Jobs' Chinese-language bio sets records in Taiwan

Just like they do for Apple products, Apple fans in Taiwan lined up at bookstores before the start of store hours Monday to buy a copy of the Chinese-language biography of the late Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs. People lined up outside bookstores as early as 6 a.m., a full hour before the book went on sale at 7 a.m., Taiwan's Central News Agency reported. "I got here at about 6:10 a.m. I hope to read the book as soon as possible, although I have to rush to work soon after buying it," said Huang Wan-ru, a 31-year-old office worker who was at the front of the queue. The CNA report said 20 people waited in line outside Eslite bookstore near Taipei Main Station, hoping to be among the first to buy the book. Huang said she admired Jobs' unique personal style, always being true to himself, which was never affected by others. She owns an iPod, iPhone and iPad. A woman surnamed Sun, 25, who works in the cultural and creative industry, said she will not get through the book quickly because it is quite thick. "I will take some time to read it at home as a way of remembering Jobs," she said. A 22-year-old college student surnamed Kuo said he would like to know how Jobs managed to come back from his frustrations. "I'm curious about the time when he was kicked out of Apple and founded NeXT Computer. I think it was a transition point in his life," Kuo said. The book "Steve Jobs: A Biography" was written by Walter Isaacson based on more than 40 interviews with Jobs over two years, as well as interviews with his family, friends and colleagues. Jobs died Oct. 5 at age 56. Free 'apples' The Eslite bookstore chain in Taiwan said it was offering offer free apples and apple-shaped notepapers at 12 of its outlets to the first 100 people who showed up Monday dressed in black turtlenecks, Jobs' signature wear. Eslite also said all its outlets will package the Chinese version-biography in paper bags bearing a picture of Jobs. On a message board outside the Eslite bookstore, fans posted memorial messages such as "Thank you for teaching us how to think creatively," "Thank you for changing the world" and "We're all proud of you and all miss you." One fan wrote "Thanks for making us realize the meaning of 'never give up.'" Sandy Chou, director of the purchasing department, said they expect to sell 30,000 copies of the Chinese edition in Taiwan on the first day. Chou added they expect Eslite's sales of the book to reach 200,000 copies in the first three months, near the record set by the first book in the Harry Potter series by British author J.K. Rowling. Kingstone, another leading bookstore chain in Taiwan, said its outlets also opened at 7 a.m. on Monday for the first time in three decades rather than the normal time at 10 a.m. Preorders flooding in Last week, Taiwan's largest online bookstore Books.com.tw said pre-orders for the Chinese edition, priced at NT$599 (US$19.64), came in at four copies per minute. Pre-orders for the NT$649 English edition were being received at 1.6 copies per minute. Commonwealth Publishing Group, the exclusive Taiwanese publisher of the biography, said it had planned to do a first print of 100,000 copies, but decided to run 220,000 copies instead based on the warm reception. Records set for taiwan publisher Taiwanese publisher Commonwealth Publishing Group said the book set several "firsts" in its history, including:

• It was the first time in Commonwealth Publishing's 30 years in business that it signed a confidentiality agreement with an author from the early stages of copyright negotiations.
• The agreement covered not only the company's management, editors, translators, and marketing people, but also contractors such as printing houses, binderies and distributors.
• The publisher was forced to use more contractors to produce the book, relying on 18 printing houses, binderies and others to meet the huge number of pre-orders.
• Local pre-orders of the Chinese edition surged to 220,000 copies in the 19 days since Jobs' death on Oct. 5. It usually takes a single printing house and bindery a year to produce 10,000 copies of a bestselling book.

"Since we obtained the rights to the Chinese-language edition in March this year, it has taken 110 days as well as the efforts of three translators and seven editors to publish the biography," said Daisy Yu, deputy managing editor at Commonwealth Publishing. "But it's been worth it to see the result," she added. Commonwealth Marketing Director Sherry Lee said their first printing run of 220,000 copies is expected to be sold out this week. She added the book is expected to sell 300,000 copies in the first two months. The television commercial filmed for the book was also a first for Commonwealth Publishing, being finished within 18 hours after Apple announced Jobs' death on Oct. 6. — TJD, GMA News