To Pixar and Beyond Book Review

To round out this month of Pixar posts, I just finished reading To Pixar and Beyond: My Unlikely Journey with Steve Jobs to Make Entertainment History (2016) written by Lawrence Levy. I recommend this book to anyone interested in Pixar history, general animation history, or the life and work of Steve Jobs.

Lawrence Levy was the Chief Financial Officer at Pixar from 1994 to 1999 and then was a member of the Pixar board until the 2006 merger with the Walt Disney Studios. He writes about his experience with the early days of Pixar feature animation and his work and relationship with Steve Jobs. The majority of the book focuses around the timeline of the production, release, and aftermath of Toy Story.

I don’t think I have ever read a business centred book in my life. I really was not sure what to expect or if this book would keep my attention going in. But it did. I finished the book in only a few days because it was too interesting to put down.

I remember when Toy Story was released. I remember seeing it in the theatres and thoroughly enjoying the adventures of Buzz, Woody, and the rest of Andy’s toys. But I had absolutely no idea that I was watching history being made! Through my love of Disney history, I have definitely realized the impact Toy Story had on animation but this book really brought that into prospective. Toy Story was a huge deal! It was the first computer animated film and the technology used was incredibly advanced for 1995. It not only had the novelty of new technology going for it, but also a heart-touching story with memorable characters that was perfect for the entire family which is what Pixar soon became known for. Pixar had it all, but it was far from easy work. This book shares the struggles and low-points of this time in Pixar’s history.

Lawrence Levy was called in to help Pixar when the company was in deep financial trouble. Pixar was making zero money; the executives would literally just ask Steve Jobs for a cheque whenever they ran out of money. The book tells the story of how Mr. Levy brought Pixar out of the financial hole, but he never has a boasting tone. He simply tells the story as it was and gives great praise to the other members of the Pixar team. Mr. Levy also adds many personal details throughout his story, which makes the book quite relatable.

The book is split into four parts. The first three parts are about his time with Pixar and Steve Jobs, but the fourth part focuses on what Mr. Levy did after Pixar, and that was study Eastern religion and philosophy. It was quite the turn in subject matter and I found it hard to focus on the last few chapters. It seems like an interesting story, but perhaps for another book as I was more interested in learning about Pixar.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and learnt a lot about the humble beginnings of Pixar. I would rate it 4/5 stars.