BRC Book Club: October 2024

“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.”

— Walt Disney

Here are some of the stories our team enjoyed this month, in their own words…

What if We Get it Right? Visions of Climate Futures
Written by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson

“My latest read is ‘What If We Get It Right? Visions of Climate Futures’ by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. Kudos to Joe Rohde for promoting Johnson on his FB feed. Johnson proceeds from a novel premise: there’s so much doom and gloom about climate change, but the future isn’t written. What if we act as if we love the future, and care about the next seven generations? It’s shocking this is such a surprising thought. She isn’t pouring pink paint over the situation: she’s just making a case for creating the flourishing future we all want. What if we get it right? We can start right now today.” —Rich Proctor, Senior Writer

The Turn of the Screw
Written by Henry James

“Kicking off the fall season and the run up to Halloween with a re-read of Henry James’ ‘The Turn of the Screw’…. which has everything that one might want or hope for from a Victorian gothic horror novella: a governess employed at an isolated estate, the questionable appearances of ghosts — is the governess going mad, or are the ghosts real? — and, of course, the two adorable children in the governess’ care… or ARE the children really what they seem…?” —Kat Reinbold, Creative Producer

Supporting Player: Life Upon the Wicked Stage
Written by Richard Seff

“I’m reading ‘Life Upon the Wicked Stage,’ a memoir by Richard Seff. Takes you through a life at the onset of the Great Depression, through the American theater of the 20th century. What I love about this book is how Richard’s journey on the stage is also parallels the trajectory of the American theater of the 20th century. It’s a charming and personal tale that’s all the more interesting because it’s true.” —Matt Solari, VP of Creative and Story

Godwin
Written by Joseph O’Neil

“Just finished ‘Godwin’ by Joseph O’Neil. This is about a dissatisfied middle-aged father from Pittsburgh who may have discovered an African soccer prodigy. It’s a fascinating look at sports as a global business, office politics, and how, as one hets older, ‘one becomes, if anything, more desperate for success — for a sign that one’s life has not been lived in vain.'” —Brad Shelton, VP of Creative and Story

When We Cease to Understand the World
Written by Benjamín Labatut

I just finished an astonishing book, “When We Cease to Understand the World.” This tells the true stories of major scientific advancements (black holes, atomic fission, quantum mechanics) and the often deleterious impact those discoveries had not only on the world at large, but the psyches of the (almost comprehensively) monomaniacal scientists responsible for their development. The author amends the verity of the events with fictive elements of his own. Pretty breathtaking.

All Fours
Written by Miranda July

Also the book “All Fours” by Miranda July – Miranda July (known primarily as a festival darling filmmaker) empties both chambers with this ribald and unflinching examination of female midlife. It paints the auto-fictional portrait of a famous-adjacent media auteur who grapples with the very emergent crisis of just post-apogee commercial success as it conjuncts with the emotional and physiological chaos of perimenopause. It’s at once a hilarious commentary on the spiritual voids created by the specter of contemporary success and the ultimately heartbreaking impact of the truth that follows those who seek it in earnest.” — Brendan Griffin, Production Coordinator

What we’re all reading…

Dream Chasing – My Four Decades of Success and Failure with Walt Disney Imagineering
Written by Bob Weis

Bob signed books and shared his singular journey recently at BRC. “Dreaming Chasing” puts you in the room as Bob battles to create breakthrough “Happiest Places on Earth” in Orlando, Anaheim and Shanghai. The reader is right there with him as he  wrangles CEOs,  highly opinionated (genius) creatives, bean counters, and nay-sayers. To paraphrase the lyrics of “The Impossible Dream,” Dream Chasing means “being willing to march into Hell for that heavenly cause.”

The Imagineering Story: The Official Biography of Walt Disney Imagineering
Written by Leslie Iwerks

Leslie Iwerks also signed books for us and shared her experience producing this book and the 6 hour Disney+ documentary film. This is the definitive book on WDI. In her Amazon review, Imagineer Peggie Fariss reviewed it thusly: “It provides a comprehensive, vivid retelling of the seventy-year history and evolution of the Imagineering organization itself- and of the people who contributed their boundless energy, imagination ingenuity and grit to creating immersive storytelling experience to delight Disney audiences around the world.” Walt Disney once said, “It’s kinda fun to do the impossible.” This book shows HOW they do the impossible.

SEE OUR PAST READING LISTS:

• July, 2024

• September, 2021

• August, 2021