Star Trek: Into Darkness by Alan Dean Foster - Book Review #258

This was my first experience with a movie novelization and I must say that Foster did a terrific job of it.  As a matter of fact, he made tolerable, even enjoyable the never-ending fight scene from the movie between Spock and Khan.

Foster had a terrific way with the narrative that touches on the old pulps without crossing into purple prose.  I could feel that I was in the hands of a confident writer.

All in all, this was a terrific way to experience the movie in another form.  I liked it very much.

I found the narration of the book by Alice Eve to be refreshing and I thought her take on the characters was spot-on.  I could listen to her voice all day.


Recommended.

Alan Dean Foster's website - http://www.alandeanfoster.com/version2.0/frameset.htm

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson - Book Report #256

Steve Jobs was an amazing individual.  He was a colossal asshole.  A visionary.  And changed the world.

To say he was a complex individual is putting it mildly.  I am surprised people didn't just punch him in the nose at every opportunity.

More than anything Jobs wanted to “make a dent in the universe.”  He wrestled and fought to make his visions reality.

He was responsible for much of the following:

The Graphical User Interface.
The computer mouse.
The personal computer. He helped to bring computers into the home.
The iPod.
iTunes - which helped to tame illegal downloading.
Pixar Animation Studios
iPhone
iPad

Through all of this, he simply was not a pleasant person to be around. He tended to see the world as either fantastic or total shit.  He yelled a people a lot, he stole the credit for ideas and he alienated people.

But his story was completely fascinating.  It is amazing to think about how much he changed our modern-day lives.  Without his vision, we could still be using flip phones.

I am writing this post on an iPad which, interestingly, has an Apple Pencil attached. Jobs hated the stylus and now that I have one I can see he was right.  I hardly use the thing and it actually gets in my way.

The author did a terrific job of showing the real Steve Jobs.  He had permission and was unafraid to show his dark sides as well as his genius.

This is a big read but should tell you something about how much influence Jobs had.

Highly recommended.

Walter Isaacson's Wikipedia page - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Isaacson

Walter Isaacson