Quotable Walt Disney

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.

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".

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.