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Quick answer: If you loved Steve Jobs, try Elon Musk, Leonardo da Vinci, Einstein, Becoming Steve Jobs, Shoe Dog and iWoz. Each one is an absorbing biography or memoir of an innovator, founder or creative genius.
Walter Isaacson's 2011 authorized biography of Steve Jobs is based on more than forty interviews with Jobs and over a hundred with family, friends and rivals. It follows Jobs from his adoption and the founding of Apple in a garage, through his firing and return, to the iPod, iPhone and iPad. It is honest about his brilliance and his harshness. Readers love its access and its story. These books share its genius subjects and its candor.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Type | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elon Musk | Walter Isaacson | Biography | readers who want more Isaacson |
| Leonardo da Vinci | Walter Isaacson | Biography | readers who like creative geniuses |
| Einstein | Walter Isaacson | Biography | readers who like scientific genius |
| Becoming Steve Jobs | Brent Schlender and Rick Tetzeli | Biography | readers who want another view of Jobs |
| Shoe Dog | Phil Knight | Memoir | readers who want a founder's own story |
| iWoz | Steve Wozniak | Memoir | readers who want Apple's other founder |
| The Everything Store | Brad Stone | Biography | readers who like company histories |
| Creativity, Inc. | Ed Catmull | Memoir | readers interested in Pixar |
| Hackers | Steven Levy | History | readers who like computer history |
| The Innovators | Walter Isaacson | History | readers who want the digital revolution |
| Insanely Simple | Ken Segall | Business | readers who like Apple's design thinking |
| Jony Ive | Leander Kahney | Biography | readers who like design |
| Bad Blood | John Carreyrou | Investigation | readers who want a cautionary founder |
| The Ride of a Lifetime | Robert Iger | Memoir | readers who like CEO stories |
| Hatching Twitter | Nick Bilton | History | readers who like startup drama |
1. Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson
A biography of Musk and his companies.
Best for: readers who want more Isaacson.
2. Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson
The life of the great Renaissance artist and inventor.
Best for: readers who like creative geniuses.
3. Einstein by Walter Isaacson
The life of Albert Einstein.
Best for: readers who like scientific genius.
4. Becoming Steve Jobs by Brent Schlender and Rick Tetzeli
A portrait of how Jobs matured.
Best for: readers who want another view of Jobs.
5. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
Nike's founder tells its story.
Best for: readers who want a founder's own story.
6. iWoz by Steve Wozniak
Wozniak's account of his life.
Best for: readers who want Apple's other founder.
7. The Everything Store by Brad Stone
How Bezos built Amazon.
Best for: readers who like company histories.
8. Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull
Pixar's co-founder on creative culture.
Best for: readers interested in Pixar.
9. Hackers by Steven Levy
The people who started the computer revolution.
Best for: readers who like computer history.
10. The Innovators by Walter Isaacson
The people who built the computer age.
Best for: readers who want the digital revolution.
11. Insanely Simple by Ken Segall
Apple's focus on simplicity.
Best for: readers who like Apple's design thinking.
12. Jony Ive by Leander Kahney
The designer behind Apple's products.
Best for: readers who like design.
13. Bad Blood by John Carreyrou
The rise and fall of Theranos.
Best for: readers who want a cautionary founder.
14. The Ride of a Lifetime by Robert Iger
Disney's CEO shares lessons.
Best for: readers who like CEO stories.
15. Hatching Twitter by Nick Bilton
The dramatic founding of Twitter.
Best for: readers who like startup drama.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Steve Jobs: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Steve Jobs. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
Isaacson's Elon Musk, Leonardo da Vinci and Einstein use the same deep approach. For a different view of Jobs, Becoming Steve Jobs is more sympathetic. If you love Apple history, read iWoz and Creativity, Inc., which covers Jobs's role at Pixar. Bad Blood is a striking contrast about a founder who copied Jobs's style.
Related: Shoe Dog by Phil Knight: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Steve Jobs?
Walter Isaacson, a journalist and biographer.
Did Steve Jobs approve the biography?
Yes. He cooperated, but he did not control its content.
When was it published?
In October 2011, shortly after Jobs's death.
Is the book honest about Jobs's flaws?
Yes. It describes his harshness and temper as well as his genius.
How long is it?
Around 600 pages.
Is there a movie?
Yes. The 2015 film Steve Jobs, starring Michael Fassbender, drew on the book.
What should I read next?
Creativity, Inc. or Becoming Steve Jobs.
What does the book say about Apple's design?
It shows how Jobs pushed for simple, beautiful products and tight control of hardware and software.