The Queens of Animation

The Untold Story of the Women Who Transformed the World of Disney and Made Cinematic History

De: Nathalia Holt

Narrado por: Saskia Maarleveld

From the bestselling author of Rise of the Rocket Girls, the untold, "richly detailed" story of the women of Walt Disney Studios, who shaped the iconic films that have enthralled generations (Margot Lee Shetterly, New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Figures).

From Snow White to Moana, from Pinocchio to Frozen, the animated films of Walt Disney Studios have moved and entertained millions. But few fans know that behind these groundbreaking features was an incredibly influential group of women who fought for respect in an often ruthless male-dominated industry and who have slipped under the radar for decades.

In The Queens of Animation, bestselling author Nathalia Holt tells their dramatic stories for the first time, showing how these women infiltrated the boys' club of Disney's story and animation departments and used early technologies to create the rich artwork and unforgettable narratives that have become part of the American canon. As the influence of Walt Disney Studios grew -- and while battling sexism, domestic abuse, and workplace intimidation -- these women also fought to transform the way female characters are depicted to young audiences.

With gripping storytelling, and based on extensive interviews and exclusive access to archival and personal documents, The Queens of Animation reveals the vital contributions these women made to Disney's Golden Age and their continued impact on animated filmmaking, culminating in the record-shattering Frozen, Disney's first female-directed full-length feature film.

A Best Book of 2019: Library Journal, Christian Science Monitor, and Financial Times

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Nathalia Holt's richly detailed group biographyshines a welcome light on Disney's true heroines--not the princesses on the screen, but the talented female artists and writers working hard behind the scenes.The Queens of Animation is also a crisp reflection on Hollywood's charged and changing relationship with beauty, race and fame."—Margot Lee Shetterly, New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Figures

"Nathalia Holt has a deeper, more important motive for revisiting classics...Marshaling scrupulous research, the author makes the case for the role played by female studio employees in bringing to life those classic films...This book scores for telling us something new about the films we thought we knew so well."—Peter Tonguette, Wall Street Journal

"Gripping, galvanizing reading...A beautifully sculpted narrative of hurtlingly fast pace...invaluably researched...A bolt of pure reading delight that outdoes even Holt's utterly winning earlier book Rise of the Rocket Girls...Holt has told the story of indispensable trailblazers."—Steve Donoghue, Christian Science Monitor

"A gripping corrective...Nathalia Holt ushers these animators and story developers into the limelight...Few know of the company's female virtuosi, who from the 1930s on injected nuance into characters from Bambi to a panoply of princesses."—Barbara Kiser, Nature

"A remarkable true story, unforgettably told...Holt has unearthed a vivid, soaring, vitally important untold story of women's contribution to technology, entertainment, and art."—Lisa Mundy, New York Times bestselling author of Code Girls

"Sprightly...Holt, a science journalist and a popular historian, introduces us to a handful of women who worked on some of the classic Disney Studios films, spins them around, sprinkles some pixie dust, and has them take a bow."—Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker

"Holt's dedication to telling these women's stories after they've been lost--and nearly forgotten--for so long is palpable, narrating their personal histories as if the animators were characters themselves...And if it weren't for this book, their work might have gone ignored and overlooked forever."—Rachel King, Fortune

"Readers who loved Nathalia Holt's Rise of the Rocket Girls will find so much to enjoy in this deeply researched, loving celebration of Disney's long-overlooked female pioneers. Holt evocatively blends social history, technological advances and the personal livesof these forgotten artists to champion their achievements and their extraordinary legacy."—Kate Moore, New York Times bestselling author of The Radium Girls

Awesome Story!

I loved listening to this book so much that I bought a hard copy to read it again!
It was eye-opening to learn about the crappy way women artists were treated at Disney but not surprising. I enjoyed learning about these awesome women who still went for the careers they wanted and deserved to have.
I am so glad things have changed for women, but I think there's still a long way to go in the area of equality not only in the workforce but in the way some girls and women are still being taught to think.

Great read! Really informative

Great read! Really informative and eye-opening about women and their role in the history of animation.

I really can’t recommend this book enough. It was wonderful.

The deeply meaningful influence these women had over my childhood brings me to tears. These women shaped who I am today and I had no idea how much. I am endlessly grateful.

Fascinating animation history

A fascinating look at the unsung women involved in Disney animation from the beginning and their lasting legacies. Also a look at a very complicated and at times oxymoronic company and how they treated women in their employ. Both the good and the bad is explored and improvements evidenced as time went on culminating in recent history with Frozen and the first woman director of a Disney animated film.

Interesting

I enjoyed it and learned a lot about the early years of animation at Disney.

Very Informational, Very Human

The book all the way through is eye opening, and also heart wrenching with how it conveys the pain and heart of the artists it speaks of. Special mention must go also to the characterization of Walt; it would have been easy to brush him under the rug and relegate him to a kind of cartoony bad guy, but the way the book tells of the multiple facets of his person, and how the women in the book affected him is a fantastic insight even if you don't particularly care about Walt or Disney.

This is one of the finest books written about the company and its history that has ever been written.

loved this so much!

I didn't expect this to go through the entire age of Disney. I honestly thought I was going to hear about the first women hired, but WOW ..so much information. This was well rest researched on so many different levels!

Superb Storytelling About Those Who Deserve Recognition

I’ve listened to many nonfiction books on audible as it’s my favorite genre, but this is by far my favorite. If you care anything about Disney or Animation or Women in History or Art, you’ll cheer, learn, & cry throughout this book. Bravo!

Wonderful information and performance

This was a treat to learn so much about the early and later animation work by women especially Mary Blair at the Disney Studios.

What young women today need hear how far we have come & jow far to go.

I loved the description of how Mary Blair & orher women artist experienced their art .