Good article by David Carr on the weirdness of the situation that is the DOJ suing the major book publishers and Apple — which helps Amazon, the once (and likely future) domineering player in the space.

Carr’s key line:

That’s the modern equivalent of taking on Standard Oil but breaking up Ed’s Gas ’N’ Groceries on Route 19 instead.

See also: the Branch on the topic.

Originally slated to come out next year, Jobs’ biography was then moved up to late November (and thankfully given a new title). Now with his passing, Simon & Schuster has moved it up again. It will be out in just two and a half weeks. 

If the world’s reaction the past 12 hours is any indication, this book is going to be massive. Can’t wait to read it. 

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.

I always had a hard time believing Apple/Jobs would sign off on iSteve: The Book of Jobs. It was a weird mixture of being both a little too cute and a little too weighty. 

Turns out, Isaacson didn’t like it either. Not surprisingly, the publisher’s publicity department picked it originally. As Philip Elmer-Dewitt reports:

The old one, iSteve: The Book of Jobs, was chosen by Simon & Schuster’s publicity department. The author, Walter Isaacson, was never quite sure about it. His wife and daughter, however, were. They thought it was too cutesy. And now Isaacson has persuaded his publisher to go with something simpler and more elegant.

Wow, it’s still 9 months from its release and Amazon already has Steve Jobs’ official biography on pre-sale. Think there will be some interest in this one?