I come from a family of Disney fanatics.
Even with a few dozen grandchildren, my grandparents have had a tradition of taking each grandchild to Disneyland at the age of seven — and I’ve visited the park countless times.
Walt Disney is the man behind the mouse.
My fascination with Disney began with the movies, characters, and park, but as I became older, I became familiar with the man behind the mouse and magic — Walt Disney.
A leader, somewhat a shut-in genius, I remember a story I was told of Walt Disney at an early age, searing into my mind as an example of how to be. Reportedly, he was often seen by employees picking up trash himself inside his park when meandering the paved streets of Disneyland.
Whether mythos or fact, from that time on, Walt Disney, to me, became the man to be — hardworking, honest, and full of dreams.
Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination
Compiled by biographer Neal Gabler, Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination takes you on a journey through the mind of Walt — a real peek behind the curtain.
A long read, turning the pages, you quickly come to find the reservoir from where Walt Disney pulled his now-famous imagery from, all with an ever-present goal. Plagued by difficulties in childhood, Walt Disney forever sought to balance the equation and perfect the utopia that should have been — using his art as a vessel to give children and families what he didn’t have. Stability, love, and redemption — all themes forever central to the Disney-zeitgeist.
In this Walt Disney biography, you’ll also see a significant insight into minutiae and details related to Disney business dealings apart from Walt’s personal life.
The road to success isn’t always easy.
From studying Walt Disney’s life, we learn a major lesson: the road to success isn’t always easy. On the outside, we may see the polished stone that is the Disney brand, while on the inside, there were years of struggle, roadblocks, and naysayers seeking to derail Walt Disney’s visions.
Life is real, life is complicated, and not always Disney-esque, but the intent of Walt Disney’s concept is forever imprinted on the minds of fans everywhere — a dream is a wish your heart makes, and if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true.
Walt Disney gave us all the worlds we dreamed up, and for that, we will be forever grateful.
