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98th out of 101 books
—
98 voters
Team Rodent: How Disney Devours the World
by
Carl Hiaasen
"Disney is so good at being good that it manifests an evil; so uniformly efficient and courteous, so dependably clean and conscientious, so unfailingly entertaining that it's unreal, and therefore is an agent of pure wickedness. . . . Disney isn't in the business of exploiting Nature so much as striving to improve upon it, constantly fine-tuning God's work."
--from TEAM ROD...more
--from TEAM ROD...more
Paperback, 96 pages
Published
May 5th 1998
by Ballantine Books
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Carl Hiaasen said his dream is to be banned from Disney... For LIFE. Let's go, Carl. I'll buy the tickets and we can be banished from that hellish place FOREVER!
Excellent read on the evils of Disney.
Excellent read on the evils of Disney.
Before you spend $9 on this book you need to know that it's less than 100 pages. This is not so much a book but a critical essay. Many Disney lovers have obviously read and reviewed this book and written scathing reviews, you will notice that most of these reviewers live far away from the Disney machine. I grew up in Florida and lived for 4 years of it in Orlando, less than 20 minutes from Disney. Many of my friends worked there, we dealt with the Disney machine on a daily basis.
This essay may...more
This essay may...more
the only reason i didn't give this 5 stars is that i suspect my florida prejudice is involved. but maybe not. this book is sharply written and riotous.
carl hiaasen is a gem - and he writes about florida with all the wit, brilliance, sarcasm, and love that only a native can muster. trust me, no one else laments when wetlands full of water moccasins get bulldozed. we do.
the book itself is a record of a particular moment in time, which is exactly what the series intends. folks who aren't in close p...more
carl hiaasen is a gem - and he writes about florida with all the wit, brilliance, sarcasm, and love that only a native can muster. trust me, no one else laments when wetlands full of water moccasins get bulldozed. we do.
the book itself is a record of a particular moment in time, which is exactly what the series intends. folks who aren't in close p...more
First, this is a very short book. It's critical. But it's not investigative journalism. It's a summary of what it's like to have lived in South Florida before, during, & after Disney bought land there. And how the tactics they have used have made people feel. It's also written in a hilarious style. If you like Hiaasen's other books you'll see that same style here.
He brings up a lot of troubling points, though he concedes he likes being at DisneyWorld, so it's not all bad! But I think his ma...more
He brings up a lot of troubling points, though he concedes he likes being at DisneyWorld, so it's not all bad! But I think his ma...more
2 likes · like · see review
This book starts out whining about how Disney brings in more tourists to the Florida Keys.
"High on the list [of tourists there to visit Disney] is the southernmost chain of islands known as the Keys, where I live, and where only one road runs the length of the archipelago. Maybe you can appreciate the concern." p. 6
Then, at the end, he says that,
"Chamber-of-commerce types in Key West got ticked off recently when Disney World unveiled its own quaint version of America’s southernmost city, a hal...more
"High on the list [of tourists there to visit Disney] is the southernmost chain of islands known as the Keys, where I live, and where only one road runs the length of the archipelago. Maybe you can appreciate the concern." p. 6
Then, at the end, he says that,
"Chamber-of-commerce types in Key West got ticked off recently when Disney World unveiled its own quaint version of America’s southernmost city, a hal...more
Okay.
I have a feeling that my opinion on this book won't be a popular one among many of my fellow Floridians. But I really did not agree with most of what Hiaasen had to say in this book. I think it's because I am not a native to Florida and I still consider myself a West Virginian. A West Virginian who tried desperately for six months to get a job after graduating college in her home state only to have to move to Florida because there are NO opportunities in WV. Maybe I'm a bit jaded.
This book...more
I have a feeling that my opinion on this book won't be a popular one among many of my fellow Floridians. But I really did not agree with most of what Hiaasen had to say in this book. I think it's because I am not a native to Florida and I still consider myself a West Virginian. A West Virginian who tried desperately for six months to get a job after graduating college in her home state only to have to move to Florida because there are NO opportunities in WV. Maybe I'm a bit jaded.
This book...more
Books like this really spark my interest. I am a HUGE Disney fan & I love everything Disney but it's always interesting to read the opinions of people who despise it with every fiber of their being & to hear the reasons why.
This book, however, didn't really give solid evidence of anything. Maybe one court case regarding poorly constructed houses in Country Walk. But everything else..not so much. And in regards to the dalmation chapter, Disney is a huge corportation. It is bound to have...more
This book, however, didn't really give solid evidence of anything. Maybe one court case regarding poorly constructed houses in Country Walk. But everything else..not so much. And in regards to the dalmation chapter, Disney is a huge corportation. It is bound to have...more
A fun polemic, full of good-natured vitriol. Occasionally relies on some spurious notions, like the assumption that the Times Square Disney store was responsible for displacing all the infamous perversion vendors. Still, Hiaasen's essay compellingly argues that Disney's ever-growing, tentacular hold on America is deadening both our culture and our democracy.
The company offers a bland but effective cocktail of commercial aspirations to children, angry teens, and striving adults alike--from prince...more
The company offers a bland but effective cocktail of commercial aspirations to children, angry teens, and striving adults alike--from prince...more
This book was a laughable example of a blathering anti-capitalistic liberal ranting against good American business success. You can always find isolated examples of mistakes and wrongdoings in an enterprise as large as Disney, and Hiaasen has done just that, while making broad sweeping generalizations about the "evil" of Disney, all the while giving a slight nod to some of their positive attributes.
In one chapter he rants against how Disney takes over a place and provides all sorts of "clean" s...more
In one chapter he rants against how Disney takes over a place and provides all sorts of "clean" s...more
This book is incredible, and forever changed by mind about the Disney machine. While some may laugh about a class in the Sociology of Disney, and blow it off as cake, I learned much about this and other American corporations that come off as "friend brands." A very short book, I highly recommend that everyone swayed by the Disney Marketing agenda read this and see the lives behind the scenes...and the amazing writing doesn't hurt.
This thin volume is a very quick read, and it starts off in a romp of well-written vitriol, a veritable salad of $10 words that promise a portrait of Disney that will reveal that company's avaricious and cynical soul.
But the rest of the book fails to fully deliver. Or rather over-delivers, but with misdirecting filler in place of convincing content. Hiassen's contempt for Disney is evident on every page, in nearly every paragraph. Yet too much of the mud he's slinging misses The Mouse and smears...more
But the rest of the book fails to fully deliver. Or rather over-delivers, but with misdirecting filler in place of convincing content. Hiassen's contempt for Disney is evident on every page, in nearly every paragraph. Yet too much of the mud he's slinging misses The Mouse and smears...more
![Amanda [Novel Addiction]](http://d.gr-assets.com/users/1296175918p2/4886503.jpg)
Sep 07, 2012
Amanda [Novel Addiction]
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audiobook,
nonfiction
This book was... okay. Short, so more like an essay than a true novel. I love Disney, but I also love seeing opposing viewpoints, so my "meh" feeling of this book doesn't come from that, but from.. well, the strange-ness of the book. Some of the author's points didn't make sense. His story about the lion was not Disney's fault at all, so why include it? It had almost nothing to do with Disney, other than it happened in Florida.
That said, if you plan to read this book, I definitely suggest getti...more
That said, if you plan to read this book, I definitely suggest getti...more
Short book--expose on all the things Disney does wrong, in the author's opinion, running things in its own way while everyone else allows them to do as they wish.
Interesting to read as a counterpoint to the squeaky-clean Disney image; it's evident that the author is anti-Disney and believes that everyone born and raised in Florida holds the same opinion.
The chapter about Disney wining and dining the press was especially interesting as I was just reading a discussion about the upcoming Disney Soc...more
Interesting to read as a counterpoint to the squeaky-clean Disney image; it's evident that the author is anti-Disney and believes that everyone born and raised in Florida holds the same opinion.
The chapter about Disney wining and dining the press was especially interesting as I was just reading a discussion about the upcoming Disney Soc...more
An insightful look at how the Disney empire manipulates local governments for its own benefits, often denigrating and harming citizens who are concerned about the effects Disney developments might have on their societies. Whether you are a Disney fan or not, you will come away with an entirely new perspective. Carl Hiassen, a popular author of Florida mysteries, was first known as a muckraking journalist who was well respected for his research and thoroughness. He also has a strong love for his...more
This book is more of an essay than anything else, but it's brilliantly written. Though I'm an avid Disney Parks fan, I found Team Rodent to be witty, informative, and enjoyable to read. The book was published in 1998 so all of the statistics are incredibly outdated. Still, it's nice to take a quick look at how far a company will go to keep their image and name untarnished, and what a corporation like Disney does with all it's power. I only wish that the book would have delved more heavily into t...more
Nov 21, 2012
Tressa
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audiobook,
non-fiction
Team Rodent depicts Disney in a different light than how the company is usually shown. Of course, I'm not sure why the depiction within the book is such a surprise--Disney is a corporation after all and is in the business of earning money. I guess I'm just cynical.
There were areas that seemed as if the author, Carl Hiaasen, had an ax to grind, but he freely admits his bias. Hiaasen does highlight a few questionable actions by Disney, but it is a slight book that isn't bogged down with a tedious...more
There were areas that seemed as if the author, Carl Hiaasen, had an ax to grind, but he freely admits his bias. Hiaasen does highlight a few questionable actions by Disney, but it is a slight book that isn't bogged down with a tedious...more
Let me start by saying, I don't particularly like Disney at all. Completely impartial.
This author is sick, he actually fantasizes about people getting mauled by escaped lions.
He fantasizes about a rhino getting raped with a stick. Seriously.
Don't say thats not what he meant, because if so, you haven't read this or completely understood it.
A sour, pathetic man who finds himself dwarfed by the world of business. Get a proper job Carl.
I heard Disney are hiring.
PS, I've decided to book a trip to Flo...more
This author is sick, he actually fantasizes about people getting mauled by escaped lions.
He fantasizes about a rhino getting raped with a stick. Seriously.
Don't say thats not what he meant, because if so, you haven't read this or completely understood it.
A sour, pathetic man who finds himself dwarfed by the world of business. Get a proper job Carl.
I heard Disney are hiring.
PS, I've decided to book a trip to Flo...more
he raises some great points yet fails to deliver on how disneyfication slaughters "real" Florida or even dig up any dirt on disney world or its cast members. more research would have thickened up this bloated essay and given us something to think about--what do all these theme parks do to Floridians psychologically? How does the disneyfication reflect america's fascist obsession with safety and sanitation? if you want a good read about Florida and her troubles with tourism, try Grunwald's The Sw...more
Carl Hiaasen has a chip on his shoulder - an obsessive hatred of the Disney Corporation. As far as I can tell he hates Disney because they have a strong brand and are successful. I was expecting this book to reveal a lot of shocking dirt on Disney. While there are certainly instances in the books where Disney acted arrogantly or where their actions led to some bad consequences for people, there is nothing too surprising. It seems like Disney is actually pretty well behaved as far as corporations...more
I would have liked a little more depth but still manages to be intriguing. Disney is a horrible and dangerous entity made worse by the "tourons" who flock there every year with screaming children who are too young to know what is going on in tow.
"Disney is so good at being good that it manifests evil; so uniformly efficient and courteous, so dependably clean and conscientious, so unfailingly entertaining that it's unreal, and therefore is an agent of pure wickedness."
"Disney is so good at being good that it manifests evil; so uniformly efficient and courteous, so dependably clean and conscientious, so unfailingly entertaining that it's unreal, and therefore is an agent of pure wickedness."
Bad reporting, innuendo and dishonest association over solid evidence and reasoned argument, seasoned with a good dose of sophomoric name-calling. The whole book feels like it was reported from a bar in Key West in conversations with conspiracy goofs lubed up on a few too many margaritas. I'd love to see a serious consideration of Disney's corporate culture and its dominant position in American (and world) popular culture). This book definitely does not fit the bill.
This guy hates Disneyland! Not to say he shouldn't - but I would have liked to see this short book turned into a larger piece. It felt more like a magazine article. (Maybe it was - I did not spend that much time "researching" it.) He is a good writer, but his snide terminology rather irritates me. The use of "Team Rodent" is a little to cutesy/cool/angry, and the way he refers to Michael Eisner as "Insane Clown Michael," is just weird.
I read this book as a recommendation from a former boss at a Barnes & Noble before moving hundreds of miles away to become a Walt Disney World castmember. I found it very interesting and some parts were a little unnerving, but I will always love WDW and I admire the power that company holds. If one man that held 4 jobs as a child can create something of that magnitude, anyone can do anything they dream... it all started with a mouse.
TEAM RODENT
How Disney Devours America
"Revulsion is good. Revulsion is healthy. Each of us has limits, unarticulated boundaries of taste and tolerance, and sometimes we forget where they are. Peep Land is here to remind us; a fixed compass point by which we can govern our private behavior. Because being grossed out is essential to the human experience; without a perceived depravity, we'd have nothing against which to gauge the advance or decline of culture; our art, our music, our cinema, our boo...more
How Disney Devours America
"Revulsion is good. Revulsion is healthy. Each of us has limits, unarticulated boundaries of taste and tolerance, and sometimes we forget where they are. Peep Land is here to remind us; a fixed compass point by which we can govern our private behavior. Because being grossed out is essential to the human experience; without a perceived depravity, we'd have nothing against which to gauge the advance or decline of culture; our art, our music, our cinema, our boo...more
Clearly a biased piece, but Hiassen's only real complaint boils down to Disney is very good at what it does. Yes, it is a corporation adept at marketing itself. Yes, people go there to be entertained by a better version of reality. Yes, Disney has forever altered Orlando. But none of this is done without governmental consent and the support of millions of tourists, so I'm not really getting his point.
The most concise, scathing review of Disney that I've read yet. Hassen manages to pack multiple juicy stories about Disney's misadvenures in this slim 83 page book (essay, really) - it's a quick and engrossing read. I did find his tone over the top at points, however. His disgust for Disney is understandable as a Florida native, but I think he'd gain more credibility if he toned down the language.
This is the most recent pick for my book club at work. I'm sure I never would have picked it up otherwise, but thoroughly enjoyed it. Well, "enjoyed" might not be the right word. I went into it already loathing Disney, so I was pretty much on the same page as Hiaasen. This book just confirmed all of my worst nightmares about Disney and their creepy attempts to TAKE OVER THE WORLD. It's an amusing little book, but horrifying at the same time.
Hiaasen, normally known for his screwball mysteries set in Florida, here takes on the Disney corporation in an investigative essay. Holding the company accountable for the environmental damage done over decades in the region, Hiaasen uses his experience as a newspaperman and researcher to full effect. Not to be missed by those who want to be responsible consumers of Disney culture.
Slim but interesting volume, from the days when I used to hate Disney for the wrong reasons. Hiaasen has better reasons, though these days Eisner's gone, the Ducks and Angels have been replaced with Muppets and superheroes, and Disney's vertical integration is so vertical it's almost horizontal. What he does target he targets well, plus a cameo from ICP!
Team Rodent displays the wit and pace that marks his fiction, but the bias that makes his novels so brisk and cutting isn't appropriate for a story of a real institution. Most of what Hiaasen says has no explanatory context. The book is certainly worth reading, but it's no balanced description of the parks or their place in history.
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Carl Hiaasen was born and raised in Florida, where he still lives with his family. After graduating from the University of Florida, he began writing for the Miami Herald. As a journalist and author, Carl has spend most of his life advocating the protection of the Florida Everglades. He and his family still live southern Florida.
More about Carl Hiaasen...
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But it's the happiest place on earth.
Dec 26, 2012 08:42am
:)
Dec 26, 2012 02:04pm