Somewhere Out There

My Animated Life

By: Don Bluth

Narrated by: Don Bluth

Don Bluth never felt like a Donald. So people have always called him Don. A matinee of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs awakened something within him. Despite growing up in rural Texas and Utah, he practiced and worked hard to become a Hollywood animator. And after working alongside his idol Walt Disney, and on films including Sleeping Beauty, The Sword in the Stone, Robin Hood, Winne the Pooh, The Rescuers, and Pete's Dragon, he realized that the company had changed into something he didn't necessarily believe in. So he made the industry-shocking decision to start his own animation studio.

It was from that studio—Don's studio—that came such award-winning, generation-defining films as The Secret of NIMH, An American Tail, The Land Before Time, All Dogs Go to Heaven, Anastasia, and the video game Dragon's Lair.

Now, after more than half a century in the movie business, Don is ready to tell the story of his life. This book reveals how his passions for artistry, integrity, and his Mormon faith shaped him into the beloved icon whose creativity, entrepreneurship, and deeply held beliefs entertained, enthralled, and inspired millions across the globe.

©2022 Don Bluth, used with permission of BenBella Books, Inc. (P)2022 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Incredible life

What an incredible biographical account of a great artist, animator and visionary. Don Bluth exhibited humility coupled with tenacity that drove him to heights he could have never imagined. It was an excellent read that furnished encouragement that if you put your mind and soul to something—you can achieve it. It won’t be easy, but it is doable.

wow! So insightful

such great stories of his time in animation, and somewhat sad. I liked how he laughed at things so it felt more like you're listening to a conversation than just an audio. I remember watching "The Secret of NIMH" and that led me to the book, and many books and stories after that. So I say thank you, Don Bluth for making that film. Oh, and all that led me to being a storyteller.

An Account of Don Bluth’s life

A good autobiography of Don Bluth’s life. The world that Bluth grew up in, along with the animation industry he was a part of, now seem like a distant past. I’m glad that Bluth took the time to record for posterity his story and his description of the world he lived in. The most surprising and interesting part of the story is how Bluth’s Mormon faith, and his inner life from his faith, shaped his art, even though his art is not explicitly Mormon or Christian. My only criticism of the book is the almost complete absence of any mention of his son (except in the acknowledgments); I would have liked to have known more about their relationship. Otherwise, if you want to know the history of hand drawn animation in the film industry, and want to learn more about the personal life of one of motion picture animation’s giant figures, this book is essential reading.

The biography of one of the greatest creators.

Don Bluth is a legend, and this book showed the sheer amount of work and sacrifice it took to accomplish what he did.

Loved it!

It was an awesome insight into Bluth's life. It was a cherry on top that he was the voice for the audiobook.

Incredible autobiography for animation and Don Bluth fans!

What a great book! I’ve been a fan of Don Bluth and his films and games for years, so I happily picked this up as soon as I saw it available, as I was eager to hear Don’s story.

At first I was a little worried that the narration would be lackluster, as many other books read by their authors are. But it was very apparent early on that Dons charm and optimism shine throughout the book, and those worries were quickly put to rest. Don has a great way of speaking and soon it felt like I was just listening to a great storyteller tell his OWN story!

Highly recommend this audiobook! I’m inspired to pick up a hard copy of the book as well! For Any fan of traditional animation, this is a must read!

A Great Autobiography

"Somewhere Out There: My Animated Life" is a wonderful and fascinating story about the life of one of our childhood figures in the medium of hand-drawn animation. Told by the man himself, author Don Bluth chronicles his early days as a farm boy to working as an animator for Walt Disney (his credits there included "Sleeping Beauty," "Robin Hood," "The Rescuers," and "Pete's Dragon"), to forming his own independent studio (which produced such classics as "The Secret of NIMH," "An American Tail," "The Land Before Time," and "All Dogs Go To Heaven"), making a mark in the video game industry (remember "Dragon's Lair"?), and teaching online courses to a new generation of artists. Bluth also discusses his faith, which he's never been more open about, and what stories he has to tell. This is a must-read for cinephiles, animation enthusiasts, and a greater appreciation for an influential man and the medium he has championed since his childhood. I cannot recommend it enough.

Both a Must Have AND a Disappointment… Still 5 Stars

Don Bluth is a complicated figure in the animation industry. He both deserves credit for jump starting Disney into the renaissance, but also helped lead to the oversaturated decline. He preserved lessons learned from the Nine Old Men but also implemented a lot of the wrong lessons from them, focusing on overlap, technique and over design rather then story.
As a 90’s kid an a current animation professional, I feel I have reevaluated Bluth’s work with a more critical eye. There is a lot that one can say about the work not holding up as well as his Disney rival films made of the same era.
But regardless, without Bluth, animation would’ve had an altered path very different from our own. To hear HIS story, in his own words, has been invaluable. Bluth sheds light on the triumphs and pitfalls in his career. One of my favorite stories was his interview with Disney. I think anyone who works in animation can relate to this story. His enthusiasm for NIMH, American Tale, etc was infectious. For that, having his story makes this book a MUST HAVE.
Yet, it is also disappointing because, for a book about an animator, one of the most famous/best, it is surprising how little he talks about his choices, technique, etc.
Not to say this should have been Don Bluth’s Illusion of Life, but I feel his choices for poses, overlapped actions, etc. there was no discussion.

This book is a MUST for animation fans and professionals. Hearing his story about his return to the Walt Disney Animation Studios, and the animators/young professionals wanting to meet him and thank him, reminds me of my friends and how we would react to Bluth in our animation studio.
Even though I spoke harshly of Bluth, his films made profound impacts on my life and I thank him. I just wanted more.

What a journey!

I never got to hear Don's side of the story. What a journey! Even in defeat, Don pushed forward. An inspirational tale that should be required reading for young adults.

It was a truly incredible story of how a man went against all odds to return the art of animation as the magic of disney began to fade.

Thanks for your story Don!

great stories for animators and animation fans

so much religion. which is usually a turn off for any story. but there are so many candid stories and great inspirational stories for creative people that it's well worth the awkwardness for the non religious/atheist reader. if you ever wondered about why Don left Disney, what inspires him, and how the the dragons lair animated feature became a live action movie instead this is a book for you.