Neal Gabler reflects on the challenges that shaped Walt Disney's inner life and, by extension, America's popular consciousness.The whole world knows Mickey Mouse, and countless American baby-boomers can still sing the chorus of the Mouseketeer theme song. Their creator, Walt Disney, was arguably the most influential figure in American popular culture of the 20th century. Despite the almost universal recognition his works received, Disney himself remained a mystery to the public during his lifetime. Finally, 40 years after his death, Disney is the subject of a new and comprehensive biography, Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination, by award-winning author Neal Gabler.