You can sense the quality of this massive book before you even open it. The Buzz Lightyear image is a cutout piece of glossy paper, which is set into bright green fabric. The title appears on a translucent paper banner. The back of the book matches the front, except the cutout is of the back side of Buzz. Inside, a black satin ribbon is attached to use as a bookmark.
Fancy treatment indeed, but the text and images live up to it.
The text is thorough and well written, and sprinkled with dozens of interviews with key Pixar people, including Ed Catmull, Steve Jobs and John Lasseter. It's accompanied by hundreds of examples of concept art, photographs, storyboards and fully rendered film images. Everything Pixar is covered, starting with the ten formative years before "Toy Story" (including Lasseter's firing by the Disney Company), through Pixar's acquisition by Disney in 2006.
I especially liked the photographs of voice talent (Ellen DeGeneres, Tom Hanks, Tim Allen) taken during recording sessions, and the many behind-the-scenes stories about making the movies. In one, John Lasseter describes how funny Tom Hanks was recording the "Toy Story" scene in which Woody tries to use Buzz's arm as a stand-in for the depressed Space Ranger: " I was laughing so hard, I almost ruined the take," Lasseter remembered. "I had to leave the room and go into the recording booth with the sound engineer."
Here's the chapter list:
CHAPTER 1: Ed
CHAPTER 2: John
CHAPTER 3: Steve
CHAPTER 4: Pixar's Early Days
Spotlight: Sound
Spotlight: The Early Short Films
CHAPTER 5: Toy Story
Spotlight: Music
CHAPTER 6: Building a Studio
CHAPTER 7: A Bug's Life
Spotlight: "Geri's Game"
CHAPTER 8: Toy Story 2
Spotlight: Pixar University
CHAPTER 9: Pixar at Home
Spotlight: Voices
CHAPTER 10: Monsters, Inc.
Spotlight: "For the Birds"
CHAPTER 11: Finding Nemo
Spotlight: RenderMan
CHAPTER 12: The Incredibles
Spotlight: "Boundin"
CHAPTER 13: Cars
Spotlight: "One Man Band"
CHAPTER 14: Pixar Joins with Disney