Once Upon an American Dream: The Story of Euro Disneyland

Book Description

Branded a "cultural Chernobyl" and the "tragic kingdom," the Euro Disney Resort has been on its own thrill ride since opening in 1992. The much publicized version of the Magic Kingdom gave Europeans alcohol-free "mocktails," surly employees, even colors too muted for the Disney image. Facing financial disaster, was it any wonder that Disney execs found themselves wishing upon a star for answers? After so many knee-jerk criticisms of Euro Disney, this book combines firsthand experience and research to shed new light on claims that the park is nothing more than a form of American cultural imperialism. Andrew Lainsbury, a former Euro Disney employee who knows what the park meant to its visitors, goes beyond media bites and academic scorn to examine Europe's love/hate relationship with Euro Disneyland and some of the undiscussed issues surrounding it. Once Upon an American Dream is a story of global capitalism on a grand scale. Lainsbury has plumbed company archives and interviewed key players to give readers the real view from Le Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant (Sleeping Beauty's Castle). He cracks open the Euro Disney controversy to reveal the park not as a tragic experiment in exporting American culture but the result of European efforts to import a popular form of American entertainment. Lainsbury tells how the Walt Disney Company came to build a European park and locate it in France, how political negotiations affected its design and development, how it was promoted to continental audiences, and what caused its widely publicized financial woes before being rescued by a real prince from Saudi Arabia. He reveals what it took to win back the hearts of skeptical Europeans-such as serving wine, selling flashy merchandise, and placating disgruntled workers. Finally, he looks into the magic mirror to speculate on the role of Euro Disney and the Walt Disney Company in the twenty-first century. Ultimately, Lainsbury shows that cultural imperialism is not an exclusively American phenomenon but a global corporate strategy-and that global corporatism, by needing to be responsive to consumers, is so complex that it may not be as monolithic as feared. Once Upon an American Dream is a fairy tale for our times, reminding us that, for all the critical huffing and puffing, the creation and marketing of pleasure is what Euro Disneyland is all about.

Customer Reviews:

Too interesting to be this short!.......2004-08-29

Once Upon an American Dream: The Story of Euro Disneyland is extremely well researched, with interesting backgrounds and developments preceding the opening of Disneyland Paris (DLP).

However, the book is published in 2000, but the last information on DLP in the book date back to November 1994, which is almost ten years ago!

The final chapter furthermore has very little to do with the European park, because it focuses solely on the development of the Walt Disney Company in the States.

The notes, bibliography and index take up one-third of the whole book. It shows how thoroughly Andrew Lainsbury's research has been, but represents a disappointment for the reader who expects 100 pages more on DLP.

Finally must be said that although Lainsbury worked in the European park, the book is written from an American point of view on Europe, which shows in Lainsbury's sometimes negative appreciation of French culture.

The book is definitely a recommendation for everyone interested in the development and initial years of Disneyland Paris, but is too short and covers too few years to be satisfying for the interested reader.

Great backstage look.......2001-04-18

If you're a theme park enthusiast, the description of the design phases of Eurodisneyland are particularly detailed. If you're a Disney fan, this is a rare chance of looking backstage to discover hidden aspects that will boost your respect for the genius behind the magic. If you're a marketing student, this case history is enough to feed your thoughts for years. And if you're a sociology scholar, "Riding the Black Ship" is better. Warning: no mice, fancy photos and/or hypocrisy inside.

A delighting overview on the european Magic Kingdom.......2000-07-29

So this is the real story of EuroDisney... I have to admit that I never even thought (hoped ? forget it...) to find such a well made book on this particular topic. It's fascinating, how Lainsbury packs all the different contents and perspecticves into a single, compact book. Comprehensive, informative and above all, entertaining; you'll really enjoy reading it. It's too sad that it only consists of about 200 pages, but hey... it's really well worth a try. If you are curious about the history of EuroDisney/ Disneyland Paris and searching for a comprehensive, interesting source, this is your book of choice.

Great Insight and quick read........2000-06-13

This is a great book, well documented and footnoted. Plenty of information for the Disney novice. There are anecdotes and paraphrases which imply first person research, but the notations are useful in clearing up issues.

A strong argument in favor of the theme park as a diversion and entertainment and not as an entity to spread American philosophy or forced culture. This is a compelling thesis for a talented author.

A little pricey, the book is a fine compliment to other books in the Disney library.

An inside look in what really happened.......2000-06-04

This is the result of thorough research. All the sources I once used for my own literature report have been used in this book and added to that information, are interviews with people like Tony Baxter, Ward Kimball, Bill Cottrell, Tim Delaney and Card Walker; people who were in key positions when important decisions were made about this European Kingdom, as negotiator, designer or imagineer.

A lot has been written about the park, and many people still believe it was a mistake to build it, primarily based on negative journalism. This book sticks to the facts and is intended for people who like to go beyond those rumors. If you are looking for a book to help you plan your trip to Disneyland Paris, this is not the book for you, but for researchers into international marketing and business, this is an essential volume.

Book Description

Spanning a variety of disciplines, theories, and methods, the editors and the contributors to this uniquely cross- and interdisciplinary volume explore the factors that provoke emotions in the workplace, their effects, and how they should be managed. Among the propositions they examine are: emotions are not just effects in organizations but contribute to their structure; by examining emotions we learn more about certain organizational dynamics that may seem unemotional; the display of emotions may not be harmful; and leadership is actually about emotion management. An important, far-reaching exploration for specialists and academics in organizational behavior, psychology, and other fields in the social and behavioral sciences and for their executive counterparts in management. The editors and their contributors start from the premise that organizations are emotional places, that they use emotions to motivate employees to perform and customers to buy. Using quantitative as well as qualitative methods, and theoretical as well as methodological approaches, they show how events in organizations create emotions--how it is that we come to experience a sense of satisfaction or outrage. They explore how our sense of organizational identity is connected to how we feel; how rules about the display of emotions act as organizing forces within organizations, creating organizational structure and shaping behavior; how emotions can harm employees, how they react to pressures to feel, and how emotions are essential to inspirational leadership. Not just for theoreticians and academicians, the volume is also a rich source of advice for organizational management and for those who wish to influence how management is practiced.

Customer Reviews:

'The' guide to understand the nature of emotions.......2000-11-02

I am a PhD candidate who is working on emotions in workplace. I have reviewed lots of books and professional articles in this field. One issue in this area is that there are as many theories as the number of theorists. Although 'emotional intelligence (EI)' has earned popular interests, in fact, there are a lot of issues that should be addressed and that was intentionally or unintentionally ignored by those EI scholars. This book provides a very useful and comprehensive guide to such issues. If you really want to understand emotionality in workplace, read this book. Summary chapters will also provide an excellant viewpoint not only to scholars in this area but also to practitioners.

Book Description

The stability of forest ecosystems is affected by changes of environment conditions, like by increasing temperatures, increasing atmospheric CO ₂ and decreasing deposition rates of nutrients and acidity.

This volume integrates the results of long term interdisciplinary ecosystem research at two forested watersheds in Germany with special emphasis on the biogeochemistry of carbon, dissolved organic matter and mineral elements in response to changing environmental conditions and management. Despite the reduction in acidic deposition, forest ecosystems are still threatened by soil acidification, nutrient depletion and eutrophication and criteria of sustainability are not yet achieved. The results highlight the complex interactions between vegetation, animals and soils in terrestrial ecosystems that are triggered by changes in environmental conditions.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent and Easy to follow instructional manual.......2006-09-20

I am very impressed with the author's instruction and view of the "human education and method" of Jujutsu. Kokushiryu Jujutsu is a beautiful and very effective martial art. Sensei Higashi has clearly illustrated methods of the same attack in different techniques and movements that everyone can understand and enjoy learning. The techniques shown in the Kokushiryu Jujutsu book are very useful and effective tools, as well as a benefit for healthy physical and mental conditioning.

A practical self-defense guide at your fingertips!.......2005-03-29

Jujutsu is the mother of modern Japanese martial arts from which spawned the arts of Aikido, Judo and Karate. Long before the founding of such arts as Aikido, Karate and Judo, Jujutsu was being honed and tested by the Samurai on battlefields of Japan. Its techniques and philosophies make it one of the most effective martial arts ever devised. To this date, it has proven to be nearly unbeatable when tested against other arts. If you are looking for a comprehensive exposition to one of today's modern exponents of this ancient art then Prof. Higashi's book is the comprehensive guide that will reveal to you the secrets of this classical martial arts system.

Kokushi-ryu Jujitsu.......2003-12-18

I found this book to be rehashed Aikido/Judo moves done in the older form appearing to look like the original jujitsu waza. But the arts are not necessarily the original jujitsu combat forms, particularly the ukemi.

It appears that many high ranks in Judo and Aikido are trying to get back into the older arts of jujitsu to round out what may have been missing in their specialty training in current years, but are injecting too many of the modern sport moves in to their own homegrown systems to actually be combat authentic. Simply taking a jujitsu test in judo to become qualified in jujitsu does not seem to work out very well.

The Gracies may just as well written the book, their background is similar to the Authors from the looks of it.

A vital reference for Kokushi-ryu Jujutsu practitioners.......2001-04-13

This book is indispensible for practitioners of Kokushi-ryu Jujutsu as they advance through the ranks. Soke (founder) Higashi outlines the history and philosophy of Kokushi-ryu Jujutsu, with a clear explanation of the principles driving his development of the style. The basics of breakfalls (ukemi), stances, strikes, kicks, throws, chokes, joint techniques, and more are clearly illustrated with instructive photographs and precise text.

As with all martial arts texts, this book should not be used without the supervision of a qualified instructor. This is particularly the case with Kokushi-ryu Jujutsu, as most of the techniques require a practice partner in order to safely learn and adequately understand the principles involved. Perhaps more importantly, the guidance and discipline of an approved dojo's environment is one of the crucial aspects of the style; the social values expressed within the dojo are key to the goal of Jujutsu as human education.

Average customer rating:
Kokushi-Ryu Jujutsu
Nobuyoshi Higashi
Manufacturer: Unique
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound
ASIN: B000LZKUNQ

Book Description

Focusing on the essentials, Soluzioni! is an accessible grammar guide for all beginners of Italian. This comprehensive handbook provides Italian grammar-at-a-glance, using numerous tables to help facilitate learning and reviewing. Complemented by an appealing visual layout, Soluzioni! uses real language examples to help expand students' vocabulary knowledge, while plenty of varied and imaginative exercises show how the grammar works in practice.

Customer Reviews:

exactly what I was looking for in a grammar reference.......2007-10-11

The title of my review says it all. Nicely organized, great tables and other design features. Nice dense source of information.

Soluzioni!.......2007-05-18

This book is a wonderful reference source for answers to grammatical questions. Generally written in english with enough italian examples to make it useful and easy to use.

E` buonissimo!

Most complete, clearly arranged, easy to use review of Italian.......2006-03-10

Soluzioni is the most compact, logically arranged, and therefore most easy to use of review books for Italian grammar; esp. helpful for idiomatic expressions. However, the reader must already be quite familiar with the Italian language to take full advantage of the volume. Now if they would just get rid of that tacky exclamation point in the title.

Bravissimo!.......2005-05-03

This is hands-down the best grammar I've found for the Italian language, and is better than nearly all the other grammars I've used for other languages. Geared mostly for intermediate and advanced learners (although beginners can profit from it as well), the book provides great explanations of the subtleties and intricacies of the language.

By way of illustration, say a sentence in the novel you're reading has an obvious reference to the past, but you're not quite sure what shading of it the author's trying to communicate. This book tells you that "allora," "a quell'epocha," and "a quel tempo" refer to the distant past, "in quei giorni" refers to the distant past in relation to a particular event, "negli ultimi giorni (or tempi)" refer to the recent past, and "nei giorni scorsi" to the very recent past.

The book is full of examples like this that allow you to understand the nuances you might come across, in addition to more basic grammar. If you only buy one Italian grammar, get this one!

Excelllent for intermediate and advanced students.......2004-11-22

This is an exceptionally well-written grammar for those who have
studied Italian, but need clarification on its finer points, which most other grammars nerver get to. The explanations are easy to understand and the illlustrating examples, clear and precise. The accompanying exercises go a long way in making sure
the student understands how to use the grammar point in question.
I only wish there were more exercises or a separate work book.
Highly recommended.

Book Description

World-renowned as the insider bibles for shopping, the Where to Wear guides are the essential authority on fashion. Whether you're planning a buying spree in London or heading off to Paris, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles or Italy's holy trinity of fashion (Florence, Milan, Rome), Where to Wear is the perfect travel companion. Written by top fashion journalists who live and shop in the cities they write about, each pocket-size directory features individually researched critiques of clothes shops for men, women and children. From high-street staples to heavyweight labels, hot new designers to neighbourhood markets, the Where to Wear guides span the fashion spectrum. The reviews are organised alphabetically and accompanied by simple category indexes and neighbourhood maps. What's more, Where to Wear also lists convenient lunch spots, beauty salons, hairdressers, fitness studios, day spas and much more. International shopaholics will love the redesigned Where to Wear box set. Labelled `The Shopping Guides to the World's Fashion Capitals' it includes the London, Paris, New York and Italy books and makes an ideal present. The individual guides retail at $14.95, the boxed set of four at $49.99. Where to Wear is sold in globally in Europe, America, Asia and Australia.

Customer Reviews:

So Helpful.......2005-08-30

These books are really helpful in helping you find exactly what you need and want. I've used the Los Angeles and Las Vegas and New York books and I've found stores that I didn't even know existed. The one slight incy problem would be that there wasn't quite enough variety (as far as plus size clothes, obscure stores). They give you phone numbers, store hours etc etc and this is really useful when you might be unfamilliar with a city. Love them.

Do you love to shop?.......2005-04-05

If you love to shop for clothes/shoes and are eager to know which neighborhoods to hit beyond the obvious Canal Street, Century 21, & SOHO (e.g. Nolita, Lower East Side, Meat Packing District, etc) this is THE book for you.

I bought this book prior to a 3 day shopping trip to NYC. I found that it was a wonderful insiders guide to local shops along with Lucky Magazine's site. This book helped me determine which neighborhoods I wanted to visit and specific stores I didn't want to miss. A great guide to clothes/shoes shopping! This book doesn't even attempt to provide information on restaurants, theatre, or shopping for anything outside of clothes.

The main part of the book is organized alphabetically by store name and provides brief descriptions, street address with cross streets, store hours, and approximate price range (luxury, expensive, moderate, etc). In the back is a index by neighborhood that lists all the stores within the area.

Occasionally some of the descriptions left a little to be desired, but one of the best guides to clothes shopping that I have found.

Average customer rating:
Winning with the Customer from Hell: A Survival Guide (Winning with the . . . from Hell series)
Shaun Belding
Manufacturer: Ecw Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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Perfect Phrases for Customer Service: Hundreds of Tools, Techniques, and Scripts for Handling Any Situation (Perfect Phrases)

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ASIN: 1550226304

Book Description

Realistic, practical, and compelling anecdotal solutions are offered here for countering belligerent, abusive, and condescending customers. This book captures the essence of the skills required for helping retailers deal with problem customers and improve employee efficiency. A six-pronged approach known as LESTER is detailed, which involves listening to customers, echoing the issue, sympathizing with the customer's emotional state, thanking the customer, evaluating one's opinion, and responding with a win-win solution. Retailers come away with tested strategies for turning nightmare customers into friends.

Winning with the Caller from Hell: A Survival Guide for Doing Business on the Telephone (Winning with the . . . from Hell series)

Average customer rating:

Winning with the Caller from Hell: A Survival Guide for Doing Business on the Telephone (Winning with the . . . from Hell series)
Shaun Belding
Manufacturer: Ecw Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1550226959

Book Description

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The Enlarged European Union: A Statistical Handbook 2003

Average customer rating:

The Enlarged European Union: A Statistical Handbook 2003
Euromonitor
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Policy & Current Events | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1842642731

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