I really enjoy reading. If you were to see either of my offices you would see that there are books crammed on shelves everywhere! There are quite a few different types of books to be found that range from history, leadership, fiction, food, and of course Disney as well! For this week’s Favorite Five I thought I would share five of my favorite Disney books that I can see from my desk on my shelves. These are shared in no particular order but are just books I can see that I really like. So let’s get to it, shall we?
The Ride of a Lifetime
Written by Disney CEO Bob Iger, this is a book that came out earlier that is not only his memoirs but also full of leadership tidbits from his career. The book is a fun read and details Iger’s entire career with from his humble beginnings to eventually being the CEO and Chairman of the Board for The Walt Disney Company. This is a great book for any Disney fan or anyone who is also interested in leadership. The Ride of a Lifetime is an enjoyable read with a very real look at Bob Iger’s professional career.
Walt Disney’s Epcot Center
Written before Epcot was open, Epcot Center is a look at what Disney thought Epcot would be like. There are a lot of things that ended up ending up in this park, and some things that didn’t. It’s clearly a book that was meant to raise exciting for the upcoming park and was written before it opened. Now reading it decades later, it still gets me excited about my return to this park. It is full of idealism and dreams for what Epcot could and would become. It has a lot of photos included that are very enjoyable. It also has some fun explanations for what was going to be arriving when the park opened. It doesn’t have a ton of depth but it is definitely an enjoyable look into what was hoped for ahead of Epcot’s opening in 1982.
Walt Disney
Written by Bob Thomas, this is a look at the life of the man who started it all. This is written in a way that is easy to digest. The book draws the reader in as the story of Walt Disney is shared. This book doesn’t dig too deep into facts and get too academic. Instead, it is the story of the ultimate storyteller. This is a great starting book for any aspiring amateur Disney historian who wants to learn more about Walt Disney. I have enjoyed reading it several times.
Magic Journey
Magic Journey – My Fantastical Walt Disney Imagineering Career is the life and story of Disney Imagineer Kevin Rafferty. This book spans the career of Rafferty from his humble beginnings to now helping create some of the great Disney attractions that are known and beloved by millions of Disney fans around the globe. Along the way, Rafferty takes a look at the highs and lows in his life that helped determine the course of his life and career. Rafferty is a fantastic storyteller and that skill is showcased on the pages of this book. It is incredibly enjoyable and also gives insight into the world of Walt Disney Imagineering as seen through the eyes of Kevin Rafferty.
In Service to the Mouse
Jack Lindquist began his career at The Walt Disney Company working as Disneyland’s first advertising manager. He went on to become Disneyland’s first president during a career that spanned 38 years of Disney. This is the story of Lindquist’s career with Disney. It is full of fun stories and very much reminds me of sitting around the dinner table listening to my grandpa sharing stories of his life and career. Jack Lindquist does the same as he shares different stories that defined his career. This is an enjoyable book that gives another glimpse at a man who was very much a part of the history of the development of Disneyland and so much more.
There are so many other books that I could include in this list but seeing as this is for my Favorite Five, I’m going to keep to just five. As I look around the room I see books about Disney history, Disney animation, biographies, autobiographies, Disney movies, and then some that go into properties that are now owned by The Walt Disney Company. There are so many good books to check out and enjoy that are focused on Disney. These are just five of my favorites (and yes, I had to cut some other favorites).
What are some of your favorite Disney books? Share in the comments below along with why you like them!
Leave a Reply