Apple Praises 'Becoming Steve Jobs' as 'Better Than Anything Else We've Seen'

[MacRumors]

Apple continues to offer praise for Becoming Steve Jobs, the unauthorized biography of the late Apple co-founder set to be released on Tuesday. A spokesperson for Apple told The New York Times that the upcoming book is "better than anything else we've seen," and several executives at the company agreed to be interviewed for the title because they "felt a responsibility to say more" about the Steve that they knew and worked with.

"After a long period of reflection following Steve's death, we felt a sense of responsibility to say more about the Steve we knew," Steve Dowling, an Apple spokesman, said. "We decided to participate in Brent and Rick's book because of Brent's long relationship with Steve, which gave him a unique perspective on Steve's life. The book captures Steve better than anything else we've seen, and we are happy we decided to participate."

Apple senior executive Eddy Cue tweeted last week that Becoming Steve Jobs is "well done and first to get it right" in regards to reflecting on Jobs, after he called the film Steve Jobs: Man in the Machine "an inaccurate and mean-spirited view of my friend." Apple CEO Tim Cook also dismissed Walter Isaacson's official biography of Jobs as a "tremendous disservice" to the Steve that he knew, adding that "the person I read about there is somebody I would never have wanted to work with over all this time."

Best portrayal is about to be released - Becoming Steve Jobs (book). Well done and first to get it right. - Eddy Cue (@cue) March 16, 2015

While it appears that Apple is now set on changing the narrative surrounding Jobs posthumously, the company initially showed no interest in participating in Becoming Steve Jobs, co-written by authors Brent Schlender and Rick Tetzeli, executive editor of Fast Company. Apple refused to provide the tech journalists with interviews in 2012, but changed its mind 18 months later, according to The New York Times.

"I think our patience and quiet perseverance was what eventually won them over," said Mr. Schlender, who covered Mr. Jobs for almost 25 years. He said he wanted to write the book because he felt there was a side of Mr. Jobs's personality that had never been captured by journalists. While the authors fact-checked portions of the book with Apple and other sources and showed the finished volume to the company, Apple wasn't allowed to have "any editorial input whatsoever," Mr. Tetzeli said.

Jobs passed away in October 2011 following a lengthy battle with a rare form of pancreatic cancer. Becoming Steve Jobs: The Evolution of a Reckless Upstart Into a Revolutionary Leader will be available through Amazon on March 24 in hardcover and digital formats. Both official excerpts and leaked content from the biography has surfaced in recent weeks, and a sample of the book's prologue and first chapter is available through iBooks in select countries.

Article Link: Apple Praises 'Becoming Steve Jobs' as 'Better Than Anything Else We've Seen'

 

[linkgx1]

I'm pleasantly surprised. I expected the whole ''no comment'' thing to come out. Wow, might get this book.

 

[Naimfan]

Read: "Most favorable to Apple and Jobs . . ."

I look forward to reading it.

 

[TMRJIJ]

That is welcoming news. I might actually buy the book

 

[MH01]

Might throw it on the Kindle and read in my spare time.

 

[yesjam]

Personally, I am more interested in reading a subversive book which calls into question the image of Steve Jobs than one which caters willingly to the likes and dislikes of the team at Apple. Even though the Isaacson book was tough to read at points, it allowed me to think critically about my own idolization of Steve Jobs and finally allowed me to come to my own, better formed conclusions.

 

[Debaserness]

Rare form of cancer

I have noticed here recently that the article authors will refer to Steve Jobs' cancer as a "rare form of pancreatic cancer" without providing more information, implying that the rare form of cancer was deadlier. In fact, most pancreatic cancer is vicious and kills quickly, but Jobs had the rare, very treatable, kind.

Other than that nitpick, I look forward to the book. I thought Isaacson did not bring his A-game on the authorized bio.

 

[ScottNWDW]

Already have it pre-ordered on iBooks. Reading the sample that came out yesterday, so far looks good.

 

[MacVista]

I would not expect Apple to discourage anyone from buying this book, it is sold in iTunes.

 

[Tsuchiya]

I'm surprised Cook was unhappy with the Isaacson book. Sure it spoke about the unsavoury aspects of Jobs, but on the whole it was more positive than anything else. Isaacson fell under the reality distortion field.

 

[jm001]

IMO it seems the execs have it wrong. Issacson's book was written with the cooperation and blessing of Jobs. Sometimes we look back at past events with rose coloured glasses which it seems the execs at Apple have an ample supply. Issacson's book seems to be the most balanced.

 

[macduke]

It's funny that MacRumors, a website all about Apple, links to the Amazon version instead of iBooks. I realize that they probably get referrals for their link, which is fine, but it's still strange to leave out iBooks entirely. I preordered through iBooks several weeks ago, and here is the link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/becoming-steve-jobs/id936502684?mt=11

 

[Traverse]

I haven't been following this. Is it a book or a movie? Or is this new movie/documentary a separate thing?

 

[furi0usbee]

It's funny that MacRumors, a website all about Apple, links to the Amazon version instead of iBooks. I realize that they probably get referrals for their link, which is fine, but it's still strange to leave out iBooks entirely. I preordered through iBooks several weeks ago, and here is the link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/becoming-steve-jobs/id936502684?mt=11

What isn't about money?

EDIT: I see they've added an iBooks link

 

[jbachandouris]

I haven't been following this. Is it a book or a movie? Or is this new movie/documentary a separate thing?

It is a new book.

 

[LeanneLand]

I read the book two weeks ago after I found it (likely mistakenly) on the shelf at my local bookstore.

It's a great read, and nice to hear from people with a different perspective then what the media has hyped up. Especially from those who were more closely involved with him on a longer term basis. It's interesting.

 

[heeloliver]

Nothing against this book, but why was Issacson's book seen as bad? I thought it gave a pretty positive light on Apple and Jobs.

 

[furi0usbee]

Also, I read (listen) to audiobooks I don't really like to read the printed word, but love to listen.

Anyway, are there any other Audible folk here who ever spend more than $14.95 on an audiobook at Audible? Unless the book is under $14.95, which I then just buy it outright, if a book is over $14.95, I simply become a member for one month, so they charge me $14.95 and I get my credit, then I go buy my $39.95 (list price) book, then I cancel my membership.

Ever since they went to 1 credit = 1 book, I've been doing this and have never spent more than $14.95 on one book. And I can listen to them on both iDevices and Android via the Audible app. Then I head over to iTunes Audiobook store and see books selling for $30, $40, etc. which lock you into an ecosystem.

Dude's, $14.95 on Audible ALWAYS! Then you have option of iOS or Android should you switch (to/from either).

 

[Gizmotoy]

I'm surprised Cook was unhappy with the Isaacson book. Sure it spoke about the unsavoury aspects of Jobs, but on the whole it was more positive than anything else. Isaacson fell under the reality distortion field.

Agreed. The portral showed his flaws while remaining positive. It kind of makes me question how accurate this portrayal might be. I don't think anyone is under the impression that Jobs was always a great guy, and possibly in disagreement with Cook I think a biography that papers over his flaws does him a disservice. I don't know if that's what's going on here, but getting the "Seal of Approval" from his friends at Apple is perhaps a little troubling. I hope the result isn't an overly-rosy picture of the man. I'm interested in comparing it to Issacson's version.

 

[furi0usbee]

Nothing against this book, but why was Issacson's book seen as bad? I thought it gave a pretty positive light on Apple and Jobs.

I thought it (Issacson's) was a great book, but it actually detailed the "not so nice" side of Jobs. Let's face it, people with that much drive, intelligence and determination don't get to the top by being nice. I thought it showed Jobs, warts and all. But from a PR perspective, that book didn't help his image or Apple. Maybe this book does both.

 

[Iconoclysm]

I would not expect Apple to discourage anyone from buying this book, it is sold in iTunes.

Yet, so was the last one - and Apple employees had some not so nice things to say about it.

----------

Agreed. The portral showed his flaws while remaining positive. It kind of makes me question how accurate this portrayal might be. I don't think anyone is under the impression that Jobs was always a great guy, and possibly in disagreement with Cook I think a biography that papers over his flaws does him a disservice. I don't know if that's what's going on here, but getting the "Seal of Approval" from his friends at Apple is perhaps a little troubling. I hope the result isn't an overly-rosy picture of the man. I'm interested in comparing it to Issacson's version.

Actually, I think it blunted everything, both good and bad. Also, I believe the seal of approval means that the book accurately portrays the man they knew.

 

[zhenya]

I will probably read this book, but the wide-range of glowing reviews coming from high-ups at Apple reads as a clear, orchestrated marketing campaign to begin shining up the legacy of their founder.

 

[Roessnakhan]

So between the Isaacson and this book is probably the truth. All Apple's praises just make it read like the book will be a SJ puff piece. I still preordered it, however, as I'm pretty curious what it has to say.

 

[oliversl]

So it seems the Issacson failed to deliver and wasted the trust SJ had on him? If true, this is really sad. This guy talked with SJ face to face in order to write the biography.

Anyway, Apple should have some kind of text/book on SJ. They should write it sooner than later, keep it private or not. But for future generations the life of SJ should be documented at Apple, by Apple.

 

[zhenya]

So it seems the Issacson failed to deliver and wasted the trust SJ had on him? If true, this is really sad. This guy talked with SJ face to face in order to write the biography.

Anyway, Apple should have some kind of text/book on SJ. They should write it sooner than later, keep it private or not. But for future generations the life of SJ should be documented at Apple, by Apple.

I don't think that's a necessarily accurate read. Mr. Issacson spent a lot of time with Steve while he was alive and interviewing many people close to him. Steve's notoriously difficult personality traits were not a revelation in that book.

Anything done by Apple posthumously is likely to intentionally gloss over those difficulties. Nobody wants their deity's flaws to be on display; least of all, Apple.