I had the pleasure of receiving last week my copy of Nancy Beiman's upcoming book, Animated Performance. I had seen the galleys a few months ago, so I knew I would enjoy the content, but the physical product itself is a success, as was Nancy's previous book, Prepare to Board!.

While this book contains interviews with Art Babbitt, Woolie Reitherman and a short one with Ward Kimball, it is a beautifully illustrated "text book" first and foremost, aimed at students of animation, not in any way at Disney historians.

Keeping this in mind, one can appreciate the tremendous quality of what Nancy achieved in this volume: using sources that range from the golden age of animation to today's new animated classics she covers more than 20 different subjects related to bringing characters to life, with extreme clarity and focus. I have the feeling that if I had any artistic talent this book would become my bible.

Since I am no artist, though, I will enjoy interviews and the illustrations and hope that many talented artists will pick up this volume in the next few weeks and take advantage of its teachings to bring about a third golden age of traditional animation.