iWoz: Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It by Steve Wozniak, Gina Smith, Gina Smith, Gina Smith (With)

From Barnes & Noble

Stephen "Woz" Wozniak claims that he was inspired by Tom Swift; but even that fictional science wizard would be dazzled by the achievements of the Apple co-founder. Wozniak's 1975 brainstorm developed into the Apple I, the world's first true personal computer. This engineering and marketing breakthrough became the catalyst of a revolution that we still happily inhabit. In this brisk memoir, the reclusive "Wizard of Woz" describes his epoch-making years at Apple and his multiple careers thereafter. He also describes his recovery from a 1981 airplane crash, which left him temporarily without a short-term memory. The "Other Steve," the silent half of Apple, speaks out.

From the Publisher

The mastermind behind Apple sheds his low profile and steps forward to tell his story for the first time.

Before cell phones that fit in the palm of your hand and slim laptops that fit snugly into briefcases, computers were like strange, alien vending machines. They had cryptic switches, punch cards and pages of encoded output. But in 1975, a young engineering wizard named Steve Wozniak had an idea: What if you combined computer circuitry with a regular typewriter keyboard and a video screen? The result was the first true personal computer, the Apple I, a widely affordable machine that anyone could understand and figure out how to use.

Wozniak's life—before and after Apple—is a "home-brew" mix of brilliant discovery and adventure, as an engineer, a concert promoter, a fifth-grade teacher, a philanthropist, and an irrepressible prankster. From the invention of the first personal computer to the rise of Apple as an industry giant, iWoz presents a no-holds-barred, rollicking, firsthand account of the humanist inventor who ignited the computer revolution. 16 pages of illustrations.

The New York Times - J. D. Biersdorfer

This book may not be the smoothest read in town, but it does seem to accurately reflect the restless, inventive mind of its author. Budding computer-science majors, Apple aficionados and electronics buffs will find plenty to ingest here, as Wozniak recounts the inspirations and thought processes for his designs. One thing is evident after wending your way through iWoz: Steve Wozniak learned to "think different" long before the company he helped found ever started using that phrase in a marketing campaign.

The Washington Post - Rob Pegoraro

At its best, the book shows "Woz" to be a quirky, dedicated innovator who would have been a perfect subject of one of Apple's "Think Different" ads if only he hadn't helped start the company first. iWoz opens with scenes from an idyllic middle-class childhood of reading kids' adventure books, playing sports and fiddling with wires and circuits. Wozniak expresses deep contentment at how he learned the finer points of electronics through his dad's gentle coaching and his own sometimes obsessive tinkering.

Library Journal

The life and inventiveness of the man who made the computer personal. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information

BusinessWeek - Peter Burrows

This memoir truly reflects its author, both in its subject matter and its happy-go-lucky tone. ... At its best, iWoz is what its author says he hoped the book would be: an inspiration for nerdy kids who may feel "outside the norm."

USA Today - Russ Juskalian

Mostly, iWoz is the story about a man filled with curiosity and drive. It's about growing up in Silicon Valley at a watershed time for electronics and computing. And it's about never forgetting what makes a person happy in life and never forgetting one's dreams.

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