Here is one book I am eagerly awaiting. According to the site of ANAFI (and Google Translate):

[The first tribute volume for Anafi 2021 members will be Mickey Mouse Weekly - The art of Harold Whitaker: 1950-1953, edited by Alberto Becattini, a real gem that will surely meet the favor of the members. Between 1950 and 1953, the animator Harold Whitaker created for the British Disney weekly Mickey Mouse Weekly a series of splendid stories continued with mixed media: pencils and inks for the characters and color paints for the backgrounds. The volume presents, for the first time in Italy in their full version, three adventures (The Reluctant Pirate, The House of Magic and The Hungry Ghost Mystery) with the duo Mickey Mouse-Eega Beeva, plus the comic adaptation of The Magnificent and Fabulous Mr. Toad. All accompanied by an extensive historical philological introduction and by the cards of the authors (Ronald Nielsen, in addition to Whitaker). A volume of 128 pages in color, unique and unmissable, that enthusiasts and collectors have been waiting for for some time. Original cover by Casty.]

 

Do not miss today:

- How Tyrus Wong’s Christmas Cards Captivated the American Public

 

There is one movie this year I would really have liked to see in a cinema (although not under the current circumstances): Pixar's Soul directed by my favorite director, Pete Docter.

A Pixar movie, directed by Pete Docter, about a jazz musician!? There simply could not be a better combination in my mind.

If the art book is any indication, the movie will be as good as I expect it to be. The Art of Soul itself is an absolute delight: it is full of concept art from cover to cover, all of it original and beautiful... Were some of those pieces of artwork inspired by Walt Peregoy's work on One Hundred and One Dalmatians? I would not be surprised if that were the case.

The bottom line is that this book is one of the very best "Art of" books from Chronicle Books to date and that I simply can't wait for the movie to release on December 25 on Disney+

Not to be missed:

Virtual Talk | Imagining the Impossible: The History of Herb Ryman with Former Imagineer Eddie Sotto

The Baum Bugle, the research journal of the International Wizard of Oz Club has just released a heavily-illustrated special issue celebrating 35 years of Disney's Return to Oz. One of the great articles this issue contains (among many others) is an interview with Production Designer Harley Jessup by Disney Archivist Kevin Kern. 

The Baum Bugle is normally only available to members of the International Wizard of Oz Club (to find out more, follow this link).

Fortunately, the International Wizard of Oz Club has a very, very limited number of copies (no more than 25 I believe) that they have agreed to sell to readers of the Disney History blog and to members of the Disney History Institute Facebook page.

The cost is $15 apiece, including postage to US addresses, and interested buyers need to make a PayPal transfer directly to admin@ozclub.org.

With the holidays, right around the corner, quick reminder about these great Disney-history-related books and magazines that have been released in the last 18 months and are worth picking up.

Full disclosure: I contributed in one way or another to all of them.

 

Coming up via Van Eaton Galleries...

 Can't wait!