Mickey Mouse: Emblem of the American Spirit tells the compelling story of how Walt Disney's beloved graphic alter ego, the most enduring pop icon ever created, was born, how it soon took on a life of its own, and became an instantly recognisable figure virtually everywhere on earth. It is an extensive illustrated biography and pop culture study of the diminutive cartoon star whose unprecedented success laid the foundation for everything the Walt Disney Company has achieved over the years. Mickey Mouse: Emblem of the American Spirit chronicles the life and times of Disney's cheerful signature character, beginning with his lively syncopated debut in 1928 in Steamboat Willie at the tail end of the Jazz Age and into the Depression, and traces his impact on the realms of high art, literature, even politics in peace and in war both in the United States and abroad.