Review: Apple: The First 50 Years, written and performed by David Pogue
Apple: The First 50 Years is exactly what it promises to be, a 50-year clear and detailed journey on how Apple grew from a small idea into one of the most influential companies in the world. With Apple turning 50 on April 1st, this audiobook feels perfectly timed and it takes you through the key moments, the people, and the decisions that shaped Apple, in a way that is easy to follow.
For me, this story is personal, because I’m totally blind, and Apple is the only company in this world that truly makes a huge difference in my everyday existence. Their products allow me to live a life that is as close to normal as possible. I can pick up an iPhone or a Mac, turn on VoiceOver, and use it independently from the very first minute. No extra tools, no special versions, no workarounds. As the tagline goes, it just works. That level of accessibility is built into everything they do, and it’s something I rely on every single day and I even have a job teaching other blind, low vision, or students with other disabilities on how to make the best of Apple products. Although I already knew a lot of the stories, I was pleasantly surprised by the high-quality audio production and excellent narration by David Pogue.
The audiobook is performed by the author himself, David Pogue, and his journalistic experience and love for Apple really show. He’s been covering the company from Cupertino for decades, following its evolution from the early days to where it is now. His narration is enthusiastic, engaging, entertaining, clear, and easy to follow. The audio production feels natural and Mr. David Pogue‘s reading feels like someone who knows this story inside out is simply guiding you through it.
The structure of the audiobook works really well. It starts with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak looking for ideas on how to build something new, then moves through the early success of the Apple II and the ambition behind the Macintosh. From there, it gets into the more difficult years, when Apple struggled to find its direction, followed by the return of Jobs and the shift into what we now think of as modern Apple. The big successes are all here, the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad, but the book also makes space for the failures like the Lisa, the Newton, and MobileMe. That balance makes the whole story feel honest and complete.
Another welcome addition to the audiobook is the inclusion of real recorded interviews. You hear directly from people who were part of Apple’s journey, and that adds a lot of depth. There are also musical cues used for side notes. They’re fine, but they stand out a bit too much. A simpler, more minimal sound would have worked better here. Something subtle and clean, more in line with Apple’s own design philosophy. It’s a small detail that doesn’t detract from the experience in any way, but worth mentioning in case the author wants to make the listening even more immersive and seamless.
David Pogue has done a tremendous job with writing, gathering all the interviews, chronicling all the events, and last, but definitely not least, with bringing to life in his own voice Apple: The First 50 Years in audiobook format. If you, like me, love Apple and want to know everything about the company and the people behind it, then I highly recommend you to pick up Apple: The First 50 Years.
Like I already said in the beginning of this review, Apple has changed the world for the better, so I can’t wait but be excited for the future. Listen to this and get your extremely entertaining history lesson, and here is to the next 50 years!
For flawless writing and perfect narration, Apple: The First 50 Years by David Pogue receives my highest praise: the Editor’s Choice Award for Excellence in Entertainment.
Victor Dima is an internationally recognized Audiobooks Industry specialist, consultant, insider and reviewer with almost 10,000 helpful votes on Audible. Listened to more than 1,400 audiobooks, have written reviews for almost 400 and rated close to 800 of them. If you want Victor to review your audiobook or if you need help with choosing the right narrator, you can get in touch at reviews@theaudiobookblog.com
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