Disneywar

Version: Unabridged
Author: James B. Stewart
Narrator: Patrick Lawlor
Genres: Business & Economics
Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks
Published In: April 2005
# of Units: 20 CDs
Length: 16 hours, 39 minutes
Ratings:
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Overview

Once upon a time, one man ruled America's greatest entertainment company. This is the untold story of his triumphs and failures and of the revolt that cost him his kingdom.

"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 that Disney does business and its products are cherished.

Selected Reviews

Fascinating from beginning to end!

by Bryson
  • Book Rating: 5/5

Dismey War

by Allen Milewicz
  • Book Rating: 5/5

More...

Read All 6

Reviews (6)

Fascinating from beginning to end!

Written by Bryson from Utah, UT on February 15th, 2008

  • Book Rating: 5/5

This book is literally one of the most fascinating looks inside the inner workings of major cooperate management I have ever read. As is often the case, “truth” is indeed “stranger than fiction.” Although I am sure Michael Eisner is none too pleased with the result, the book comes across as fair and accurate, attempting to portray both sides of the story and acknowledgs when accounts of events differs. The narrator is one of the best I have heard. Other than a little strong language (don’t listen in front of the kids) I highly recommend this book.

Dismey War

Written by Allen Milewicz on December 16th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 5/5

What a GREAT book! I love Disney and this was fascinating. Great story telling, I hope he writes a follow up. Narrator is superb One of the best audio books I ever rented

Disney War

Written by Adam from New York, NY on October 26th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 5/5

I could not wait to get into my car to hear the next chapter. This book is fascinating. Should be turned into a movie.

Disney

Written by Jess Robinson on August 27th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 5/5

Excellent book. This compelling chronicle draws the curtain on the back room dealings of the movers at Disney. Stewart's exhaustive research yields tremendous dividends to the reader. I was most struck by these powerful moguls' fragile egos. When such wealth and so many resources are at stake, decisions made with egocentric hubris immensely magnify outcomes. My take away after this book is that we are, at the base of it, humans with associated human fragilities. Ultimately, those fragilities manifest in puzzling human behaviors. Bloated salaries, exorbitant stock option awards, nor mega-deal-making can mask that reality for long. Now I feel compelled to read Maxwell's "There's No Such Thing As 'Business' Ethics". I recommend this book to those who desire to put faces to some of the most iconic entertainment business names of the 80's and 90's. It reads like the juiciest of novels.

What a war it was!

Written by Mrs Robles from Orange, CA on August 17th, 2007

  • Book Rating: 5/5

This is one LONG book. But it was so riveting. I was not familiar with the players (except Eisner) prior to listening to this book but it didn't matter. You learn all the details. So many twists and turns it made me dizzy. What a colossal ego maniacal jerk is Eisner ... yet he did save Disney early on in his 20 year tenure with the company. The loss of Frank Wells was devastating all around and without Frank Wells, Eisner just ran rampant over the entire company. If you like a good book, ripe with plot twists, laughter and tears ... then this book is for you. The author had unprecedented access to Eisner and EVERYONE involved. What an eye opening look into Corporate America and Hollywood.

Disney War

Written by Anonymous on December 22nd, 2006

  • Book Rating: 3/5

Very good book. Well documented (having court case testimony to use as a source doesn't hurt) and well delivered. Author does a good job of helping the listener keep the cast of characters straight. Ironic how much leeway Eisner got in his handling of Wells, Katzenberg & Ovitz yet he was the common thread in all of those conflicts.

Selected Reviews

Fascinating from beginning to end!

by Bryson
  • Book Rating: 5/5

Dismey War

by Allen Milewicz
  • Book Rating: 5/5

More...

Read All 6

Author Details

Author Details

Stewart, James B.

James B. Stewart is the author of "Heart of a Soldier, " the bestselling "Blind Eye" and "Blood Sport, " and the blockbuster "Den of Thieves." A former Page-One editor at "The Wall Street Journal, " Stewart won a Pulitzer Prize in 1988 for his reporting on the stock market crash and insider trading. He is a regular contributor to "SmartMoney" and "The New Yorker." He lives in New York.