made Apple a juggernaut. Though it doesn't penetrate the Mac man's psyche too deeply, and sections on tangential figures like Apple design guru Jonathan Ive and Apple Store visionary Ron Johnson can meander, those searching for a telling portrait of Jobs's management style and its impact on Apple will not be left wanting. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From The latest book about the success of Apple is from an avid fan, journalist, and author of two other Apple-related books (including The Cult of Mac, 2004); it is an in-depth profile of CEO Steven Jobs. It is a tale of two Steves: a perfectionist, charming, charismatic executive but also a man who’s known as an elitist, manipulator, and sociopath, all in search of a dream: providing easy-to-use technology for individuals. Kahney begins with Jobs’ return to the company, changes made to save it from bankruptcy, and then the CEO’s attributes as manifested in products, in people, in corporate directions. Take, for example, Steve’s perfectionism, shown through the three years of work to design the Mac; through the hiring of Hartmut Esslinger, of Frogdesign; and through employee perspectives. Every chapter is headlined by specific personality traits, from Focus to Control Freak, and concludes with Lessons from Steve, bullet-point summaries of key chapter learnings. Written and intended for a wide general audience. --Barbara Jacobs

one Of Usa Today's Best Business Books Of 2008-now Updated With A New Chapter

it's Hard To Believe That One Man Revolutionized Computers In The 1970s And '80s (with The Apple Ii And The Mac), Animated Movies In The 1990s (with Pixar), And Digital Music In The 2000s (with The Ipod And Itunes). No Wonder Some People Worship Steve Jobs Like A God. On The Other Hand, Stories Of His Epic Tantrums And General Bad Behavior Are Legendary.

inside Steve's Brain Cuts Through The Cult Of Personality That Surrounds Jobs To Unearth The Secrets To His Unbelievable Results. So What's Really Inside Steve's Brain? According To Leander Kahney, Who Has Covered Jobs Since The Early 1990s, It's A Fascinating Bundle Of Contradictions.

this Expanded Edition Includes A New Chapter On Jobs's Very Public Health Crisis And The Debate About Apple's Future.

publishers Weekly

throughout His Storied Silicon Valley Career, Apple Ceo And Pixar Studios Founder Steve Jobs Has Been Labeled, Among Other Things, An Egomaniac, A Zen Buddhist, A Business Mastermind, A Sociopath And A Music Mogul. Blogger, Author And Wired News Editor Kahney, Who Has Chronicled Apple In Previous Books (the Cult Of Mac), Attempts To Plumb The Depths Of Jobs's Prodigious Mind In This Engrossing Biography. The Author Devotes Much Time To The Sensational Aspects Of Jobs' Life, Including His Demeaning And Ferocious Interactions With Employees, His Relentless High-mindedness And Fanatical Attention To Detail, Clearly Demonstrating How His Tyrannical And Perfectionist Impulses Have Have Shaped The Award-winning Designs And Consumer-friendly Products That Have Made Apple A Juggernaut. Though It Doesn't Penetrate The Mac Man's Psyche Too Deeply, And Sections On Tangential Figures Like Apple Design Guru Jonathan Ive And Apple Store Visionary Ron Johnson Can Meander, Those Searching For A Telling Portrait Of Jobs's Management Style And Its Impact On Apple Will Not Be Left Wanting.
copyright © Reed Business Information, A Division Of Reed Elsevier Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Steve Jobs has turned his personality traits into a business philosophy. Here’s how he does it. It’s hard to believe that one man revolutionized computers in the 1970s and ’80s (with the Apple II and the Mac), animated movies in the 1990s (with Pixar), and digital music in the 2000s (with the iPod and iTunes). No wonder some people worship him like a god. On the other hand, stories of his epic tantrums and general bad behavior are legendary. Inside Steve’s Brain cuts through the cult of personality that surrounds Jobs to unearth the secrets to his unbelievable results. It reveals the real Steve Jobs—not his heart or his famous temper, but his mind. So what’s really inside Steve’s brain? According to Leander Kahney, who has covered Jobs since the early 1990s, it’s a fascinating bundle of contradictions. Jobs is an elitist who thinks most people are bozos—but he makes gadgets so easy to use, a bozo can master them. He’s a mercurial obsessive with a filthy temper—but he forges deep partnerships with creative geniuses like Steve Wozniak, Jonathan Ive, and John Lasseter. He’s a Buddhist and anti-materialist—but he produces mass-market products in Asian factories, and he promotes them with absolute mastery of the crassest medium, advertising. In short, Jobs has embraced the traits that some consider flaws—narcissism, perfectionism, the desire for total control—to lead Apple and Pixar to triumph against steep odds. And in the process, he has become a self-made billionaire. In Inside Steve’s Brain, Kahney distills the principles that guide Jobs as he launches killer products, attracts fanatically loyal customers, and manages some of the world’s most powerful brands. The result is this unique book about Steve Jobs that is part biography and part leadership guide, and impossible to put down. It gives you a peek inside Steve’s brain, and might even teach you something about how to build your own culture of innovation. From the Publisher: An insider's guide to the unique leadership style of Steve Jobs, the driving force behind the success of Apple and Pixar. Steve Jobs is technology's most famous CEO, the man who revolutionized computers in the 1970s and 80s (with the Apple II and the Mac), animated movies in the 1990s (with Pixar), and digital music in the 2000s (with the iPod and iTunes). He's also one of the most controversial CEOs in history, allegedly throwing epic tantrums, firing staff in elevators, and taking credit for other people's achievements. So what's the real story? According to Leander Kahney, who has covered Jobs since the early 1990s as a reporter, editor, and book author, he's a fascinating bundle of contradictions. He's an elitist who thinks most people are bozos-but he makes gadgets so easy to use, a bozo can master them. He's a mercurial obsessive with a filthy temper-but he forges deep partnerships with creative geniuses like Steve Wozniak, Jonathan Ive, and John Lasseter. He's a Buddhist and antimaterialist-but he produces mass-market products in Asian factories, and he promotes them with absolute mastery of the crassest medium, advertising. In short, Jobs has embraced the personality traits that some consider flaws-narcissism, perfectionism, total faith in his intuition-to lead Apple and Pixar to triumph against steep odds. And in the process, he has become a self-made billionaire. After interviewing more Apple insiders than any previous author, Kahney has distilled the principles that guide Jobs as he launches killer products, attracts fanatically loyal customers, and manages some of the world's most powerful brands One of USA Today's Best Business Books of 2008—now updated with a new chapter It's hard to believe that one man revolutionized computers in the 1970s and '80s (with the Apple II and the Mac), animated movies in the 1990s (with Pixar), and digital music in the 2000s (with the iPod and iTunes). No wonder some people worship Steve Jobs like a god. On the other hand, stories of his epic tantrums and general bad behavior are legendary. Inside Steve's Brain cuts through the cult of personality that surrounds Jobs to unearth the secrets to his unbelievable results. So what's really inside Steve's brain? According to Leander Kahney, who has covered Jobs since the early 1990s, it's a fascinating bundle of contradictions. This expanded edition includes a new chapter on Jobs's very public health crisis and the debate about Apple's future.