Josh OngThe original title, "iSteve: The Book of Jobs," was apparently chosen by publisher Simon & Schuster's publicity department and never sat well with the author, Fortune reports.
After Isaacson's wife and daughter opposed the title for being "too cutesy," the former Time Magazine executive convinced his publisher "to go with something simpler and more elegant: "Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson," the report noted.
The biography, which will be the first to receive Jobs' blessing, is scheduled to arrive in early 2012. Interest in the book appears to be strong, as online retailer Amazon's initial preorder offer briefly carried the title into the top 50 of its bestseller list.
Amazon is offering the hardcover version for $16.50, 45 percent off the list price and down from last month's preorder price of $19.80, while the Kindle version presells for $14.99.
According to Simon & Schuster publisher Jonathan Karp, the book will tell a "unique story of revolutionary genius," though in the same vein as Isaacson's best-selling biographies of Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein.
As a result of Jobs' willing collaboration, Isaacson has enjoyed unprecedented access to the normally private CEO, receiving permission to interview family members, coworkers and competitors and even touring Jobs' childhood home.
While Isaacson's work isn't the first biography about Jobs, unauthorized biographies about the Apple co-founder have been known to suffer consequences. In 2005, the release of the book "iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business" prompted Apple to remove all titles by publisher John Wiley & Sons from its retail stores.
A more light-hearted comic book biography of Jobs is due out later this summer, though it will sell without Jobs' expressed approval.
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39 Comments
Sounds to me like someone got cranky that his name wasn't in the title.
Apparently the long-held tradition of authors having their name just once on a book cover wasn't enough.
I hated that title. Glad they changed it, though I'm sure I neither buy the book nor read it.
Now it's too bland. He should've just cut off "iSteve" and left it at "The Book of Jobs."
Title says little. Also, 'thou shalt not judge books by the cover!'
I will neither buy nor read it too. Biography is lame, regardless who.
I hated that title. Glad they changed it, though I'm sure I neither buy the book nor read it.
Then it's a pretty poor job of retitling. You're obviously the wrong demographic.