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DisneyWar
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Narrated by:
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Patrick Lawlor
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Written by:
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James B. Stewart
About this listen
The dramatic inside story of the downfall of Michael Eisner - Disney chairman and CEO - and the scandals that drove America's best-known entertainment company to civil war.
"When You Wish Upon a Star", "Whistle While You Work", "The Happiest Place on Earth" - these are lyrics indelibly linked to Disney, one of the most admired and best-known companies in the world. So when Roy Disney, chairman of Walt Disney Animation and nephew of founder Walt Disney, abruptly resigned in November 2003 and declared war on chairman and chief executive Michael Eisner, he sent shock waves through the entertainment industry, corporate boardrooms, theme parks, and living rooms around the world - everywhere Disney does business and its products are cherished.
Drawing on unprecedented access to both Eisner and Roy Disney, current and former Disney executives and board members, as well as thousands of pages of never-before-seen letters, memos, transcripts, and other documents, James B. Stewart gets to the bottom of mysteries that have enveloped Disney for years: What really caused the rupture with studio chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg, a man who once regarded Eisner as a father but who became his fiercest rival? How could Eisner have so misjudged Michael Ovitz, a man who was not only "the most powerful man in Hollywood" but also his friend, whom he appointed as Disney president and immediately wanted to fire? What caused the break between Eisner and Pixar chairman Steve Jobs, and why did Pixar abruptly abandon its partnership with Disney? Why did Eisner so mistrust Roy Disney that he assigned Disney company executives to spy on him? How did Eisner control the Disney board for so long, and what really happened in the fateful board meeting in September 2004, when Eisner played his last cards?
DisneyWar is an enthralling tale of one of America's most powerful media and entertainment companies, the people who control it, and those trying to overthrow them. It tells a story that - in its sudden twists, vivid, larger-than-life characters, and thrilling climax - might itself have been the subject of a Disney classic - except that it's all true.
©2005 James B. Stewart. All rights reserved. (P)2017 Simon & Schuster, Inc.You may also enjoy...
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Performance
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Story
In 2008, Howard Schultz, the president and chairman of Starbucks, made the unprecedented decision to return as CEO, eight years after he stepped down from daily oversight of the company to become chairman. Concerned that Starbucks had lost its way, Schultz was determined to help it return to its core values and restore not only its financial health, but also its soul.
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In the century after the Civil War, an economic revolution improved the American standard of living in ways previously unimaginable. Electric lighting, indoor plumbing, home appliances, motor vehicles, air travel, air conditioning, and television transformed households and workplaces. With medical advances, life expectancy between 1870 and 1970 grew from 45 to 72 years. The Rise and Fall of American Growth provides an in-depth account of this momentous era.
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Not the best
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What listeners say about DisneyWar
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Tom
- 2024-11-29
fascinating i highly recommend
could not put down. lots of backstabbing and toxic workplace escapades that make this a must listen
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- Veteran004
- 2023-07-04
A Great look at the behind the scenes of Disney
For anyone who grew up in the early 90s and Disney was what shaped your childhood this book gives a detailed account of backroom politics that went on at the company from 1984 to 2005 when Michael Eisner was the CEO of the company. I must give a warning to anyone who truly loves the Walt Disney brand it is at times heart breaking. From the relationships Eisner personally destroyed. How Jeffrey Katzenberg the man who helped shape: Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, and The Lion King, was utterly despised by the animators. Was overly demanding, petty, and unreasonable. To Roy Disney his place at the company and the tumultuous relationships he had with other board members.
James B Stewart deserves credit this is grade A journalism, and story telling I was never bored but I guess that depends on how much you like Disney and its brand. He simply states the facts of what happened from memos, interviews, and being invited into board meetings. He never takes sides letting you come to your own conclusions about these people their choices and who they are.
Patrick Lawlor gets 5 stars for his performance the way he annunciates phrases, talks with enthusiasm at a perfect reading pace not only does Justice to James B's writing. It adds an extra level of enjoyment and helps you form the personalities of these real life people.
I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook it was both informative and entertaining start to finish. I normally don't like non fiction especially 36 hours of it. This is a definite recommendation.
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- Julia MacLennan
- 2021-06-08
Wonderful at contextualizing my childhood
One thing I recommend people doing while listening to this is reading Disney's yearly annual reports as the book progresses through the years. Up to 1999, they're easy to find online, and it's insane to read Michael Eisner's letters to shareholders and how much he fluffs up the company's health (to the point of acting like Walt Disney himself by writing in a casual way and name-dropping family members like he's the bonafide owner of the company, or at least trying to prop himself up like "Uncle Walt").
Honestly, this book would make a compelling character study even if it was fiction.
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- Professional Commuter
- 2022-01-25
Fascinating
I picked up this audiobook in a rush. I’m so glad I did! It was captivating, shocking at times, and gives you a great look into the reign of Eisner. Highly recommend to Disney fans and those interested in how media companies work.
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- Jean-Alexandre Meunier
- 2019-10-21
Great, missing some stuff
The story is like a fast action movie. It's a chronological point/fact/etc of the company head management over the years. Nicely put together. There is a few major points that I would of like to see like how management dealt with the park incident when it was du to reduce training and reduce maintenance. But that might of cause Disney to come back on force if it was in the book. I sure hope there is a follow up at some point. GREAT WORK!!!
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