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Walt's People - Volume 8: Talking Disney with the Artists who Knew Him

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When it comes to the insiders' history of the Disney empire, Didier Ghez owns the franchise.
Ghez compiles books saturated with interviews of Disney personalities, both famous and unknown. All of the books are titled Walt's People. So far, nine volumes have been published, to the vast joy of those who respect and appreciate Walt Disney's incredible accomplishments. It's no accident that Mickey Mouse is the world's most recognized character.
Volume 8, which I just finished, is another fabulous collection of 36 interviews covering a robust 433 pages. Some are well-known Disney figures such as artist Herb Ryman, Mickey Mouse long-time comics artist Floyd Gottfredson and Donald Duck legend Carl Barks. There's even a Disney, Walt's nephew, Roy E. Disney. Some interviews are recent and occasionally done by Ghez himself. Most are decades old, culled from private papers, magazines and other sources.
The most illuminating often are of persons that even the most rabid Disney fans may not know. But they are some of the best, men and women who spent decades toiling in anonymity. Some individuals' careers span from the early Nine Old Men - Disney's best known animators - to the making of "Lion King" and other contemporary classics.
Lengthier conversations with lesser knowns such as Robert Stevenson, Don Griffin and Dale Baer offer insights no outsider could ever imagine.
Selecting a favorite from Ghez's array is like naming your favorite child - all but impossible. Each book leaves you begging for more. Fortunately, Ghez is still working on them. Volume 10 is at the printer, Volume 11 is almost complete and Volume 12 is under construction. Ghez's legacy may never match Disney's, but it's the reader's pleasure to see him try.