How to Do Things Right: The Revelations of a Fussy Man

by Lawrence Rust Hills
How to Do Things Right: The Revelations of a Fussy Man cover
Good Books rating 4.38
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  • ID: 4851
  • Added: 2025-10-22
  • Updated: 2025-10-22
  • Reviews: 4
Reviews
godine.com · Unknown · 2025-10-22
insightful 4.50

How to Read Donald Duck is a Marxist critique of Disney comics, arguing that they contain imperialist ideologies. The book is a significant piece of cultural studies, offering insights into global politics and the impact of Disney's media empire. The review highlights the book's historical context and its relevance in understanding US imperialism.

How to Read Donald Duck by Ariel Dorfman and Armand Mattelart is a groundbreaking work of Marxist criticism that analyzes Disney comics for their underlying imperialist ideologies. Originally published in 1971, the book faced significant censorship and suppression, including being banned and burned in Chile during the Pinochet regime. The review emphasizes the book's historical significance, noting its role in exposing the political and economic messages embedded in Disney's seemingly innocent cartoons. The authors argue that Disney comics serve as a tool for justifying US imperialism, portraying foreigners as primitives and promoting free trade policies. The book also delves into the political economy of Donald Duck, examining the nature of labor and ownership within the comics. Overall, the review highlights the book's importance as a unique example of materialist cultural studies, offering valuable insights into global politics and the impact of Disney's media empire.

Quick quotes

    The authors argue that behind this screen of benevolence, the comics actually construct an elaborate apologia for the global order.

    Dorfman and Mattelart locate a number of shockingly direct references to geopolitics within the comics.

    The production process in Disney’s world is natural, not social. And it is magical. All objects arrive on parachutes, are conjured out of hats, are presented as gifts in a non-stop birthday party, and are spread out like mushrooms.

thriftbooks.com · Unknown · 2025-10-22
eye-opening 4.50

The book is a classic deconstruction of the imperialism, racism, and capitalist ideology embedded in Disney's comics, particularly those featuring Donald Duck. It reveals the reactionary nature of the stories and their psychological impact on young readers. The analysis is eye-opening and remains relevant, highlighting the enduring influence of these narratives.

The book is a classic deconstruction of the imperialism, racism, and capitalist ideology embedded in Disney's comics, particularly those featuring Donald Duck. It reveals the reactionary nature of the stories and their psychological impact on young readers. The analysis is eye-opening and remains relevant, highlighting the enduring influence of these narratives. The authors, Ariel Dorfman and Armand Mattelart, provide a detailed examination of the recurring patterns in the Disney comics, showing how they perpetuate capitalist values, racial stereotypes, and patriarchal norms. The book's historical significance is underscored by its suppression in various countries, including Chile and the United States, due to its critical perspective. The psychological aspects of the stories are also explored, revealing the transactional and bleak relationships among the characters, which reflect the broader societal issues of the time. Overall, the book offers a compelling critique of the ideological underpinnings of Disney's comics and their enduring impact on popular culture.

Quick quotes

    The world of Disney is a nineteenth-century orphanage.

    The less fortunate regard their subjection as natural.

    The authors paint a convincing picture of the psychological origins of Disney’s strange universe of familial relationships within his own biography, and how these underpin the unrelentingly capitalist, racist and also sexist universe of his creation.

godine.com · Unknown · 2025-10-22
fascinating 4.50

How to Read Donald Duck is a dense, complex, yet fun and witty book that critiques the imperialist ideology in Disney comics. The authors analyze themes such as employment, family structures, and the portrayal of Third World communities, offering a caustic and furious critique of Disney's portrayal of exploited conditions.

How to Read Donald Duck, written in Chile in 1971 by Ariel Dorfman and Armand Mattelart, is a book that has had a troubled existence. It critiques the imperialist ideology in Disney comics, examining themes such as employment, family structures, and the portrayal of Third World communities. The book is dense and complex at times, yet it remains fun, witty, and angry. The authors analyze a sample of comics, including images, and provide a detailed critique of Disney's portrayal of exploited conditions. They argue that Donald Duck represents a specific type of unemployment based on personality rather than structural capitalism. The book also explores the absence of parents in Disney's universe, suggesting it conceals normal sexuality. Women in Disney are portrayed as either humble servants or beauty queens, and those who deviate from the feminine code are aligned with dark powers. The book is a fascinating and caustic critique of Disney's ideology.

Quick quotes

    The popular Chilean cultural offensive, which accompanied the social and economic liberation, took multiple forms…with a people on the march to cultural liberation

    To the reader, Donald represents the unemployed. Not the real unemployed caused historically by the structural contradictions of capitalism, but the Disney-style unemployment based on the personality of the employee.

    Reading Disney is like having one’s own exploited condition rammed with honey down one’s throat

nytimes.com · Unknown · 2008-08-14
helpful 4.00

The book offers practical advice on various aspects of life, from cooking to home maintenance, with a focus on doing things correctly. The author's meticulous approach is both helpful and entertaining, making it a valuable guide for those who appreciate attention to detail.

How to Do Things Right is a comprehensive guide that covers a wide range of topics, all aimed at helping readers perform tasks with precision and care. The author's fussy nature translates into detailed instructions and tips that are both practical and engaging. Whether it's cooking the perfect meal or maintaining your home, the book provides insights that can make a significant difference in the quality of your work. The writing style is engaging and often humorous, making it an enjoyable read even for those who might not typically be interested in such detailed guides. The book's strength lies in its ability to make mundane tasks seem exciting and worthwhile, encouraging readers to take pride in their work.

Quick quotes

    The author's meticulous approach is both helpful and entertaining

    The book provides insights that can make a significant difference in the quality of your work

    The writing style is engaging and often humorous

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