Between Books - Walt Disney: The Creation of Walt Disney Co.

Usually when you match free with Walt Disney you catch my attention.  So when I saw Walt Disney: The Creation of Walt Disney Co. by Sal Galvan as free on a Kindle site I follow, well I grabbed it.  What I hoped for was an interesting and likely brief discussion on Walt Disney.  But what I got was something very different.

Walt Disney: The Creation of Walt Disney Co. starts with a very brief discussion of the life of Walt Disney and the establishment of his studio.  This is followed by a more lengthy discussion on state of the company today.  Special focus is given to Marvel and Lucasfilm and fan reactions to the Disney acquisition of these media companies. 

Okay, I do not want to sound harsh.  There is an interesting premise here, it is just not one about Walt Disney the man.  It is mostly observations to the company today as seen through the eyes of Marvel and Lucasfilm fans.  And there is plenty of merit to covering that topic.  I just wish it was not in a paper under a cover with Walt Disney on it.  Walt had nothing to do with those two companies and their purchase.  So I really wish this book was retitled.

This really is a paper.  The fact that the second page states "Research Paper" and "History of Broadcasting" makes me think it was written for a class.  I have read enough research papers and journal articles to understand that small in length does not mean nothing to say.  But some readers may have issues with purchasing through Amazon someone's homework.

I think for me the real issues are in the errors and sources.  For the life of Walt Disney no major biographies are referenced, though Wikipedia is!  The section on Walt's life makes it feel like the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio opened with Mortimer, soon to be Mickey Mouse, as their first character.  And even today's facts are jumbled with Lucasfilm referred as Lucas Film and Bob Iger as Roger Iger.  I can understand these mistakes in a mid-term paper, but better editing and fact checking should have been applied when reaching to a deeper audience.  And honestly, it should be retitled.

In the end Walt Disney: The Creation of Walt Disney Co. fell flat for me.  But much of this was based on expectations!  And I would look elsewhere for information about the life of Walt Disney.