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The Early Life of Walt Disney
The Origins of Walt Disney tells the story of the famous artist and entertainer in a fresh way, placing him in the cultural narrative of twentieth century America and the world.
Most biographies of Walt Disney portray him as a creative genius who revolutionized the entertainment industry during the first half of the twentieth century. While he did transform the medium of animation, quickly becoming a household name during his late thirties, many biographies tell the story of Walt Disney’s development in a historical vacuum, separate from the historical events happening around him. However, while Walt Disney was certainly a history-influencer, historical events happening in America and the world also shaped the entertainment pioneer he would become.
As the twentieth century began, a new form of entertainment, “motion pictures,” would emerge, capturing the imagination of a young boy from Missouri. Over the next several years, Walt Disney would begin to hone his art skills, overcoming a number of hurdles including numerous relocations, a brutal paper route, a deployment to Europe in the days after World War One, numerous bankruptcies, and even homelessness. It was these adversities, along with the historical events that surrounded him, that would influence the man he would become.
For the first time ever, The Early Life of Walt Disney tells some important stories that help to flesh out the Disney history. How instrumental was Elias Disney’s career as a carpenter in Chicago? Why did the Disneys really leave Chicago to move to Marceline, Missouri? What types of jobs did Walt perform in France in the days following World War One? How was Walt influenced by the budding industry of animation in America? In addition to answering these questions, The Origins of Walt Disney also includes a tour of the newly restored Walt Disney Birthplace, a new museum located in the childhood home of Walt Disney in Chicago, Illinois!
Most biographies of Walt Disney portray him as a creative genius who revolutionized the entertainment industry during the first half of the twentieth century. While he did transform the medium of animation, quickly becoming a household name during his late thirties, many biographies tell the story of Walt Disney’s development in a historical vacuum, separate from the historical events happening around him. However, while Walt Disney was certainly a history-influencer, historical events happening in America and the world also shaped the entertainment pioneer he would become.
As the twentieth century began, a new form of entertainment, “motion pictures,” would emerge, capturing the imagination of a young boy from Missouri. Over the next several years, Walt Disney would begin to hone his art skills, overcoming a number of hurdles including numerous relocations, a brutal paper route, a deployment to Europe in the days after World War One, numerous bankruptcies, and even homelessness. It was these adversities, along with the historical events that surrounded him, that would influence the man he would become.
For the first time ever, The Early Life of Walt Disney tells some important stories that help to flesh out the Disney history. How instrumental was Elias Disney’s career as a carpenter in Chicago? Why did the Disneys really leave Chicago to move to Marceline, Missouri? What types of jobs did Walt perform in France in the days following World War One? How was Walt influenced by the budding industry of animation in America? In addition to answering these questions, The Origins of Walt Disney also includes a tour of the newly restored Walt Disney Birthplace, a new museum located in the childhood home of Walt Disney in Chicago, Illinois!
- GenresBiographyNonfiction
272 pages, Hardcover
Published September 17, 2021
24 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 29, 2021
I was provided a ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
In the Early Life of Walt Disney, author Andrew Kiste brings in some historical context to what the Disney family experienced in the early days of growing their family. Elias Disney , the patriarch of the Disney family, was a talented carpenter who moved his family to Chicago. But even after establishing their home, a crime wave helped Elias Disney decide to move his family to Marceline, Missouri. What Elias saw happening with the youth of the neighborhood really pushed him to move his family away from the city and into a more stable situation where teens were expected to work rather than to cause trouble roaming the city in gangs. Andrew Kiste meticulously researched the early life of Disney and I really enjoyed reading about the Disney family and their experience designing and building their homes in Chicago
It’s Elias’s relationship with his children that I think drives the narrative in the early pages of the book. His expectations and disciplinary style is tempered by his wife Flora and when their children get older, it is Flora that encourages Walt’s career even as he was struggling and practically penniless.
Fresh off a visit to the Walt Disney Family museum in San Francisco, I was interested in Walt’s service with the red cross in World War I. Kiste doesn’t disappoint, detailing how Disney lied about his age to get accepted into service and to follow his older brother Roy. There’s a sense of naiveté when Walt’s service begins and his experiences in France certainly affect Walt in terms of knowing what he wants to do with his life. By the end of his deployment to Europe, he looks forward to heading home to the savings his mother had kept for him and a return to normal life.
Walt’s struggles with getting regular art and marketing work eventually lead him to moving to California to follow Roy who learned that the California air was better for his health. Walt Disney’s career as a live-action film director kicks off with his Alice series and marrying Lillian Bounds.
The Early Life of Walt Disney is a fascinating book that not only traces Walt Disney’s early life but also weaves in historical events to help explain why Disney made some major decisions like moving west or joining the Red Cross. Also included are interesting photos of the former homes of the Disney family and some neighborhood shots that help the reader visualize what life was life for Disney in Marceline, Chicago and Los Angeles.
In the Early Life of Walt Disney, author Andrew Kiste brings in some historical context to what the Disney family experienced in the early days of growing their family. Elias Disney , the patriarch of the Disney family, was a talented carpenter who moved his family to Chicago. But even after establishing their home, a crime wave helped Elias Disney decide to move his family to Marceline, Missouri. What Elias saw happening with the youth of the neighborhood really pushed him to move his family away from the city and into a more stable situation where teens were expected to work rather than to cause trouble roaming the city in gangs. Andrew Kiste meticulously researched the early life of Disney and I really enjoyed reading about the Disney family and their experience designing and building their homes in Chicago
It’s Elias’s relationship with his children that I think drives the narrative in the early pages of the book. His expectations and disciplinary style is tempered by his wife Flora and when their children get older, it is Flora that encourages Walt’s career even as he was struggling and practically penniless.
Fresh off a visit to the Walt Disney Family museum in San Francisco, I was interested in Walt’s service with the red cross in World War I. Kiste doesn’t disappoint, detailing how Disney lied about his age to get accepted into service and to follow his older brother Roy. There’s a sense of naiveté when Walt’s service begins and his experiences in France certainly affect Walt in terms of knowing what he wants to do with his life. By the end of his deployment to Europe, he looks forward to heading home to the savings his mother had kept for him and a return to normal life.
Walt’s struggles with getting regular art and marketing work eventually lead him to moving to California to follow Roy who learned that the California air was better for his health. Walt Disney’s career as a live-action film director kicks off with his Alice series and marrying Lillian Bounds.
The Early Life of Walt Disney is a fascinating book that not only traces Walt Disney’s early life but also weaves in historical events to help explain why Disney made some major decisions like moving west or joining the Red Cross. Also included are interesting photos of the former homes of the Disney family and some neighborhood shots that help the reader visualize what life was life for Disney in Marceline, Chicago and Los Angeles.
June 19, 2021
This was an interesting book. There was so much I didn’t know about him. This book seems to be well researched and gives an in-depth look at his early life. I think any big Disney fan would really enjoy this book. I certainly did.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy
June 5, 2021
For as long as I can remember, I have loved all things Disney. Living in California, Disneyland was a yearly vacation destination for our family. As I grew older, I began to read all sorts of Disney history and trivia books. I was excited when The Early Life of Walt Disney was offered for me to review. It was extremely informative, focusing on a time in Walt's life that is often overlooked. I can't say I learned anything new, but that is because I have been to the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco several times. The only thing I really didn't like about this book, is the cover. The image used looks nothing like Walt Disney and really should be redrawn before this book is released..
#theearlylifeofwaltdisney #netgalley
#theearlylifeofwaltdisney #netgalley
May 19, 2021
Debating between 4 and 5; I did learn quite a bit about the early life of Walt Disney and loved the pictures/descriptions at the end of the book. You can see that his early life really did develop Walt into quite the creative character who produced the animation that we have all loved for decades.
Very interested to tour Walt Disney's birthplace in Chicago.
It really does make a lot of sense to have a separate book about Walt's early life. I kind of wish that the book went a little further, but I understand that the author, Andrew Kiste, has several other books about Walt Disney.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher (Pen & Sword, White Owl) and the author Andrew Kiste for the opportunity to review The Early Life of Walt Disney in exchange for an honest review. Definitely worth the read. Publication date is 31 Aug 2021.
Very interested to tour Walt Disney's birthplace in Chicago.
It really does make a lot of sense to have a separate book about Walt's early life. I kind of wish that the book went a little further, but I understand that the author, Andrew Kiste, has several other books about Walt Disney.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher (Pen & Sword, White Owl) and the author Andrew Kiste for the opportunity to review The Early Life of Walt Disney in exchange for an honest review. Definitely worth the read. Publication date is 31 Aug 2021.
May 8, 2021
Over the years, I've read a fair share of biographies on Walt. But I've never read one as detailed and in-depth as this one. Where most biographies focus on Walt the storyteller and the history of the Disney empire, this book focuses more on other (historical) events that contributed to shaping the man that we ultimately have come to known as Uncle Walt. From the origins of the name Disney (dating as far back as 1066), to Elias Disney's multiple business failures, to the high criminality rate in Walt's birth place Chicago which let to the family moving to Marceline, to his deployment to Europe in the days after World War One, to the Spanish Influenza, to him becoming homeless while fighting for his dream against all odds and much more.
It was truly one of the most interesting Walt Disney biographies I've ever read, and I highly recommend it to all my fellow Disney fans!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for kindly giving me an eARC, in return for an honest review.
It was truly one of the most interesting Walt Disney biographies I've ever read, and I highly recommend it to all my fellow Disney fans!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for kindly giving me an eARC, in return for an honest review.
May 16, 2021
I had just finished watching The Imagineering Story on Disney+, so finding this biography of the early years of Walt Disney was perfect timing! It’s a really interesting, rich and detailed book. You can easily picture what his life was like at the time. It’s well written and historically well researched, although in some parts, it felt less about Walt and more about the historical context. Overall, I really enjoyed this read, it’s well written and fast-paced. You get a good sense of where he came from and how he came about creating the biggest entertainment empire worldwide.
September 9, 2021
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
The first time we drove our daughter to visit the college she ultimately attended, we passed by Marceline, MO on U.S. Route 36. My wife and I saw signs along the highway celebrating the town as the boyhood home of Walt Disney, and remarked that on one of our trips to visit our daughter we would need to make a side trip to see the Disney related attractions there. When our daughter graduated, we had still not take to time to stop there.
The town of Marceline figures largely in this book, which focuses on the life of Walt Disney from birth until he lost control of the Oswald the Rabbit character he created when he was in his 20s.
Disney had a somewhat antagonistic relationship with his father, who felt that pursuing art as a career did not fit into his religious worldview. The younger Disney got along well with his mother, siblings, and extended family, but the clashes with his father caused him to split away from his parents at a fairly early age. One of the things I learned from this book concerned Disney’s experiences driving Red Cross ambulances and other vehicles in France just after the end of World War I at the age of 16. Living in the Kansas City area, it was also interesting to read about several familiar locations in the city that have been associated with Disney’s life and career.
I gave The Early Life of Walt Disney five stars. I figure it’s always a good idea to read about the struggles of people who ultimately achieve great success, and Walt Disney definitely fits that description.
The first time we drove our daughter to visit the college she ultimately attended, we passed by Marceline, MO on U.S. Route 36. My wife and I saw signs along the highway celebrating the town as the boyhood home of Walt Disney, and remarked that on one of our trips to visit our daughter we would need to make a side trip to see the Disney related attractions there. When our daughter graduated, we had still not take to time to stop there.
The town of Marceline figures largely in this book, which focuses on the life of Walt Disney from birth until he lost control of the Oswald the Rabbit character he created when he was in his 20s.
Disney had a somewhat antagonistic relationship with his father, who felt that pursuing art as a career did not fit into his religious worldview. The younger Disney got along well with his mother, siblings, and extended family, but the clashes with his father caused him to split away from his parents at a fairly early age. One of the things I learned from this book concerned Disney’s experiences driving Red Cross ambulances and other vehicles in France just after the end of World War I at the age of 16. Living in the Kansas City area, it was also interesting to read about several familiar locations in the city that have been associated with Disney’s life and career.
I gave The Early Life of Walt Disney five stars. I figure it’s always a good idea to read about the struggles of people who ultimately achieve great success, and Walt Disney definitely fits that description.
August 16, 2025
Let’s start here: I’m a Disney fangirl. I’m not the biggest, by any stretch. I don’t make regular pilgrimages to any of the parks, but if I could, I absolutely would. When I was 4, my family were involved in a pretty bad car accident which, somehow, we all walked away from. We were on our way to the airport for the biggest holiday of our lives; a trip to Florida. I was a bit poorly when we were out there – the aftereffect of the crash – and had to utilize the pushchairs available at each of the parks. But I celebrated my 5th birthday by going to Disney World and making my family ride It’s a Small World again, and my experience was incredibly positive, even if I spent a whole 24 hours passed out asleep after being given some medication. It’s hard to fully explain the impact going to the most Magical Place on Earth had after that kind of experience, but I think it made me a Disney fan for life. Since then, I’ve been to Disney Paris twice – once on a school trip, and once for my 30th when my partner took me.
That’s not to say I can’t also be critical of Disney and aware of their many faults! But like a lot of things, I am fascinated by Disney, and by Disney history. I love watching the documentaries about the parks, and recently I found myself listening to the BBC’s series telling Walt Disney’s life through the films he helmed. And I am definitely fascinated by Walt Disney himself, and though a lot of the early days of Disney the company have been covered, I don’t come across as much exploring the earlier years, and this book definitely plugs a gap.
It gives a lot of context to the world Disney grew up in, and doesn’t just start with Walt himself, but goes back, tracing his family right back to the Norman invasion of England. And as we move on and get closer to Walt’s parents, we start to get more of the context, the wider history, and this works really well to add that extra layer, to give additional understanding to the lives of the Disney family and the way Walt was shaped growing up, his relationships with his parents, siblings and wider family against a backdrop of various environments. Kiste ensures we get a full picture of this historical context, too, seeing how local crime or business or culture impacted the Disney family.
It’s a really interesting read from both a history and biography perspective, and really provides the cultural context for the forming of entertainment’s biggest company. What’s also striking is how often Walt got knocked back; he didn’t come from a family with money, but was taught early on the value of hard work. It’s the kind of story that can only take place, really, in the early 20th Century, as Walt’s family move from place to place, and Walt himself follows a similar pattern, even crossing over to France as part of the war effort post-WWI. I will admit, there’s a lot of underlying “American Dream” elements to this (but isn’t there so much of that naturally in Walt’s story?), and the WWI discussion really had a tinge “isn’t America just so great in helping the poor Europeans”. There’s also a line regarding Walt’s relationship with his future wife, which started when he was her boss, that kind of irked me slightly – it makes it clear there was nothing ‘inappropriate’ in the way Walt approached Lillian, who was, at the time, an ink and paint girl. And I get it – things were very different back then, but I think the line itself would have been better left out, as all it really does is draw attention to how inappropriate this would be, especially to more modern audiences who have a clear understanding of dynamics!
Nitpicks aside, overall I found this to be an interesting, informative read with lots of insight and a clear love for the subject, though definitely not one to pick up if you want something more objective.
That’s not to say I can’t also be critical of Disney and aware of their many faults! But like a lot of things, I am fascinated by Disney, and by Disney history. I love watching the documentaries about the parks, and recently I found myself listening to the BBC’s series telling Walt Disney’s life through the films he helmed. And I am definitely fascinated by Walt Disney himself, and though a lot of the early days of Disney the company have been covered, I don’t come across as much exploring the earlier years, and this book definitely plugs a gap.
It gives a lot of context to the world Disney grew up in, and doesn’t just start with Walt himself, but goes back, tracing his family right back to the Norman invasion of England. And as we move on and get closer to Walt’s parents, we start to get more of the context, the wider history, and this works really well to add that extra layer, to give additional understanding to the lives of the Disney family and the way Walt was shaped growing up, his relationships with his parents, siblings and wider family against a backdrop of various environments. Kiste ensures we get a full picture of this historical context, too, seeing how local crime or business or culture impacted the Disney family.
It’s a really interesting read from both a history and biography perspective, and really provides the cultural context for the forming of entertainment’s biggest company. What’s also striking is how often Walt got knocked back; he didn’t come from a family with money, but was taught early on the value of hard work. It’s the kind of story that can only take place, really, in the early 20th Century, as Walt’s family move from place to place, and Walt himself follows a similar pattern, even crossing over to France as part of the war effort post-WWI. I will admit, there’s a lot of underlying “American Dream” elements to this (but isn’t there so much of that naturally in Walt’s story?), and the WWI discussion really had a tinge “isn’t America just so great in helping the poor Europeans”. There’s also a line regarding Walt’s relationship with his future wife, which started when he was her boss, that kind of irked me slightly – it makes it clear there was nothing ‘inappropriate’ in the way Walt approached Lillian, who was, at the time, an ink and paint girl. And I get it – things were very different back then, but I think the line itself would have been better left out, as all it really does is draw attention to how inappropriate this would be, especially to more modern audiences who have a clear understanding of dynamics!
Nitpicks aside, overall I found this to be an interesting, informative read with lots of insight and a clear love for the subject, though definitely not one to pick up if you want something more objective.
August 30, 2021
'The Early Life of Walt Disney' is an extremely detailed account of Walter Elias Disney and his ancestors.
Kiste begins with the origins of the name Disney but quickly moves to the life of Walt's grandfather and father, exploring the social and economic factors of the time as well as how these directly affected the Disneys. For example, how a combination of Elias Disney's Christian faith and the corruption within a fast-growing Chicago led to Walt's father's authoritative nature, as well as direct examples of discipline towards Roy, Walt and the other Disney children.
Andrew Kiste has written a number of books on Walt Disney's life and has clearly researched the icon extensively. This book is very much rooted in the history of early America and can be very detailed: Elias Disney's involvement in building a church in his neighbourhood takes up a significant chunk of one chapter and Kiste even recounts the speech from the reverend on the day!
Nevertheless, 'The Early Life of Walt Disney' is an interesting insight for any hardcore Disney fan. I'm excited to see the next installment.
Thank you to Netgalley for the E-ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Kiste begins with the origins of the name Disney but quickly moves to the life of Walt's grandfather and father, exploring the social and economic factors of the time as well as how these directly affected the Disneys. For example, how a combination of Elias Disney's Christian faith and the corruption within a fast-growing Chicago led to Walt's father's authoritative nature, as well as direct examples of discipline towards Roy, Walt and the other Disney children.
Andrew Kiste has written a number of books on Walt Disney's life and has clearly researched the icon extensively. This book is very much rooted in the history of early America and can be very detailed: Elias Disney's involvement in building a church in his neighbourhood takes up a significant chunk of one chapter and Kiste even recounts the speech from the reverend on the day!
Nevertheless, 'The Early Life of Walt Disney' is an interesting insight for any hardcore Disney fan. I'm excited to see the next installment.
Thank you to Netgalley for the E-ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 1, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars.
I didn't know so much about Disney's life and when found this book, I got curious about who was this man in reality but unfortunately, this book wasn't what I was really looking for, it got boring with all the additional historical events just to show how it had affected Disney's family life at that period of time. I mean, it was a good work of research but I just didn't care about a bunch of stuff. I wanted something more focussed on Walt Disney's genius, personality and inspirations with really less history.
3.5 stars.
I didn't know so much about Disney's life and when found this book, I got curious about who was this man in reality but unfortunately, this book wasn't what I was really looking for, it got boring with all the additional historical events just to show how it had affected Disney's family life at that period of time. I mean, it was a good work of research but I just didn't care about a bunch of stuff. I wanted something more focussed on Walt Disney's genius, personality and inspirations with really less history.
July 27, 2021
I would like to thank White Owl and NetGally for a ecopy of The Early Life of Walt Disney. This book is for anybody who is a fan of Mr. Disney or likes history. This book goes over some of the genealogy of the Disney family before we get to the man himself, Walt Disney. Andrew Kiste did a great job in writing this book. I'm giving this a 4 out of 5 stars. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 29, 2021
Who doesn't love Disney............So when this book came out I just wanted to learn more about Walt Disney he was great man!!!! The Early Life of Walt Disney by Andrew Kiste
This was a very interesting book from the beginning till the end. It had great pictures and descriptions throughout this book.
It's a well written book and a must for any Disney fan.
This was a very interesting book from the beginning till the end. It had great pictures and descriptions throughout this book.
It's a well written book and a must for any Disney fan.
January 8, 2025
As someone who has long admired Walt Disney's creative genius, I realized while reading The Early Life of Walt Disney just how little I knew about his formative years. Andrew Kiste paints a vivid picture of Walt’s early struggles and triumphs, showing how his humble beginnings shaped the visionary we celebrate today. The book is well-researched and engaging, offering plenty of insights for fans of Disney's work and anyone interested in the roots of artistic innovation.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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