REVIEW: DisneyWar by James B. Stewart
The dramatic inside story of the downfall of Michael Eisner—Disney Chairman and CEO—and the scandals that drove America’s best-known entertainment company to civil war. DisneyWar is an enthralling tale of one of America’s most powerful media and entertainment companies, the people who control it, and those trying to overthrow them. It tells a story that—in its sudden twists, vivid, larger-than-life characters, and thrilling climax—might itself have been the subject of a Disney classic—except that it’s all true.
Drawing on unprecedented access to both Eisner and Roy Disney, current and former Disney executives and board members, as well as thousands of pages of never-before-seen letters, memos, transcripts, and other documents, James B. Stewart gets to the bottom of mysteries that have enveloped Disney for years: How did Eisner control the Disney board for so long, and what really happened in the fateful board meeting in September 2004, when Eisner played his last cards? (Via Amazon)
Review
Although this book is not free of issue, namely the lack of direct sourcing for a good bit of the information, it is the best non-fiction historical account book I have ever read. DisneyWar is nearly unique in that it chronicles the events of Michael Eisner's tenure as CEO not only in astonishing detail but in an engaging and entertaining voice. Even though it is a veritable encyclopedia this time in Disney history it reads and engages like a fiction novel.
Stewart speaks to his readers as if he were telling a story to a friend, a quality in the writing that translates excellently in to audiobook forum. The immediacy felt in the writing is no doubt due to the intimate and immediate access Stewart had to the company and to Eisner while researching this book. The freeness with which Eisner seemed to speak to writers in the position Stewart was in allows DisneyWar to have an exact an impression of Eisner's mind and feelings as possible.
I first read this book as research for my senior thesis on Disney's 'Renaissance' period of animation. Eisner's arrival at the company being a direct trigger in the series of events that led to this period the book served as a very useful tool for the corporate side of events. If you have an interest in the Disney Renaissance or the Disney Company at large you will certainly find much to appreciate and enjoy within DisneyWar. There is also much to learn and appreciate if your interests lie more firmly in the worlds of business and corporate intrigue. Overall this is a fascinating and illuminating read that only gets more enthralling on repeat listens.
Comments
Post a Comment