Rating: 
Summary: a plague in the global village
Review: At last, at least from a British perspective, we have a short, albeit long overdue, attempt to disabuse people of the notion that Disney's warped uber-morality provides suitable 'rules to live by' as we approach the end of the 20th century. It may seem, at times, to be a personal venting of bile against the Mouse, but the dubious rodent's antics have had a global effect, because to be simplistic, America is to a great degree a country that has evolved around an image of itself rather than a reality and Hollywood, especially in the case of Disney, has propogated this image as a social paradigm throughout the world. God knows there's nothing intrinsically wrong with that when you're sitting in a darkened Cinema, but once this same dangerously naive propaganda leaves the Cinema and begins to walk abroad (literally) then more than ever we need people like Carl Hiassen to remind us that rats transmit fatal diseases.
Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely terrible
Review: No new information presented here -- Carl's "just the facts, ma'am" approach spiked with juvenile taunts provides a hollow pamphlet of a book. I hoped to find some analysis, but like Carl's criticisms, I came up empty. Instead, read Vinyl Leaves -- at least there was some thought to this work.
Rating:
Summary: Nice work, Carl!
Review: This is a book that was begging to be written. Just because a company has a family-friendly, good citizen image, doeasn't make it so. I am highly amused by the negative reviews, especially since they so emphatically proclaim "I DON'T WORK FOR DISNEY, BUT..." But what? But it's OK to commit corporate crime? It's OK to rape the environment under the banner of a children's character? It's not OK to write about it? These Disney-drones (for who but an employee would feel the need to proclaim they didn't?)tow the company line, even against such condemning evidence.
Rating: 
Summary: Good reading
Review: Well, call me guilty of schadenfreude -- but I really enjoyed this book. The thing is, everybody loves Disney. It is like speaking heresy during the inquisition to say that Disney may not be perfect! And, assuming that the author's stories are true, it is sorta fun to see the great organization given some grief for its relentless building and "never explain, never apologize" philosophy.
The thing is, when I and my friends went to Disneyland as children, I just hated the place. And I felt so "in the closet" on the issue. I mean, no kid admits to hating Disneyland! But it seemed so crass/crowded/overblown to me. And then, when I saw the movie "The Shaggy Dog," I was just blown away by the incredible lack of ethics I saw (note the reaction of the heroine when it turns out her father is the villain). After that, I was always suspicious that Disney might not have our best interests at heart -- that, God forbid, its goal might be simply to make a profit. So, OK, that really isn't a bad goal for a corporation.... But neither does it mean that their stuff is so perfect. So, I liked the book. Perhaps Mr. Hiasen and I are the only two Americans to feel this way -- but I believe he is correct. Very amusing reading.
Rating:
Summary: See the seedy underside of these purveyors of "innocence"
Review: There's a great deal that's wrong with Disney, and Hiaasen's book is a good, quick, easily accessible introduction. From there, though, you should move on to more in-depth criticism. The most recent thing I've read that I would recommend would be Henry Giroux's The Mouse that Roared.
Rating:
Summary: Carl DOES Mickey
Review: C H is a Mickraker and unearths the good stuff.
My students have enjoyed TEAM RODENT, too.
best,
nedsparrowbooks
Rating:
Summary: Poor Carl
Review: Poor Carl Hiaasen! He has so much hostility pent up against Disney that it obviously prevented him from writing a decent book! Instead of an intelligent premise supported by substantial factual information (you know, like newspaper journalists are supposed to do) he has written a short "hate-mail" to Eisner/Disney. I wonder why he's so bitter? Maybe his parents never let him go to amusement parks! Hope he doesn't have kids!
Rating:
Summary: Disney Squirrel'd
Review: I found this book an easy read and very entertaining, although extreme collectors of Disney-ania will be thoroughly insulted as the shiny image of Disney is tarnished by the truth. Its a corporation after all, and corporations are about marketing and making money. Disney World is without a doubt the genius of marketing schemes. They get to us through our kids, through our incessant collecting of chachkees, and our desires to make our wishes come true. Its Fantasy Island Rated G. Hiassen addresses these issues and asks us to keep in mind that Disney is consuming our environment, our wallets, and our image to the rest of the world as bunch of huksters. I know many English friends who honestly based their image of Americans on Disney World. ?! No wonder the French hate us. Recently I attended a convention at Disney World hosted by Disney, and attended a seminar on How to make every moment magical for the customer and why they were so successful at it. Meanwhile, I'm charged out the yang for can of coke in the amusement park, I'm practically harassed into taking room service by an underpaid Haitain who could barely speak the words Have a Magical Day (gag!) and not one single kids camp service was available for my children nor could the Disney operator figure out which camps were on what days. Magical experience, I think not. Read this book, get enlightened.
Hiassen's a darn good writer.
Rating:
Summary: Nice work, Carl!
Review: This book is just a collection of articles clubbed together as chapters (like kick-ass) with Disney the center focus. Not as entertaining as his fiction, but for as somebody who's read all of those and who loves his writing style, this is a great crutch to get you through to his next publication date. Hiaasen's writing isn't so much an attack on Disney, as it is a satire of our own foibles. If he attacks anything in this book, it's the American "sweep it under the rug and don't talk about it" philosophy of complacency. Let's face it, Disney is a world where sex doesn't exist and appearances mean everything. Hiaasen just wants people to look under that rug and get back to reality.
Rating: 
Summary: lack of research
Review: Ten bucks is a lot to pay for what is ultimately an essay. If you want to read it, get it from the library. I found it an okay read, but felt the overall feel was a bit 'snarky'. I'd compare it to an essay from a high school nerd complaining about how bad the 'cool kids' are...when his main complaint is that they are, in fact, cool. It just felts like he dislikes them because they are successful. Hey, Disney as a corporation is neither all black nor all white. So I'd say this may be worth a read if you like to get both sides of the Disney story and want to read some negatives for awhile, but really, save yourself a few bucks and get it from the library.
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