I read this book to fill a slot in a challenge. It's not my usual kinda thing. It has a lot of information about the financial crisis of 2008. While iI read this book to fill a slot in a challenge. It's not my usual kinda thing. It has a lot of information about the financial crisis of 2008. While it's informative, you almost need a degree in finance to follow it some of the time, or that's what it seemed like to me. I definitely learned a lot more about those events.
I also learned that, from what I could tell, some, if not most, of what happened could have been prevented. It was a combination of greedy/stupid choices on the part of the bankers involved that created the majority of the mess, and then ego that prevented most of them working smoothly to fix it. Raging ego has no place in deciding things that effect an entire nation, and even those beyond.
I also found it appalling that they were mostly worried about themselves. It wasn't until after page 400 there was even a mention of the regular people who stood to lose so much. I don't know much about finance, and I'm even less inclined to venture into that world having read this.
Very densely written and you need a good foundation in the subject matter to really comprehend most of it. ...more
I've heard a lot about this one, and not only has it won several awards, but it was recommended to me by Jim Butcher, my favorite living author. I hatI've heard a lot about this one, and not only has it won several awards, but it was recommended to me by Jim Butcher, my favorite living author. I hate to say it but, while I liked it, I didn't love it. It's well written, combines action and an odd humor almost like Douglas Adams, but it didn't really grab me the way it seems to have for others.
Cordelia Naismith is in charge of a Survey team on a distant planet. Her group is attacked by Barrayaran forces, and her life changes several ways. She's taken prisoner by a most unusual officer, finds herself stuck in a political struggle amid the enemy, and then gets rescued... and that's only a part of it. Cordelia is an interesting character, very driven by duty and honor. Vorkosigan, her initial captor, is study in discipline and honor. What happens to both of them is a twisty, sometimes surprising, tale.
Good sci fi, just didn't strike me as a personal favorite. ...more
Very odd book, this. It's on a lot of recommended reading lists, and, having finished it, I'm not entirely sure why. I'd likely call it Steampunk myseVery odd book, this. It's on a lot of recommended reading lists, and, having finished it, I'm not entirely sure why. I'd likely call it Steampunk myself, but I see it shelved as slipstream fantasy, whatever that is.
It's mostly the story of a scientist named Isaac, who gets caught up in several things that are completely beyond him. Other major characters are Lin, a non-human artist, Motley, a remade gangster, and Blueday, an underground reporter, and Yag, a birdman who has lost his wings. The city they live in is a weird mix of different technologies, and different races.
Isaac accidently lets a horrible monster loose on the city, then things get worse. The city government tries to ally with other powerful beings, but nothing goes according to plan, and then another player emerges.
It's a long, sad tale, without a happy ending for many. It was a well developed world, and Isaac and Yag were good characters, but a lot of the rest of it didn't really grab my attention. I'm glad as many folks enjoy it as they do....more
I admit, a lot of the time, especially when I was a kid, I more suffered through than enjoyed Thanksgiving. And with a lot of family in Massachusetts,I admit, a lot of the time, especially when I was a kid, I more suffered through than enjoyed Thanksgiving. And with a lot of family in Massachusetts, I'd heard all about Plymouth and the Pilgrims. So I saw this book about "The Myth of the First Thanksgiving" and got curious.
The book was a bit less focused on Thanksgiving than the sub-title suggests. There's a lot on the history of what led to the Pilgrims leaving, and the religious history of England, with Catholics, Protestants, the Reformation, and all that. The author does a good job of research, going into detail about not just the religious aspects, but the political history, and the early settlers' economic problems.
There's also a lot about the various Indian nations they found, and the traditions have come to associate with the holiday. I note, for example, the first Thanksgiving didn't have turkey, which I regard as a personal victory, since I've never really liked the stuff. How the myth became what it is is explored a lot, and done well.
It's an interesting, informative look at what most people "know" about Thanksgiving and the Pilgrims. ...more
The story is set during Prohibition, and chronicles the rise and fall of a major gangster. The first paragraph is in the future, with Joe getting the The story is set during Prohibition, and chronicles the rise and fall of a major gangster. The first paragraph is in the future, with Joe getting the proverbial cement overshoes, so you know where the story is getting. And while I'm not a big fan of stories about criminals in general, this one worked.
Joe is a gangster, not a saint. He's no hero. But he's probably the best among bad options. Foolishly, Joe falls for the moll of one of the big gangsters in Boston, Alfred White. He graduates from small heists to the big time after he gets caught and sent to prison for his part in a robbery that ends with three dead cops. In prison, he becomes part of a power struggle between two rival factions, whose reach spreads from behind bars to the outside.
Finally deciding which side he's backing, Joe survives and ends up as the front man in Tampa, dealing with bootlegging and getting supplies from Cuba. To his surprise, he falls in love again as he learns the ins and outs of the many cultures clashing in that small city.
From the end of Prohibition to building an empire to helping Cuba recover from the Depression, Joe goes through a lot. He's a bad guy, and there's no doubt of that, but he's one of the best among them. There are many intricate subplots, and a lot characters don't make it. Don't expect the happy ending. To paraphrase Westworld, "These violent delights have violent ends." Although, now that I think about it, you could argue it's a Disney ending.
This is listed as book 2 of a series, and I read it for a challenge. I have not read book one, but this is just fine as a stand alone. ...more
This is another of those "classics" that just eludes me. A neurosurgeon in London in 2003 has a very strange Saturday, including: seeing a plane nearlThis is another of those "classics" that just eludes me. A neurosurgeon in London in 2003 has a very strange Saturday, including: seeing a plane nearly crash when he can't sleep, watching his son give a blues performance, a game of squash, a car accident, a run in with thugs, a reunion with is poet daughter, and various other complications. There's a lot of self-reflection, and debate on the imminent war in Iraq.
It was a decent read, it's certainly well written, but, at the end of it, I'm left going "so?"
Maybe I'm just not deep enough to follow this one. ...more
**spoiler alert** Odd little story. Take one part Hotel California by the Eagles, add one ghost story, put in a few elements of something like the era**spoiler alert** Odd little story. Take one part Hotel California by the Eagles, add one ghost story, put in a few elements of something like the era and descriptions of the Great Gatsby, stir. Season with teen family/romantic angst.
It's shelved as Young Adult. Given some of the situations both sexual and gore-wise, not sure I'd rate it that, at least not for the younger adults.
Decent read. Didn't wow me. Fit a niche for a reading challenge. ...more
This is not an easy read. Now, don't get me wrong, it's a great book. Hawkins has created an absolute trainwreck of a life in some very vivid detail. This is not an easy read. Now, don't get me wrong, it's a great book. Hawkins has created an absolute trainwreck of a life in some very vivid detail. The view point shifts between several characters, but the main one is Rachel Watson. Rachel is a lonely, sad, drunk, with a seriously out of control drinking problem. She's lost a lot because of it, and now, in part, spends her time on the train during her commute watching the houses and making up stories about the people who live there.
Then, something horrible happens, and her fantasies come crashing down. The small suburban street (do they call them that in England?) is rife with nasty secrets. As we learn more about the neighborhood, it starts to remind me of J. K. Rowling 's The Casual Vacancy. This, too, is a well written book about some fairly horrible people that I really don't want any part of. The plot twists and turns in unexpected directions, pushed around at times by Rachel's tenuous grasp on her own memory.
It's a well written tale with some very disturbing scenes. Recommended, but be warned going on, it's not a "nice" story. At all. ...more
On the one hand, I feel poorly equipped to review this book. I only read it because a slot in a reading challenge directed "Read a bestseller from a gOn the one hand, I feel poorly equipped to review this book. I only read it because a slot in a reading challenge directed "Read a bestseller from a genre you don't normally read." Well, I did, and that, obviously, means I don't tend to read romance novels. I've read blends, like paranormal romance, and JD Robb's category-defying In Death series, and I enjoyed those. This... not too much.
It's well written for the most part. There are a few odd glitches here and there that maybe an editor or proofer should have caught. In one scene, a character gets thrown up on by a drunk, puts her clothes in the wash, then takes care of him, puts his clothes in the wash, moves his to the dryer, and then complains in the morning about her clothes being damp. Sounds like something went out of sequence there. There are some oddly vague asides about other characters, like someone "spending time at a friend's" or a scene at "a fancy restaurant." Some names would have made those things read a bit more believably.
As to the main tale, the titular Gabriel Emerson is a professor specializing in Dante's work. He's notoriously moody and bad tempered. Julia Mitchell takes his course as a grad student. Improbably, they both grew up in the same small town in rural Pennsylvania and then ended up at the same college in Canada. They have the requisite Shared Past (tm) that only one of them remembers. Julia has a stalker/violent ex-boyfriend who is well connected. Both characters seem to have serious emotional problems.
Julia whips back and forth from timid mouse (or rabbit I suppose if you read this) to smart-ass who confronts her noted professor in class in front of others. Her moods shift so rapidly I wonder if therapy or medication might be in order. Gabriel also goes from aloof to foul tempered in seconds. There are weird asides, like Julia "smiling in a way that made her iPhone blush," at a text from a lover, or her constant prayers to random gods (gods of grad students, for example). I guess it's a personality quirk, but it just reads oddly to me.
For all I know, this kind of thing is standard. As I said, I don't read the genre. The two mains go through a protracted series of encounters which seem to range from one-sided crush to mutual confusion before the love story actually kicks in. There's also family drama from people who think Gabriel isn't good enough for Julia. His brother Scott is particularly annoying, and needs an attitude adjustment.
I liked some of the scenes, but others seemed stilted, vague, or almost incomplete. I see it's book one of a series, so presumably the sub plots and supporting characters that seem to get abandoned come back later. I won't be joining them. I didn't care for this book. More power to those who like it, and if it's hitting best seller territory, the failing may well be my own. ...more
In a world where vampires and werewolves are common knowledge, you wouldn't think there'd be a lot of secrets left. But Riley Jenson lives in a world In a world where vampires and werewolves are common knowledge, you wouldn't think there'd be a lot of secrets left. But Riley Jenson lives in a world of secrets, and a lot of them are coming back on her. She's not just a werewolf, she's secretly a rare hybird of vampire and werewolf. She lives with her brother Rhoan (which I admit I kept misreading as Rohan every time it came up, and kept wondering where the Riders were), but everyone assumes they are lovers because they keep there heritage secret. She works for the Directorate, a government agency that is known, but the inner workings are kept secret.
It's coming up on the full moon, which is when a werewolf's sex drive, always strong, goes into warp drive. Riley has two regular lovers, Misha and Talon. But as things keep happening to and around her, she starts to wonder, can she trust one of them? Either of them?
Her boss is pushing her to stop being an office worker, and take up the role of Guardian, like her brother. Guardians are field agents, who handle the rough stuff about the supernatural. There are weird plots running around, like cloning and genetic analysis of vampires and werewolves both. Who is behind this? Where are they based? And what does all this have to do with Quinn, a powerful, rich, old, sexy vampire who has come into Riley's life by turning up naked at her door?
It's a good book with a lot of good world building. I like the idea that, since they are very different cultures, vampires and weres don't know everything about each other. "I didn't know that" comes up a lot. Sex is a huge part of this story, and I approve of it being a good part of life that doesn't need to have shame wrapped up in it. Arthur does a good job world building, working in naturally what is myth about each creature and what isn't (vamps do like the smell of food, but can't cross thresholds without an invitation, for example).
Quinn the vampire reminds me a bit of Roarke from J D ROBB s In Death series. That's a compliment in my world, as I enjoy that series a lot. Irish, wealthy, questionable background, great fighter, amazing lover... they do share a lot.
Most of what I didn't like is personal bias. There's a lot of action, so it kind of makes sense, but Riley spends a lot of time getting knocked out/passing out. Several chapters end that way. I also like my supernatural and fantasy with some separation. The vamps and weres dealing with lasers, cloning, and implanted tracking chips were a bit odd to me.
If you're up for action, supernatural twists, and lots of sex, you'll enjoy this story. ...more
If you read my reviews, you'll notice that 5 stars from me is really rare. I almost never do it. Well, occasionally there's an exception, and this is If you read my reviews, you'll notice that 5 stars from me is really rare. I almost never do it. Well, occasionally there's an exception, and this is one of them. This was a great book with some really useful information in it. I loved the tone; it felt like I was hanging out in a bar or something, with King in the booth across from me giving me advice.
The first part of the book is about King's life, hitting in some key events that shaped his outlook. The middle section, and largest, is general advice about writing, section by section. I'll admit to bias in liking this so much, because I found out that Mr. King and I share a lot of habits and opinions about writing. Towards the end, he talks about the accident that nearly killed him, and then adds on two (in my edition) lists of books he liked. I read his Danse Macabre which was his study in horror, and plowed through the recommended reading at the back of that, so I'll be copying this down.
If you're a writer, or are thinking about trying it, I can't recommend this book enough. Odds are really good that, if you're reading this review, Stephen King knows more about writing than both of us put together. If he's offering his advice, how foolish would you be not to at least see what he has to say? ...more
I try to read a variety of different things. When I heard about this book coming out, I figured I'd give it a whirl. It was a very well written book tI try to read a variety of different things. When I heard about this book coming out, I figured I'd give it a whirl. It was a very well written book that did a good job of taking an immensely complex topic and making it that someone with no real science background like me could follow it.
I've seen Tyson on various shows, and I have to admit, especially with his humorous asides, I could hear the book in his voice. I really feel like I learned a lot. And actually felt like I understood what he was talking about most of the time.
I do recommend the book, but I have a secondary recommendation. If you don't want to read the whole thing (it's a quick read, really), get a copy from the library or something and read the last chapter. It's about the cosmic perspective, and I think it's really well done and uplifting, and will make you think. ...more
A place for everything, and thing for every place. All is as it should be. All is for the best. They sound like such innocuous phrases, don't they? ThA place for everything, and thing for every place. All is as it should be. All is for the best. They sound like such innocuous phrases, don't they? The Clockmaker has taken over Albion, and everyone has their place in his grand scheme. He's gone beyond establishing order to making a realm where even the rain falls in accordance with a printed time table.
In this straight-jacketed world is Owen Hardy, an assistant orchard manager, who isn't sure he wants to live his life out in the small village of Barrel Arbor. When his girlfriend presumed fiance doesn't meet Owen for a midnight kiss under the stars, he decides he's had enough of being the cog in the machine everyone expects and sneaks away to see the world. From Crown City to a traveling carnival, from a quest for the Seven cities of Gold to danger with the Wreckers, Owen gets all the adventure he ever wanted and then some. He also learns of the Anarchist, the Watchmaker's sworn enemy, who wants to end the lockstep world of the Stability. Owen gains experience and wisdom as he learns his place in the world. But who will he side with?
This is a unique book, uniting the talents of best selling author Kevin J Anderson and Neil Peart, the legendary drummer from Rush. They created this world together and made the story of Owen's coming of age. The afterword in the back by Peart cites a lot of the book's influences, some of which I picked up on, some I didn't. It's also beautifully illustrated by Hugh Syme, who I had never heard of before but might go looking for now.
It's a good read in a world of steampunk adventure. Recommended to anyone who likes a decent story. ...more
I read about this book and was interested in the concept. How have various drinks helped shape human history? I wasn't sure what to expect, but what II read about this book and was interested in the concept. How have various drinks helped shape human history? I wasn't sure what to expect, but what I got was a light read that was entertaining and informative. Discussed are beer, wine, rum, coffee, tea, and Coke. I know it sounds like a weird and random assortment, but the author makes it work.
Beer was one of the first drinks mankind made, and some theories about how it happened, ancient stories about it, and its importance to ancient cultures are all covered. Next up is wine, which the author mostly associates with the Greek and Roman peoples. Rum played a big part in the slave trade and, as an aside, he throws in the Whiskey Rebellion, a little-known sequel to the American Revolution. Coffee started in Arab lands, was brought East by traders, and then coffeehouses became all the rage, and had something to do with such diverse things as Newton's Theory of Gravity and the French Revolution. Tea is big in the histories of China, England, and India, and he talks about how it became THE English drink, and the link to the Opium Wars. To wrap it up, what modern drink could sum up the 20th century better than Coca Cola?
It's an interesting read, and not really taxing to follow. I enjoyed it, and if you like learning history in a slightly different way, you may as well. ...more
I'd seen the movie, and this book fit a requirement for a challenge I'm doing, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I was curious to see how the book compI'd seen the movie, and this book fit a requirement for a challenge I'm doing, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I was curious to see how the book compared to the movie. In my experience, the books are almost always better than the adaptations.
The book is better, but both are good. This is some really impressive writing. The imagery is powerful, the main character is someone you can (and do) root for, and for all the extremely weird and unlikely circumstances, you're swept up in the story. At the end, you're left with the choice of which version of events to believe.
Pi Patel is a smart, spiritual boy whose father owns a zoo. Pi grows up among the animals, learning a lot about them in addition to his subjects at school. Pi also has a complex and rich spiritual life, which confuses those around him.
His family decides to relocate from India to Canada, and tragedy strikes. Pi is the sole survivor when the ship sinks, and that is the start of his magical and unusual adventure. The unbelievable events verge on magical realism. Pi is smart, and makes mostly good choices, although even his mistakes work considering what he's going through.
I enjoyed this story a lot. It's well worth a read. ...more
Most of my life, I never really considered myself a Dolly Parton fan. I knew a few of her songs, I'm a guy so I knew what she looked like, but that waMost of my life, I never really considered myself a Dolly Parton fan. I knew a few of her songs, I'm a guy so I knew what she looked like, but that was about it. Well, that changed one night. One of my part time jobs is doing technical stage work for shows, and one night I got to work Dolly Parton's concert. She sings amazingly well, plays a lot of different instruments, tells jokes about herself, but that's not what got me.
If you work in that business, it gets drilled into you over and over, "Don't talk to the talent." Some of them even make you clear the hallway when they come through. Those tend to be dicks who think they're a LOT more important than they are. Not only did Dolly not do that, she shook hands with every one of us she could get to, and thanked us for working for her. Wow. That never happens. Then I talked to one of her road guys, and he said Dolly's standing rule is, if the crew gets to bickering, which I've seen happen way too many times, she'll end the tour, because it's supposed to be fun. The way he said it, that wasn't a myth or a "scare the local" story. He meant it, and he said it with a fond smile.
So that's the night I became a Dolly fan. I've listened to a lot more of her music since then, and I've been impressed. But I've been more impressed with a lot of what she's done off stage. Ever heard of the Imagination Library? She gets a book a month to poor kids in her home county, and the program has grown, and reaches all over the place now. People that never heard her sing call her the Book Lady, which she has said delights her. Anyone who promotes reading is someone I like.
This book is based on a commencement speech she gave at the University of Tennessee. It's inspiring, uplifting, but not in the makes you want to roll your eyes kind of way. I was genuinely impressed. And her sunny personality comes through.
It's a quick read, so it's not a major investment of time or effort. But I think it's well worth it, even if you're not a Dolly fan. And, as so many other people who reviewed this one have said, "Who hates Dolly?" ...more
One of Patterson's best selling creations is the Women's Murder Club, usually (if not always) co-written with Maxine Paetro. The books focus on four pOne of Patterson's best selling creations is the Women's Murder Club, usually (if not always) co-written with Maxine Paetro. The books focus on four professional women in San Francisco: Lindsay Boxer, homicide inspector, Claire Washburn, medical examiner, Cindy Thomas, crime reporter, and Yuki Castalleno, Assistant District Attorney. Somehow, they manage to work together to solve cases, although with occasional conflicts of interest, usually with Cindy and her reporting.
I've complained about what I'm calling "stakes inflation" in Patterson's other work, especially his Alex Cross series. That's creeping in here, too. This book has Boxer working a spectacular bombing with a really odd prime suspect, and the trial around it. In what I've always considered a cheap shortcut, Boxer just happens to be next door when the bomb goes off, so is first on scene, with her husband, Joe Molinari, formerly of Homeland Security.
In addition to all the complications of that case, and there are many, Claire has figured out there's a previously undetected serial killer operating in the city. Now, one of the things that drives me crazy about most cop shows is the detectives/investigators/agents seem to only work on one major case at once, which almost never happens in the real world. So while I'm glad that's not happening here, the same cop working two cases that most cops would never see at the same time is just a bit... well, unbelievable. Hence what I call "stakes inflation."
Aside from murder and mayhem, Boxer is also working on her love life. She and her husband are living apart, and that is a recurring background plot. I feel bad for Boxer's kid. It seems almost every other scene, Boxer is handing her off to a babysitter that lives next door as she runs off to track down the bad guys.
It's a decently written story with a lot of surprises and twists and turns. I enjoy the series, which is why I'm still reading 16 books in. Although what "seduction" was supposed to happen here, I'm not sure. ...more
There's a lot that most people don't know about the Revolutionary War. One of the things that never really gets taught in basic history courses is howThere's a lot that most people don't know about the Revolutionary War. One of the things that never really gets taught in basic history courses is how close the American side came to losing, several times. This book, focusing on the summer and early fall of 1776, shows the early days of the war, and the reasons behind many of the difficulties faced by the Continental Army.
George Washington is rightly remembered as a hero of American history. What isn't really known is the story behind several of his early mistakes. Washington nearly lost his entire army in the various battle around New York City. When just about everything said he should go, he stayed. And really, he should have gone.
But this isn't only about the military. A good bit of the book focuses on the Congress, especially John Adams and a bit on Thomas Jefferson. They, too, had a lot of political hurdles to overcome as a new country was being created from ideas and good intentions. Any political studies major will tell you that's not the best basis for a government.
I've always been interested in the American Revolution, when a completely outmatched band of ragged men beat the strongest army in the world. This book throws some light on the details of some of the early days of that struggle, and the many ways it almost completely fell apart.
Recommended for history fans, especially American History fans. ...more
Some writers, and people who teach/critique writing, say there are some things that are used too much, so they've become cliché, and should never be uSome writers, and people who teach/critique writing, say there are some things that are used too much, so they've become cliché, and should never be used. I think that if you manage to come up with an original spin on something, then go for it.
Thankfully Daniel O'Malley either agrees with me or never heard of that rule. His main character, Myfanwy (shut up spell check, it's Welsh) Thomas wakes up with no memory of where-- or who-- she is, I thought I'd keep going and see what happened. What we get is a woman who ends up in a situation a bit like the movies Bourne Identity crossed with DOA-- a near-total loss of memory and her having to solve what happened to her.
Through the eyes of the newly awakened and near completely mind-wiped Myfanwy, we learn about the secret world of the Checquy, a group that keeps magical powers and forces secret, and protects England from such things. A bit like a magical version of Torchwood. There are office politics, absurd situations, and the lurking threats of being discovered and whoever wiped her out trying again.
This is a very rich and detailed world, with lots of history and unique takes on things. There's also that British sense of trying to make the weird seem normal that Douglas Adams, among others, was so good at. I really enjoyed this story, and it managed a few surprises along the way. I saw the disaster with the duck coming a mile off (that makes sense if you read it) but a lot of the rest of it was clever surprises.
I liked it and I'll probably be reading more of the series as I get the chance. ...more
Whatever your feelings about the man, his legacy, his company, or his movies, you can't deny Walt Disney was an icon. It's an overused word, but it fiWhatever your feelings about the man, his legacy, his company, or his movies, you can't deny Walt Disney was an icon. It's an overused word, but it fits him. So does legend. This was a remarkably (sometimes overly) detailed book about the man behind the myth, and I learned a lot I didn't know about him, his movies, and his empire.
This book covers Walt's life from birth to death. One thing that I liked was Gabler dealt with the cryrogenic rumors up front. No, Walt Disney isn't frozen somewhere, waiting to come back. As much as that might be an amazing thing.
After the story of his childhood and his World War I service (which I didn't know about) pass, you get to his professional career. The recurring theme for everything he did was that Walt Diseny was an idealist, a perfectionist, and a lot of his problems came from the fact that he honestly couldn't seem to see why everyone didn't see things like he did. He rose from struggling artist to cartoonist, and spent a really alarming part of his career hurting for money.
He finally formed his own company and his first big hit, the first feature cartoon ever, was Snow White. That, I knew. That so many of his movies, like Fantasia and Pinnochio and even Sleeping Beauty were box office failures, I did not.
Aside from his perfectionism, Disney's other big problems were being willfully ignorant of economic needs, and always looking for the next thing. He was obsessed with cartoons, then feature cartoons, then live action movies, and as he mastered each, he got bored and moved on. Disneyland came about through a combination of boredom, wanting a new challenge, and a big obsession with model trains. Not the kind on your table, the kind you can actually ride.
Walt was far from perfect. He was a man of his times. He wasn't actively anti-Semitic or racist, but he made comments that sounded a bit like both. He got swept up in the Red Scare of the 50's and did some regrettable things. He had a temper, largely when people didn't live up to his nearly impossible ideas.
Disney was a visionary, and a dreamer, and a genius. This is his story, and, along the way, the story of Mickey Mouse, Disneyland, The Mickey Mouse Club, EPCOT, and even a few other characters not as popular now, like Davy Crockett and Zorro. The long time link between Disney and ABC comes clear.
And I'll risk pissing a few people off. Disney died earlier than he had to because he got lung cancer. He got THAT from being a chain smoker. A man who helped reshape the world of popular culture died too soon because of a stupid, filthy habit. If there's a better anti-smoking message, I don't know what it is.
A good read about Disney, but if you're more a casual fan (like me) than a devout Disney-ite, this might be a bit much. There's a LOT of detail. About everything. ...more
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