To Pixar and Beyond My Unlikely Jour..., Lawrence Levy
To Pixar and Beyond My Unlikely Jour..., Lawrence Levy
31 Rating(s)
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To Pixar and Beyond: My Unlikely Journey with Steve Jobs to Make Entertainment History

Author: Lawrence Levy

Narrator: Bronson Pinchot

Unabridged: 7 hr 54 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Novel Audio

Published: 11/01/2016


Synopsis

The never-before-told story of Pixar's improbable success.

“Hi, Lawrence?” the caller asked. “This is Steve Jobs. I saw your picture in a magazine a few years ago and thought we’d work together someday.”

After Steve Jobs was unceremoniously dismissed from Apple, he turned his attention to a little-known graphics art company that he owned called Pixar.

One day, out of the blue, Jobs called Lawrence Levy, a Harvard-trained lawyer and Silicon Valley executive to whom he had never spoken before, in the hope of persuading Levy to help him get Pixar on the right track.

What Levy found in Pixar was a company on the verge of failure. To Pixar and Beyond is the extraordinary story of what happened next: How Levy, working closely with Jobs and the Pixar team, produced and implemented a highly improbable roadmap that transformed the sleepy graphics art studio into one of Hollywood’s greatest success stories.

Set in the worlds of Silicon Valley and Hollywood, the book takes readers inside Pixar, Disney, law firms, and investment banks. It provides an up-close, first-hand account of Pixar’s stunning ascent, how it took risks, Levy’s enduring collaboration and friendship with Jobs, and how Levy came to see in Pixar deeper parallels that apply to all aspects of our lives.

Reviews:

“What a delightful book about the creation of Pixar from the inside. I learned more about Mr. Jobs, Pixar and business in Silicon Valley than I have in quite some time. And like a good Pixar film, it’ll put a smile on your face.” -- Andrew Ross Sorkinin The New York Times (7/4/2016)

“I love this book! I think it is brilliant. Of course I am biased, but even so, I think people will love this story -- one they didn’t even know existed. And Lawrence has told it beautifully.” -- Ed Catmull, Co-Founder and President Pixar Animation, President Disney Animation, bestselling author of Creativity Inc.

“Lawrence Levy's To Pixar and Beyond is the gripping story of how, through hard work, vision, and a devotion to excellence, tiny Pixar transformed itself into a Hollywood powerhouse. But it’s also something more: a wonderful buddy story -- between Levy and Steve Jobs --and how their friendship and partnership transformed them both.” -- William D. Cohan, bestselling author of House of Cards and Money and Power


Reviews

Goodreads review by Brandon on August 21, 2016

I don't really read business books, but I loved this. Levy's story is a really well-told personal narrative about bridging the gap between art and commerce, and anyone who's seen a Pixar movie in the last twenty years will find something of value here. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some borderline......more

Goodreads review by Scott on November 30, 2016

I don’t typically read business books, but Lawrence Levy’s book, “To Pixar and Beyond” isn’t a typical business book. There’s a warm, lovable fuzziness to it that is, in my mind, antithetical to the typical business ethos. It's a jarring cognitive dissonance, for me, at least. It may help to explain......more

Goodreads review by Aaron on November 01, 2016

In my eyes, Pixar brought joy to the world through their ability to connect with the audience. Moves such as “Toy Story” and “A Bug’s Life” were pillars of my childhood, pulling me into a new world where anything is possible. Lawrence Levy takes the same magic of Pixar and shows you the behind-the-s......more

Goodreads review by Andrew on August 29, 2021

For some reason I really enjoy books about small businesses that grow to become hugely successful. This book tells the story of Pixar, the computer animation studio that famously produced the film Toy Story, and later many other award winning films. It starts with the author, a lawyer and business e......more

Goodreads review by Steve on November 27, 2016

I read a lot of business books and I often walk away from the book feeling like the business leader was kind of stupid. You won't feel like that with this book. He is the smartest person in the room, but has a gift for explaining complex issues with clarity and understanding that many issues are com......more