Steve Jobs

While Isaacson highlights the many qualities of Jobs’s that made him a genius, he also accentuates his flaws and shortcomings. What does Isaacson ultimately convey about the cost of genius?

Which of Jobs’s products is the clearest representation of his own identity as an individual? Support your answer with direct evidence from the text.

Discuss the role that parenthood plays throughout the book. How did parenthood affect Jobs, both as a child and as a parent? Support your response with direct quotes from the text.

One of the major themes of the book is the search for belonging. Where was this theme most evident in Jobs’s life—at home or at work?

Isaacson often alludes to Jobs’s difficult temperament around others in order to make his vision come to life. In Jobs’s case, does his treatment of others in pursuit of excellence tarnish his legacy? If so, how so? Support your answer with direct evidence from the text.

Many of Jobs’s foundational skills were developed outside of the traditional classroom setting. Using Jobs’s life as reference, what then is the value of formal education, if it is not always the most direct indicator of success in the future? Support your answer with direct evidence from the text.

The “Think Different” ad campaign is emblematic of Apple as a company. In what ways did the notion of “Think Different” also apply to Jobs as a person?

Discuss the role that the women in Jobs’s life played in shaping his character, citing direct evidence from the text in support of your argument.