In an act of retaliation for the pubication of an unauthorized biography of Steve Jobs, the company he founded, Apple Computer, Inc., is removing from its stores dozens of different titles published by the book’s publisher John Wiley & Sons, one of the country’s leading publishers of technology books. Greg Sandoval reports in an Associated Press wire story that “Apple removed the books last week from all 104 of its stores after failing in a monthlong attempt” to block the release of iCon Steve Jobs: The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business, which is slated to go on sale next month. Author Jeffrey Young says the book is “a chronicle of Jobs’ rise as an innovator and entrepreneur and includes details about his personal life such as his divorce and fight with cancer,” reports Sandoval. Says Young, “I thought the book was pretty positive and laudatory . . . . I wouldn’t call any of it outrageous. I’m totally bewildered.” Sandoval reports that “experts in brand management” say the move is “likely to backfire, only adding to the notoriety of Apple’s critics and encouraging sales in countless other bookstores.” Says one of those experts, “Pulling books off the shelf is a little draconian. It reeks of repression.” Wiley says it’s going through with the publication no matter what.

• MORE: A report in the San Jose Mercury News, where author Young is an editor, notes that among the banned books is Macs For Dummies.