iWoz: Computer Geek to Cult Icon

Overview
Steve Wozniak tells the story of his life from a tinkering kid to a key creator of the personal computer revolution. The narrative follows his earliest experiments with electronics, the serendipitous partnership with Steve Jobs, and the development of the Apple I and Apple II that reshaped computing. Wozniak's tone is candid and often humorous, offering an engineer's-eye view of invention and camaraderie.
The book balances technical detail with personal anecdote, giving accessible explanations of the machines he designed alongside snapshots of the era's culture. It portrays innovation as a mixture of playful curiosity, relentless problem solving, and a willingness to break rules of convention.

Early Life and Curiosity
Wozniak describes a childhood steeped in electronics, mentored by his father and propelled by an insatiable desire to build and understand how things work. Tales of late-night soldering, improvised circuits, and early projects reveal a mind more interested in creation than recognition. Those formative experiences set the pattern for a life defined by creative engineering rather than corporate ambition.
A string of youthful exploits, from building calculators to engineering "blue boxes" that explored telephone systems, demonstrate an ethic of hands-on learning and playful experimentation. These episodes also show how technical skill and ethical reflection coexisted, shaping choices about what to pursue and how to share discoveries.

Apple and the Homebrew Era
Wozniak vividly recreates the Homebrew Computer Club milieu, where hobbyists traded ideas and prototypes and the idea of a friendly personal computer began to take shape. The collaboration with Steve Jobs emerges as complementary: Wozniak supplied technical genius while Jobs provided marketing savvy and a relentless push toward productization. Together they transformed basement inventions into commercial products.
The account of designing the Apple I and crafting the Apple II emphasizes elegant engineering: cost-effective designs, user-friendly features, and a focus on making computing accessible. Wozniak explains breakthrough technical choices in plain language and recounts the chaotic, exhilarating process of founding a company that would become a cultural and technological force.

Engineering Philosophy and Personal Values
A recurring theme is a deep-rooted belief that engineering should be joyful, generous, and oriented toward usefulness rather than profit alone. Wozniak articulates an ethical approach to invention that values mentorship, open sharing, and teaching. This philosophy led him to devote time and resources to education and charitable causes, especially efforts to bring technology and opportunity to young people.
The narrative also addresses tensions between technical creators and business realities, including disputes over credit, the strains of fame, and moments when Wozniak stepped back from Apple. He frames those choices in terms of personal priorities: a preference for hands-on building, a desire for normalcy, and a commitment to staying true to his principles.

Voice, Style, and Legacy
The voice is plainspoken and amiable, blending geeky detail with self-deprecating humor and reflective moments. Wozniak's explanations are grounded and generous, avoiding jargon while conveying the excitement of problem solving. Anecdotes about colleagues, midnight breakthroughs, and the quirky culture around early Silicon Valley give the memoir its warmth and immediacy.
Beyond nostalgia, the story underscores a broader legacy: making technology approachable and inspiring a generation of tinkerers and entrepreneurs. The portrait that emerges is of an inventor who values invention as play and service, whose technical contributions changed computing and whose personal choices illustrate an alternative model of success.