Good Walt/ wdw biography

[eliza61nyc]

So I have some kindle credits and I'm always hearing about Walt's original "intentions" for the park especially Epcot. So I figured I'd pick up a good book on the subject. Can anyone recommend a good Walt disney biography or WdW history book to read.

gotta get it on Amazon to use the credits.

TIA

 

[Magenta Panther]

So I have some kindle credits and I'm always hearing about Walt's original "intentions" for the park especially Epcot. So I figured I'd pick up a good book on the subject. Can anyone recommend a good Walt disney biography or WdW history book to read.

gotta get it on Amazon to use the credits.

TIA

The best and most accurate biography of Walt Disney, hands down, is Bob Thomas' Walt Disney: An American Original. Thomas actually met and interviewed Walt himself several times, consulted with people who knew and/or worked for him, and got full access to materials in the Disney company to do accurate research. Plus it's a great read. It is no doubt available on Amazon. Enjoy!

 

[the.dreamfinder]

The best and most accurate biography of Walt Disney, hands down, is Bob Thomas' Walt Disney: An American Original. Thomas actually met and interviewed Walt himself several times, consulted with people who knew and/or worked for him, and got full access to materials in the Disney company to do accurate research. Plus it's a great read. It is no doubt available on Amazon. Enjoy!

Seconded. Also, if you want to read a biography that just focuses on his animated films, Michael Barrier’s “Walt Disney: An Animated Man” is a great choice.

 

[danheaton]

If you're looking at Epcot and Walt's original intentions, I'd also recommend Sam Gennawey's book Walt and the Promise of Progress City. It's quite a thorough look about what may have been for EPCOT the city.

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

I've only read Neal Gabler's biography Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination but I highly enjoyed it, one of the best non-fiction books I've ever read actually. I know some have issues with it though and it has been accused of being inaccurate in places.

 

[DisneyFreak]

 

[JusticeDisney]

I've only read Neal Gabler's biography Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination but I highly enjoyed it, one of the best non-fiction books I've ever read actually. I know some have issues with it though and it has been accused of being inaccurate in places.

Just out of curiosity, do you know what specifically has been accused of being inaccurate? Thanks!

 

[RaveOnEd]

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Seconded. Read these and you will get a close to complete picture of the man himself. Thomas' one was the one I read first (a gift from my wife one Christmas!) and the Gabler one a little before the PBS documentary aired. Both are great!

 

[Janir]

Well I just saw this thread and I decided to pick up both for my Kindle. Chances are that I'll be reading them on my vacation in Aug as I have some other non-fiction work related stuff to plow through first.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Just out of curiosity, do you know what specifically has been accused of being inaccurate? Thanks!

For one thing, Diane Disney Miller, Walt's daughter, lambasted Gabler for his portrayal of her parents' relationship, which she said was highly inaccurate. Here is a link to an article regarding her anger over Gabler's book: http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Essays/Diane_On_Gabler/Diane_On_Gabler.html

 

[JusticeDisney]

For one thing, Diane Disney Miller, Walt's daughter, lambasted Gabler for his portrayal of her parents' relationship, which she said was highly inaccurate. Here is a link to an article regarding her anger over Gabler's book: http://www.michaelbarrier.com/Essays/Diane_On_Gabler/Diane_On_Gabler.html

Thank you!

 

[mharrington]

Two other books you may want to consider for WDW include "Realityland" by David Koenig, which is all about the history of WDW (with an emphasis on how Walt's proposed Community of Tomorrow became the theme park of today)...

...and, in terms of a Walt Disney biography, "The Magic Kingdom: Walt Disney and the American Way of Life" by Steven Watts:

I think that one in particular is a better book than Gabler's of the two, as it seems a little more nuanced. There are two whole subsections in this book about the Florida project, one on securing the land and the other on EPCOT in particular.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

For WDW and some Walt history Jim Korkis has his Vault of Walt series and the Secret Stories of WDW books. They are all good reads and have short sections on a variety of topics. He also came out with a making of WDW book, I have it but haven't gotten around to reading it yet.

 

[SirWillow]

Just out of curiosity, do you know what specifically has been accused of being inaccurate? Thanks!

Late to the game, sorry.

His implications that Walt was anti-Semitic are also wildly inaccurate, and have been very specifically debunked by many of those who knew and worked with Walt. Marty Sklar, for example, has been very pointed in his comments about that not being true in the least.

Honestly I was a bit disappointed in Gabler's book as much of it felt like he was trying hard to find something scandalous about Walt and was having a hard time doing it. So he got a bit creative in spots, using some "liberties" to try to create some ideas about Walt that weren't really accurate. For example at one point he tries to paint Walt as sympathetic to communism while also opposing it.

I've read several biographies of Walt, and Thomas is the best out there. Yes, it's the "official" one, but it's also a very honest book about Walt.

 

[Hitchens]

The best and most accurate biography of Walt Disney, hands down, is Bob Thomas' Walt Disney: An American Original. Thomas actually met and interviewed Walt himself several times, consulted with people who knew and/or worked for him, and got full access to materials in the Disney company to do accurate research. Plus it's a great read. It is no doubt available on Amazon. Enjoy!

I concur!