Power and Paradise in Walt Disney's World

"A roller coaster of a book that will leave you marveling. With intelligence and a sense of fun, Knight reframes Disney World as a pilgrimage center, a Garden of Eden, and a World's Fair. A great read and a real contribution to Disney literature and the Disney World experience."—Harriet F. Senie, author of The "Tilted Arc" Controversy: Dangerous Precedent?



"Approaching Disney and his 'magic lands' from the vantage point of scholar and enthusiast, Knight interweaves astute observations about globalized cultural production and the built environment while her crisp writing makes for a lively and engaging read."—Sarah Schrank, author of Art and the City



"Knight's insights on Disney as an intrepid planner, inventor, innovator, and iconoclast—and his fascination and deployment of technology that bridges private desire with the public realm—has pressing relevance for contemporary culture."—Patricia Phillips, Rhode Island School of Design

“Well-researched and concise. By approaching Walt Disney World as a multilayered text with many meanings, Knight appreciates its complexity as a popular culture artifact worthy of admiration and scrutiny.”—Journal of American Culture



“[An] accessible overview of how Disney imagines its ‘magic’ to work.”—Florida Historical Quarterly