Becoming Steve Jobs: The Evolution of a Reckless Upstart into a Visionary Leader

Becoming Steve Jobs examines how Steve Jobs evolved from a reckless, arrogant young entrepreneur into an effective business leader. The book challenges the conventional view of Jobs as simply a half-genius, half-jerk, instead exploring how he was exiled from Apple, the company he founded, and later became its most visionary CEO. Brent Schlender and Rick Tetzeli draw on extensive access and interviews to tell Jobs's story through accounts from those who knew him best, including family members, former executives, and leaders from Apple, Pixar, and Disney such as Tim Cook, Jony Ive, Eddy Cue, Ed Catmull, John Lasseter, and Robert Iger. Schlender knew Jobs personally for 25 years and conducted numerous interviews with him for this biography. The narrative humanizes Jobs by explaining his behavior and how he wrestled with his failings while learning to maximize his strengths over time. The book provides context about the technology revolution and demonstrates how Jobs combined his relentless passion with evolving management practices to build one of the world's most valuable and beloved companies.