The story everyone wants to read – iSteve: The Book of Jobs

by Steve Ragan - Apr 11 2011, 14:30

Over the weekend, publisher Simon & Schuster confirmed it. Yes, the official, totally approved, Apple-supported autobiography of Steve Jobs will hit shelves some time during 2012.

While there is scant information on the book, everyone in the tech media and a good amount of the general public is salivating at the notion of what promises to be a best seller from day one.

There have been many biographies written about Steve Jobs, but none of them have been official... until now. Some have been labeled as slanted, and were met with scorn by the public, Apple, and even Jobs himself. This latest book is different, however, it's not even ready for print and the entire world is talking about it.

The hype surrounding iSteve is two fold: While the major selling point is that this will be an official story, one supported by Apple and authorized by Jobs himself; the other selling point is author Walter Isaacson.

Isaacson is a respected journalist and master storyteller. The former managing editor of Time magazine and chairman of CNN, he has covered some interesting people over the years, including the likes of Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, and Benjamin Franklin.

He's also known to be fair and has a knack for getting details that others may miss. Bearing that in mind, Apple's CEO has given Isaacson complete access to every facet of his life, from the people at Apple, straight through to his family. According to Simon & Schuster, work on the book started in 2009.

"This is the perfect match of subject and author, and it is certain to be a landmark book about one of the world's greatest innovators," said Jonathan Karp, publisher at Simon & Schuster, in a statement to the Associated Press.

"Just as he did with Einstein and Benjamin Franklin, Walter Isaacson is telling a unique story of revolutionary genius," he added.

Simon & Schuster has made it clear that, aside from announcing the publishing details and author, no other information regarding the book is available. Yet, that hasn't stopped the media and public from speculating and asking questions.

What will the book talk about exactly? What new information will the public learn? Will the medical problems Jobs has faced lately be examined in-depth? How much control have Apple and Jobs exercised over the final release?

Steve Jobs, despite his considerable legend, remains something of a mystery. The fact that so little is known about him, outside of what ever is carefully vetted by Apple, is one of the key reasons this book is likely to fly off retail shelves. Personally, while I am no fan of Apple, even I'm looking forward to reading it (me too, Ed).

I've always thought that Jobs was a bull when it comes to business, and a master pitchman. His “one more thing”, is a catchphrase that marketing executives can only dream of when it comes to branding. Business aside, Jobs is motivated and highly intelligent, so a full access story should have plenty for everyone to enjoy.

This is assuming, of course, that the final story isn't filtered in order to help maintain Apple's public image.

Tell us, are you looking forward to the book? What do you expect from it? Do you think the whole story will come out, or will Isaacson have to meet Apple halfway and edit some of the juicier details?

Leave a comment and sound off.

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