Two nights ago, I finished reading Small Fry by Lisa Brennan-Jobs. I've had it on my TBR list (as the cool kids say...I'd just as well call it my "reading list" because we all know that nothing on the reading list is still waiting to be read if it's on there since it would then be moved to the "read" list. nonetheless, TBR list is kind of cheesy to me, but I've been trying to be cool since about 1996, so there's no since in stopping now.)** for a while ever since my sister-in-law mentioned it months, maybe a year or so, ago.
 |
| Source |
As is the case sometimes with books, at least for me, it got pushed further and further down the list over time. Then a few weeks ago, I finished a book one night and was an eager beaver ready to start a new one. I requested a few from Libby (my lady-love library app), and I downloaded Small Fry and something else at the same time. I ended up reading the other one. Sorry, Lis. However, one day when I was knee deep in the other book, I accidentally clicked on Lis' work and read the first few lines, which went something like "Three months before my father passed away, I began stealing things from his house."
and I was like "OoooOOOoooh, girl! No you didn't!"
So then I was re-excited about reading it, and so I did.
For starters, bless dear Nathan for lending an ear to my rants almost every evening after reading a portion before going to bed. I'd heard things over the years indicating that Steve Jobs (who shall henceforth be called "Steve" since that's what Lisa called him, and it's kind of ingrained in me now.) was maybe not really the nicest to people he'd either worked with, who worked for him, he'd encountered through the years, etc. But I'd never really heard anything concrete to tie this notion down. I'd just heard it generally and figured it must be true and also that you probably don't become a billionaire by being a really nice person. That is, unless you're Willy Wonka.
But oh my goodness, I had no idea what I was in for. Between the manipulation and the physical and financial AND emotional withholding, and moodiness, and at times just being off-the-wall CRAY in his actions and words (e.g. asking your teenage daughter if she masturbates. Hello! Not really appropriate, Steve!), I don't think I'll ever think about Steve the same.
I should say, I know there are always at least two sides to every story, and this memoir was written by Lisa, and it was published after Steve's death so there isn't a whole lot of arguing he can do regarding the way he was painted in this book, but I also don't feel like this was an expose to get rich on her part. I think, sure, she probably knew she could sell a few copies because people would be intrigued to read about Steve from an insider's perspective, a daughter he blatantly lied about fathering for many years, but there is just so much of a common thread in his actions and words throughout the book that it would be just too hard to make it all up.
I also know that there are times throughout my life where my dad disappointed me (and I'm sure I did the same to him. Maybe. I was his angel child, so it doesn't compare to what my heathen brothers did. hah!), but as a whole, I love him and I'm so grateful for all that he did for me, and I'm also grateful that I didn't have Steve growing up.
Enough about crazy Steve.
The book was good, a four out of five stars on the Courtney Richter*** scale...whatever the hell that is. I feel like I had more to say, but my time is running out, and I've got to keep some stuff for my memoir. 😉
Only 1 more day of 2020, folks!
**you're so welcome for that.
***If there's a Courtney Richter out there and you ever come across this blog after googling yourself, please DM or IM or something-M me. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment