| Jim Carlton's Apple: The Inside Story of Intrigue, Egomania, and Business Blunders is a worthy offering in the ever-growing genre of "boardroom thrillers"--or tragedies, as the case may be. The book traces the history of this Cupertino company that brought the personal computer to the masses, emphasizing Apple's downward spiral of the last decade. Carlton's thesis--that Apple's downfall in the eighties and nineties was the result of bad decisions, missed opportunities, and personnel problems--may be old news to many. However, Carlton's research is top notch and the specifics of each case are fascinating and insightful. Required reading for anyone interested in the business of technology, Apple is an uncomfortable lesson in how brilliance and ingenuity can create incredible products, but not necessarily success. |