Based on more than forty interviews given by Steve Jobs over a span of two years - as well as conversations with more than a hundred relatives, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues, Walter Isaacson captivates the reader with the fascinating story of the life of a creative entrepreneur who, with his passion for perfection and unparalleled leadership skills, revolutionized six different industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing.

Steve Jobs embodied the archetype of the inventive, pioneering entrepreneur who knew very well how to harness the power of imagination. He managed to combine creative thinking with technical expertise and built a colossal company, within which leaps of imagination were synchronized with technological marvels.

Although Jobs cooperated in the writing of this book, he did not ask to control its content - not even to read it before it was published. He set no restrictions. On the contrary, he encouraged the people who spoke about him to express themselves freely. He himself, moreover, speaks honestly, sometimes bluntly, about his colleagues and competitors. Friends, enemies, and colleagues testify to his passions, perfectionism, obsessions, dedication to his work, and his centralizing nature, which defined his way of working.

With his personal demons constantly haunting him, Jobs often drove those around him to despair. However, his personality and work cannot be separated; they seem to function as an integrated, unified system, just like Apple's hardware and software. His story provides examples to avoid and to emulate while, at the same time, offering lessons on innovative spirit, strength of character, and the importance of personal values.