LEGO

A Love Story

By: Jonathan Bender

Narrated by: Jeremy Gage

Length: 8 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

An adult LEGO fan's dual quest: to build with bricks and build a family.

There are 62 LEGO bricks for every person in the world, and at age 30, Jonathan Bender realized that he didn't have a single one of them. While reconsidering his childhood dream of becoming a master model builder for The LEGO Group, he discovers the men and women who are skewing the averages with collections of hundreds of thousands of LEGO bricks. What is it about the ubiquitous, brightly colored toys that makes them so hard for everyone to put down?

In search of answers and adventure, Jonathan Bender sets out to explore the quirky world of adult fans of LEGO (AFOLs) while becoming a builder himself. As he participates in challenges at fan conventions, searches for the largest private collection in the United States, and visits LEGO headquarters (where he was allowed into the top secret set vault), he finds his LEGO journey twinned with a second creative endeavor: to have a child. His two worlds intertwine as he awaits the outcome: Will he win a build competition or bring a new fan of LEGO into the world? Like every really good love story, this one has surprises and a happy ending. The book:

• Explores the world of adult fans of LEGO, from rediscovering the childhood joys of building with LEGO to evaluating LEGO's place in culture and art
• Takes an inside look at LEGO conventions, community taboos, and build challenges, and goes behind-the-scenes at LEGO headquarters and LEGOLAND
• Tells a warm and personal story about the attempt to build with LEGO and build a family

Whether you're an avid LEGO freak or a onetime fan who now shares LEGO bricks with your children, this book will appeal to the inner builder in you and reignite a love for all things LEGO.

©2010 Jonathan Bender (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Ah, the tender story of a man and his plastic bricks.... Bender explores not just the AFOL subculture, with its superstars and wannabes and rivalries, but also describes his own rediscovery of a childhood toy and the impact it has had on his life.... If you wanted to call the book a paean to LEGO, you wouldn't be far wrong, but don't think the audience for this utterly delightful work is limited to, well, LEGO freaks." (Booklist)

Narrator Mis-Cast

Overall an enjoyable listen. The first 30 minutes or so weren’t as smooth as they might have been because I was adjusting to the narrator, who didn’t seem a good fit for the author’s voice. Just a little too formal and an obvious outsider to the subject matter. Still, once I got used to him, the slightly off delivery of jokes or witticisms ended up a little endearing and his performance melted into the background. All-in-all, a good peek inside a marginalized fan community.

Reads like a business school textbook

What disappointed you about LEGO?

The book read like a business school textbook. It wasn't full of interesting stories, it was full of nonsense business-isms like the "7 truths" and "innovation matrix". If you played a drinking game where you took a shot every time the word "innovation" was used, you'd be dead in 5 minutes.

Has LEGO turned you off from other books in this genre?

I still like reading accounts about how properties I cherish were developed, but I would avoid anything written to be a learning tool for businessmen or managers.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narrator managed to sound both bored and angry at the same time.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

There were some interesting stories about the LEGO Group I hadn't heard before.

Any additional comments?

LEGO: A Love Story is a much more interesting read and actually comes at the subject matter with some heart.

AFOLs Unite!

Would you listen to LEGO again? Why?

If I do read this book again, it will likely be in book form to be better able to note the places and people the author references. As an adult fan of Lego, approaching Lego for the first time as an adult, I, like the author, am greatly interested in developing my skills as a creative builder. The author references many "famous" Lego builders and Lego museums and shows that I would like to be able to more readily reference.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The moment when the author and his father sit down and build together as adults was very touching. I do hope that after my own children get past their dark age with Lego that we too can sit down, as friends and fellow builders, and create together.

Any additional comments?

If you have an Adult Fan Of Lego (AFOL) in your house and want to better understand him/her, this is a book for you. If you are a new AFOL and want to hear more about the history of the product and learn more about builders, shows, museums and Lego Corporation, this is a great reference book.

Must-Have for AFOLs - Adult Fans Of LEGO!

What made the experience of listening to LEGO the most enjoyable?

It was comforting to know that it's a universal truth for people that were fans of LEGO as kids will go through a "Dark Ages" time where we try to turn into adults, and so we set LEGO aside for a time, but invariably get back to the simple pleasure of putting plastic bricks together. It was fun to listen to Johnathan go through his journey to re-discover LEGO as an adult.

Great!

I loved this story, it was so much fun! Recommend to any AFOL out there!

Be careful if you already like Lego

This book has made me realize I have a deeper passion for Lego than I knew. I loved hearing about the history and culture of Lego. I always knew there were probably adult Lego fans out there. Now I know were to find them. Since reading this book, I have obsessively pored over Lego sights and to the delight of son I have bought way more Lego than my wife thinks sane!

For Adult Fans of Lego

This is a story about rekindled interest in Legos by a man in his thirties. He discovers that he is not alone that there is a large community of AFOLs (adult fans of lego). AFOL generally played with Lego when they were young and then entered the 'dark ages' where they lost interest and then refound their joy of building. This story provides a history of Lego along with introducing the world of AFOLs. The story is best, of course, if you have some experience with Lego or if you want to share the enjoyment of someone who has discovered a hobby that brings some happiness into life.

It describes what goes on at Lego conventions, Lego headquarters in Denmark and the interaction between master builders and the Lego company.

This is a fun read about a fun hobby...

Unfortunately Dull

I really wanted to like this book but I couldn't finish it. The narrator was dull and uninspiring. I would probably get the actual book and read it because the subject matter was interesting. Although it has sparked an interest in Lego again.