HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY KNOW ABOUT MICKEY MOUSE?In his 85 years of animated existence, ever-youthful Mickey Mouse has lived a memorable life. Now Disney historian Jim Korkis chronicles that life in mesmerizing detail. From Mickey's humble beginnings on Walt's Disney sketch pad through his dozens of films to his embodiment of the Disney dream and his popular appearances in the Disney theme parks - it's all here, in The Book of Mouse.From Steamboats to Theme ParksUntil now, Mickey Mouse's life story was scattered across decades of books, articles, oral histories, and crumbling documents found only in the Walt Disney Archives. In The Book of Mouse, Jim Korkis brings together all of these essential elements for the first time into a narrative that celebrates this very special Mouse.Starting with the real story of Mickey's creation, Korkis weaves well-researched facts with charming, insider stories and anecdotes. You'll learn about the hidden secrets of Steamboat Willie, Mickey's first film; the astonishing success of the first Mickey Mouse Club; the Mickey cartoons never made; the history of the Mickey costumed character in the theme parks (and the people inside them); the special relationships Mickey had with presidents, movie stars, playwrights, magicians, and even astronauts; and plenty more jam-packed in over 300 pages.In addition, the book features a complete list of Mickey's film and television appearances, with plot summaries, production notes, and trivia.The Many Manifestations of Mickey MouseMickey Mouse is a film star. He's a television star. He's the star of best-selling books, cartoon strips, and comic books. His image sells millions upon millions of dollars in merchandise. He's the leader of the band, the central figure in the Disney universe, and perhaps the most recognizable character in the world. Everyone knows Mickey. But there's so much you don't know about Mickey.This is just some of what you'll discover in Jim Korkis' The Book of of the many myths still told about Mickey MouseComplete, annotated Mickey Mouse filmography (1928-2013)The rise and rise of Mickey's merchandising empireHistory of Mickey Mouse at the Disney theme parksWhat Mickey meant to Walt Disney, in Walt's own wordsDozens of bite-size "Mouse-ka-Tales"Plus answers How tall is Mickey? Where does he live? Why does he only have four fingers? Is he married to Minnie? And so much more!The Book of Mouse is a biography, ethnography, and filmography in one, the world's first comprehensive, single-volume resource about Mickey Mouse. With its hundreds of fun stories, Mouse-ka-Tales, and Mickey milestones, the book is sure to enlighten and delight Mickey fans of all ages.Become the Mickey Mouse expert in your family!
'The Book of Mouse' is a Theme Park Press publication. This sympathetic little publisher specializes in Disney-related books, without being associated with the Disney company. Therefore their books are devoid of any Disney copyrighted illustrations. Thus, 'The Book of Mouse' is not a richly illustrated coffee table book, but a paperback containing text only.
In this book, Korkis has gathered odds and ends, bits and pieces about Mickey Mouse. The result is a rather unstructured, and little lazy book, with a lot of information appearing twice, and with an index that is much too limited to be of any help. The least satisfactory part is when Korkis discusses Mickey's theatrical films. To me this should have been the most important section of the book, but Korkis hardly provides some extra information besides the plot. He fails to name animators, background artists, storyboard artists, or whatever, only indicating some trivia here and there.
Trivia are the theme of the book, anyway. Nevertheless, the book manages to provide the reader with some new information, especially on Mickey the amusement park character. Most satisfying, however, is the new information Korkis provides when discussing Mickey's most famous film, 'Steamboat Willie' (1928). All the same, 'The Book of Mouse' is not the ultimate book on Mickey. I guess this book has still to be written...
" Mickey was simply a little personality assigned to the purpose of laughter.”-Walt Disney
Mickey has been my friend my entire life, and never fails to bring a smile to my face. As with most loved ones, you tend to just think of him in personal terms, and forget how enormously significant this character has been to the entire world for such a long time. This book provides insights that ,upon sharing, may make even me sound cool and interesting to my children and my parents. I am grateful to author , Jim Korkis, for again sharing his golden nuggets of Disney history with the masses. I have enjoyed many of his other books, but this one just made me smile to read it. It provides nostalgia and new discoveries, much like a visit to the parks. While the information in this book is vast, covering many years and many areas, the message remains that Mickey is simple. Mickey works hard. Mickey is kind. Mickey is silly. Values we clearly universally appreciate by evidence of his popularity. One day I hope we can universally share them.
I'm not totally sure what I thought of this. I love Jim's work and his attention to detail, and maybe this book isn't meant to be read cover to cover, but it just felt so redundant.
I didn't dislike the book, as the information was interesting and valuable, but I wasn't a big fan of the presentation and the overuse of the same quotes. There are other Disney animators outside of Ollie and Frank, that probably have/had fantastic opinions on Mickey as well.
Some great tidbits are in here, especially from the "Mickey gap" and the reason for it.