A very interesting premise with some fascinating archival information. However, this book could benefit from some better production. The text seems a bit oversized and out-of-pace in certain locations.

Have you ever played with LEGO bricks? Watched The LEGO Movie? Bought a set just for yourself, not for some child in your life? Then you are likely a LEGO fan and can appreciate the work Daniel Konstanski put into The Secret Life of LEGO Bricks!

In eleven chapters and 300+ pages, Konstanski takes the reader through the history of the LEGO company from its beginning as a wooden toy company to the concept of building with plastic bricks to the powerhouse company it is today. Along the way the reader gets to see part of the patent for that first plastic brick, then follow the process on how sets are designed, storyboarded, prototyped, and manufactured. The reader follows the evolution of the LEGO brand from sets being designed for kids to free build their imagination to sets to create familiar setting such as homes, fire stations, police stations to more exotic setting such as castles, pirates, and space travel. Then along came Technic and Bionicle along with licensed sets such as Star Wars, Harry Potter, Avengers, and the like aimed for adults as well as children. Along side that LEGO developed its own intellectual properties with Ninjago and its related TV series and stuffed toys which led to The LEGO Movie and its spin-offs.

So if you are interested from hearing from the people behind the LEGO products you love, read The Secret Life of Lego Bricks! You will not regret it!

This book is exceptional because of Konstanski’s unprecedented access to the LEGO Group and its archives in Billund, Denmark. He interviewed key figures in the company, from design masters to element testers, as well as the “rock star” set designers who are the creative minds behind the breathtaking LEGO sets that fans love. Their stories, combined with exclusive visual material from the LEGO archives, offer readers a truly unique behind-the-scenes look at the history and evolution of the LEGO brick.

If you’re an adult fan of LEGO, you’ll likely enjoy this book! Packed full of history and interesting background you’ll be sharing with all your family and whoever else is willing go listen! An enjoyable read.

This is a really interesting book on the history of LEGO from its beginning. The author's research is very good and he imparts a lot of knowledge and technical detail. This is not what I was expecting but if you have a real love of all things LEGO then im sure you will enjoy it. I would add that I feel it is aimed at adults and older children who are LEGO fans.

There are a lot of books about Lego for children and teenagers, but nothing really for an interested adult. This is definitely a book for adults or older children, and to me, it must be the definitive guide to all things Lego. I must give the book high praise for being so ungendered in a space that tends to be more male skewed. It covers everything a Lego fan could ever wish to know, and is packed with good quality full coloured pictures and diagrams.

As a fan of Lego this was a delight to read. Well researched and full of information. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to know the history of Lego.

The Secret Life of LEGO Bricks is a fascinating tale of the humble plastic brick that is known and beloved by the world. Detailing the history of the bricks from their inception, and pulling in marketing images, patent designs and quotes from the Lego team, this book is a comprehensive guide to the little plastic bricks and the designers behind them.

There are sections on patents and specific elements like animals, trains, tracks, cities, etc, explaining how and why sets and pieces were designed they way they were, and the design processes behind specific brick shapes like the "Earling brick" (headlight bricks with studs on the sides) or brick panels

A common theme throughout was "trust the children" - let the kids' imaginations run rampant. Another recurrent theme is the avoidance of combat. While factions were set up in sets such as Pirate or Castle sets, there are no "good guys" and "bad guys"..

The photos of retro sets brings back a huge wave of nostalgia for the old-school sets we had growing up, and it's wonderful to see the evolution of themes/designs over time and the development of Technic, powered, programmable sets, and of course the licensed sets we know today.

A fascinating, in-depth guide to the humble Lego brick, this is a must read for any AFOL.

~ Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ~

I requested this to see if it would be a suitable gift for my son-in-law who is a huge fan of Lego. It would be perfect for him, as I'm sure it will be loved by many an adult who still enjoys Lego.

I honestly didn't get this because I was interested in Legos, but because I have a nephew who's obsessed and I wanted to learn more. This book was AMAZING, though. In the beginning, I was intrigued at how much went into deciding on the basic brick. Then there are sections on things like trains, characters, and fandoms, which were fun. One of my favorite things was how the Lego people didn't realize that expensive, complicated sets would sell and they were surprised when the Millennium Falcon model flew off the shelves. I still have some old sets, and I'm trying to remember where they are so I can go play. Thanks so much to NetGalley for letting me read this

Daniel Konstanski's The Secret Life of LEGO Bricks, is overall, a delight any fan of LEGO will be happy to explore. It tells the story of LEGO's history as a toy company from their first designs through to the near present.

The narrative moves chronologically, with copious images used for marketing, internal drafting or other purposes. The text also features many pulled quotes from different interviews matching the chapter subject. There are lots of little details, but overall it shows how the company has always been focused on appealing to its audience and being adaptive to their desires. LEGO always has several themes at different stages of development and learns from past success and failures.

Recurrent themes are on encouraging imaginative play, being challenging without being difficult and avoiding clear depictions of combat. The latter was shown in having multiple teams or groups competing, but avoiding guns for many years. (For example police capture criminals, but then the criminals escape).

LEGO fans will enjoy the behind the scenes development processes and all the discussions of the LEGO themes that weren't for various reasons. One of these great lost themes was LEGO Rome.

Recommend to readers of business and marketing or LEGO fans.

Interesting. Not what I was expecting but interesting insight into the making of Lego. For the super fans.

What can you give a Lego fan they don't already have? Possibly the story and history behind the brand would work. I'm not a Lego fan but I do find it an interesting interest, and I do have at least one of them in my family. I've already heard from close Lego fans about some of the history but in this book, we find a pretty comprehensive story, giving details on such minutiae as how the final design of the bricks came to be realized. It's all a fascinating story, probably much more so for those who are more interest than me. Included are plenty of photographs and drawings to provide even more detail.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable book, and I rate it four stars. Thank you to Unbound and Netgalley for giving me a free copy of the book. I have provided my feedback voluntarily.

I wasn’t entirely sure what I was signing up for with this book: was it going to be a business biography; a popular science textbook; or have lots of pretty pictures of Lego builds through the decades? Enjoyably for me it turned out to be a mix of all three.

It looks at the formation of the company in 1930s Denmark, the values the provided the company framework and how it has changed and evolved in the present. It also looks at the detail of how and why Lego works the way that it does. Why it’s made from particular materials, why the bricks are the size they are and how new bricks are commissioned.

It’s written by someone with obvious passion for his subject who conveys his fascination to the reader with great skill. It isn’t a warts and all look at a corporation it’s an appreciation of ingenuity and passion.

I’d highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the hows and whys of the Lego brick system.

*** My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher ***

My house on currently a Lego construction zone. We have a quarter of a Eiffel Tower in the living room and a map for my office. My office has a lego town. This book is a behind the scene and a history of my favorite little bricks. There are great images and techinical drawings.

Thank you NetGalley and Unbound for an advanced copy! I need to go work on the map! #Lego #Legos #NetGalley

I love LEGO so this was a very interesting and informative read to find out more about the history of LEGO in great detail.

This book offers a fascinating and in-depth exploration of Lego, specifically tailored for adult enthusiasts.
The book is beautifully crafted, featuring illustrative photos that enhance its appeal. While it delves into technical aspects, it remains engaging throughout. The author’s passion for Lego is evident and transparently conveyed.
The primary focus of this book is to meticulously examine the development and success of Lego, including individual pieces and styles, from a technical perspective. If this sounds like your kind of read, then this book is definitely for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Unbound

A fascinating read with so much detail and interest about Lego. It's well worth buying the physical book I think, too.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for this preview copy.
I requested this because my family has a long history with Lego, both collecting and building the bricks. I also wanted a sneak preview to check if it was a suitable Christmas present for adults. yES IT IS!
I initially started dipping into the different chapters and reading a few pages then moving on, but then I realised I was hooked and had to start at the beginning. It is a book which lends itself to 10 minute dips because there are lots of photographs, an index, contents and highlighted facts..
I was going to say that my favourite chapter was monorails and rollercoasters and then I changed my mind to Rolling Along and then there was the chapter on Minifigures. I was spoilt for choice.
I shall be purchasing a copy as a present for my husband for Chris5mas as I am sure he will enjoy it especially the concept drawings for several of the kits.

A fun informative read. I enjoyed learning more about a hobby I enjoy. This was well researched and the anecdotes were fun