The House of Mouse

‘In a book that’s sure to become a classic of corporate nonfiction, Robbie Whelan takes readers deep inside one of the most consequential—and dysfunctional—succession sagas in modern American business. Richly reported, sharply observed, and full of astonishing scenes, The House of Mouse explains not only how Bob Iger came to dominate America's most iconic entertainment company, but why finding someone to follow him proved so difficult.’

McKay Coppins, The Atlantic and author of Romney: A Reckoning

'With scrupulous reporting and incisive writing that takes the reader on a wild ride, from the deck of the mogul's yacht to the depths of Disney's hallowed boardrooms, Whelan explains everything from Iger's picky eating habits to the way the CEO wrestled with big strategic challenges to achieve an astonishing level of staying power as leader of the world's most-iconic entertainment company.’

Anita Raghavan, author of The Billionaire's Apprentice

In Robbie Whelan's deeply reported, colorfully written account of this cultural and corporate giant's many intrigues, the dialogue is always crackling, the knives are always flashing, and the Machiavellian Bob Iger is forever returning from his super-yacht to retake control of what seems the unhappiest place on earth. Whelan has authoritatively pierced the myth of Disney's 'Sun King' CEO and provided business schools a great case study in how not to do succession.’

John Helyar, co-author of Barbarians at the Gate

‘Whelan's masterfully reported survey of Bob Iger's career at Disney offers a tour of the CEO's triumphs, failures and many grievances. Through transformative deals and corporate backstabbing, The House of Mouse is a portrait of a man who came to see a uniquely American entertainment behemoth as inseparable from himself, and who struggled to find a successor he wouldn't want to destroy. And the yacht just kept getting bigger!’

Jeff Horwitz,, author of Broken Code

‘If central casting were looking for someone to play the great American CEO, it might have invented Bob Iger, the charismatic and controversial former Disney boss who shaped much of the entertainment we consume and how we consume it. The House of Mouse is a richly reported, delightfully gossipy portrait of the complicated man behind the public performance. Iger’s ultimate legacy—and Disney’s future—are still unclear, but this is one of the great American business stories.’

Bethany McLean, co-author of The Smartest Guys in the Room

‘With the exquisitely absorbing and revealing House of Mouse, Robbie Whelan inducts legendary Disney CEO Bob Iger into the pantheon of the century's most tenacious and idiosyncratic business leaders. I suspect we'll be talking about Iger, and this book, for a very long time.’

Brad Stone,, author of The Everything Store and Amazon Unbound

‘The word that best describes The House of Mouse is "juicy." On just about every page, you'll find the juicy details surrounding Bob Iger's long tenure as Disney's CEO—and the battle to succeed him—that Robbie Whelan has unearthed. If corporate intrigue is your cup of tea, this is the book for you.’

Joe Nocera, co-author of All The Devils Are Here and The Big Fail