Literature

Recommended literature about Imagineering, Space Mountain and Jules Verne's work

Walt Disney Imagineering, A Behind the Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real

by The Imagineers, Foreword by Michael D. Eisner, Hyperion, New York, 1996, ISBN 0786883723
"Imagineering is a coinage of the Disney corporation that denotes the combination of imagination and engineering it employs to create the attractions in its theme parks. This big, lavish artbook spans four decades of imagineering, from the relatively unsophisticated rides, such as Main Street U.S.A. and the Matterhorn, with which Disneyland opened in 1959, to the high-tech, special effects^-inspired rides at Disney-MGM Studios (many concepts that never got off the drawing board also appear). It takes readers through the entire imagineering process, from original idea, through blueprints and scale models, to actual construction--all illustrated by hundreds of concept sketches, character designs, architectural drawings, and other artwork. It goes to show: the Disney crew puts impressive effort into providing simple fun for tourists. Chock-full of the behind-the-scenes info and trivia Disney fans love, the book is a fascinating display of state-of-the-art theme park development and stimulating incitement for Disney-bound vacationers who want more than travel guides will give them." - Gordon Flagg

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Once Upon an American Dream - The Story of Euro Disneyland

by Andrew Lainsbury, University Press of Kansas, 2000, ISBN 070060989X
"As Lainsbury shows, Euro Disneyland gave great aid and comfort to Disney critics for a number of reasons: cost, political ramifications, French cries of cultural imperialism, and the financial woes of the opening year. This book is based on Lainsbury's research here and in Europe as well as on interviews, archival data, and, most convincing, his direct experience as a Disney employee. In addition to setting the record straight, he makes a strong and convincing argument for doing cultural history/cultural studies in a new way, based on aesthetic principles and an appreciation for pleasure, as opposed to the literary theory and grim Marxian analysis currently in vogue. It is a bold stroke, a plea for a more inclusive mode of analysis, better suited to what is, after all, a pleasure garden and a work of art. " - Karal Ann Marling, author of Designing Disney's Theme Parks: The Architecture of Reassurance.

Read the Space Mountain related chapter online.

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Jules Verne, From the Earth to the Moon

Jules Verne (1828-1905) is best known for his science fiction stories, at the time called "tales of imagination", even though he also wrote several historical novels.
As one of the first science fiction writers, his novels show the basics of good science fiction - good plot, good characterization, sound science, and good projections of scientific trends.
His ability to project the future of science was remarkable. Among his projections were the modern submarine, television, guided missles, satellites, and the airplane. His accuracy was not only in the invention but in the uses to which they were put.

For ordering and reviews visit Amazon.com