Walt Disney: The Biography

Several biographies of Walt Disney exist, so you may be forgiven for feeling a little overwhelmed by the choice. Whilst I don't claim to have read them all, I can say without doubt that this - Neal Gabler's - work is the best that I've laid hands on. Don't be put off by the size as I almost was (700+ pages of tiny text) - eventually you won't want to put it down. Gabler should be commended for the sheer breadth of information researched, written in such a way that it almost never becomes boring or irrelevant. At times, you can almost place yourself in the particular events and feel yourself as a fly on the wall, witnessing the various time periods. The book unreservedly takes a very objective and neutral stance towards Disney as an individual, avoiding the trap of shock value (as other critics have imposed) or dwelling in any mismatch of perception that went against his 'uncle' image. Gabler simply tells it as it was, through multiple works, sources and the comments of those around Disney - and then lets the reader make their own judgement. The quality of the research is so thorough that, throughout much of the book, the events which take place are described in diary-like fashion, even going down to the hour in some cases. In many chapters, the tension becomes riveting and you can't help but want to know more. Ultimately, you will gain a greater appreciation for not just the hardships of people during the turn of the century, but the sacrifices that Disney himself made in his pursuit for success. Gabler makes a lot of effort to build a picture of Walt through the very time periods and products that he invested in, the book is as much a treat for general 'Disney' fans as it is for those interested in the man behind it all. I own countless books on animation and the Disney parks, yet there were still a lot of information present that I didn't know - and it's absolutely fascinating; though admittedly, I believe some of this will be best appreciated by enthusiasts. Surprises? I would like to say that the meddling and shenanigans of film studios throughout the Twenties and Thirties was a shock, but then I realised we probably haven't moved on that much... By the end, a number of repeated themes seem to round-off this complex character. Disney craved social company, attention, joy and perfection in his work. His tough upbringing and youth had a direct influence on his work ethics, and his wanting to create circles of smaller families, relationships, was largely affected by the infinitely more positive relationships he held with women when he was young. His naivety and 'simple' view of some aspects of life also cost him many, many times in the business world. To sum up, this is must-read for any Walt Disney enthusiast.

Having read a few books about the life of Walt Disney,I can say that Walt Disney:The Biography by Neal Gabler is the most detailed and thorough study of the great man I have read. It isn't a book that can be read quickly as it is well over 600 pages but it is always interesting and extremely well researched. As you would expect,all aspects of Disney's extraordinary life are covered from his very humble beginnings to him becoming possibly the most famous person on earth. We discover how his father was very strict and this is perhaps why Disney was a loner despite being married for over 40 years and having two daughters,one of them adopted. This book describes in vivid detail the constant struggles that he had trying to get money to finance his projects and it should be mentioned just how important his brother Roy was as he worked incredibly hard behind the scenes. Even at the height of Disney's fame he still wanted more money,not for himself but purely to follow his ambitions and dreams. The darker side of the man is covered. He could be a tryrant,a bully and cruel to his staff. He would fire someone only to re-instate them a couple of weeks later. He did this to "keep them on their toes" and he was also a control freak and a man that had to have the final word even if he was wrong. But it must never be forgotten that he was also a genius with an incredible sense of what the public wanted and his drive and vision were astonishing. He was accused of being a Communist hater which he certainly was and also being anti-Semitic which he definitely wasn't. It was his sheer determination to achieve perfection that kept him at the studio more than at his home. Hobbies came and went and it was obvious that he would never be able to switch off from the world he had created. It came as no surprise that he lived a relatively short life. He was a chain smoker, a born worrier and quite simply a man that could never really relax. For all of his faults though he could be very kind and demanded that his workers were paid bonuses even though his company were in financial dire straits. After the strike at the Disney studios in the 1940s he felt betrayed and lost interest in animation but gathered himself to make his company even stronger. This excellent biography showcases just what a true icon Walt Disney was. He produced the first cartoon with sound,the first cartoon in colour and the first feature length animated movie with 'Snow White'. He had the vision to create Disneyland and who knows what else he would have achieved if he had lived longer. Imagine a world without the input he had on popular culture. It is hard to believe that any one man could have given so much pleasure to so many millions of people. For me the true strength of this book is the way it shows that all he ever wanted was to please the public and he demanded the very best from his staff. This is a recommended biography and a truly superb job has been done by Neal Gabler. All that is left to say is thank you Walt Disney,thank you genius.

I was expecting to be bombarded with lots of information, which this biography certainly does, however the book is very readable and does great justice to the personality of Walt Disney and those around him who helped form this man. The book is very enjoyable as well as being full of interesting facts and information. A great read and a credit to the author.

Walt Disney is one of those figures that everyone knows without really knowing at all, and one of the things I learned from this biography is that even the people in his life who had daily contact with him, who lived with him, worked with him, even grew up with him, would have said the same thing. He was an intensely private person, and one wonders how much of the carefully cultivated image of himself that was created and wrapped up with his films was a deliberate attempt to hide that private self. Disney has had a lot of criticism over the years, but for better or worse you cannot deny that there are few people who have had the same level of influence on popular culture as Walt Disney. And I for one like that influence. This is an exceptionally well-written book, lively and engaging, fair and balanced, and very readable. The descriptions of the creation of some of the films, most particularly 'Snow White', are incredibly detailed, and it's made me want to go back and revisit some of those films. And go to Disneyland!

I bought this as a Christmas present for my sister. We are both huge Disney fans so I knew she would enjoy it. Obviously as this was a gift I haven't read it myself so cannot comment on the contents (hence why only 4 stars) but I was happy with it once it arrived. The book is huge with lots of pages so I can imagine it will take her awhile to read!

Great book about Walt Disney ,if you’re a Disney fan this book is for you .

This is the definitive biography of Walt Disney. Gabler has researched his subject in so much detail it is hard not to be impressed. Disney's life is charted thoroughly through the ages from his life before fame and fortune to the legacy he has left. Realising the impact that one man can have things we now take for granted (the basic format of many films, painting a picture of an idealistic life) is eye opening as is the way in which the world changed during Disneys lifespan. I was pleased to see that Gabler did not omit Disney's personal demons or negative associations as can happen in many biographies. We see he is a far from perfect man and the book does not shy away from this. Since the Disney estate gave Gabler access to their archives I feared they may have requested such this to be overlooked in return but happily this is not the case. I would urge anyone with an interest in this subject to make this the first book they read on it but note it's a long book because it contains so much detail and research. Read it and enjoy it, I did!

Really liked this very thorough and in depth biography of the man himself Walt Disney, from his childhood, to doing his first animated shorts, and Steamboat Willie, to Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, to his later work in live action films such as 20,000 leagues under the sea and ultimately Disney Land that became his greatest legacy. This is all covered in an easy to understand format, and at over 600 pages, Walt Disney could not have had a better biographer. Overall 10 out of 10. A triumph.