" ... a critical account of how the Disney Co. has used--and also abused--its governmental immunities from the beginning of Disney World to the present ..."--Jacket.

Joined together in an extraordinarily close relationship, Walt Disney World and Orlando, Florida, have become the world's most popular tourist destination. This intriguing book traces the history of the ups and downs of this "marriage" and tells the inside story of Disney's use and abuse of unparalleled governmental powers. 23 illustrations.

"Walt Disney World and Orlando have become the world's most popular tourist destination. Using the metaphor of love and marriage, this intriguing book traces the evolution of the Disney World-Orlando relationship, an "economic-development marriage," says the author, characterized by conflict and consensus, individuality and mutual dependency - just like a real marriage." "But there is another side to the story. As the author shows, growth not only gives, it also takes away. Fueled by Disney's arrival, the tremendous growth in Orlando has created public expenditure needs, but not always matching tax resources. It has generated traffic congestion, public facility deficits, affordable housing shortages, and a low-wage economy. This situation is complicated further because of the special enticement granted to the Disney Co. for coming to Florida: their own private government - a sort of "Vatican with Mouse ears" - with powers and immunities that exceed Orlando's."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

After asking the sun, a cloud, the wind, and a wall to marry her, a mouse finds just the right husband.

While Mary, a girl whose family lives in a big house, is learning things at school, a young mouse whose family lives in a small house within the big one is learning the same things at her school, and when the two eventually meet they become friends.

"(Almost) everything you wanted to know about Mickey Mouse! Thousands of facts, quotes, and stories about Walt Disney's famous alter-ego." -- Back cover.

"A hilarious book about the city vs. suburb divide." --New York Post, a Must-Read Book "City Mouse is a sharp and sophisticated novel of suburban life with a narrative voice that is equal parts witty, observant, and vulnerable. A wonderful debut! --Susan Isaacs, New York Times best-selling author "For every city mom who fears death by suburbia--and for every suburban mom who wonders if it's just her--this insightful, funny trip into the secrets behind those picket fences is required reading." --Maureen Sherry, author of Opening Belle "City Mouse reminds mothers of that priceless lesson: the grass is always greener...and maybe even alcohol-soaked Astroturf. I tore through this book like a bored, competitive housewife tears through her Xanax." --Faith Salie, author of Approval Junkie "Lender sharply portrays the corrupt privilege of upper-middle-class suburbanites, and with a twist of her pen, the Stepford Wives take the upper hand over their husbands...the climactic explosion takes everyone by surprise. A bracingly tart portrait of suburban hell." --Kirkus Reviews "Lender's enlightening, beautifully plotted novel dives deep into the notion of having it all while playing with the shallow notions of the American dream." --Publishers Weekly "This defines a beach read for me! So relatable to our own lives as it is all about mom trying to find out exactly where she fits in the in the scheme of suburbia--all that goes along with it. Plus, when a book is described as The Stepford Wives meets Bad Moms, how can you go wrong?" --Mom of the Year (blog), included in 20 Best Summer Books "It's not long before neighborhood secrets give away to scandal, proving the grass--and the Astroturf--isn't always greener on the other side of the white-picket fence." --Star Magazine "With real estate prices on the rise, Jessica, Aaron, and their kids are forced to ditch their chichi Manhattan digs for the suburbs. Though she had her worries, Jessica settles into her new normal with ease--but when she embarks on a moms-only trip with her new galpals, she ends up learning a few eye-opening lessons that spur her to reevaluate her life." --OK! Magazine "Lender's debut novel is positively irresistible. It's hilarious and insightful and just the type of book any city girl needs to tote to her vacation rental this summer...even with three kids in tow." --Daytime Confidential Priced out of their Manhattan neighborhood, Jessica and Aaron move with their young daughters to the one place Jessica swore she'd never go: the suburbs. But to Jessica's surprise, life in the commuter belt makes a great first impression. She quickly falls in with a clique of helpful mom friends who welcome her with pitchers of margaritas, neighborhood secrets, and a pair of hot jeans that actually fit. Still, it's hard to keep up in a crowd where everyone competes for the most perfectly manicured home and latest backyard gadgets. And what's worse, as the only working mom in her circle, Jessica sometimes feels disconnected and alone. So she's thrilled when she's invited to a moms-only weekend at the beach, which she assumes will mean new opportunities for real talk and bonding. Instead, the trip turns into a series of eye-opening lessons, and Jessica must decide if she's strong enough to be honest with herself about the sort of life she really wants.