This is only peripherally related to Disney but I felt I needed to mention here this new version of Kay Nielsen's East of the Sun and West of the Moon, which has just been released by publisher Taschen and which made my day when I received it last week. Not Disney, but a "must-have" for Nielsen enthusiasts.

Of course, Nielsen will also be feature in They Drew As They Pleased - The Hidden Art of Disney's Musical Years which will be released in September 2016.

As a Xmas gift, Göran Broling sent me a scan of this wonderful caricature of Bill Tytla. Is there a better way to start your day?

Walt's People - Volume 17 was released earlier today. Happy Holidays!

Here is the table of contents:

Foreword: Jake Friedman
Dave Smith: Lorina Butler
Vernon Steele: Leigh Harline
John Culhane: Jim Macdonald
Woolie Reitherman
John Culhane: T. Hee
My Job At Walt Disney’s by Mary Lou Whitman
Jack Hannah
Michael Barrier: Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston
John Culhane: Ken Anderson
Bill Spicer and Vince Davis: Dan Noonan
The Autobiography of Bill Wight
Dave Smith: Jack Bruner
Art Stevens at CalArts
Bob Thomas: Bill Anderson
Michael Broggie: Bill Anderson
Dave Smith: Bob McCrea
Bob Thomas: Bob McCrea
The “Lost” Joe Potter Interview by Jim Korkis
Jay Horan: Harper Goff
Didier Ghez: Phil Mendez

Three never-seen-before wonderful photos of Walt and Lillian coming back from Europe on the S.S. Rex in 1935 are currently being sold for a small fortune by Read 'Em Again Books. I loved to see them. (Thanks to Greg Heberlein and David Lesjak for the heads up).

I just noticed (very late, I know) a great series of articles on CartoonResearch titled Baxter's Breakdowns which are well worth checking out.

This just in from Are Myklebust:

[On page 42 in John Grant’s book “Encyclopedia of Walt Disney’s Animated Characters” there is a still from the film “Mickey’s Delayed Date” (1947), where the author asks; “Can you decode the posters  behind?”

The pencil drawing for the same background, which can be found at the “Cowan Collection”:

http://cowancollectionanimation.blogspot.com/2008/11/mickeys-delayed-date-1947-pencil.html

gives some answers, since most words here are spelled backward, but not everything is explained in the blog posting.

After studying the pencil drawing, I “cracked” it.

The “decoded” text on the middle poster is:

TUES NITE (= Tuesday night)

PRIZES

FUN

GIANT

JITTER BUG  (= Jitterbug, the swing dance)

CONTEST!

«Orsayday and his Orchestra», on the poster far right, is a spoof of “Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra”, a popular big band in America at that time.

“Orsayday” is «Dorsay» («Dorsey») in pig latin.]

I have not yet watched The Good Dinosaur. Unfortunately The Art of The Good Dinosaur did not inspire me to rush to the theater, even though I heard that the latest Pixar is quite a good movie.

The Art of The Good Dinosaur is a beautifully produced book, as is always the case with Chronicle Books, but I can't manage to find the artwork interesting. To be totally honest, though, dinosaurs do not excite me much as potential animated characters and this book did nothing to change my mind.

Of course, I have all of Chronicle "art of" books, so I was really glad to add this one to my bookshelves.

LOOKING FOR DISNEY CONCEPT ART

Do any of you own any piece of Disney concept art from the 1930s to the 1950s? If so, could you please email me ASAP? I have started working on They Drew As They Pleased - Volumes 3 and 4 and am trying to locate as much artwork as possible from James Bodrero, Martin Provensen, Jack Miller, Campbell Grant, Johnny Walbridge, Joe Grant, Mary Blair, etc...

You can email me at didier.ghez@gmail.com

The Art of Sanjay's Super Team is the other one of the three Chronicle Books volumes that I received this week and that I thoroughly enjoyed. The sheer idea of producing a whole art-book about the making of a short is intriguing in itself. When one sees Sanjay Patel's artwork, though, one understands why the publisher could not help but embrace that odd idea.

This book really put a big smile on my face, as did the one of Pixar's gag drawings which I mentioned yesterday.

I have just received review copies of three new books from Chronicle Books. One of the two that I really love is Funny!: Twenty-Five Years in the Pixar Story Room. It is an unpretentious little book which collects some gag drawings and storyboard drawings created by the Pixar story team. It is enjoyable from start to finish and is definitely a great gift for this Holiday Season.

This just in from Heritage Auctions:

[Classic ‘Lady and the Tramp’ animation cel paces Animation Art Auction in Dallas

At Heritage Auctions, Dec. 13-14, 2015; featuring rare and iconic Disney animation, “Simpsons” couch gags cels, Superfriends, Bugs Bunny and more

DALLAS – An outstanding hand-inked, hand-painted Lady and the Tramp Production Cel with Master Pan Background Setup (Walt Disney, 1955) is expected to prove why vintage Disney is still king when it comes to original animation art and possibly bring $35,000+ as the centerpiece of Heritage Auctions’ Dec. 13-14. 2015 Animation Art Signature® Auction.

“It's simply the most iconic image from the entire movie and one of the most beloved of all Disney images,” said Jim Lentz, Director of Animation Art at Heritage Auctions, “in the scene where Tramp takes Lady on a romantic date in the alley behind Tony's Ristorante for dinner. The spaghetti kiss is one of the sweetest scenes ever filmed in a cartoon.”

Another early Disney lot will inspire equal passion in the hearts of collectors as an extremely rare hand-inked, hand-painted black and white Mickey Mouse “Mickey's Man Friday/Monkey Melodies” Production Cel and Production Background Setup (Walt Disney, 1935/1930), a throwback to the earliest days of the Disney empire, is expected to bring $35,000+. As well.

One of the finest black and white Mickey setups to show up at auction in recent memory, the (extremely rare) 12 field nitrate hand-inked, hand-painted black and white cel features a fantastic action shot of a full body Mickey from the Dave Hand directed theatrical short released on Jan. 5, 1935, one of Mickey's last B&W theatrical shorts. The background is from the 1930 black and white Silly Symphony short “Monkey Melodies,” released on Sept. 26, 1930.

A modern classic offers a worthy rivalry to the Disney ascendency at the top of the auction as a Production Cel Setup from one of the most notable Simpsons Couch Gags (Fox, 1993), a hand-painted cel of the entire Simpson family from the “Rosebud” episode, the "Citizen Kane" parody that guest-starred The Ramones, is estimated at $25,000+. The opening credits to every episode of The Simpsons ends with a unique "Couch Gag" showing the family rushing to find their seats in front of the TV. This time, another "Simpsons" family has beaten them to it. The gag has since been used for syndicated reruns of the first five seasons.

Collectors and animation fans going deeper into the auction will delight to find treasures from across all eras of animation available, including an extraordinary 1941 “Superman – Mad Scientist” original hand-painted production cel of the mad scientist’s buzzard assistant on a Key Master hand-painted production background of the lab – a cel from the very first Max Fleischer Superman cartoon (estimate $10,000+) along with a superb and rare Popeye and Wimpy Production Cel with Production Background (Max Fleischer, 1937) from the cartoon “Organ Grinders Swing” (estimate: $5,000+), an Alex Toth Challenge of the Super Friends Bumper Card Original Art and Episode Title Card Production Cel Group of 2 (Hanna-Barbera, 1978), sure to appeal to Gen-X collectors (estimate: $5,000+) and two superlative cels from Warner Brother’s 1957 classic “What’s Opera Doc,” one with Bugs Bunny as the comely Brünnhilde and the other with Elmer Fudd as Siegfried (estimate: $5,000+).

Further Disney highlights include, but are not limited to:

Mickey Mouse Fantasia "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" Production Cel Courvoisier Setup and Framed Award Letter Group of 2 (Walt Disney, 1940): Mickey Mouse cels as the Sorcerer's Apprentice (his most famous role) are highly sought by collectors. Best of all, this cel features an authentic Walt Disney signature – very hard to obtain! Estimate: $25,000+.

Mary Blair Peter Pan Peter Pan and Tinker Bell Concept Art (Walt Disney, 1953): A masterpiece from one of Disney’s greatest conceptual artists. Estimate: $15,000+.

Eyvind Earle Sleeping Beauty Dragon Concept Painting (Walt Disney, 1959): Fantastic original concept/color key painting of Maleficent as a dragon from the dramatic finale of the film, painted by one of the greatest Disney artists of them all. Estimate: $11,000+.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Publicity Drawing by Fred Moore (Walt Disney, 1937): An original one-of-a-kind oversized publicity drawing of Snow White and all seven Dwarfs from the hand of Fred Moore, one of Disney’s original “Seven Old Men.” Estimate: $10,000+.

Pinocchio at Disneyland Pinocchio, Gepetto, and Figaro Animatronic Figures (Walt Disney, 1960s): A very rare chance to actually own a part of Disneyland, an original Pinocchio-themed animatronics display of Geppetto, Pinocchio, and Figaro the cat celebrating Pinocchio becoming a real boy! This was originally on display in a window on Main Street, in Disneyland. Estimate: $5,000+.

Steamboat Willie Mickey Mouse Animation Drawing (Walt Disney, 1928): A pair of 12 field 2-peghole animation drawings by Ub Iwerks of a “Full Figure” Mickey Mouse and Pete from this historic piece of cartoon history – Mickey’s very first sound-synced cartoon. A true piece of animation history. Estimate: $5,000+.

Heritage Auctions is the largest auction house founded in the United States and the world’s third largest, with annual sales of approximately $900 million, and 950,000+ online bidder members. For more information about Heritage Auctions, and to join and receive access to a complete record of prices realized, with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit HA.com.]

Do not miss today:

SALVADOR DALI’S DESTINO: Lost, Found and RESTORED to Dali’s original intent by RON BARBAGALLO

Two projects that I will try to study in more details in years to come are the two abandoned Mickey projects from the early 1940s: The planned color remake of Mickey's Man Friday and the Mickey feature: Happy Valley / Mickey and the Beanstalk. I found online recently those two model sheets from the first of these two projects and thought that you might enjoy them.

To say that this year has been oustanding when it comes to Disney history books would the understatement of the century. Considering the volume and the quality of the output, there is no way to create my usual top-5 list, so I will simply list here all the books released in 2015 which I consider as "must haves", in no particular order.

J.B. Kaufman: Pinocchio: The Disney Epic published by Walt Disney Family Foundation Press; 2015.

Didier Ghez: They Drew As They Pleased - The Hidden Art of Disney's Golden Age published by Chronicle Books; 2015. 

Don Hahn and Tracey Miller-Zarneke: Before Ever After: The Lost Lectures of Walt Disney's Animation Studio published by Disney Editions; 2015.

Andreas Deja: The Nine Old Men: Lessons, Techniques, and Inspiration from Disney's Great Animators published by Focal Press; 2015.

Dave Bossert: Dali & Disney: Destino: The Story, Artwork, and Friendship Behind the Legendary Film published by Disney Editions; 2015.

Garry Apgar: Mickey Mouse: Emblem of the American Spirit published by Walt Disney Family Foundation Press; 2015.

Eric Larson: 50 Years in the Mouse House published by Theme Park Press; 2015.

Pinto Colvig: It's a Crazy Business published by Theme Park Press; 2015.

David Lesjak: In the Service of the Red Cross - Walt Disney's Early Adventures published by Theme Park Press; 2015.

Didier Ghez: Walt's People - Volume 16 published by Theme Park Press; 2015.

Jim Korkis: The Vault of Walt: Volume 4: Still More Unofficial Disney Stories Never Told published by Theme Park Press; 2015.

David Gerstein (editor): Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse Vol. 7: "March Of The Zombies" published by Fantagraphics; 2015.

David Gerstein (editor): Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse Vol. 8: "The Tomorrow Wars" published by Fantagraphics; 2015.

Two stunning auctions coming up soon:

Heritage Auctions on December 13 and 14 and

Profiles in History on December 10.

Check out their catalogs. It is really worth it.

Not sure what this book is worth, but some of you will want to know that it exists.

SIGNED AND / OR PERSONALIZED COPIES OF THEY DREW AS THEY PLEASED

Many of you have asked how to get Signed and / or Personalized copies of They Drew As They Pleased - The Hidden Art of Disney's Golden Age.

If you live in LA, contact Gallery Nucleus or Stuart Ng and you will be able to get signed copies.

If you do not live in LA, contact Cathy at Books and Books in Coral Gables (Florida) at cathy@booksandbooks.com. She is the manager of a great bookstore situated very close to where I live. She still has a few signed copies, but more importantly, if you give her one or two weeks and request personalized copies she can get me to personalize them for you. And I believe they offer free postage to any place within the US.

I am glad to say that John Musker has just sent me the cover drawing for Walt's People - Volume 17. The book should be released in a few weeks. It contains quite a few treasures :-)

This book is revolutionary. It is the best account of the early days of Disneyland ever. It will be released in March next year and will be one of the great events of the year from a Disney history standpoint. Can't wait!

The blog will be updated again on November 25, 2015.

Heritage's next big auction will take place on December 13 and 14. The quality of the artwork on sale is simply astounding: never-seen-before pieces from Bambi by David Hall (above) and Retta Scott (below), concept paintings by Mary Blair, JP Miller, and Retta Scott, and on and on it goes. This is an event that should not be missed in any way, shape or form, and I will feature it on the blog at least once or twice again in the next few weeks.

My brother just sent me the catalog of this exhibition which recently took place in Beijing and Shanghai. It's a beautiful catalog, but not one that is worth tracking down: 70% of the content is linked to recent animated features and most of the artwork from the "vintage" titles has already been seen often.

And another good read from Theme Park Press is, of course, Secrets Stories of Walt Disney World by Jim Korkis.

According to the publisher:

[The Rosetta Stone of Disney Magic

Warning! There be secrets ahead. Disney secrets. Mickey doesn't want you to know how the magic is made, but Jim Korkis knows, and if you read Jim's book, you'll know, too. Put the kids to bed. Pull those curtains. Power down that iPhone. Let's keep this just between us...

If you've come expecting more of the same Disney trivia, you're in for a surprise. This is not a Disney trivia book. It's a book of Disney secrets, each exactly two pages long, and each brimming with backstage lore. Jim Korkis gathered these secrets when he worked at Walt Disney World as an instructor at Disney University. They're all true. They're all cool. And they include:

- How the popularity of Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach meant the doom of an important piece of Disney history

- United Arab Emirates, Equatorial Africa, Costa Rica, and other planned Epcot pavilions that never were

- Disney's original plans for Figment, how corporate politics turned him purple, and why the Dreamfinder shrunk

- Wilderness Junction, the Alpine Resort, the Enchanted Snow Palace Ride, and other abandoned attractions

- Beacon Joe, the character you've never heard of, even though he appears numerous times throughout Disney World]

Here is another extremely exciting new book from Theme Park Press.

The publisher, Bob McLain says:

[The Ogren book (Together in the Dream: The Unique Careers of a Husband and Wife in the Early Decades of Walt Disney World) contains stuff that no one has read before, including interactions by R.J. Ogren (a Disney World artist) with Leota Toombs, Marc Davis, Alice Davis (who wrote the foreword), and others.

R.J. painted Animatronic figures and "plussed" attractions. Suzanne drove monorails, marched in parades, and entertained as Sleepy the dwarf. Together, the Ogrens brought their unique skills to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom during its formative years. This is their story.

R.J. and Suzanne were indeed "together in the dream": their adventures as husband-and-wife cast members spanned the backstage areas of iconic attractions, Main Street parades, and Disney executive offices. They worked with celebrities, Disney artists like Marc and Alice Davis, and the fun-loving, creative geniuses who called the "Animation Art Studio" home.

Among the stories the Ogrens tell:

- Working underwater at the old 20,000 Leagues attraction, aboard the pirate ship in Pirates of the Caribbean, and in the "jungle" of the Jungle Cruise

- How Disney trains its monorail drivers, and the surprisingly rigorous tests they must pass to qualify

- Life in the "Dwarf unit", the tight-knit group of cast members who perform as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in the Magic Kingdom

- Why some Animatronic characters don't wear pants

- Repairing bullet holes in the Haunted Mansion, replacing Dopey's stolen head, and other examples of Disney guests gone wild]

This is clearly a "must have" for Disney parks historians and enthusiasts.

Not directly linked to Disney History, but I know that many of you will be interested to know that Think Pink: The Story of DePatie-Freleng by Mark Arnold has just been released. I will definitely pick up a copy.

I am actively working at the moment on research for They Drew As They Pleased - Volume 3. Once of the artists who will be featured in that upcoming volume is the astonishing Ecuadorian Eduardo Sola Franco, who worked at the Disney Studio for a few months in 1939, tackling chiefly on the abandoned Don Quixote project.

Sola Franco's complete illustrated diaries have just been released a few days ago in book form in Ecuador and while browsing through them yesterday I found quite a few drawings of his Disney colleagues, including the two below. The first one shows his friend and fellow concept artist Fini Rudiger. The second one features mostly members of Disney's Character Model Department: Martin Provensen, Fini Rudiger, James Bodrero, Art Heinemann (not a member of the Model Department) and sculptor Duke Russell.

'Lost' Disney cartoon Sleigh Bells to be screened

You probably have heard about this discovery by now. I would not be a surprised if a good friend of mine was at the origin of that great find. In all cases I am glad to see that the long list of "lost" Oswalds is getting much shorter.

A book with an intriguing title and description is now available for pre-order on Amazon:

Disney Villains: Delightfully Evil: The Creation • The Inspiration • The Fascination by Jen Darcy

[The greatest heroes must face the greatest villains. For decades, Walt Disney Animation and Pixar Animation Studios animated features have offered up some of the most iconic and malevolent villains. Disney Villains: Delightfully Evil showcases rare concept art and photographs and explores the villains' creative origins, roles within the stories, and influences on and within pop-culture. The deluxe package collects villains by themes such as vain, family, royalty, instincts, and more.]

This upcoming auction by TCM/Bonhams contains a few truly spectacular Disney-related items, including this extremely rare photo of Walt in France (Red Cross years) and this beautiful Mary Blair painting. (Thanks to Michael Goldberg for the heads up).

Picking up the newly released version of Window on Main Street (Theme Park Press) by the late Disney Legend Van Arsdale France is definitely worth it, even if you already own the original book. Theme Park Press tracked down the uncut version of the manuscript which is full of details that did not make it into the 1991 Laugher Publication version.

I was fairly critical when Marty's previous book was released. I felt that One Little Spark: Mickey's Ten Commandments and the Road to Imagineering was a much better effort. It is still not the book that I hope Marty will one day decide to write: a real, in-depthy autobiography, but it is nonetheless a very good read. Marty gathered stories and thoughts from his fellow Imagineers and One Little Spark therefore contains quite a few stories about WDI's creative process which we had never heard before. The book is fairly short and an easy read, so one I would recommend as a way to relax in-between the more serious and in-depth volumes which I have reviewed over the past few weeks.

You know the day is going to be a good one when Michael Barrier releases the transcript of one of his fascinating interviews. Today is one of these days with Goofy director Jack Kinney.

BOOK SIGNING TOUR

Are you eager to buy a signed copy of They Drew As They Pleased - The Hidden Art of Disney's Golden Age for you or for a friend?

Here is the agenda of my small signing tour in Los Angeles:

Friday, November 20: From 11.00 to 12.45 at the Disney Studio in Burbank

Saturday, November 21: 1PM to 2PM at CTN Expo

Saturday November 21: 7PM to 9PM at Gallery Nucleus

See you all soon!

Two upcoming books from Theme Park Press which might be of interest to a few of you.

From the publisher:

CREATING MY OWN NEMESIS

Everyone knows Disneyland, but few Americans can name a single *British* theme park. Come across the pond to meet the UK's John Wardley, whose exciting career as an innovator of dark rides and roller coasters began with a simple magic trick.

Before he began designing such famous British theme park rides as Nemesis and Oblivion, John Wardley was a young boy brave enough to bring a flashlight onto the Clacton Pier Ghost Train dark ride to figure out how it worked. From there, he became Britain's foremost theme park designer, with over 20 rides to his credit for Alton Towers, Chessington World of Adventures, and other locations.

Hang on tight for:

- John's early years as a magician, and designing special effects for *The Rocky Horror Picture Show*, James Bond films, and other productions

- John's early theme park projects, including jungle boat rides, underground mine trains, and the Scream Machine

- John's "meet and greet" with Queen Elizabeth

- John's unique working relationship with Madame Tussauds (the wax museum) to revitalize British amusement and theme parks

- John's later theme park projects, including the world-famous Nemesis and Oblivion coasters, and the revolutionary TH13TEEN wing coaster

With exclusive photos, this is the thrill ride you *read*!

=== ===

EPCOT'S WORLD SHOWCASE

No thrill rides. Few characters. Great food and shopping. Alcohol. For many Disney guests, Epcot's World Showcase is *their* kind of theme park, and this first-ever, illustrated, pavilion-by-pavilion guide is *your* passport to everything it has to offer.

The World Showcase can be overwhelming in its variety and detail. Each pavilion is a self-contained "experience", with entertainment, shopping, dining, and even attractions and shows. With so much international flavor on display, it's easy to breeze past hidden gems and miss out on the magic - not to mention overlook that perfect meal or souvenir!

You'll learn all about:

- The history of each pavilion, with helpful tips on finding (and appreciating) its historical and architectural details

- The best places to eat, from table-service restaurants to kiosks, and what you'll find on the menus

- The best places to shop, with descriptions of each store and its unique merchandise

- Shows, "street" performers, fun activities, characters, and other pavilion entertainment

- Plus, the book includes your very own "photo album" with over five dozen shots of the best each pavilion has to offer

Get your passport in order - the "World" awaits!

=== ===

There is not that be be said about this book that does not yet already appear on the blurb from Amazon:

[This whimsical, deluxe Art Deco-themed art book showcases Walt Disney characters in a style reminiscent of caricatures from the famed walls of Sardi's and The Brown Derby. Disney Supervising Animator and Director Eric Goldberg drew a little more than 200 stylized images in a collection that first debuted as a display within the Roy E. Disney Animation Building in Burbank, California. Now with An Animator's Gallery, the show comes right to you.]

The book is a beauty and Eric's drawings are very enjoyable. That's basically it. Definitely not a "must have" for Disney historians but a great gift for casual Disney fans. Dave Bossert and Eric Goldberg have produced a very good book, but there are so many great Disney books that have been released this year that this one is unlikely to make it on my "top 10 list." I love owning it, though.

For those of you who focus on the history of the Disney parks, do not forget to pick up this new book from Theme Park Press, which contains some fun interviews with quite a few of the men and women who worked on / for Walt Disney World, including Mary Sklar, Bob Gurr, Jay Rasulo, Tony Baxter and various others.

The Disney Books Network was updated over the weekend.

I will carry on reviewing newly released books next week, but in the meantime, here are two upcoming comic book volumes which I will pick up as soon as they are released:

- Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse Vol. 9: "Rise Of The Rhyming Man"
- Silly Symphony, Vol. 1: The Complete Disney Classics

Once again, I am amazed at how many great Disney history books are being released in 2015. It will take us a few years to digest all of them.

The Nine Old Men by Andreas Deja is at the very top of my "best of 2015" list. It's a book that is written with passion by one of the best animators of Disney's new golden age. Andreas not only has the artistic and technical knownledge which allowed him to select the very best animation drawings and scenes from Milt, Marc, Frank, Ollie, and the others, but he also spent years accumulating knowledge and stories about the nine masters more often than not first hand. The result is exactly what I was hoping for: a book where both text and illustrations are pure delight.

I afraid that this is another "must have". What an embarrassment of richess!

Before Ever After: The Lost Lectures of Walt Disney’s Animation Studio by Don Hahn and Tracey Miller-Zarneke is a revolutionary book. It is the kind of book that raises the standards for Disney history books overall. It's close to 450 pages long and when you start looking at it, you know right away that Don and Tracey tried to make every page special (they succeeded). Every document included in the book has been selected with extreme care. Most of the photos and illustrations have never been seen before, each of the lectures is special in its own way. The authors found a lot of great material and then started digging even deeper to find even more treasures.

This is the book I dreamed would be released about Disney's Training Program. It's "practically perfect in every way."

Of course, the only criticism one could raise, is one that could be raised about many books that are dear to our hearts (the criticism apply to my own books too): we wish the book were even larger and included even more of those rare illustrations and lectures.

Let's hope the book is immensely successful. I would love to see a volume 2 released some day

2015 is proving to be a truly exceptional year when it comes to Disney history books. David Bossert 's volume about Dali and Disney is clearly one of the highlights and a "must have".

Bossert managed to include in the book every single piece of artwork created by Dali for Destino, as well as many never-seen-before photographs. His text is also well-research and a very good read.

Two thumbs up. Five stars. One of the best Disney history books of 2015 without a doubt.

I just purchased this book which contains an excellent short interview with Disney live-action director Robert Stevenson. This is not a must-have but some of you will be love to know that this interview exists.

Another interview about They Drew As They Pleased, this one on The Mouse Castle Lounge.

The Disney Book by Jim Fanning is a marvelous book about everything Disney. It is not a book for Disney historians however, but a book for future Disney historians.

In other words: if you know of a smart kid that loves Disney and wants to know more about all your can think of in the Disney universe, The Disney Book is the perfect introduction to bring him or her as a gift. You won't find rare, never-seen-before photos, or documents that have been freshly unearthed, but you will find all the photos and images that we love and that will give beginers a taste of what Disney history is about. 

The layout is very enjoyable, the range of information covered is very broad, and the book is likely to get a lot of kids excited about the universe we adore. Not a small achievement. Congratulations Jim!