July 2008 Non-Fiction and Biography Book Reviews

Wings in the Desert

by Amadeo M. Rea

University of Arizona Press
Hardcover
ISBN# 978-0-8165-2459-4
Suggested Retail Price: $70.00 or as low as $61.34 from Amazon.com!

Biologist Amadeo M. Rea produced this fascinating study of the O’odham tribes of Arizona and Northwest Mexico and their scientific knowledge of the many species of birds that populate the American Southwest. The book describes how these people studied the birds with an astute recognition of the important principles of their behaviors regarding migration and breeding. Rea shows how the cultures of these people were intertwined with the birds they found, both for food and ornamentation.

You might expect a coffee table-sized book like this to be filled with color photographs, but the pages are mostly filled with Rea's text and pen-and-ink illustrations. The book brings you to a new level of respect for the intelligence of these people and their incredible knowledge of these beautiful birds.

The Neanderthal Legacy

by Stan Gooch

Inner Traditions
Paperback
ISBN# 978-159477185-9
Suggested Retail Price: $14.95 or as low as $7.50 from Amazon.com!

Pschologist Stan Gooch brings a combination of science and parapsychology to bear in examining the basis for the theory of evolution. By studying the earliest ancestors of modern man, Gooch ties the behaviors of Neanderthal and Cro-Magnon to those we all share today. It's an intriguing book that focuses on the evolution of the brain that makes us what we are and how it evolved from our primitive ancestors. While couched in modern science, there is a flavor of the paranormal enthusiast in Gooch's writing that keeps you on your toes. As American culture struggles with the conflicts between science and religion, books like this help us to examine our own beliefs and how we teach our children.

Walt Disney's Imagineering Legends

by Jeff Kurtti

Disney Editions
Hardcover
ISBN# 978-078685559-9
Suggested Retail Price: $35.00 or as low as $20.71 from Amazon.com!

When Walt Disney started to plan Disneyland, he was blessed by having a pool of incredible talent within the Studio and having worked with many talented men and women who had worked over the years but had moved on. While Disneyland was truly Walt's dream and personal vision that drove the project, it was these amazing artists and engineers who turned it all into reality. Walt called these people "Imagineers" because it reflected the combination of imagination and engineering prowess that was crucial to the success of the park. Of course, the whole world knows Walt Disney, but only the avid fans would recognize the names of these Imagineers. Names like William Cottrell, Harper Goff, Ken Anderson, Herb Ryman, Sam McKim, Mary Blair, Harriet Burns, John Hench, Ward Kimball, Marc Davis, Alice Davis, Bob Gurr, and Roger Broggie are the stuff of legend for them. This is their story - or rather, their stories. This book chronicles the origins of Disney Imagineering and features the biographies of those original Imagineers who made the magic we've all come to know as Disneyland.

The biographies are both entertaining and inspiring. There's so much serendipity in how they came to work for Disney. Several of the artists were long-time animators who helped create the Disney cartoons and features like "Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs", "Bambi" and others. Many of those men came to Disney during the Depression when any job was a good job, and they were just lucky enough to find an opening with Disney. Others came along during and after World War II. Each brought something unique to the mixture of backgrounds and experiences to help create the magical atmosphere of the Disney theme parks. This oversized book is also filled with great photographs of these people at their jobs, with lots of historic information about how various Disneyland attractions were created. I was fortunate enough to be present at several Disney conventions when these people would give presentations describing their work. Every single one of them was extraordinarily gracious and generous with their time. And they all had a fabulous sense of humor. It's no wonder where that Disney spirit came from. It came from these people. And this is their story, lovingly laid out in words and picture by noted Disney author Jeff Kurtti, whose written extensively about The Walt Disney Company over the years. This book is one of his best.

Disney Lost and Found

by Charles Solomon

Disney Editions
Hardcover
ISBN# 978-142311601-1
Suggested Retail Price: $30.00 or as low as $11.49 from Amazon.com!

The Disney Studios have a well-earned reputation for their clever and imaginitive artwork, but you really can't appreciate the scope of the talent of the artists that have worked there until you go beyond what they present on the screen, back to the concept art. Years before most projects see the light of day, the artists work on developing characters and scenery for them. It's back at the old drawing board - or animation table - where you discover just how talented and imaginitive these magicians are with pencil and paint.

Charles Solomon gives us a look at some of the artwork created for movies, cartoons, books, and other projects that were never seen by the public or were not included in the final versions of those we all know and love. They range from simple pen and ink drawings to full illustrations. Some are silly. Some are breathtakingly beautiful. And all of them give you that special Disney feeling that you're about to be told a wonderful story. Some of Disney's most famous artists are featured here, along with many who are relatively unknown. The foreword by Mr. Solomon details the creative process at Disney, from the early days of the Studio up to today which gives the artwork presented in the book its proper context so that you can appreciate it all the more. If you're a fan of animation, this is a book that you'll very much want to own.