The Godfather of Biographies
My obsession with Walter Isaacson is such that I read all his books in eBooks, but then I had to get the books in hardcover.
Ladies and gentlemen, open the door for Walter Isaacson. I suspect Walter Isaacson can make even a boring subject appear incredibly interesting. Walter Isaacson's biographies are always big, but you can’t stop once you begin. I am a proud owner of nearly all of Walter Isaacson's books. Yes, there is just one that I do not have, the one he is about to release.
My obsession with Walter Isaacson is such that I read all his books in ebooks, but then I had to get the books in hardcover.
Walter has written biographies of some of the greatest men that have walked this earth.
Benjamin Franklin
Albert Einstein
Steve Jobs
Jennifer Doudna
Henry Kissinger
The Innovator
and his upcoming book is on Elon Musk.
Walter Isaacson has specific criteria for choosing the figures he writes about- they must be figures whose life and work intersect between the arts and the sciences. How can such a life be boring? Any individual who transcends our modern obsession with specializing humans will surely be interesting.
So, let's talk about Walter's books.
Leonardo Da Vinci
This book is a product of passion. You can see the passion even as you read. Walter Isaacson describes Leonardo Da Vinci in a deep, profound way that you feel as though you’ve met Leonardo. The intro was a banger for me. “Leonardo da Vinci had the good luck to be born out of wedlock. Otherwise, he would have been expected to become a notary, like the firstborn legitimate sons in his family stretching back at least five generations.” with this intro, Walter went ahead to describe the life of this quintessential polymath. Leonardo was limitless. This guy pursued his interests relentlessly. At the end of his life, he touched nearly every modern field we know about today, medicine, agriculture, physics, chemistry, engineering, etc. Leonardo’s life was a rich life; in this book, Walter Isaacson makes the man come alive.
Benjamin Franklin
Ben Franklin is definitely one of the wisest men that ever lived. I was introduced to him via his autobiography, which you must read, “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.” He was an American statesman, a publisher, a printer, an author, a scientist, an inventor, etc. Franklin was the man who first invented the tool that “stole the lightning from the gods”, the lightning rod. He invented a stove, bifocal glasses, glass armonica, swim fins, and the odometer, amongst other things. Franklin transcended science; he was a successful diplomat. Franklin has been called “The First American” for campaigning for unity in the colonies that became the United States of America. He is most remembered for his witty words of advice; I shall leave you with one; “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” You can’t help but love Franklin after reading this.
Albert Einstein
The face of genius. The most influential man of the 20th Century. Einstein was a failure in his family life, but as a man of science and public life, no one could match Albert Einstein in the 20th Century. This scientist propounded a theory that most men did not understand, but nearly everyone knew him. His popularity was so confusing that a story came down to us during his encounter with Charlie Chaplin. When Albert met Charlie: Einstein said: “What I most admire about your art is your universality. You don’t say a word, yet the world understands you!” To which Chaplin replied, “True. But your glory is even greater! The whole world admires you, even though they don’t understand a word of what you say.”
Walter Isaacson does an excellent job of presenting Einstein in this book's complexity, greatness, achievements, and failures. This is your one-stop shop for Einstein, except if you want to study theoretical physics.
Steve Jobs
This was an odd book for Walter Isaacson. Steve Jobs was an enigma. In the world of tech, he is like Budha. He was the most respected tech leader of his day. He was feared, loved, and hated, but most importantly, everyone respected Steve. His achievements speak for themselves. The man who made music digital gave us the iPhone, gave us the Mac, and literally changed the world. It was Steve Jobs who invited Walter Isaacson to write about him. This was weird because Walter Isaacson had only written about dead figures at this point. Walter had rejected the offer at first, but he changed his mind when Steve and his wife told Walter that he had cancer and would die anytime soon. Indeed, Steve Jobs died before the book was published. He died on October 5, 2011. This book was published on October 24, 2011. To some, this is the best of Walter’s work; I don't agree. However, this is the most comprehensive biography of Steve Jobs. You will Steve in all his magic and failings. Such a fascinating figure.
The Code Breaker
Science has made a lot of progress. In recent decades, gene editing has been one of the most impressive advances. In 2020, Jennifer Doudna and her colleague won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her pioneering work in gene editing. This book is the story of her journey. It begins with her finding a book on her bed. In her sixth grade, she returned home to find a book on her bed, The Double Helix by James Watson. Watson was one of the men who discovered the DNA. Jennifer will continue with their work and open new vistas for humanity. Her story is a story of passion, luck, and resilience. Science is a laborious process. Let's agree to leave it for the geniuses. Walter Isaacson follows her life and works in this book. If you want to fall in love with this field, this book is the immersion you need.
The Innovators
Most histories of computers and technologies often focus on individuals. It is partly our human bias. It is far complicated and unmemorable to tell that the hard work of several hundred men and women led to the Iphone. It is easier to say, “Steve Jobs created the iPhone” (Sorry, I did that up there. I can’t help it.), but technology, and life in general, is far more complex. Every invention or innovation is a product of collaborations with the living and the dead. Innovators have to work on the foundation of all those who have come before them. Without those figures, the present innovation will be impossible. Even in present-day circumstances, innovations are not linear. For instance, the screen Steve Jobs used for his iPhones was not invented at Apple. The fonts introduced into computers were not a product of instant innovation at Apple; they flowed from a calligraphy class Steve attended while in college. This book by Walter Isaacson is an attempt to push back on the linear telling of technological innovations. Walter sought to show the complexity of innovations that brought us to the digital age. He did a fine job.
Henry Kissinger
I don’t know why Walter Isaacson wrote this book. This book felt like Kissinger on trial, and he had no escape. He must be guilty. You end up feeling that way. Kissinger has had a long life. He is still alive. He turned 100 years on May 27. He was born in Germany to Jewish parents. As a student, he excelled, and soon after graduating, he sought his intellect. His peak career was when he became Secretary of State under President Richard Nixon. Walter Isaacson describes this funny and crazy relationship in a wild way. Kissinger and Nixon could work together because they understood human nature well and knew how to manipulate humans to achieve their objectives. Their partnership led to some of the most important policy decisions that continue to shape history today, including Nixon's visit to China and the opening of China under Deng. In the end, Richard Nixon was forced to resign from the Watergate scandal, and Henry Kissinger left the government, never to be invited again. This was part of what fascinated Walter Isaacson about Henry Kissinger; he was intelligent, had an impressive record in foreign relations, and continued to voice out his opinions, yet no government since Gerald Ford ever invited him back to the government. His cabbage was too much to deal with. If you want to see Henry Kissinger in his fullness, here is your temple; let Chief Priest Walter Isaacson guide you in this.
I recommend you read any of these books. And when Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson hits the market in September, I will be there to grab it too.
Thank you for this inspiring post! Indeed, it fanned my spark to grab one of these books for this weekend!!! 💜😊