The Art of Walt Disney by Christopher Finch

The Art of Walt Disney was first seen by me at a bookstore in Ohio that my parents would take me to in the late '70s. It cost $65 and that was outrageous at the time to spend on a book for me as a youngster. It's a massive tome filled with amazing illustrations and artwork and a ton of text on Disney's work as an animator from Kansas to California and then later as theme park designer. It remains a brilliant if slightly sanitized account of the man and his work. I have a later edition from the 80's that I bought in a little bookshop in Savannah, GA when I was in college and rolling in that government going to school money. Later I got a new edition with a slightly modified cover that also included more information on the theme parks plus a 'beyond!' section.

First Editions are going for as high as $2000 - but you can also get it from Amazon resellers for as cheap as $.01 (plus $4 shipping).