Any Good Book.

The following conversation took place recently,


“Seb, recommend me a good book.”

“What do you like to read? Area? Subject?”

“Anything.”



In short, any good book. Pages worth reading.

It was Jacobellis v. Ohio (1964). When challenged to define pornography, Justice Potter Stewart remarked “perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it.” While brutally honest, the statement lacks objectivity. We galiantly offer advice, confidently becoming judges of all things of value, in spite of our experiences and track records. Hence my hesitation is understandable. Maybe I am too cautious but, as many an old storyteller has put it, I have gotten a bit ahead of myself. The question remains.

Thankfully, I just finished Jonathan Bender’s Lego: A Love Story and am happy to recommend it. The book seeks to explore what happens when the imagination of childhood intersects with life as an adult. Neither Adult Fans of LEGO (AFOL) nor strangers to the plastic bricks will be disappointed with Bender’s LEGO romances. He fondly recounts his travels across the United States, attending shows and conventions, and to the LEGO headquarters in Denmark. The treatment is kaleidoscopic and no bricks were left unturned as Bender interviewed many whose lives LEGO touched.

But the book is not without shortcomings. Good chapters do not necessarily add up to a great sum.  However strong, love is never a bed of roses. Dizzy with love, Bender’s eagerness to share everything meant that the book often read like a compilation. Yet like a lover whose memories are reinforced by the good, Bender is doomed to the same faults. He dwelled vividly on fond memories while any unhappines is too easily discounted.

Despite the above, the book is a testament to creativity, both of individuals and communities. It celebrates the joy of creation and the merits of play. LEGO bricks will never look the same again.



Seven Lego Facts
1. There are 62 LEGO bricks for every person in the world.
2. The Latin word lego means “I assemble,” or “I put together.”
3. Plastic bricks were only available in 1953.
4. Google is arguably the most prominent example of a company that believes the creativity inspired by building with LEGO bricks is tied to business innovation. (Video)
5. Brian Korte created a forty-five by thirty inches mosaic of the Star Wars icon Yoda with 13,824 pieces of LEGO.
6. At LEGOLAND, building models are constructed to a scale of 1:20
7. The cover of the book was designed and built by Nathan Sawaya, one of only six LEGO certified professionals in the world. He became an instant media sensation when he left his job as a corporate lawyer to get paid $13 an hour to build with LEGO bricks. (Video)