The History of Toys, 1900 to the Present

De: Chris Byrne, The Great Courses

Narrado por: Chris Byrne

Imaginative play is a crucial part of growing up. It has a major impact on cognitive, emotional, and intellectual development. It’s also a joyous activity that gifts us with some of our fondest and most resilient childhood memories. Toys and games have long been a part of childhood, but the 20th century saw the rise of an entire industry devoted to the business of play, one that would constantly evolve over the years to reflect the rapid changes of the 20th and 21st centuries.

In the six lectures of The History of Toys, 1900 to the Present, consultant and toy industry expert Chris Byrne—also known as The Toy Guy®—will take you on a journey through the world of toys from the Edwardian era to our current moment. Beginning with the birth of the mass-market toy industry, you’ll trace the many transformations of toys and our shifting theories of play and childhood development. From Lionel Trains and Barbie to G.I. Joe and LEGO® to Tickle Me Elmo, you’ll see how these beloved playthings reflect our ideas—and our ideals—of childhood, reinforce social rules and cultural expectations, showcase new technology, and so much more.

Toys are no longer just the purview of children and their parents—our love of toys and imaginative play has become a more acceptable part of adult life, too. As you consider both the short-lived fads and the enduring games and gadgets of the past, you’ll see that, while toys and the place they have in our lives may change, one thing remains constant: our human need for play as a tool of discovery, development, and understanding of the world around us.

©2024 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2024 Audible Originals, LLC

Toys. Who knew?

Nice overview of the key moments, trends and products in the history of toys and play. Nicely connected to the key events and values of in Western civilisation.

Super Fun Listen

This book is a super fun listen. A welcome break from the "heavy" books that I normally listen to. it is a great walk down memory line by way of toys. I remember many of those toys either myself or via my kids. Really up to date as it references 2024.

Put 'American' in the title

This book provides a narrow perspective that only covers the USA's toymaking history. The huge and pioneering roles of Europe and Asia in the global toy industry are only touched upon briefly. The US history is covered well but does not fulfill the promise extended by the title.

Very nicely done

I enjoyed the brief history in this episode, and the concise presentation throughout. This is a great introduction to the subject.

Excellent

Excellentm. Very interesting. It seemed to be very complete. I really enjoyed this book. The narrator did a great job.

Well played

If you are a person who has any interest in this subject matter I couldn't recommend it more. As a professor myself who enjoys a good lecture I am happy to report this is a great lecture. well researched, succinct and even a little moving at times. Honestly my only complaint is that it was a little too short.

How do you even make the history of toys boring????

This lecture sounds like a narration (not the best one either) of an expanded Wikipedia article sprinkled with a few anecdotes and factoids (never in-depth).
Come on! Toys! How can you make it boring?