Steve Jobs in Exile
The untold story of Steve Jobs's twelve years in the wilderness — failure, near-bankruptcy, and the making of a legend.
What's It About?
Everyone knows the Steve Jobs story — Apple, the iPhone, the turtleneck. But almost nobody knows the NeXT story. After being driven out of Apple in 1985, Jobs spent twelve years in the wilderness: spectacular failure, near-bankruptcy, brutal humiliation. He went from boy genius to industry joke.
But here's the thing — that failure is what made him the Steve Jobs who came back and created the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Cain got access to unpublished materials, unbroadcast NeXT meeting footage, and new interviews with Jobs's closest colleagues.
🎯 Why It's on BookLab
We always celebrate the success, but it's actually in the darkest days that powerful minds are forged. This isn't another Jobs hagiography — it's about the years nobody talks about, and they're the most interesting ones. If you're going through a rough patch in your career or creative life, this book is a reminder that the wilderness years aren't wasted years.
📖 Key Topics
- The NeXT years — the ambitious computer company that nearly destroyed Jobs
- Pixar — how a side investment became a billion-dollar story
- Leadership evolution — how failure transformed Jobs from a tyrant into a visionary
- The comeback — returning to Apple and building the most valuable company on Earth