Walt Disney

The Triumph of the American Imagination

By: Neal Gabler

Narrated by: Leonardo Leoncavallo

Seven years in the making and meticulously researched, here is the definitive portrait of one of the most important figures in American entertainment and cultural history.
From the young Walt Disney breaking free of a heartland childhood to the visionary whose desire for escape honed an innate sense of what people wanted to see on the screen, witness Disney reinvent animation, first with Mickey Mouse and then with his feature films, from a novelty based on movement to an art form that presented an illusion of life.
Gabler reveals a wounded, lonely and often disappointed man who at times retreated into pitiable seclusion in his model train workshop, yet still reshaped the entertainment industry by building a synergistic empire in a way that was unprecedented and later widely imitated.
This is a masterly biography, a revelation of both the work and the man–of both the remarkable accomplishments and the hidden life.©2006 Neal Gabler; (P)2006 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

I loved it from beginning to end.

the narrator was wonderful I really felt the emotional. at the end when Walt died, I got teary eyed as if I knew him. Thanks Mr Gables for a wonderful book and Mr Leoncavallo the narration was superb.

Very good

Really interesting. Well written. Well read. Disney lead an inspiring life, and this book gives a good sense of him as a person. Recommended.

Fascinating

Most readers grew up watching Disney on Sunday nights or many younger readers are surprised that Disneyland and Disneyworld were later accomplishments of this man's fascinating life. This is solid storytelling by Gabler.

Highly recommended

Very interesting and thorough. Great insight on an American genius. Clarified some misrepresentations of the man.

How Disney became an Icon

This is a very thorough and interesting story starting from Walt's youngest days. It describes in detail exactly how Walt created and built a brand that became the gold standard in family entertainment for generations of Americans.

I only wish the books scope had extended beyond Walt's life to chronicle the ups and downs of the company in the years since his death.