Cook’s book says Steve Jobs ‘angrily’ turned down liver offer
16 Mar 2015
Apple chief executive Tim Cook offered a part of his liver to a dying Steve Jobs, according to a new book due to be released this month.
Jobs angrily turned down Cook's offer, according to the book Becoming Steve Jobs, excerpts of which have been published online.
The book throws light on life inside Apple as it grew into one of the world's most powerful technology companies. It also charts the relationship between Cook and Jobs.
In 2004, Jobs announced that he was suffering from pancreatic cancer and by 2009, the Apple chief executive was very ill, unable to come into the office and waiting for a liver transplant.
Cook regularly visited Jobs at home and after one visit he "left the house feeling so upset that he had his own blood tested", according to excerpts published by Fast Company executive editor Rick Tetzeli, who co-authored the book.
Co-author Brent Schlender is a journalist who interviewed Jobs several times throughout his life.
Cook found out that he, like Steve Jobs, had a rare blood type, and guessed that it might be the same. According to the book, Cook went through a series of tests and discovered that a partial liver transplant was feasible.
But when he shared the news with Jobs, the dying Apple boss reacted angrily. "He cut me off at the legs, almost before the words were out of my mouth," an excerpt says.
"'No," he said. 'I'll never let you do that. I'll never do that.'"
"Steve only yelled at me four or five times during the 13 years I knew him, and this was one of them," Cook added.
Jobs did go on to have a liver transplant, in March 2009.
He resigned as Apple chief executive in August 2011 and died in October at the age of 56.
The book also reveals that Jobs contemplated buying Yahoo as a way for Apple to get into the search business.'
Commentators find an interesting contrast between Becoming Steve Jobs and an earlier biography suggesting Jobs was interested in the TV business. Cook's book indicates that he was never interested in television.
