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    Cover of Becoming Steve Jobs

    Becoming Steve Jobs

    Brent Schlender, Rick Tetzeli · 2015

    "Based on the hugely popular cover story about Steve Jobs in Fast Company in May 2012, this is the behind the scenes account of how Steve Jobs arguably became the most famous and visionary CEO in history. Award-winning journalist Brent Schlender and veteran editor Rick Tetzeli have interviewed friends, industry insiders, and the people who knew Jobs best throughout his evolution as a CEO and leader. In addition Schlender, who knew Jobs personally for 25 years, has over 100 hours of interview tapes with Jobs to draw on, many hours of which have never before been transcribed"

    Biography & MemoirBusiness & Management
    Open LibraryAmazon
    Stats for nerds
    28recommend
    45mentions
    40people
    2015–2026years
    69% recommend31% neutral

    Mentions per year

    2015201720192021202320252026

    What Hacker News says

    1. puff_pastryMay 2026
      "Becoming Steve Jobs" had a great part about NeXT and how Steve Jobs grew there to bounce back once he was back at Apple. This looks promising.

      I think it's very interesting to read about how his personality grew and how he became a better manager and visionary at his time between CEO-ships.

      thread
    2. joriswMay 2026
      Another book that focuses on this period is Becoming Steve Jobs
      thread
    3. miki123211Mar 2025
      I think "becoming Steve Jobs" is a far better book.

      I feel like the official Isaacson biography was trying to tell a story, and would twist facts and reality to fit that story. This certainly makes for entertaining reading, but is not a great way to study history.

      Meanwhile "Becoming Steve Jobs" gives the reader glimpses into Jobs's life, often very contradictory glimpses, ones that don't really tell you what to think. It shows you how complex of a person he really was.

      thread
    4. KerrAvonApr 2023
      “Becoming Steve Jobs” is the book to read. Isaacson’s book is terrible.
      thread
    5. jeffreyrogersApr 2023
      The book Becoming Steve Jobs is pretty good and it is a fair portrayal of him (or it seems that way to me). He is obviously amazingly talented, he also had a difficult personality. But he convinced lots of talented people to work for him and do great work under him (most have not gone on to anywhere near their past level of success after leaving Apple). In my experience, talented people have options and if they choose to work for a difficult boss it's generally because that boss has good traits as well.
      thread
    6. ManuelKiesslingDec 2022
      If you haven’t already, I strongly recommend to read „Becoming Steve Jobs“, too.

      Isaacson‘s book isn’t “wrong” per se, but it makes the wrong point, imho. There really have been two Steve Jobs it seems (but crucially, NOT in a Jekyll & Hyde way!), and Isaacson didn’t get that.

      thread

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