Books that inspired you

[Madison]

I don't read. I mean, I know how -- I do it all the time, really. For enjoyment, though, I very rarely read and so it's very difficult for me to imagine that a book or books have had much influence upon me.

Of all that I have read, 1984 probably had the most significant impact upon me. Privacy is something I've needed and valued for much of my life and it was the thing that I was most denied while growing up, so reading this book, coupled with those experiences, meant that it resonated with me in a way that it may not with others. I have since become very defensive of others' rights to privacy and am always trying to prevent the first step down the slippery slope to Big Brother.

In other ways, some non-fiction work that I have has inspired me to learn new skills and improve existing skills. In that category, I'd place things like, Designing Disney's Theme Parks: The Architecture of Reassurance and Walt Disney Imagineering: A Behind the Dreams Look at Making the Magic Real, both of which show how a simple idea can be translated into a creative and technological wonder that enriches and entertains millions.