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crousecm's review against another edition
medium-paced
3.0
Lots of business/finance talk in this book.
biktokai86's review against another edition
4.0
Lawrence has a magic touch that transmits some of the emotions that he felt during some key steps at pixar. Id say it's great to get to know pixar at this early stage of its life. For sure there are a lot of myths and specially the relation with Disney is hardly known but Levy guides you through all that with a lot of detail. For people unaware of finances Levy does a magnificent work in explaining a lot of the intricacies of going public, albeit for a knowledgeable one would be kind of simple. Towards the end of the book it kind of looses traction and gets deviated from the main Pixar plot. But it's just like 20 pages. Recommended!
clairebelmont's review against another edition
5.0
Great read, especially for those interested in business. Book keeps you on your toes.
rhear's review against another edition
5.0
This book is replete with complicated business decisions, negotiations and the constant strive to grow and stay successful- that the author conveys in the form of his conversations with Steve Jobs, mentors, leaders, and investment bankers and sometimes with himself on a daily 90 minute drive to work. This book is an ideal balance of business and creativity which made it insightful and heartening at the same time. The author talks of some pretty complex business deals and power dynamics, and explains them in a way that is entertaining.
I now have a soft spot for the author- it turns out that some corporate lawyers turned CFOs are actually nice at heart and some even help save an iconic computer animation company and even care deeply about its employees. I have also come to view Steve Jobs in a fond new light. I’ll definitely be re reading it soon.
I now have a soft spot for the author- it turns out that some corporate lawyers turned CFOs are actually nice at heart and some even help save an iconic computer animation company and even care deeply about its employees. I have also come to view Steve Jobs in a fond new light. I’ll definitely be re reading it soon.
krishnaerumodi's review against another edition
5.0
Definitely, this will be one of my favourites. From a business which was initially set on to lose millions, Pixar has evolved into a multi-billion-dollar company, accumulating various accolades along the way. The author has shed light on all the intricate details about becoming a public listed company, the rapport between Steve and the Pixar employees, how Pixar stocks fared in the market and the 7 billion takeover by Disney.
yulelogue's review against another edition
3.0
Solid foundation if you are a Disney-Pixar fan, but is it exclusively dedicated to the finance side of the company through its initial deal with Disney through the Toy Story premiere and the IPO. If you are more into the creative side, I would avoid. Also, author goes into detail about embracing Eastern religion and philosophy. Either write a autobiography or not, but don't disguise it as a Pixar book.
aaconour's review against another edition
5.0
I've never read a business book before but this was absolutely wonderful. It reads more like a personal narrative than a business novel. There's warmth and love that I didn't expect to find. It made for a truly captivating book about the history of Pixar, the chessboard known as business, and the story of the unsung hero that made the studio what it is today.
jeffs's review against another edition
3.0
I’m thankful that Levy was telling a fascinating story because the writing style was unbearable. Levy leans heavily on quoting dialogue and conversations that happened as much as twenty years ago. And the final few chapters, which detail Levy’s personal endeavors after Pixar, feel like a bait-and-switch. I can’t help but think he wrote this book to promote his new organization. Still, the reflection on his time with Pixar and Jobs is a worthwhile read for any Pixar fan.
ywanderingreads's review against another edition
4.0
I love Pixar animation very much so this was a no brainer when I saw this book. I love the title of the book because Pixar’s first ever animation is Toy Story and of course one of the famous lines was “To infinity and beyond” which explains the title.
This all started with Levy receiving a phone call in 1994 from Steve Jobs offering him an important role - to get Pixar up and running. Despite knowing the difficulty of his role, he took up the offer and this is where the story of Pixar begins. Levy showed us how Pixar works and his exciting story captures Pixar’s lifecycle as it goes from the brink of failure to an overnight success. He also talks about his relationship with Steve and all the important people working in Pixar. Levy talks about his difficult position between Steve’s desires for Pixar and what Levy believes is best for Pixar.
I learnt that Pixar has many original and unique ideas. This is due to the very passionate team behind Pixar who has a clear vision of what they want to show their audience. They don’t just want to churn out movies and sequels, they want to touch your soul, they want to make a difference in the stories they produce - think Toy Story, A bug’s Life, Coco, Up and Inside Out. All of them have a moral meaning behind their stories. Pixar actually makes movies in which story and character development matters.
I really enjoyed the story although some parts could be a little dry since I don’t have much interest in stocks and IPOs but I love the passion and dedication of these individuals. If they didn’t persist and move forward with their passion, Pixar might not be alive today.
This all started with Levy receiving a phone call in 1994 from Steve Jobs offering him an important role - to get Pixar up and running. Despite knowing the difficulty of his role, he took up the offer and this is where the story of Pixar begins. Levy showed us how Pixar works and his exciting story captures Pixar’s lifecycle as it goes from the brink of failure to an overnight success. He also talks about his relationship with Steve and all the important people working in Pixar. Levy talks about his difficult position between Steve’s desires for Pixar and what Levy believes is best for Pixar.
I learnt that Pixar has many original and unique ideas. This is due to the very passionate team behind Pixar who has a clear vision of what they want to show their audience. They don’t just want to churn out movies and sequels, they want to touch your soul, they want to make a difference in the stories they produce - think Toy Story, A bug’s Life, Coco, Up and Inside Out. All of them have a moral meaning behind their stories. Pixar actually makes movies in which story and character development matters.
I really enjoyed the story although some parts could be a little dry since I don’t have much interest in stocks and IPOs but I love the passion and dedication of these individuals. If they didn’t persist and move forward with their passion, Pixar might not be alive today.