Books about Disney

[jlas00]

Hi all,

I was wondering if any of you can recommend any good books about Walt Disney, or Disney World/Land. I’m not looking for planning books, but rather history type books.

Thanks!!!

 

[poorunfortunatesouls]

While some dispute it's potrayal of Walt, I highly reccomend Neil Gabbler's book, Walt Disney: Triumph of the American Imagination. I found it to be a pretty balanced look at Walt, not super-sticky-sweet corporate rhetoric, and not a villainazation of Walt. It is, however, very long, if this bothers you there is an abridged audio version on Amazon.

Avoid "Dark Prince", it's mostly lies and propaganda, some of it so outrageous I literally couldn't beleive it.

 

[Binzerdk]

The best book about Walt Disney i have read so far is " How to be like Walt - capturing the Disney magic every day of your life " by Pat Williams.
Every chapter is a small part of Walts life from his birth to his death, and Then some about How everybody handeled loosing Walt and of course some about the Disney parks and finally how walts legacy still lives today. Some pages in the book have small highlighted quotes some by Walt others by people who were close to Walt, by the end of each "chapter" of Walts life is a short chapter on what the author thinks we can learn from the ups and downs in Walts life. I must warn you that this book can sometimes be a little to much about Jesus and christianity and how we all should go to church more often, not that there is a problem with that in my opinion people should make that choice on their own not read it in books but besides that i think it is a great book.
I am a huge Disney fan and i know a lot of stuff about anything Disney related and there were a lot of the things in the book that i allready knew, but in the personal stories in the book taken from the authors many interviews with some people really close to Walt allmost all of those were new to me and some are really funny.
The book is available on amazon.co.uk and amazon.com

 

[richmar]

I would also suggest Gabler's book. It's a good first read about Walt. He gives you the historical Holllywood persective. It's a good place to start; provides the most complete picture of the man. Alot of detailed info, but that's what good histories are all about.

 

[Orreed]

Check out Designing Disney: Imagineering and the Art of the Show! It is by John Hench and is a great book!

 

[bellaally]

I have to recommend Disney wars. It's such a great book. Also a lot of history and it more of the insider Disney is not as happy as it seems.