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Camp
A rousing coming-of-age story from Disney CEO Michael Eisner about his time in camp and the indispensable lessons he learned there that continue to influence him.
Over the years, as a camper and a counselor, Disney CEO Michael Eisner absorbed the life lessons that come from sitting in the stern of a canoe or meeting around a campfire at night. With anecdotes from his time spent at Keewaydin and stories from his life in the upper echelons of American business that illustrate the camp's continued influence, Eisner creates a touching and insightful portrait of his own coming-of-age, as well as a resounding declaration of summer camp as an invaluable national institution.
Over the years, as a camper and a counselor, Disney CEO Michael Eisner absorbed the life lessons that come from sitting in the stern of a canoe or meeting around a campfire at night. With anecdotes from his time spent at Keewaydin and stories from his life in the upper echelons of American business that illustrate the camp's continued influence, Eisner creates a touching and insightful portrait of his own coming-of-age, as well as a resounding declaration of summer camp as an invaluable national institution.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2004
14 people are currently reading
190 people want to read
About the author
Michael D. Eisner
12 books23 followersRetired Chair and CEO of Walt Disney: Former President, Paramount Pictures Corp: Former Head of West Coast, ABC Television Network
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
May 18, 2022
Good Book
Michael Eisner does a fair job of reliving his memories of summer camp. It is obvious that he enjoyed his adventures more than I did. Of note, I hated summer camp. 😂
Michael Eisner does a fair job of reliving his memories of summer camp. It is obvious that he enjoyed his adventures more than I did. Of note, I hated summer camp. 😂
May 8, 2008
The writing is not tremendous - actually it's terrible in spots, but I really enjoyed the story of how a summer camp influenced the CEO of Walt Disney. I find it equal parts touching and humorous that he thinks Waboos is the reason a bunch of the kids at this camp succeeded in their professional lives decades later (became worldwide business leaders, etc.). OK, I'm being pessimistic, but it probably had a little to do with the $5K-10K price tag on the camp and the families that could afford to send someone there each summer! That aside, I learned a lot from the book's relationship/humanistic stories.
October 18, 2017
Mottos at Camp Keewaydin:
#1 - Help the other fellow
#2 - Be a fair winner and a good loser
interesting quotes:
"One must know how to deal with adversity, control oneself in times of discomfort, and value the elements of competition that are ultimately necessary for either fair winning or good losing...A sports team or a business team could win on talent alone, but it usually takes more than that..." (p.)
#1 - Help the other fellow
#2 - Be a fair winner and a good loser
interesting quotes:
"One must know how to deal with adversity, control oneself in times of discomfort, and value the elements of competition that are ultimately necessary for either fair winning or good losing...A sports team or a business team could win on talent alone, but it usually takes more than that..." (p.)
June 5, 2019
If you've ever been to summer camp, you'll find something in this book that makes you smile and remember. While the girls' camp I went to - Camp Tekawitha in Wisconsin - didn't send us out on canoe trips or mountain adventures, it still had a lot in common with Eisner's Keewaydin. The dining hall, the staff, the communal bathrooms, the swim test in the lake, and even the songs that sang us to sleep. I enjoyed reliving those memories via the ones shared in this book.
If you've never been to camp, you might find yourself thinking, "Seriously? This is a thing?" But keep reading, because you'll understand more about it as you go. There's also a second, more present, storyline about two boys from Southern Cal, going up to camp on scholarship, and it's fun to see it through their eyes. I'm sure Eisner kind of left out the parts where kids played practical jokes on the newbies, and how cliques formed even in the middle of the woods, but this was a fun read.
If you've never been to camp, you might find yourself thinking, "Seriously? This is a thing?" But keep reading, because you'll understand more about it as you go. There's also a second, more present, storyline about two boys from Southern Cal, going up to camp on scholarship, and it's fun to see it through their eyes. I'm sure Eisner kind of left out the parts where kids played practical jokes on the newbies, and how cliques formed even in the middle of the woods, but this was a fun read.
September 21, 2010
I picked this book up for fifty cents at a local book sale. It caught my eye because I'd met Michael Eisner at the Indianapolis Museum of Art -- once upon a time. I LOVED this book! I enjoyed reliving my own summer at camp when I was a teenager, through Michael's experiences. I loved the writing, the easy flow, his appreciation for the elders. It was a great book and I've suggested to several of my friends that they might enjoy it as well.
May 5, 2011
I'm not very far into it, but am loving this book so far! This camp reminds me so much of Hidden Valley Camp (where I worked at my kids go in the summers) that it's almost uncanny. So far, it's a great tribute to the legacy of summer camps and the positive impact they have on the lives of so many kids.
February 14, 2021
Easy read; nothing spectacular but a nice, detailed explanation of a memory that was shared through generations. It made me sad that I didn’t have an experience like this while growing up. I’m most moved by Eisners foundation that provides underprivileged kids the opportunity to go to camp for the summer.
January 27, 2014
An autobiography relegated to the author's days at a camp. The incredible limitation of the scope of the book, as well as the rather mundane stories contained in it, really make this book pretty boring.
June 12, 2013
was a quick read, nice tellings of his camp years and traditions.
June 7, 2025
This book is an easy read. The writing is not flashy--it's very straightforward. The book is a mini-biography of its author, a former CEO of Disney, but it's more than that. It is a narrative that explains one Vermont summer camp, Keewaydin. You learn about the camp from the author's eyes and memories, which is interwoven with the stories of two California boys joining the camp on scholarships long after the author was a camper or counselor at Keewaydin.
Central to the narrative is the description of Waboos, the legendary camp leader. I grew up under some leaders much like him. One of my directors, Chief, is clearly described by Reynolds Price in a fictional tale, The Tongues of Angels. Price worked one summer at the camp and used to experience as the setting for a fictional story.
I am a former summer camp owner and director. Even though the traditions of the camps I attended and the camp I owned and directed are different than the traditions at Keewaydin, they are also very similar. Every camp has its own traditions. Like the author, I know that so much of my success in life relates back to lessons learned at summer camp.
After retiring from running a summer camp for boys, I got caught up in public policy politics. Politics has gotten pretty nasty in recent years, but I've often credited my successes in politics to what I learned at summer camp. I learned how to resolve disputes. I learned how to compromise. I learned how to work with difficult people. I often quipped that serving in the state legislature would be easier if everyone had attended summer camps---at least those camps like the one I attended as a child and young adult or the camps at where I worked as an adult.
If one has attended a summer camp, some of the descriptions---like the dance with the neighboring girls camp---brought back memories and made me laugh. I also remember my childhood fears and how I got over them with the help of counselors and camp friends.
No two camps are alike. I know there are some that aren't very good, often because of their staff. However, I, like the author, couldn't imagine having children or grandchildren and not giving them the opportunity to learn life skills at camp.
Central to the narrative is the description of Waboos, the legendary camp leader. I grew up under some leaders much like him. One of my directors, Chief, is clearly described by Reynolds Price in a fictional tale, The Tongues of Angels. Price worked one summer at the camp and used to experience as the setting for a fictional story.
I am a former summer camp owner and director. Even though the traditions of the camps I attended and the camp I owned and directed are different than the traditions at Keewaydin, they are also very similar. Every camp has its own traditions. Like the author, I know that so much of my success in life relates back to lessons learned at summer camp.
After retiring from running a summer camp for boys, I got caught up in public policy politics. Politics has gotten pretty nasty in recent years, but I've often credited my successes in politics to what I learned at summer camp. I learned how to resolve disputes. I learned how to compromise. I learned how to work with difficult people. I often quipped that serving in the state legislature would be easier if everyone had attended summer camps---at least those camps like the one I attended as a child and young adult or the camps at where I worked as an adult.
If one has attended a summer camp, some of the descriptions---like the dance with the neighboring girls camp---brought back memories and made me laugh. I also remember my childhood fears and how I got over them with the help of counselors and camp friends.
No two camps are alike. I know there are some that aren't very good, often because of their staff. However, I, like the author, couldn't imagine having children or grandchildren and not giving them the opportunity to learn life skills at camp.
October 18, 2022
I went into this book, thinking I'd learn something about camp staffing or camp director-ing or the value of camp because another camp professional recommended it to me years ago. I don't think I got enough out of it to say I got what I wanted.
However, if you're interested in learning about Michael Eisner's formative years, his family's lasting legacy at a camp, or learn about the people and the history of Camp Keewaydin and Camp Songadeewin, this is the book for you.
Don't get me wrong, the parts where he focused on the two boys that the Disney Goals foundation sponsored to attend the camp were engaging and slightly more interesting (to me), but it also felt so wrong to focus on these kids and unscore their short height, their fiery tempers, their single-parent homes, their possibly crime-ridden neighborhoods in such a public arena.
Overall, I just don't think I liked it much.
One note about the edition I listened to: I borrowed the audio book from my library virtually, through Libby, and downloaded it in its entirety directly to my phone, so I wouldn't miss something if I were driving into a dead zone while I was listening. Consequently, I was super confused about the fact that there were two sections around the middle of the book that were repeated, word-for-word, as if in a mistaken loop of audio. Plus, I only found out after the fact that the audiobook was marked "abridged" - why? What parts did I miss (besides maybe the ones that should have been spliced in instead of the repeated audio)?
However, if you're interested in learning about Michael Eisner's formative years, his family's lasting legacy at a camp, or learn about the people and the history of Camp Keewaydin and Camp Songadeewin, this is the book for you.
Don't get me wrong, the parts where he focused on the two boys that the Disney Goals foundation sponsored to attend the camp were engaging and slightly more interesting (to me), but it also felt so wrong to focus on these kids and unscore their short height, their fiery tempers, their single-parent homes, their possibly crime-ridden neighborhoods in such a public arena.
Overall, I just don't think I liked it much.
One note about the edition I listened to: I borrowed the audio book from my library virtually, through Libby, and downloaded it in its entirety directly to my phone, so I wouldn't miss something if I were driving into a dead zone while I was listening. Consequently, I was super confused about the fact that there were two sections around the middle of the book that were repeated, word-for-word, as if in a mistaken loop of audio. Plus, I only found out after the fact that the audiobook was marked "abridged" - why? What parts did I miss (besides maybe the ones that should have been spliced in instead of the repeated audio)?
October 15, 2025
This was a delightful ode to summer camp. I support so much of what was written. It does not matter if it is coed or not, rich or poor, adventure or art, summer camps share the same spirt. The spirit of joy, acceptance, friendship, adventure, growth, care, values, love, and all the other amazing things. If you have been to summer camp, we have a bond. We speak the same language
Camp comes up frequently in my life. Most things to know about being a good person, come from camp.
I would like to read a book reminding me of the camp experience from the inside, more of the camper/counselor experience.
We all imagine our camp director will be at camp forever, that they have always been there. But directors change all the time, my directors have left, even Ryan is leaving. This camp had the director that has been there for +7 decades.
I loved this book
Camp comes up frequently in my life. Most things to know about being a good person, come from camp.
I would like to read a book reminding me of the camp experience from the inside, more of the camper/counselor experience.
We all imagine our camp director will be at camp forever, that they have always been there. But directors change all the time, my directors have left, even Ryan is leaving. This camp had the director that has been there for +7 decades.
I loved this book
September 13, 2021
Although not the best writing and occasionally repetitive I really enjoyed this book. As a scout volunteer and a ex Girl Guide I could relate to the concepts discussed at Keywaydeen and the impact these things have on the children that experience them. I loved the concept of structured freedom. But most of all I really enjoyed the fact that the love Michael Eisner feels for this place shone through at all times.
June 2, 2018
Well written but a bit cliched.
This book is interesting if you want to know more about American camping for boys and some aspects of leadership training. Michael Eisner though does get a bit goody two shoes. Fortunately, the book is a m short read
This book is interesting if you want to know more about American camping for boys and some aspects of leadership training. Michael Eisner though does get a bit goody two shoes. Fortunately, the book is a m short read
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December 21, 2022Eisner including the origin story of his hoarse voice *is* camp. I think.
March 10, 2024
Excellent!
August 18, 2024
I wanted to love this. I wanted it to bring back the magic of summer camp…and it did a little but for me it failed to capture the experience I had and the strength of relationships.
May 2, 2025
I’m a sucker for anything camp-related, and while this book was sweet and nostalgic, the writing was overloaded with details and mundane tellings of camp life.
October 5, 2016
Michael D. Eisner’s book Camp is a story about the author growing up as a boy going through summer camp and as his own present day self as a counselor at camp Keewaydin, and to even telling about his children's experiences at the camp. In the book I believed the author intended to entertain the readers with the story of his life growing up and telling the moral lessons he learned from his experiences, and then used later on in life. Michael told the story in first person mainly because the story was about his own life experiences and memories. An example of the first person would be “ I played, I swam, I rested, then played and swam again with the boys for the rest of the day”(4).
The theme that Michael is trying to say throughout his story is that you can learn many things by just experiencing things, like camp can teach people many important lessons that can be used later on in life. An example of the theme would be “ Summer camp is where the tools to fend off the hard times are acquired. They are tools that have worked for generations of campers, and they will work forever” (171). The quote proves that the lessons you learn in camp the lessons being the tools are going to be used in everyday life, like being a hard worker or just being a good a responsible person. Another side topic he covered in the book was friendship is a good thing to have and to chairish.
Michael D. Eisner’s book was written as a description. The book was written in this style because of the fact that Michael is describing his experiences and memories that he had done at his summer camps when he was a boy just growing up. While telling about his memories he was also giving us a description of how he uses the lessons he learned from his summer camp. A quote that proves the style is description would be “The camp looks pretty much the same today- the same large trees, the same air to breathe, that same lake smell- all the same as the start of summer in 1949” (12). This quote shows how he still knows the look of the camp and even how it smelled like a lake and even what it felt like to be there. Throughout the book he describes the entire camp site as the story progresses.
The book Camp is a very interesting read for the fact that it is about lessons and morals rather than talking about a story which threw me off throughout the book. Things I liked about the book was that it taught me stuff that I could even use in everyday life. What I also liked about the book was that is that it showed 2 generations of a family and how they experienced the camp in their own ways. Things that I didn’t like about the book was that it wasn’t really told in a story kind of sense so it didn’t flow right to me. Things I would change about the book is that is would be told in more of a story like fashion without messing up the lessons and morals that are throughout the book. Overall I thought the book was okay but it was a new kind of read for me, so it changed the way I think about non-fiction books. This book relates to books like autobiographies which in camp tells about a person's life which in the book does, but only a part.
The theme that Michael is trying to say throughout his story is that you can learn many things by just experiencing things, like camp can teach people many important lessons that can be used later on in life. An example of the theme would be “ Summer camp is where the tools to fend off the hard times are acquired. They are tools that have worked for generations of campers, and they will work forever” (171). The quote proves that the lessons you learn in camp the lessons being the tools are going to be used in everyday life, like being a hard worker or just being a good a responsible person. Another side topic he covered in the book was friendship is a good thing to have and to chairish.
Michael D. Eisner’s book was written as a description. The book was written in this style because of the fact that Michael is describing his experiences and memories that he had done at his summer camps when he was a boy just growing up. While telling about his memories he was also giving us a description of how he uses the lessons he learned from his summer camp. A quote that proves the style is description would be “The camp looks pretty much the same today- the same large trees, the same air to breathe, that same lake smell- all the same as the start of summer in 1949” (12). This quote shows how he still knows the look of the camp and even how it smelled like a lake and even what it felt like to be there. Throughout the book he describes the entire camp site as the story progresses.
The book Camp is a very interesting read for the fact that it is about lessons and morals rather than talking about a story which threw me off throughout the book. Things I liked about the book was that it taught me stuff that I could even use in everyday life. What I also liked about the book was that is that it showed 2 generations of a family and how they experienced the camp in their own ways. Things that I didn’t like about the book was that it wasn’t really told in a story kind of sense so it didn’t flow right to me. Things I would change about the book is that is would be told in more of a story like fashion without messing up the lessons and morals that are throughout the book. Overall I thought the book was okay but it was a new kind of read for me, so it changed the way I think about non-fiction books. This book relates to books like autobiographies which in camp tells about a person's life which in the book does, but only a part.
July 8, 2024
I can't believe I read this book for Podcast the Ride. I can't believe how much information I know about Eisner's days at summer camp. I will say it helps to illuminate... the whole concept of Michael Eisner and who he is as a person.
June 20, 2013
I enjoyed listening to this audio book of Michael Eisner's memories of sleep away camp. Having grown up on the East coast going away to sleep away camp every summer since I was 7 years old, I could relate to his positive feelings and fond memories of camp. I expected it to contain more light hearted, humorous stories and was surprised to find it to be more contemplative with a focus on how camp had a big influence on who he is today. And while I couldn't relate to some of the aspects of his experiences, there was enough that made it worth listening. If you've never been to sleep away camp, it may not be relatable but you may be surprised to learn the wonderful impact of sleep away camp.
March 19, 2012
I'll admit, I went into this expecting it to be a business book filled with advice on translating childhood lessons into the business world. Instead it read more as a memoir, switching between Eisner's camp memories and the stories of the children he sent on scholarship.
As someone who is a 6 year overnight camp veteran and a former camp counselor, I definitely felt a lot of nostalgia while reading this book and frequently found myself relating his stories to my own experience. I highly recommend this book to all former "camp kids."
As someone who is a 6 year overnight camp veteran and a former camp counselor, I definitely felt a lot of nostalgia while reading this book and frequently found myself relating his stories to my own experience. I highly recommend this book to all former "camp kids."
August 15, 2010
The concept of the book is one that I love and completely agree with: that summer camp is an incredibly positive force in the development of children, teens and young adults. I am a former camper/staff member and I find that in my adult years, many of the "life lessons" I learned in summer camp still apply. Eisner and his co-author do a great job at weaving together the past and present--it's a great look at the influence of summer camp.
January 27, 2008
Eisner wrote some stuff that felt very familiar to me, as a veteran of camp myself. It was a little precious, but it could have been far more so - Eisner did a decent job of checking himself, writing about a place where his family has grown up. This isn't high literature, but it's a nice way to pass a couple of hours.
September 10, 2011
Man, I really wanted this to be good. Really, really badly. The many years of going to Outdoor School, volunteering at cancer camps, and working at summer camp, made me super hopeful this would be an interesting read, with nostalgic stories of camp years past. Instead it was just sort of boring, and it struggled to keep my attention.
January 7, 2015
I was expecting a book filled with stories/ memories of fun things he did at camp and maybe how camp experiences influenced things at Disney. NOT. This was more of a boring history of this camp and a guy who worked there for many years. Not enough specific stories to hold my interest. I was very disappointed.
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February 19, 2015My two sons attended Keewaydin, and the joke with my wife is that Keewaydin is 50% responsible for making them the men they are today. Fun read, only because I know exactly what he is describing. I am saddened though that Keewaydin has named a building "Eisner Multiuse." Why not an Indian name, with a plaque at the entrance that he gave the money.
August 19, 2011
Easy read, and brought me back to my times at camp. Great read for anyone whos ever went to or worked at a sleep away/ advenutre camp but I feel like the rest of the population may not understand the sentimentality of this memoir.
April 1, 2012
Not the best written book, but it has heart and reminded me of girlhood summer camps. My experiences weren't as as instructional as those experienced by Eisner et al, but I have fond memories of them nonetheless.
September 1, 2014
I'm not sure if you hadn't gone to a sleep away camp like Keewaydin this book would be of much interest. I loved it although it wasn't particularly well written structurally. It brought back lots of good memories of the 8 years I spent at camp and the gifts an experience like that provide to kids.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews