Quotable Walt Disney

Rating:
Summary: Is this really a book?
Review: In all fairness, this book is exactly what it purports to be: 260+ pages of quotes from the man himself, Walt Disney. Today the name "Disney" evokes a huge multi-million dollar corporation. I think people forget that Walt Disney was in fact a remarkable human being with some very revolutionary ideas about entertainment. He constantly pushed the envelope and never rested on his laurels. (Don't associate the name Disney with pushing the envelope? Consider this: Disney repeatedly risked bankrupting himself to push his studio and the industry forward... going from black and white to color cartoons, going from shorts to full-length feature cartoons, from cartoons to live-action films, and from films to theme parks. If you've never read a biography of Walt, this isn't a bad resource to get started and find out what the man was made of. But honestly this should have been a day calender, not a book. It just isn't suited to reading as a book.

Rating:
Summary: Read it and you'll find gems
Review: Kids growing up these days lose sight of the fact that Walt Disney was, above all, a man and not just a brand name. He followed his dreams, even though many tried to discourage him, told him his ideas would never work and he stuck with his dreams... even resolutely going through a bankruptcy. The Quotable Walt Disney is just that: quotes. But if you're interested in what made the man who founded an empire (with a little help from a mouse he saw one day) tick...then you need to buy, read and even underline this book. True, these ARE quotes. And, true, as a former journalist (who is now a ventriloquist) I recognize a lot of "statements" in there -- pro forma quotes given to journalists, self-serving statements, etc. But there are also tons of gems. There are inspring quotes you can go back to and read again and again. I'm going to read it again and mark the ones I want to go back to, and paperclip them. Some entail the importance of determination; others such qualities as open-mindedness, the importance of surrounding yourself with capable colleagues, the wonder of finding inspiration for creativity in the least likely places. Yes, this IS a book of quotes. A small book. But it'll save you LOTS of time if you "listen" to Walt in this compact book, rather than having to read the many (and sometimes bad) biographies about him. And amid the formal statements given in countless interviews you'll find true gems. Like any gem, you can look a jewel of quote in wonder again and again. If you apply these gems in your life, it will be worth far more than the price of this quote-filled book.

Rating:
Summary: Nice Gift Book That Lets Walt's Words Speak For Themselves
Review: Never before has such an exhaustive compilation of Walt Disney quotes been gathered together, all into one neat little package. This officially sanctioned gift book, researched by the founder of the Disney Archives, David R. Smith, is a well organized look inside the mind of one of America's foremost creative geniuses. Some of the most memorable quotes are surprisingly direct, and it don't take much effort to understand. Walt Disney always seemed to be quite sure of himself, his audience (which became the world), and his product. Perhaps that's why Disney's creations are just as embraced and appreciated as they were generations ago when they first appeared. He created the first true "theme" park, Disneyland, which inspired the number one tourist attraction in the world, Walt Disney World. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" remains one of the most highly successful films of all time, and was honored by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 greatest films of all time.

This insightful little book makes a nice gift for any Disney fan and is a wonderful reminder of the the main behind the name "Disney".

Rating:
Summary: Nice Gift Book That Lets Walt's Words Speak For Themselves
Review: Never before has such an exhaustive compilation of Walt Disney quotes been gathered together, all into one neat little package. This officially sanctioned gift book, researched by the founder of the Disney Archives, David R. Smith, is a well organized look inside the mind of one of America's foremost creative geniuses. Some of the most memorable quotes are surprisingly direct, and it don't take much effort to understand. Walt Disney always seemed to be quite sure of himself, his audience (which became the world), and his product. Perhaps that's why Disney's creations are just as embraced and appreciated as they were generations ago when they first appeared. He created the first true "theme" park, Disneyland, which inspired the number one tourist attraction in the world, Walt Disney World. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" remains one of the most highly successful films of all time, and was honored by the American Film Institute as one of the 100 greatest films of all time.

This insightful little book makes a nice gift for any Disney fan and is a wonderful reminder of the the main behind the name "Disney".

Rating:
Summary: For Disneyphiles Only
Review: The book is exactly what is claims to be: a collection of quotes attributed to Walt Disney. It is divided into sections according to theme, rather than chronologically, including materials on films and animation, Mickey Mouse, the theme parks, children, family, education, television, art and music, success and failure (there are 16 in all). Some of the quotes are familiar, others less so. Sometimes quotes are repeated in sections.

One of the book's major flaws is lack of context. Quotes are dropped in without explanation. This is quite common for the genre, but it means that the quotes are not useful for anything other than pithy statement unless the reader is already familiar with the context. The quotes do act as quick sound-bites for those interested in a positive look at Walt Disney's rhetoric. I appreciated the correct version of "I make the pictures for entertainment, and then the professors tell me what they mean" (197). Too often the statement gets changed to the plural we, which reconstructs Walt's statements and contributes to the "Cult of Walt Disney." As this example demonstrates, it should be remembered that, despite his claims to teamwork, Walt was interested in representing his vision on screen and elsewhere.

For that very reason, what isn't so useful to this book is its editing of comments and its omissions, both of which ultimately help construct the Cult of Walt Disney. Ellided are the comments about EPCOT (as the community of tomorrow) that state Walt's intention was not to let retirees live in EPCOT, or Walt's belief that EPCOT's residents should not own the land. Of course, these statements were said in a context that talked about urban planning, individuals' committment to community, and the need for control. Still, by editing the comments out, the book presents an overly simplistic picture of a complex man. Also missing are quotes that are critical, like some of Walt's statements during the animator's strike.

It's as if the Quotable Walt Disney simply wants to celebrate the legend and not reveal the man. To be fair, that's what most of these types of books do. But in continuing to reinforce the Cult of Walt Disney, the book avoids presenting Walt Disney as a human being full of incongruities and inconsistencies...it oversimplifies his reactions, influences, and intentions. And by keeping Walt a mythic figure, the Quotable Walt Disney provides a one-sided picture of the man. All on purpose, to be sure, but disappointing nonetheless.

Again, this unbalaced presentation is to be expected from a quote book meant to celebrate Walt Disney, inspire its readers, and reaffirm the ideas that the converted already hold about Walt. But it would have been nice to see more man and less myth in the picture.

For those interested in learning about Walt Disney, I would not recommend this book. It doesn't provide enough information for the basis of the quotes. Instead, read a biography--whether an "official" one like Thomas or 100 Years or the far more satisfying and complex one by Watts. If you're a Disneyphile or looking for a stocking stuffer gift for your favorite fan, sure, pick this up. Just remember that it is exactly what it claims to be: a book of quotations, meant to reinforce the "genius" and legend of Walt Disney and not to suggest the significance and implications of what Walt said.

Rating:
Summary: Just the quotes, man....
Review: Well, as far as quote books go, this is nice to have around the house. Interesting? Yes. Mind shattering or Amazing??? No. At around 10 bucks it's definitely worth the look-through and a cute & fun gift-y thing for your Disneyphile. =) We got this book one weekend and had fun looking through it while waiting in the ride queues. It's also an easy read for the car. You might actually pick up something new.. but not too much you haven't heard before, (assuming YOU are the Disenyphile).

Rating:
Summary: Just the quotes, man....
Review: Well, as far as quote books go, this is nice to have around the house. Interesting? Yes. Mind shattering or Amazing??? No. At around 10 bucks it's definitely worth the look-through and a cute & fun gift-y thing for your Disneyphile. =) We got this book one weekend and had fun looking through it while waiting in the ride queues. It's also an easy read for the car. You might actually pick up something new.. but not too much you haven't heard before, (assuming YOU are the Disenyphile).

Rating:
Summary: Boring and Irritating
Review: Why It's Boring

The quotes are rarely profound, unique, or written well enough to be truly "quotable." For example, "I like symphonic music. A good concert if you're kind of relaxed, it can do something to you. It's sort of an emotional break you get by listening to the music" (p. 98). If you believe that this sentiment is worthy of being presented in gift book form, gussied up with big font and given it's own half page, then order the book now!

Why It's Irritating

In the words of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, "Let me count the ways." Hmm...see how I realize that that expression didn't originate in my own mind? The book did contain some quotes that would be somewhat meaningful, were they not cheap, poorly written imitations of another's work. For example, "I think of a newborn baby's mind as a blank book" (p. 130). This concept was even better when first said by John Locke in the late 1600's. And of course, great thinkers often reprise earlier theories but they don't claim them as their own and dress them up in a gift book.

Perhaps as a society we should stop looking to celebrity-types as "great thinkers" (unless they actually are) and appreciate them for their true contributions and talents. Walt Disney is not to blame though for this embarrassment of a book. It's the fault of the editor who compiled the quotes and the greed of the Disney empire trying to make money from another publication with a limited sense of integrity.