Team Rodent

How Disney Devours the World

By: Carl Hiaasen

Narrated by: Richard Gilliland

Length: 1 hr and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

Disney is so good, it's bad. So argues Carl Hiaasen, an award-winning investigative reporter and columnist with the Miami Herald, whose dream is to be banned forever from Disney World. In Team Rodent, Hiaasen provides an unflinching look at the mega-empire and says its attempts to alter "God's work" are a manifestation of "pure wickedness." This program is part of a new series called The Library of Contemporary Thought, giving top opinion makers a forum to explore the most provocative, fascinating, and relevant issues of our day.

©1998 by Carl Hiassen (P)1998 NewStar Media Inc.

Excellent story…poor audio quality

This was an excellent story providing insight into the darker side of Disney. Highly recommend, however, the audio quality sounded like an old-timey radio program. Uncertain if that was intentional. The performance was great- only the audio was poor.

'Mauschwitz' (Mouschwitz? ) - whatever...

Whatever - potato / poe-tah-toe. A great read: informative, insightful, ironic, humorous (of course) expose'. Buy it!

Audio

The actual audio recording (not performance) is a little odd for this one…. Not sure if that was an intentional choice to make it sound old and worn out. Just a heads up.

Always wondered…

Wish there were more stories in this topic and that this one was more in-depth but understandably, a tightly guarded “kingdom”. Reading was lacking depth and emotion but Hiaasen is always a great story teller.

love CH!

however, the recording quality of this WDW rant is so terrible that it took away from the fun. This is not investigative journalism but rather a tongue and cheek poke at WDW and some really awful things they've done and continue to do to Florida. think Vegas and what the desert in Nevada used to be before the bulldozers arrived. it's fun and classic CH. All good for a romp, just buy a decent microphone if you're going to do audiobooks!

Too bitter...

Although it was interesting to hear about the pervasive effect that Disney has on modern society, the overall bitter tone of the book was fairly annoying. This was intensified by the narrator, who tended to read the more bitter passages in a whining voice. This is clearly not an example of objective reporting. Regardless, I found much of the information to be quite intriguing, especially in regards to Disney's many failed ventures and in describing the political structure of the company.

Terrible technical delivery

While the content of this book is good, the delivery is terrible. It sounds like the narrator is using a 1960’s microphone or is speaking through a VOIP connection – and this is downloading the book at the best quality level. While the book is cheap with only 2 audio chapters, wait until it’s on sale and then don’t expect much.

Disney's World Exposed!

Carl Hiaasen has turned my world upside down! His comments and anecdotes are so wild that I'm sure he's well on his way to achieving his Lifetime Ban from Disneyworld! I'd love to hear more and to delve more deeply. Who knew! It is all very interesting, but in the end, I'll still go to Disney World and enjoy every minute.

Awful

Time and money I'll never get back. Wish I could go back in time to make myself skip this one.

Where to begin?

While listening to this piece of "investigative journalism", I was constantly dumbfounded by the idiotic attacks on Disney's character. I expect somewhat of a balanced view out of a reporter but he doesn't even try. I've listened to the Walt Disney biography, "Triumph of an Imagination" and , "Disney War" about the Eisner years, both included many many valid criticisms, any of which Heiaasen could've expanded on. He skillfully avoided almost any real substantive crticism and instead blamed Disney for esceped lions from private zoos to greedy reporters. I found that last attack particularly ironic. He attacked the ethics of reporters on junkets to Disney meanwhile showing absolutely no journalistic integrity. The book focuses mainly on the Eisner years and Eisner was a horrible CEO. He could've creamed Eisner for most of his management but somehow attacking Disney for helping to clean up Times Square seemed more important to him.

As other reviewers have written, if you hate Disney and don't care whether criticisms are valid or not, then you'c enjoy this. If you're looking for the real "dirt" on Disney, you won't find it here.
Hiaasen needs to grow up and perhaps stick to fiction. Maybe his next book will focus on blaming Disney for 9/11...