Steve Jobs biography release date pushed up

To most of us, Steve Jobs, Apple CEO, seems a bit like Batman. He pops up every once in a while, makes exciting announcements about new iPhones or iPads, and then vanishes for weeks on end.

But come November we'll have a chance to see the man behind the cape. According to The New York Times, Simon & Schuster has just moved up the release date of "Steve Jobs: A Biography" by biographer and former Time magazine editor Walter Isaacson from March 2012 to Nov. 21, 2011.

A 2005 attempt at a Steve Jobs biography ended with the publisher, Wiley & Sons, being banned from Apple stores. However, this new biography has been authorized by Jobs and will likely face much less controversy.

Isaacson has apparently enjoyed remarkable access to Jobs. According to the Times, the book is based on more than 40 interviews with Jobs himself and interviews with more than 100 people close to Jobs. Jobs himself is reported to have “asked for no control over what was written nor even the right to read it before it was published.”

From the sound of it, Isaacson's book promises a no-holds-barred look at Job's life and meteoric rise to the top of the computer industry. Given the roller coaster ride that Job's career has been, that should make for fascinating reading.

The reasons for the book's early release have much debated. The book's publisher states that the early release date is simply due to the fact that the book was finished earlier than planned.

However, other, darker, rumors abound. The early release could also be related to Job's declining health. He has been on medical leave since January, and while in remission from pancreatic cancer, had a liver transplant a few years ago. Simon & Schuster could be looking to publish before Jobs' health declines further. (Isaacson denies that Jobs' health is a factor in the decision on the release date and instead confirms his publisher's statement that he finished the book early.)

Others speculate that Simon & Schuster simply wants to capitalize on the holiday market, as November is a big shopping month for Christmas presents.

In either event, "Steve Jobs: A Biography," seems destined for success.

Megan Wasson is a Monitor contributor.

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