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pkatt · Apr 27, 2002, 10:23 AM

For some reason, I was on Amazon.com today and thought I'd see if there were any books about Apple I don't have (I have "second coming", "apple confidential", "apple design", "apple", "naked truth", and "fire in the valley"). The few that caught my eye were "Steve Jobs: The Journey is the Reward", "Aciddential Millionare: The Rise and Fall of Steve Jobs at Apple", and "Steve Jobs and the Next Big Thing". I wondered if any of these were worth the $$ (they all are out of print) or if you could recommend any other good ones. Thanks.

Justin W. Williams · Apr 27, 2002, 11:16 AM

See if you can find them on eBay. If books are out of print, Amazon and B&N charge out the butt on prices (for instance, a book I wanted to read on the Fab5 [Of Michigan] costs $90).

pkatt · Apr 27, 2002, 11:20 AM

I know about the prices. Amazon has some kind of shop system though, and I've found all of these on their for under $30 and in good condition. I mainly want to know if I should get them (are they good reading?).

Why do you say "unlucky purdue student?" I live in Crown Point Indiana. My dad went to Purdue (vet) and loved it.

Oh. I forgot that Purdue doesn't have any macs (or they didn't last summer when I went to camp there).

[ 04-27-2002: Message edited by: pkatt ]

cpt kangarooski · Apr 27, 2002, 11:36 AM

"Steve Jobs and the NeXT Big Thing" is very good. Beyond that, I'd suggest getting "Infinite Loop." Moving beyond Apple, try "Dealers of Lightning" (Xerox PARC) and "Where Wizards Stay Up Late" (Internet). I'd avoid Cringley's books... they're not too good, except where he calls Steve Jobs a sociopath.

There's some good stuff in "Programmers at Work," but it can be found online. And I would _definately_ read through "Making the Macintosh" on the web at Stanford Univ. for excellent information that hasn't really been gone into elsewhere AFAIK.

Me, I'm looking everywhere for a copy of "So Far," and I haven't gotten around to reading "Defying Gravity."

Of course, there's always "Apple T-Shirts," a pictoral look at the jillions of t-shirts to come out of Apple over the years. (I can't make this stuff up -- and I have a bunch of the shirts, actually)

pkatt · Apr 27, 2002, 12:22 PM

Originally posted by cpt kangarooski:
"Steve Jobs and the NeXT Big Thing" is very good. Beyond that, I'd suggest getting "Infinite Loop." Moving beyond Apple, try "Dealers of Lightning" (Xerox PARC) and "Where Wizards Stay Up Late" (Internet). I'd avoid Cringley's books... they're not too good, except where he calls Steve Jobs a sociopath.

There's some good stuff in "Programmers at Work," but it can be found online. And I would _definately_ read through "Making the Macintosh" on the web at Stanford Univ. for excellent information that hasn't really been gone into elsewhere AFAIK.

Me, I'm looking everywhere for a copy of "So Far," and I haven't gotten around to reading "Defying Gravity."

Of course, there's always "Apple T-Shirts," a pictoral look at the jillions of t-shirts to come out of Apple over the years. (I can't make this stuff up -- and I have a bunch of the shirts, actually)

I also have "Defying Gravity". It is a very good read. Isn't "Infinite Loop" the book that is like 1000 pages? I'll have to pick up that tshirt book (is it still in print?). I think there is a copy of the "so far: the first ten years" book on ebay now. I saw it yesterday. Redlightrunner also sells it.

Paco500 · Apr 27, 2002, 02:11 PM

There is a great book called "Apple Design."

It's about design mostly, but takes it a bit deeper. It's a great read and a beautiflul book. No idea if it is still in print.

Paco

Paco500 · Apr 27, 2002, 02:14 PM

Another suggestion- Gil Amelio's "On the firing line" is a great read- comical first hand rantings of a blowhard with some disturbing insecurities- and a nepolianic ego to boot. Basically take all the credit for the resurection of Apple that the entire rest of the world credits Steve Jobs and the iMac for.

Paco

pkatt · Apr 27, 2002, 03:08 PM

I totally forgot about Ameilos book. I'll have to get that also.

I have that Design book (I think I said so in the starting post). It is a very good book. I don't think it's in print anymore though. Too bad.

ironknee · Apr 27, 2002, 11:41 PM

An old one called West of Eden

cpt kangarooski · Apr 28, 2002, 01:39 AM

Yeah, "Infinite Loop" is HUGE. But OTOH it starts out by talking about what Steve Jobs' parents did before he was even born... it's pretty thorough. Unfortunately, it ends just when Steve returned and the iMac was introduced. A follow up book is _definately_ needed. I'd still seriously recommend getting it though.

(hell, you've got "Fire in the Valley"; that's just as large, at least the 2d ed.)

As for "So Far," yes, while I'm aware that it is on eBay, I'm not really prepared to spend $100-200 on a used book when I don't even know much about what's in it. It's proving to be a giant PITA to get ahold of.

"AppleDesign" was lovely, though. Man I wish they had decided to pursue the Jonathon project.

[ 04-28-2002: Message edited by: cpt kangarooski ]

pkatt · Apr 28, 2002, 08:08 AM

Originally posted by ironknee:
An old one called West of Eden

Is that any good. I saw that on there also.

What about "Insanely Great"?

I think that "so far" book is pretty rare. Apple had them like in 1986.

I haven't read all of "Fire in the Valley". I got through like 1/4 of it and got tired. I'll have to start up again.

Justin W. Williams · Apr 28, 2002, 10:14 AM

Originally posted by pkatt:


Is that any good. I saw that on there also.

What about "Insanely Great"?

I think that "so far" book is pretty rare. Apple had them like in 1986.

I haven't read all of "Fire in the Valley". I got through like 1/4 of it and got tired. I'll have to start up again.

Just watch Pirates of Silicon Valley. it was based ooff the book.

cpt kangarooski · Apr 28, 2002, 10:16 PM

"Insanely Great" is nothing but Apple cheerleading; and IIRC was written just at about the time Win95 was released, giving Apple nothing to cheer about. I only read it once, but I seem to remember information in it that's since become suspect.... I wouldn't bother, in short.

Besides, "Fire in the Valley" has a whole chapter or two on those nut jobs at IMSAI. It's hilarious! (and covers gobs more than the "Pirates" movie ever did)

Lesse, there's also "Soul of a New Machine," by Tracy Kidder, "IBM's Early Computers," by Basche et al, "The Cuckoo's Egg," by Cliff Stoll, and "The Supermen," about Seymour Cray, by Charles Murray.

They're a bit drier -- save for Cliff Stoll's book -- than most of the stuff you've been looking at already, but very fascinating. In my copious free time, I've been trying to get through the book about IBM and the Holocaust.

If you really want some fun, go down to the local library and see if they have old back issues of MacUser, or MacWorld, and Wired. Seeing advertisements without URLs in them is worth a laugh just by itself. The MacPaint competitions that used to run in the magazines are also interesting. Old issues of Byte are also good.