Even though I had already read Walter Isaacson’s comprehensive biography on Steve Jobs, I still wanted to read the shorter biography written by Gregory Watson about the greatest inventor of our times, the legendary Steve Jobs. I admire the man as much as or more than the Apple users do. I had the pleasure of using an Apple Macintosh computer at my mentor Mr. Donald Gaminitillake’s house and ever since I fell in love with Apple products. But right now, the only Apple product I use is iTunes Windows version as I do not have access to the other Apple devices.
“Steve Jobs – The Inspirational Life Story Of Steve Jobs, The Fruit Company That Changed Our World” gives us an account of Job’s life and that of the Apple Inc. in a shorter and sweeter way. The book takes the reader through Job’s childhood full of mischief and at times disagreeable & offensive practices. It takes us through an exciting journey through Job’s humble beginnings to a tech and business giant. A lot of ups and downs hampered his success during early years of his career. The man was so obstinate that he would not listen to anybody else but to his heart. He is not a man who can continue relationships, be it with his fiancée, daughter, a colleague or a member of a board of directors of his own company. As a result, he had to leave the very company he cofounded with his colleague Steve Wozniak. Jobs did not lose much with that terrible act by the board but Apple Inc. and the rest of the world did. Being away from Apple Inc. for a ten-year period affected the company in a way that was devastating to the consumers, shareholders, coworkers, the Board of Directors and the rest of the world. Ultimately, the Board of Directors had to go and coax Jobs to rejoin the company and save it. He not only saved the company from a near bankruptcy, he made it the world’s biggest and the most profitable tech company.
The author tells us how Jobs revived the company by introducing a range of products that included iPod, iTouch, iPhone, iPad, iMac, Macbook, etc. while discontinuing the products that were less profitable like Apple printers, scanners, modems, etc. and streamlining the earlier mentioned product line.
Finally the author briefly discusses about Job’s ill-health due to pancreatic cancer, which attacked him at his prime as an inventor and a businessman. How many more inventions would he have invented had he lived a few more years?
Nanda Wanninayaka 