Lisa Brennan Jobs writes brutal memoir about father Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs, pictured in
2010.
Justin Sullivan/Getty
Images

• A new memoir written by Steve Jobs’ daughter Lisa
  Brennan-Jobs, “Small Fry,” provides a brutal window into the
  Apple cofounder’s relationship with his child.
• He could be cruel, and was at times inappropriate in
  front of her, she writes. 
• In one incident from the book, Brennan-Jobs’ mother
  asked him to buy a house for her and their child — but Jobs
  bought the house for himself and his new partner
  instead.
• But in an interview with The New York Times,
  Brennan-Jobs has defended her father, and says she has forgiven
  him.

Lisa Brennan-Jobs, the daughter of Apple cofounder Steve Jobs,
has written a memoir about life with her world-famous father —
and it sounds absolutely brutal.

Her mother, Chrissan Brennan, who was by that point estranged
from Jobs, once reportedly asked the Apple cofounder to buy a
house for her and their daughter. Instead, Jobs “agreed it was
nice,” then bought it for himself and his new partner Laurene
Powell Jobs.

That’s according to The New York Times, which has obtained a copy
of the book, “Small Fry,” early, and interviewed Brennan-Jobs
about her relationship with her father.

Ugly details of the relationship between Jobs and his daughter
have been public for years — he infamously once claimed she
wasn’t his child, and refused to pay child support until ordered
to. But the book, as detailed in The New York Times’ account,
provides an unprecedented window into the Jobs household as
Brennan-Jobs grew up, including some disturbing parenting
practices by the legendary entrepreneur.

Brennan-Jobs, however, does not want the account to be
condemnatory, and stressed to the paper that she has forgiven her
father and wishes to emphasise his better side. “Have I failed in
fully representing the dearness and the pleasure? The dearness of
my father, and the outrageous pleasure of being with him when he
was in good form?” she reportedly said.

Even so, the details described are alarming. In one incident,
Jobs reportedly refused to put heating in Brennan-Jobs’ bedroom
to give her a “value system.” 

Another time, Jobs seems to have behaved inappropriately in front
of his daughter with Powell Jobs. The New York Times wrote:

“Ms. Brennan-Jobs describes him embracing Ms. Powell Jobs one
day, ‘pulling her in to a kiss, moving his hand closer to her
breasts,’ and up her thigh, ‘moaning theatrically.’

When Ms. Brennan-Jobs tries to leave, her father stops her: ”Hey
Lis,’ he said. ‘Stay here. We’re having a family moment. It’s
important that you try to be part of this family.’ I sat still,
looking away as he moaned and undulated.'”

An
old photo of Lisa Brennan-Jobs.

Wikimedia
Commons

An extract previously published in Vanity Fair went into more
detail about the alienation Brennan-Jobs, now 40, felt from her
father growing up. “I see now that we were at cross-purposes.
For him, I was a blot on a spectacular ascent, as our story did
not fit with the narrative of greatness and virtue he might have
wanted for himself,” she wrote.

“My existence ruined his streak. For me, it was the opposite: the
closer I was to him, the less I would feel ashamed; he was part
of the world, and he would accelerate me into the light.”

At one point she had overheard her mother say that Jobs bought a
new Porsche every time he scratched one, and later asked him if
she could have one “when you’re done.”

His response was biting: “You’re not getting anything … You
understand? Nothing. You’re getting nothing.”