Tim Cook is Apple's CEO. When Steve Jobs died in 2011, Cook followed in his footsteps, having just been appointed CEO of Apple by Steve Jobs. All observers agreed that Apple is doomed without jobs. Tim Cook considered many people as job successors the wrong choice – too little innovative, too little dazzling. But Cook proves: He is the right man at the right time.
The background
After almost a year without the legendary founder Steve Jobs at the top (2012), Apple has risen to become the most valuable company of all time. What is it like to replace someone who was irreplaceable and end up having more success than you do?
Were you expecting?
Technology writer and, most importantly, prominent author on Apple-related topics,
Leander Kahney is the author of Tim Cook's first biography. In Tim Cook, Kahney analyses how Apple has changed under Cook's management, what the company's future challenges and development directions are, and whether Cook will succeed in keeping Apple at the top.
The book content
In a total of 12 chapters, Leander Kahney describes the story of Tim Cook, from the death of Steve Jobs to Cook's childhood in the deep south of the USA to stations at IBM or Compac, where he optimized manufacturing chains. At some point, Jobs brought Tim Cook to Apple to help the company out of a difficult situation.
In one chapter, the author addresses Cook's problems as Apple's CEO when he was suddenly in the spotlight after the death of Steve Jobs. This is followed by Cook's stations at Apple, which shed light on his success story at Apple. A leadership style that is so very different from Steve Jobs, but Apple, despite some adversity, led to grandiose successes.
One of my criticisms of Apple is that their products are not really repair-friendly. I don't know Cook, so I can't definitively evaluate certain passages in the book. But it highlights Cook's strong commitment to more environmentally friendly production processes. A second point is that Apple is increasingly taking care of the protection of workers in its suppliers in China.
Personal opinion
The book is entertaining and easy to read (nice reading on holiday on the beach – also for stressed managers as a Zen exercise who might need some of Tim Cook’s stoic calm). Overall, I found the book an exciting read that sheds light on facets that were completely unknown to me about Cook. It was interesting for me that as an IT author I experienced part of the whole development (i.e. also the time when Jobs and Wozniak developed their Apple II), although from Germany, but up close. The book about Tim Cook starts, as far as Apple is concerned, but naturally in 2011, when Steve Jobs gave up the chairmanship of Apple.
Since that time, Cook has been leading the company's fortunes. The book reflects the ups and downs of the eventful history from 2011 to the end of 2017 and reflects many insights. However, the material ends at the beginning of 2018, i.e.: The last 1.5 years of Apple's history haven't been taken into account, which isn't a problem, but one thing to keep in mind.
From reading the title, I took with me that Cook, along with Steve Jobs, must have made a mark on the company. If you are less interested in Apple, its products and the cult around Steve Jobs (whose life story reads quite excitingly, I also read the book), but want to know something about Tim Cook, you will surely find something in this book.
The book author
Countries Kahney is a book author and science journalist who, among other things,
He has written for Scientific American, The Observer and The Guardian. The
Apple expert has published numerous articles about the company and is
Publisher of the Cult of Mac, a blog specializing in Apple.
The book
The title was previously only available in the original English version, which receives quite positive reviews from its readers on Amazon. The translated German version is now available – but some tiny errors have crept into it (e.g. on page 19: Jobs did not take two days of leave in 2009 and 2011, but took longer breaks due to illness). However, this does not detract from the reading and may not be noticeable to most readers.
Tim Cook: The genius that continues Apple's success story
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Disclosure: The book was provided to me by the publisher for review purposes. I myself am rather critical of Apple and its products and do not own Apple products (except for an iPad 1 and 3). But this is not about Apple, but about the person of Tim Cook – an exciting thing. When ordering via the Amazon link above (affiliate link), I am credited with a small premium through which I finance my blogs.
Of course I won't buy it!
the asshole company Äpple.. 23% Hardware to 139% sold.
And tax-privileged.
äwwwwwwsome. but really.
Did you read and understand the last paragraph? Hergott, this is a review of a book title about a person who happens to be at the top of Apple. The text above does not say that you should buy the book.
The commentary is therefore – in my view – somehow beside it – not a penny is lost by Apple if the book is not bought, but rather a bow around its products and services. Just a remark.
In the book Cook is described wonderfully and his work is described with career. His homosexuality is also dealt with and the topic of the environment is strongly discussed. Highly recommended book!