Best Walt Disney books?

[Scuttle]

Has anyone read Walt Disney an american original? This book is incredible! By far and away the best Walt Disney biography available. Just thought I would share my thoughts with you because I thought I knew everything about Walt Disney, but it turns out I did not know anything until I read this book. For any Walt Disney nerd it is a must read.

 

[DVC Dave]

I don't think I have read that one. A while back I read a great book on the secret development of Walt Disney World.I wish that i had remembered the name becuaser I would like to read it again.

 

[Disney Dawg88]

I don't think I have read that one. A while back I read a great book on the secret development of Walt Disney World.I wish that i had remembered the name becuaser I would like to read it again.

Was it called Project Future? I just got done reading that book and I really enjoyed it. I'm hoping to find another one like it or one that has pics of WDW being built.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Has anyone read Walt Disney an american original? This book is incredible! By far and away the best Walt Disney biography available. Just thought I would share my thoughts with you because I thought I knew everything about Walt Disney, but it turns out I did not know anything until I read this book. For any Walt Disney nerd it is a must read.

I've read several books about Walt, and Thomas' book is the best-written and most reliable IMO. Thomas actually met and interviewed Walt a few times, had no axe to grind while writing the book, and had full access to Disney archives and personal effects. Plus, Thomas has a reputation for being a no-nonsense, hard-hitting biographer. His integrity as a writer is unassailable. I'm glad you liked the book. I do too.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

I am in the middle of reading Neal Gabler's book on Walt. It's about 500 pages and I am at page 40 or so. So far so good. Gabler seems to be a no-nonsense writer. I'm still waiting for the parts of the book where Walt's daughter Diane dismissed it. So far there isn't anything negative about Walt

 

[pumpkin7]

i'm currently reading 'an american original' and i'm finding it hard to put down! i'm just at the part where they're starting to think about the parks. love it.

 

[fyn]

I am in the middle of reading Neal Gabler's book on Walt. It's about 500 pages and I am at page 40 or so. So far so good. Gabler seems to be a no-nonsense writer. I'm still waiting for the parts of the book where Walt's daughter Diane dismissed it. So far there isn't anything negative about Walt

I read that book a few months ago. I really enjoyed Gabler's objective style, and obsessive referencing. He really strove to present as many sides to even the most mundane situation as he had evidence for, and rarely drew the reader to his own conclusion. The book certainly gave me a new, and much more realistic impression of Walt. Highly recommended read.

Oh, and I've heard Gabler say that he had unrestricted access to Disney's archives, without them having any censorship rights to the book.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I think my favorite biography so far is The Magic Kingdom: Walt Disney and the American Way of Life by Steven Watts. It is both a biography and sociological essay, going into the broader cultural impact that Walt Disney was having on America at the time. I do appreciate that Thomas wrote Roy's biography as well.

 

[Jeff456]

Has anyone read Walt Disney an american original? This book is incredible! By far and away the best Walt Disney biography available. Just thought I would share my thoughts with you because I thought I knew everything about Walt Disney, but it turns out I did not know anything until I read this book. For any Walt Disney nerd it is a must read.

I agree, a very good book! Found it difficult to put down

 

[switts]

I am in the middle of reading Neal Gabler's book on Walt. It's about 500 pages and I am at page 40 or so. So far so good. Gabler seems to be a no-nonsense writer. I'm still waiting for the parts of the book where Walt's daughter Diane dismissed it. So far there isn't anything negative about Walt

I just started reading this one myself and so far its pretty good. Only about 80 pages in myself but I havent read anything negative yet either.

 

[EpScott]

Want an easy read with many great anecdotes about Walt? See if you can find "Walt" (easy title to remember, huh?) by one of his former employees, Charles Shows. The stories are hilarious (and many are definitely not "family friendly," since Walt was known to swear like a sailor at times!) Mr. Shows writes fondly about Walt---no axe to grind in this reading!!!

 

[lebeau]

I read that book a few months ago. I really enjoyed Gabler's objective style, and obsessive referencing. He really strove to present as many sides to even the most mundane situation as he had evidence for, and rarely drew the reader to his own conclusion. The book certainly gave me a new, and much more realistic impression of Walt. Highly recommended read.

Oh, and I've heard Gabler say that he had unrestricted access to Disney's archives, without them having any censorship rights to the book.

Totally agree.

No character assassination. No sugar coating. It felt like the most objective point of view possible.

 

[inluvwithbeast]

It's not a Walt biography, but Realityland by David Koenig is a great WDW book. There is very little Walt himself actually in it, but it does take a look at the legacy he left behind and the struggles the company faced internally after his death.

There are lots of ugly things talked about, but it's real. Although, the guy did NOT like Eisner. The last chapter or so can be kinda bleh, and it's a bit dated, but I still enjoyed the read.