Steve Jobs: The Journey is the Reward

by Jeffrey S. Young

Long out-of-print and highly acclaimed, Steve The Journey is the Reward is the searing, detailed, intimate account of the twenty-something Steve’s youth, personal development, and first stint at Apple until he was ousted in 1985. Based on extraordinary access to Steve and everyone who knew him, the book was written in 1988 and draws a complete and complex picture of the first thirty years of the most fascinating titan of the tech era. Steve Jobs wanted nothing less than to change the world. He did. With a computer. And a company called Apple. In a corner of his parents’ garage--with electronic whiz-kid Steve Wozniak--he parlayed his grasp of technology, a wildcatter’s raw nerve, and an irresistible vision of the future into the biggest success story in the history of Silicon Valley. He was an adopted orphan, a college dropout, a Hare Krishna, a wanderer through India, an acidhead, a brilliant motivator and vicious destroyer, a relentless self-promoter, and a fearless and foolhardy risk-taker who inspired--and terrified--those who worked with him. Ten years later, after shattered friendships, titanic power struggles, wild tantrums, and wily maneuvers, he was removed as Chairman of the Board--leaving him on the outside with millions of dollars and a new NeXT. The author had extraordinary access to Steve and Apple during the Macintosh development period and its aftermath--as co-founder of MacWorld he spent years inside the company. A longtime science & technology editor for Forbes, he is also the co-author of the 2005 bestseller iCon Steve Jobs The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business.

Genres: Biography, Business, Nonfiction, Apple, Technology

603 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1987

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I worked with Steve Jobs, and so wanted to get a different perspective. This was one. It is no doubt difficult to be a biographer, piecing together imperfect recollections by people with greater and lesser knowledge of a subject. Steve is the smartest person I've ever met, but with an underdeveloped emotional side that one suspects could have lead him toward a truly antisocial adulthood had the dream of Apple not blossomed early for him.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I stuck with it, and I'm glad I did. It's a fascinating story, but it's just a backdrop for what happened next. The book's story ends in 1988, but Jobs went on to sell Pixar to Disney, and sell NeXT to Apple--then became CEO for life. Apple has since surpassed Microsoft financially, something we would never have believed back in the day. I was pleased to see Scully get his comeuppance. I loathed that guy, and I don't think I was supposed to.

[Harish P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steve Jobs' biography till the ouster from Apple and establishment of NeXT. This book is has lot more details about the initial years of Apple than in Walter Isaacson's official biography. Apart from life of Steve Jobs,the book sheds light on the evolution of personal computing and hegemony of IBM, which I think was quite interesting.

[Luis Miguel]

Comprado en París La Defense el Jueves 4 de Enero de 1990 el mismo dia que vi el NeXT computer por primera vez

[Hemant Verma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much better than other books about Steve Jobs.

[Rodney Haydon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this biography of Steve Jobs and history of Apple Computer up to 1988. There are a lot of biographies of Steve, but for the early years, this is the one to read.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far it is a good review; I am re-reading my paperback copy of this book about Steve Jobs. It is so old and "dried out" here in Colorado that it is literally falling apart page by page as I turn the pages. The trick is not to drop the book now that I am on page 186 and have all the pages fall randomly to the ground. :-)

After reading Walter Isaacson's bio, I went back to this way-older bio to see how interpretation has varied and changed with the passing of time. So far, not a lot. I am wondering, though, about the $1,400 incident. (No, I'm not going to explain further...ask me if you want, or read/interpret for yourself).

I am giving the book four stars because the 5th star only says "It was amazing." I wanted it to say: "Insanely great," even though this book doesn't quite reach that cherished height of awesomeness.

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in the late 80s, this book covers Jobs' life up to his early thirties/ousting from Apple. As far as I'm aware it's most comprehensive/in depth look at Jobs' early life - growing up middle class in the Santa Clara Valley, being a drifter-acid-head-hippie, and his/Apple's initial rise and fall.

If you're interested in this part of Jobs' life & Apple's history I highly recommend this book.

[Edwinder]

Just picked this up from the Kindle store....

[Dhiren · Rating 4 out of 5]

An old bio of Steve Jobs.

[Cas Hoefman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book that made me want to work in the computer industry!