John siracusa steve jobs biography

The title of episode 42 of Hypercritical, a weekly technology podcast with John Siracusa and Dan Benjamin, refers directly to Walter Isaacson, the author of the widely acclaimed and seminal biography of Steve Jobs.

Plainly, it is called “The Wrong Guy.” John Gruber summarized the 75 minute takedown best:

…his multi-faceted critique of the book is simply devastating. I went into this podcast knowing that I thought the book was flawed, knowing that Siracusa did too, and expecting to be nodding my head in agreement with him throughout the show.

But it’s worse than that.

Embedded above is a slightly re-edited version of John Siracusa's devastating review of Steve Jobs one and only authorized biography.

Embedded above is a slightly re-edited version of John Siracusa's devastating review of Steve Jobs one and only authorized biography.

I'm not a podcast listener, but this is good stuff.

Embedded above is a slightly re-edited version of John Siracusa's devastating review of Steve Jobs one and only authorised biography.

After finishing Walter Isaacson's Steve Jobs, I was disappointed overall, but didn't take the time to completely formulate why.

Steve was now cast in the role of technological visionary, leading a rebel team of misfits on a mission to create something insanely great.

Isaacson blew it, a one-time opportunity forever squandered. Jobs picked the wrong guy.

Siracusa’s overarching complaint is that Isaacson had little understanding of the technology industry as a whole, thus he not only botched little details of the story of Jobs’s life, but missed the main point of what made Jobs so different from his contemporaries.

He notes that much