Meet Andrew Kiste | Author and Historian

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrew Kiste and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrew, how did you come up with the idea for your business?
As an author who is fascinated by Disney and history, I decided to simply write the books that I wanted to read and create the content that I wanted to consume. My research and my books are written primarily for myself, to satisfy my interests and curiosity, and I am lucky enough to share it with others who have similar interests.

I first began to get published in 2007 after hearing a request for articles for a Disney fan magazine that was starting up. A few years later, a publisher reached out to me requesting that I write a book based upon a concept I had begun blogging about–that of analyzing whether or not Disney theme park attractions were historically accurate. This ended up turning into a trilogy of books, which examined classic Disney attractions including Pirates of the Caribbean, the Jungle Cruise, the Country Bear Jamboree, Spaceship Earth, the Carousel of Progress, and more.

A few years later, while driving in the car with my wife, I was discussing with her Disney’s work in the 1964 New York World’s Fair, and how no books had been published about the attractions Disney had developed. She suggested that I research and write those books, which began a new series which currently spans two separate books. I later was approached by a second publisher, who asked that I write a biography about Walt Disney, which has turned into a trilogy of books spanning his life.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
History and historical writing can often be seen as dry. As someone who loves to read, I make every attempt to turn my historical writing into narrative history. People love stories, not merely a collection or listing of facts, people, and dates, and as a result I attempt to try to make my work as much of a story as possible.

I also recognize that as a trailblazer in writing about some of the topics that I am–such as Disney’s partnership with the State of Illinois, the Ford Motor Company, and General Electric at the New York World’s Fair–it is important to conduct extensive research and acquire as many historical documents as possible. As a result, I have visited several research libraries, including the Getty Institute in Los Angeles, the Benson Ford Archives at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan, the David M. Rubenstein Library at Duke University, and the state archives in Springfield, Illinois. I have spent countless hours, digging through boxes and making photocopies of historical documents–including memorandums, purchase orders, advertisements, newspaper and magazine articles, and blueprints–resulting in nearly a dozen four-inch binders bursting with history. After the research acquisition process is complete comes the process of weaving all of these documents together into a coherent story that is both historically accurate and fascinating to read, both for the history buff and layman alike.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My family and I live in the small, agricultural town of Middleville, located about a half hour south of Grand Rapids. I would love to take guests down to the Paul Henry Trail along the Thornapple River for a walk along the boardwalk and through the woods. We would also enjoy a meal at the Riverdog Tavern.

It would also be in our plan to drive north to visit Grand Rapids, where we would enjoy a meal somewhere in East Grand Rapids, such as a delicious fried chicken meal at the Hancock before window shopping at Breton Village or Gaslight Village. For those who are a little less interested in shopping, we would go on an adventure across Grand Rapids by way of the Skywalk and tunnels. Finally, if the weather were nice, we would head out to Grand Haven or Holland State Parks to enjoy time at the beach.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My wife Andrea has been instrumental in helping me to be successful as an author and historical researcher. As someone who values quality research when it comes to presenting historical fact in my writing, I find travel for research purposes a critical piece of the process. I have traveled from my home to central and western Missouri; Chicago; Springfield, Illinois; Dearborn, Michigan; the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida; Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California; and greater Los Angeles. Not only has Andrea supported and encouraged me to travel for my research, she has often accompanied me on these trips, making them a family vacation or a fun getaway for us as a couple. Without her support and willingness in my desire to travel, I feel that my work wouldn’t have the same accuracy or amount of detail that it does.

Website: www.kistethehistorian.com

Instagram: @tkcampuslife

Linkedin: Andrew Kiste

Twitter: @histtourwdw

Facebook: Andrew Kiste-Author