-
The Queens of Animation
- The Untold Story of the Women Who Transformed the World of Disney and Made Cinematic History
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Arts & Entertainment, Art
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy for $29.65
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Life and Times of Ward Kimball
- Maverick of Disney Animation
- By: Todd James Pierce
- Narrated by: Al Kessel
- Length: 13 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this engaging, cradle-to-grave biography, award-winning author Todd James Pierce explores the life of Ward Kimball, a lead Disney animator who worked on characters such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket, and the Mad Hatter. Through unpublished excerpts from Kimball's personal writing, material from unpublished interviews, and new information based on interviews conducted by the author, Pierce defines the life of perhaps the most influential animator of the 20th century.
-
-
Wonderful!
- By Jacques Van Blokland on 08-21-19
-
Wild Minds
- The Artists and Rivalries that Inspired the Golden Age of Animation
- By: Reid Mitenbuler
- Narrated by: Kevin R. Free
- Length: 13 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1911, famed cartoonist Winsor McCay debuted one of the first animated cartoons, based on his sophisticated newspaper strip Little Nemo in Slumberland, itself inspired by Freud’s recent research on dreams. McCay is largely forgotten today, but he unleashed an art form and the creative energy of artists from Otto Messmer and Max Fleischer to Walt Disney and Warner Bros.’ Chuck Jones. Wild Minds is an ode to our colorful past and to the creative energy that later inspired The Simpsons, South Park, and BoJack Horseman.
-
-
Beautiful
- By Michael Williams on 12-13-21
By: Reid Mitenbuler
-
In Such Good Company
- Eleven Years of Laughter, Mayhem, and Fun in the Sandbox
- By: Carol Burnett
- Narrated by: Carol Burnett
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Who but Carol Burnett herself has the timing, talent, and wit to pull back the curtain on the Emmy Award-winning show that made television history for 11 glorious seasons? In Such Good Company delves into little-known stories of the guests, sketches, and antics that made the show legendary as well as some favorite tales too good not to relive again. Carol lays it all out for us, from the show's original conception to its evolution into one of the most beloved primetime programs of its generation.
-
-
I Love Her But.....
- By OhMamaOh on 01-23-17
By: Carol Burnett
-
A Mouse Divided
- How Ub Iwerks Became Forgotten, and Walt Disney Became Uncle Walt
- By: Jeff Ryan
- Narrated by: J. D. Jackson
- Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Almost everything you know about Mickey Mouse is wrong: He wasn’t Disney’s first star; Steamboat Willie wasn’t his first movie; Mickey wasn’t a nice guy - and Walt Disney didn’t invent him. In 1928, two very different best friends invented Mickey Mouse. And the success tore them apart. Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks’ friendship is a story of betrayal, love, war, money, power, tragedy, intrigue, humor, despair, and hope. You’ll love them both - when you don’t want to drop anvils on their heads.
-
-
And they all lived happily ever after... Not quite.
- By C. White on 07-05-18
By: Jeff Ryan
-
Jim Henson
- The Biography
- By: Brian Jay Jones
- Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne
- Length: 21 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For the first time ever - a comprehensive biography of one of the 20th century’s most innovative creative artists: the incomparable, irreplaceable Jim Henson He was a gentle dreamer whose genial bearded visage was recognized around the world, but most people got to know him only through the iconic characters born of his fertile imagination: Kermit the Frog, Bert and Ernie, Miss Piggy, Big Bird. The Muppets made Jim Henson a household name, but they were just part of his remarkable story.
-
-
Dramatically complete
- By T on 10-01-13
By: Brian Jay Jones
-
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
- A Sortabiography
- By: Eric Idle
- Narrated by: Eric Idle
- Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We know him best for his unforgettable roles on Monty Python - from the Flying Circus to The Meaning of Life. Now, Eric Idle reflects on the meaning of his own life in this entertaining memoir that takes us on an unforgettable journey from his childhood in an austere boarding school through his successful career in comedy, television, theater, and film.
-
-
Eric Idle name-dropping, which can't be helped
- By LJ on 10-09-18
By: Eric Idle
-
The Life and Times of Ward Kimball
- Maverick of Disney Animation
- By: Todd James Pierce
- Narrated by: Al Kessel
- Length: 13 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this engaging, cradle-to-grave biography, award-winning author Todd James Pierce explores the life of Ward Kimball, a lead Disney animator who worked on characters such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket, and the Mad Hatter. Through unpublished excerpts from Kimball's personal writing, material from unpublished interviews, and new information based on interviews conducted by the author, Pierce defines the life of perhaps the most influential animator of the 20th century.
-
-
Wonderful!
- By Jacques Van Blokland on 08-21-19
-
Wild Minds
- The Artists and Rivalries that Inspired the Golden Age of Animation
- By: Reid Mitenbuler
- Narrated by: Kevin R. Free
- Length: 13 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1911, famed cartoonist Winsor McCay debuted one of the first animated cartoons, based on his sophisticated newspaper strip Little Nemo in Slumberland, itself inspired by Freud’s recent research on dreams. McCay is largely forgotten today, but he unleashed an art form and the creative energy of artists from Otto Messmer and Max Fleischer to Walt Disney and Warner Bros.’ Chuck Jones. Wild Minds is an ode to our colorful past and to the creative energy that later inspired The Simpsons, South Park, and BoJack Horseman.
-
-
Beautiful
- By Michael Williams on 12-13-21
By: Reid Mitenbuler
-
In Such Good Company
- Eleven Years of Laughter, Mayhem, and Fun in the Sandbox
- By: Carol Burnett
- Narrated by: Carol Burnett
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Who but Carol Burnett herself has the timing, talent, and wit to pull back the curtain on the Emmy Award-winning show that made television history for 11 glorious seasons? In Such Good Company delves into little-known stories of the guests, sketches, and antics that made the show legendary as well as some favorite tales too good not to relive again. Carol lays it all out for us, from the show's original conception to its evolution into one of the most beloved primetime programs of its generation.
-
-
I Love Her But.....
- By OhMamaOh on 01-23-17
By: Carol Burnett
-
A Mouse Divided
- How Ub Iwerks Became Forgotten, and Walt Disney Became Uncle Walt
- By: Jeff Ryan
- Narrated by: J. D. Jackson
- Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Almost everything you know about Mickey Mouse is wrong: He wasn’t Disney’s first star; Steamboat Willie wasn’t his first movie; Mickey wasn’t a nice guy - and Walt Disney didn’t invent him. In 1928, two very different best friends invented Mickey Mouse. And the success tore them apart. Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks’ friendship is a story of betrayal, love, war, money, power, tragedy, intrigue, humor, despair, and hope. You’ll love them both - when you don’t want to drop anvils on their heads.
-
-
And they all lived happily ever after... Not quite.
- By C. White on 07-05-18
By: Jeff Ryan
-
Jim Henson
- The Biography
- By: Brian Jay Jones
- Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne
- Length: 21 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For the first time ever - a comprehensive biography of one of the 20th century’s most innovative creative artists: the incomparable, irreplaceable Jim Henson He was a gentle dreamer whose genial bearded visage was recognized around the world, but most people got to know him only through the iconic characters born of his fertile imagination: Kermit the Frog, Bert and Ernie, Miss Piggy, Big Bird. The Muppets made Jim Henson a household name, but they were just part of his remarkable story.
-
-
Dramatically complete
- By T on 10-01-13
By: Brian Jay Jones
-
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
- A Sortabiography
- By: Eric Idle
- Narrated by: Eric Idle
- Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We know him best for his unforgettable roles on Monty Python - from the Flying Circus to The Meaning of Life. Now, Eric Idle reflects on the meaning of his own life in this entertaining memoir that takes us on an unforgettable journey from his childhood in an austere boarding school through his successful career in comedy, television, theater, and film.
-
-
Eric Idle name-dropping, which can't be helped
- By LJ on 10-09-18
By: Eric Idle
-
George Lucas
- A Life
- By: Brian Jay Jones
- Narrated by: Jay Snyder
- Length: 18 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On May 25, 1977, a problem-plagued, budget-straining, independent science-fiction film opened in a mere 32 American movie theatres. Conceived, written, and directed by a little-known filmmaker named George Lucas, Star Wars reinvented the cinematic landscape, ushering in a new way for movies to be made, marketed, and merchandised. Simply put, George Lucas is one of the most influential filmmakers of the past 50 years.
-
-
The General in his Labyrinth
- By Joselo on 09-15-17
By: Brian Jay Jones
-
The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
- A Novel
- By: Kim Michele Richardson
- Narrated by: Katie Schorr
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The hardscrabble folks of Troublesome Creek have to scrap for everything - everything except books, that is. Thanks to Roosevelt's Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, Troublesome's got its very own traveling librarian, Cussy Mary Carter. Cussy's not only a book woman, however, she's also the last of her kind, her skin a shade of blue unlike most anyone else. Not everyone is keen on Cussy's family or the Library Project, and a Blue is often blamed for any whiff of trouble.
-
-
Narrator ruined it for me....
- By T214T1987 on 01-07-20
-
The Clan of the Cave Bear
- Earth's Children, Book 1
- By: Jean M. Auel
- Narrated by: Sandra Burr
- Length: 22 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This novel of awesome beauty and power is a moving saga about people, relationships, and the boundaries of love. Through Jean M. Auel’s magnificent storytelling we are taken back to the dawn of modern humans, and with a girl named Ayla we are swept up in the harsh and beautiful Ice Age world they shared with the ones who called themselves the Clan of the Cave Bear.
-
-
Production and Narration didn't quite ruin it
- By nolagal on 07-28-14
By: Jean M. Auel
-
Out of the Inkwell
- Max Fleischer and the Animation Revolution
- By: Richard Fleischer
- Narrated by: Gary Galone
- Length: 4 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Max Fleischer (1883-1972) was for years considered Walt Disney's only real rival in the world of cartoon animation. The man behind the creation of such legendary characters as Betty Boop and the animation of Popeye the Sailor and Superman, Fleischer asserted himself as a major player in the development of Hollywood entertainment. Out of the Inkwell: Max Fleischer and the Animation Revolution is a vivid portrait of the life and world of a man who shaped the look of cartoon animation.
-
-
Tl;dr very interesting, would recommend, slight bias, TW suicide mention in book
- By Dana H. on 08-19-18
-
Walt Disney
- The Triumph of the American Imagination
- By: Neal Gabler
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 33 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Seven years in the making and meticulously researched - Gabler is the first writer to be given complete access to the Disney archives - this is the full story of a man whose work left an ineradicable brand on our culture but whose life has largely been enshrouded in myth.
-
-
Best biography I've listened to in a long time
- By M. S. Cohen on 11-12-13
By: Neal Gabler
-
Three Years in Wonderland
- The Disney Brothers, C. V. Wood, and the Making of the Great American Theme Park
- By: Todd James Pierce
- Narrated by: Al Kessel
- Length: 9 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
While the success of Disneyland is largely credited to Walt and Roy Disney, there was a third, mostly forgotten dynamo instrumental to the development of the park: fast-talking Texan C. V. Wood. Three Years in Wonderland presents the never-before-told, full story of "the happiest place on earth".
-
-
A really great and interesting story.
- By Mike on 02-20-20
-
Where the Lost Wander
- A Novel
- By: Amy Harmon
- Narrated by: Lauren Ezzo, Shaun Taylor-Corbett
- Length: 11 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Overland Trail, 1853: Naomi May never expected to be widowed at 20. Eager to leave her grief behind, she sets off with her family for a life out West. On the trail, she forms an instant connection with John Lowry, a half-Pawnee man straddling two worlds and a stranger in both. But life in a wagon train is fraught with hardship, fear, and death. Even as John and Naomi are drawn to each other, the trials of the journey and their disparate pasts work to keep them apart.
-
-
Good story, bad reader
- By LoverofClassics on 06-09-20
By: Amy Harmon
-
Disney's Land
- Walt Disney and the Invention of the Amusement Park That Changed the World
- By: Richard Snow
- Narrated by: Jacques Roy
- Length: 12 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is a spectacular story of error and innovation, a wild ride from a vision to the realization of an iconic cultural landscape. It reflects the park’s uniqueness, but just as strongly that of the man who built it with a watchmaker’s precision, an artist’s conviction, and the desperate, high-hearted recklessness of a riverboat gambler.
-
-
Okay, but better books on the subject
- By J.D. on 12-07-19
By: Richard Snow
-
The Disneyland Story
- The Unofficial Guide to the Evolution of Walt Disney's Dream
- By: Sam Gennawey
- Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin
- Length: 16 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Disneyland Story: The Unofficial Guide to the Evolution of Walt Disney's Dream is the story of how Walt Disney's greatest creation was conceived, nurtured, and how it grew into a source of joy and inspiration for generations of visitors. Despite his successors' battles with the whims of history and their own doubts and egos, Walt's vision maintained momentum, thrived, and taught future generations how to do it Walt Disney's way.
-
-
Great book, even with minor production issues
- By Joe on 10-08-18
By: Sam Gennawey
-
Irena's Children
- The Extraordinary Story of the Woman Who Saved 2,500 Children from the Warsaw Ghetto
- By: Tilar J. Mazzeo
- Narrated by: Amanda Carlin
- Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1942 one young social worker, Irena Sendler, was granted access to the Warsaw Ghetto as a public health specialist. While she was there, she began to understand the fate that awaited the Jewish families who were unable to leave. Soon she reached out to the trapped families, going from door to door and asking them to trust her with their young children. She started smuggling children out of the walled district, convincing her friends and neighbors to hide them.
-
-
So worth reading...
- By Jan on 10-07-16
By: Tilar J. Mazzeo
-
The Henna Artist
- By: Alka Joshi
- Narrated by: Sneha Mathan
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant 1950s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the most highly requested henna artist - and confidante - to the wealthy women of the upper class. But trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own....
-
-
Lyrical and inspiring
- By Anonymous User on 04-23-20
By: Alka Joshi
-
One Little Spark!
- Mickey's Ten Commandments and the Road to Imagineering
- By: Marty Sklar
- Narrated by: Jeff Cummings
- Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
We've all read about the experts: the artists, the scientists, the engineers - that special group of people known as Imagineers for The Walt Disney Company. But who are they? How did they join the team? What is it like to spend a day in their shoes?
-
-
More like a collection of emails.
- By J on 02-19-18
By: Marty Sklar
Publisher's Summary
From the best-selling 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 best-selling 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, best-selling 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
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
Critic Reviews
"Think of this book as if Hidden Figures were about Walt Disney Studios instead of NASA. The Queens of Animation pulls back the curtain on a handful of influential, and largely under-recognized, women writers and animators who helped shape the early aesthetic of Disney during a time when the industry was largely a boy's club.... Holt goes from Snow White up to Frozen in this essential read ahead of the launch of Disney+ this fall." (Jeva Lange, The Week, 25 Books to Read in the Second Half of 2019)
"A riveting and essential read about the women who helped create many of the most famous Walt Disney films. Like Hidden Figures and Rise of the Rocket Girls, The Queens of Animation tells us a story we need to hear, one that was lost to history until now." (Charlotte Gordon, author of Romantic Outlaws)
"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 lives of these forgotten artists to champion their achievements and their extraordinary legacy." (Kate Moore, New York Times best-selling author of The Radium Girls)
More from the same
What listeners say about The Queens of Animation
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Marie Stephens
- 01-12-20
Amazing!
I loved the story and while I am not an artist I often found myself inspired by the women in the story. I had recently read “Cinderella Ate My Daughter” by Peggy Orenstein and I felt that this book is a great complement to it. Many people, like Orenstein, have concerns that the Disney Princesses are not good role models for young girls to look up to. This book on the other hand gives people information about the women behind some of the renowned Disney classics and gives a new appreciation for the Disney characters people know today. There is one notable downside to the story and that is the author will often talk about one project and one woman and then suddenly she will trail off into talking about another woman and another project at Disney. However, I don’t think this complication is big enough to discourage listeners from listening to the book. Rather I encourage listeners to be patient as many loose ends are addressed at some point in the story. I think this is a great book, I love the narrator’s voice, and I highly encourage everyone to listen to it! In fact if you love Disney movies, especially some of the older ones, this book will become 10x more interesting!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jema
- 08-16-20
Distracting narration
The narrator is fine until she tríes to imitate men’s or children’s voices and also the parts where they make it sound like an old radio. Distracting and annoying. I would give it 0 stars if I could. If audible keeps this trend of having the narrator act out the parts, I'll probably cancel my subscription.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Shannon
- 03-18-20
Great truthful retelling
Saskia Maarleveld puts so much heart into Holt’s words that it was hard to turn this book off. I love knowing that many of the things I love most about Disney are because of these strong women, and more, who fought through so much adversity to succeed.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Ellen
- 02-05-20
Buy this book!! Truly Inspiring and fascinating!
I wasn't sure about buying this book at first but I'm so glad I did. This is one of my favorite books now. It takes you on a journey through history, the evolution of animation and Disney, and the characters are these real-life women who are an inspiration, as they try to fight prejudice and work hard to advance their art and their dreams.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Deon Stewart
- 11-14-20
amazing audio and awe inspiring story
the narrator's tune is enthralling bringing you into the story making it hard to pause.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Johnathan Robinson
- 10-14-20
A MUST for Disney Fans
As someone who has read about Disney History for years, I found this book to offer such incredible windows into a forgotten history. Highly recommend
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Thomas Rogers
- 10-02-20
fantastical
Brought a lot of great stories I'd never heard, but has me wishing for a more worldly view of women from all different places... Disney is not a bad place to start though. The background of every character is fulfilling through to the end. I'm awe struck by the one who stole the entirety of the show, Mary Blaire.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- moaktree
- 01-13-22
YOU MUST LISTEN - Amazing Untold Story
This was an incredible book to listen to and I really hope they make a movie out of it in the future.
The book starts out in the early years of Walt Disney Studios in the early 1930s where you meet two of the first women that are working for the studio. You follow them all the way through the early 2000s of the Walt Disney Studios where other women are introduced along the way and learn all about the different women who shaped the animation department, paint and color and all of the struggles, sexism and discrimination they faced along the way.
I can’t recommend this book more it was wild to learn about the incredible challenges so many of the first women employees of Disney overcame, along with a very interesting history of some of our beloved Disney Classics and the history that coincided with the world at that time.
As a woman in her mid 20s I really appreciated this book and found it very inspiring and have a new appreciation for some of the beloved films I watched and grew up with as a child and will plan to share this historic information with others moving forward.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Becky B.
- 06-21-21
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.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- AshLeigh Meyer
- 05-23-21
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!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- L Meredith
- 05-02-21
❤️
Loved it! It was great to hear so many stories of the hidden women of Disney.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anonymous User
- 09-21-20
Beautiful piece of work highlighting women
It was truly amazing I will hold this with me for the rest of my career, everyone should know of the women behind the classics we all know. Well written and formatted
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Amazon Customer
- 01-04-22
illuminating
a well overdue testimony on the legacy of women in animation. i wish id known about them when i was a kid.