Author: Allan Bedford
Publisher: No Starch Press
ISBN: 978-1-59327-441-2

No matter how old you are, when you sit down with a pile of LEGO bricks, one thing never changes: You want to connect a few. LEGO bricks, like grains of sand on a beach, are meant to be together,” Allan Bedford states in his 2nd edition of The Unofficial Builder’s Guide.

At two hundred and twenty-one pages, this well organized and easy to read paperback book has three simple LEGO brick designs depicting the overlap, stagger and hybrid column building techniques on the front cover and information about the book and author along with the Triton space shuttle LEGO model on the back cover. In full color with mostly photographs and a few drawings of bricks unassembled and assembled, the book is targeted toward both children and adults who are fascinated and fixated with understanding the methodical system, the creative building process and the unlimited constructions made with LEGO blocks.

The author divides the informative book into ten chapters that include discussions on the different shapes and various colors of bricks, the best ways to connect and separate them, their scale both as miniature and jumbo elements, how to start building by ignoring the details, making unique sculptures, mosaics and your own designs and finally enjoying the LEGO hobby. At the end of the book is a nineteen page “brickopedia” and an eleven page appendix on grids along with a five page index.

This book explains almost every nook and cranny of the LEGO world in its chapters, such as why precision manufacturing matters, how to make round walls with straight bricks, suggestions of building techniques, alternatives and special applications and how to think like a model designer when making one’s own creations.

The “brickopedia” shows every specialized LEGO element or part in a color photograph, its specification including description, subcategory and part number and interesting notes and/or applications of the element including the year invented. The grid appendix aids when designing a new concept, enabling translating a drawing to an actual brick project.

With tips and tricks to build a strong, supportive project, the book not only explains the why and how of LEGO building but also the what works best and where to get online grids and updates. If you know of a LEGO maniac or one addicted to this type of creative, inventive hands-on brick building and modeling, this textbook is the perfect addition to anyone’s library of LEGO resources.

Follow Here To Purchase The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide (Now in Color)