Walter Isaacson

"When you write biographies, whether it's about Ben Franklin or Einstein, you discover something amazing: They are human."

"Polite and velvety leaders, who take care to avoid bruising others, are generally not as effective at forcing change."

"You can't have a sustainable US economy without a great education system. Teach students to do the job right. You don't have an innovative economy unless you have a great education."

"I visited Jobs for the last time in his Palo Alto, Calif., home. He had moved to a downstairs bedroom because he was too weak to go up and down stairs. He was curled up in some pain, but his mind was still sharp and his humor vibrant."

"I think when money starts to corrupt journalism, it undermines the journalism, and it undermines the credibility of the product, and you end up not succeeding."

"I have a strong emotional respect for Steve."