© B Y ..S T E V E ..W E L S H
Oregon MacPioneers User Group (Omug)
Unless you are Donald Trump or this year's big lottery winner, you probably can't afford to give every Apple fanatic in your family or circle of good friends a new Mac or iPod for the holidays.
But you don't have to. You can still bring a big smile and a lot of Apple joy to anyone with a fondness or budding interest in our favorite fruit, er, computer (and digital music player) company. After all, it's the thought that counts, right, not the size of your wallet or purse? Just nod your head.
And what better way to put some thought into your gift-giving than by putting some Apple history, personality, or wisdom into the minds of your loved ones or friends with an Apple-related book?
Here are 5 that Omug recommends, in no particular order or preference. Of course, there were several others in the running (which would surely be included if our list were expanded to a Top 10), such as Steven Levy's latest release, The Perfect Thing ("How the iPod shuffles commerce, culture, and coolness", hardcover), or Owen Linzmayer's outstanding, introspective Apple history book, Apple Confidential 2.0 ("The Definitive History of the World's Most Colorful Company"), so don't limit yourself to these 5 by any means.
But we think our picks are worthy of your gift-giving ways. We offer you short capsules on each, a brief description or summary, links and pointers to where you can buy each book online, read or download a sample or excerpt of each (if available), read Omug's (CLOSE UP) Review of the book (if any), and the relative cost of each (smart shoppers that you are, you can most likely find bargains -- in which case, there's no excuse for buying only ONE book!).
Oh, and if you ever get the rare opportunity to have your book autographed by its author (Adam Engst will sign your forehead), tell 'em Omug sent you.
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| iWoz by Steven Wozniak |
Full or subtitle:
iWoz: From Computer Geek to Cult Icon: How I Invented the Personal Computer, Co-Founded Apple, and Had Fun Doing It |
| Retail: $24.95, Publisher: W. W. Norton |
| Discount: approx. $17.50 on Amazon.com |
| Released: November, 2006 |
| Hardback, 288 pages; physical size: 9.5 x 6.5” |
| One place to buy it: Amazon.com |
About the author:
Go back to jail in your Monopoly game if you don't know the co-founder of Apple computer. This is his first autobiography. He can say with a smile when he helped create the first consumer personal computer, the Apple I, that "you might not have been there, but 'iWoz.'" |
| Book excerpt (if any): None, but here is the book description from the publisher's website |
Worthiness:
Anyone who is interested in Apple history, especially the beginnings of Apple Computer, from the co-founder's mouth. Anyone who has never met the Woz, or who would like to get inside the mind of a passionate engineer, or better understand the man who (although not completely) walked away from tech stardom and success to teach elementary school kids at one point. |
| Author's website |
Omug description or summary:
Foreword by another Apple legend, Guy Kawasaki. There have been several books written about fellow Apple co-founder Steve Jobs (maybe one officially by Jobs), but this is the first bio by the Woz. For those of you who have never met Steve Wozniak (this reviewer has), listened to him talk, or just seen him smile, you get a sense of a guy who cares. This is a book in his voice and personality, and one that makes you feel like you are sitting in a chair across from him as he shares his story of becoming a reluctant tech celebrity and the glory days of starting Apple. |
| Omug's (CLOSE UP) Review of iWoz (coming soon) |
Interesting tidbit:
Steve Wozniak was Omug's master of ceremonies in the statewide You Don't Know Mac! Event Day 2000 in Newport (hosted by MUGport), our Oregon user group celebration and trivia contest. This alone is enough for us to praise his book. MUGport even flew the Woz in by helicopter, and put him up overnight in a house boat in Yaquina Bay. ":-) |
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| The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki |
Full or subtitle:
The Art Of The Start: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything |
| Retail: $26.95, Publisher: Portfolio (Penquin Books) |
| Discount: approx. $17.50 on Amazon.com |
| Released: November, 2004 |
| Hardback, 266 pages; physical size: 9 x 6" |
| One place to buy it: Amazon.com |
About the author:
Guy Kawasaki has seen and heard it all along a journey that had him seated in such live-wire jobs as Apple evangelist, 4D (database) marketeer, author, speaker and now his current gig as managing director of Garage Technology Ventures. And let's not forget husband and father. To prove there is a God, Guy was raised in Hawaii but is now an avid hockey player and fan. |
| Book excerpt: free Table of Contents, plus Chapter 1 PDF, 295k |
Worthiness:
Can you ever have enough wisdom or truth? What's remarkably enjoyable about Guy's book is that it brings equally enlightening insights and solid advice to the raw beginner or the veteran in any venture, project or business push. It could even breathe new fire into that road-weary business warrior. And you may even find yourself smiling along the way. |
| Author's website |
Omug description or summary:
Kawasaki created this book to “help entrepreneurs get off to a fast start, and provide a definitive guide for anyone starting anything.” And, it goes without saying, succeed and survive after you start. When you learn a lot and "kick butt" (a slogan he wrapped around years ago) along the way, as Guy did from Apple to venture capitalist, it's only right to share the wisdom. Guy does so in what is considered by many Kawasaki’s most polished, wisdom-packed literary effort to date. This book will inject passion, drive, humor, and battle-tested wisdom into whatever you put your heart behind to start. |
| Omug's (CLOSE UP) Review of Art of the Start |
Interesting tidbit:
Braving a rare northern California storm and some Oregon snow to make the trip, Guy Kawasaki was Omug's master of ceremonies in the statewide You Don't Know Mac! Event Day 2002 in Bend (co-hosted by COMUG and BBMUG), our Oregon user group celebration and trivia contest. This alone is enough for us to praise his book. ":-) |
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| Revolution in the Valley by Andy Hertzfeld |
Full or subtitle:
Revolution in the Valley: The insanely great story of how the Mac was made |
| Retail: $24.95, Publisher: O’Reilly Media |
| Discount: approx. $16.50 on Amazon.com |
| Released: December 2004 |
| Hardback, 320 pages; physical size: 8 x 8" |
| One place to buy it: Amazon.com |
About the author:
Andy Hertzfeld was one of the key, original Macintosh team members, and, like Wozniak and Kawasaki, is an outgoing, passionate, and brilliant fellow. And, like Steve and Guy, he is a pretty humble dude who enjoys being part of a special team. He's not a bad story-teller, either. |
| Book excerpt (if any): free 10-page PDF excerpt, 608k |
Worthiness:
For anyone who wants an authentic inside look at the story of how the Macintosh was created by one who was there and wants to savor a collection of stories that reveal the genius and personalities of the Mac team. It won't disappoint you. |
| Author's website |
Omug description or summary:
Foreword by Steve Wozniak. A few years back Andy created his Folklore.org website, which allowed other Mac team members to share their stories of Apple history and the creation of the Macintosh. The collection grew enough that it became evident a book had to be spawned from it -- thus, Revolution in the Valley. The book design (square) and page layout sprinkle about many interesting photographs (some quite rare), screen snapshots, even notepad doodlings by Andy from the timespan of the Mac's formation to its historic 1984 birth. This is a must-have book for anyone who relishes Mac or Apple history. |
| Omug's (CLOSE UP) Review of Revolution in the Valley (coming soon) |
Interesting tidbit:
Many years ago this reviewer drove up to Portland (Oregon) to sit in the front row of a PMUG meeting when Andy was the special guest. It was also the same night I almost saw a Mac legend fry himself alive. During his talk to the crowd, Andy accidently knocked over the can of soda he occasionally sipped from, and then reached over to pick up the microphone -- which was lying in the middle of the puddle! Needless to say there never was a Mac funeral, or this book would never have been. Hmmm. THIS story should have been in his book. |
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Take Control of Buying A Mac
by Adam C. Engst |
| Retail: $10, Publisher: Take Control Ebooks |
Discount: for Mac User Group members;
Note from Adam: "If people buy the book in December, they can get 30% off their entire order during our holiday sale. Just going to the book's page will pre-load the coupon for them." |
| Released: October, 2006 (edition 2.0) |
PDF document, 91 pages
with live linking, online references, more; physical size: the size of your screen |
| The place to buy it: Take Control website |
About the author:
Adam C. Engst is the publisher of TidBITS, one of the oldest and most respected Internet-based (and primarily Mac) newsletters, distributed weekly to many thousands of readers. In the annual MDJ Power 25 survey of industry insiders from 2000 through 2006, he ranked in the top 5 most influential people in the Macintosh industry. |
| Book excerpt: free 23-page PDF sample |
Worthiness:
Take note, if you are going to buy a Mac for someone as a gift this holiday season or know of someone who is about to purchase a Mac soon, then don't wait until you stuff boxes under the tree -- buy this insightful ebook NOW (which is easy to do since this is a PDF document) and take advantage of the wisdom it offers. It will probably save you $$ and, more importantly, put the right type of Mac in your hands to make you or that someone special a happy Mac camper.
Be sure to check out the whole Take Control ebook series while you are at the TC website -- if this book topic isn't what you need right now, chances are you will find another TC ebook that you need or want to give. |
| Author's website |
Omug description or summary:
Like most of TC ebooks, TC of Buying A Mac is a marvel of "22nd Century Publishing" (Omug's tag) in that it offers not only a fast avenue to buy it via a download and it is filled with rich, helpful content, but that it is also a joy to actually use on your Mac (or PC) screen. With dozens and dozens of non-linear links to guide you to topics you need to read first, or zip to other references, TC ebooks offer portability (take it with you on your laptop), printability, faster and easier access to updates or new editions, and advice from industry-leading authors. Buying a Mac is not a cheap endeavor, like any other computer purchase, so the about-to-be or veteran Mac owner will find this ebook a valuable preparation in making a wiser decision. |
| Omug's (CLOSE UP) Review of Take Control of Buying A Mac (coming soon). In the meanwhile, read Omug's interview with Adam. |
Interesting tidbit on Mr. TidBITS:
Adam and wife Tonya (who is the TC editor-in-chief) reside in upstate New York, but have lived in the Seattle area and have relatives on the west coast. Both are strong supporters of Mac user groups. Both appear periodically on the MacNotables podcast panels. Adam, who is an avid and longtime runner, was gracious enough to link up with Omug for an interview as TC was close to celebrating another anniversary. |
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| The Cult of iPod by Leander Kahney |
| Retail: $24.95, Publisher: No Starch Press |
| Discount: Search Amazon.com |
| Released: November, 2005 |
| Softback, 160 pages; physical size: 7 x 9.75" |
| One place to buy it: O'Reilly Media website |
About the author:
Leander Kahney is also the author of The Cult of Mac, another excellent table top or fanatic book to own. He is an editor at Wired News, where he writes his popular Cult of Mac blog. |
| Book excerpt: None available or found |
Worthiness:
For any budding or deeply devoted iPod fan, as well as for those interested in the far-reaching cultural effects of, and inspirations from, our digital music playing wonder. |
| Author's website |
Omug description or summary:
With this selection, you can, indeed, judge a book by its cover. We made this pick because we wanted to include a book that was more in a coffee table book form but still hit its mark on the book's theme, in this case the passionate, zealot -- yes, even cult-like -- following of iPod users. Filled with photographs, stories, facts and projects that prove the zany and spirited iPod faithful are clever or nutty folk at that, you will easily see how far-reaching our revolutionary Apple digital music player is throughout our culture, even as early as the initial year or 2 after its birth in 2001. Kahney's book is actually a time capsule of sorts, something you would want to have and save alongside your first iPod as proof of a time and phenomenon that hit us full bore. Like the object that it focuses upon, the book's design and layout is very free-form and "shuffled." Once you pick it up, you won't easily put it down. |
| Omug's (CLOSE UP) Review of The Cult of iPod (coming soon) |
Interesting tidbit:
Not so much an interesting as this is a content warning -- there are a couple of what some parents might consider "racy" or female art-ish images in this book, but probably no more than what you might come across in a museum, and they do have an iPod theme. Thus, parents may want to flip through the book pages to make sure it meets their parental guidelines. Other than that, a very fine book. |
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