5 comments about The LEGO Book.

1. My grand kids love these books, they study and read them constantly even the 6 yrs old reads them
   and looks up on his parents pc where good deals are



2. I've now read in their entirety both the Lego Book and the Minifig Book which form the core of this collection. As a collector of Legos since their heyday in the late 1980s (think Pirates) to the present, I've seen a lot of Lego memorabilia. When I received this book collection for Christmas, I was really, truly hoping that DK was intending to focus on the complete history of Lego and the Lego minifigure. Sadly, I was mistaken.
   
   Don't get me wrong, the books are beautifully illustrated in full color on quality paper in a cute little collectors box. But in the end, I feel rather let down. For the main book, I was let down by the content. The book focused on the history of Lego for the first dozen pages or so but then switched to the individual themes. I was actually okay with that. I mean, if you want to see the complete line of Legos from the 1950s to the present, buy the 2008 set collectors guide. I would have liked to see a bit more of a review of the early town and train themes and how they developed prior to the creation of the minifig, but I was generally okay with the content and quality of the brief history of Lego.
   
   The theme sections are what really got me down. I know Lego sponsored this DK book but, technically at least, this is not a Lego production. It is independent. It has no Lego set number, no Lego pieces, only pictures. Yet somehow it is very obvious from the very start that this book was designed and funded by Lego. The majority of the themes have at least one page focusing on the most recent sub-theme of a series. Be it the 2007 Castle line, the 2008 Space Police, the 2007 Clone Wars, or the recent City themes. They are very present throughout this book. What really irked me was the treatment of the Lego Pirates. They dedicate one spread to the 1989-1996 series of Pirates and another full spread to just the 2008 line. That just seems insulting. The 2-year Westerners series is crammed on the same spread as the Adventurers and Time Cruisers. Meanwhile, other lines like Star Wars (1999-present) get four full spreads or more. I couldn't even see examples of some of my favorite Space lines such as M-Tron, Blacktron II, or Spyrius. They just weren't there! The objectiveness of this "Lego Book" is very much in question and I would rather call it the "History of Lego from 2000" than anything else.
   
   My larger gripe, though, is with the accompanying Lego Minifigure book. Where the Lego Book lacked in content, the minifig book lacked in everything except visual appeal. Even at times that was in question, though. As with the Lego Book, the minifig book is in full color and on good quality paper. It fits snugly beside the Lego Book in its collector's box. Yet I have a feeling that significantly less time was spent on this younger cousin of the larger Book. Any editor who read this would laugh out loud. Indeed, I have yet to find a page that doesn't have a spelling, grammatical, or factual error. In almost all cases there are multiple such problems on the pages. Besides being about as non-comprehensive as the Lego Book, barely covering more than the last decade's worth of minifigures, the style of this book is extremely wanting. Many pages I have found odd and hardly interesting facts on the wrong page (the fact that Prof. Snape's head was the first glow-in-the-dark minifig part appearing on the page AFTER that minifig was shown comes to mind). In other places, the same exact minifig appears twice, sometimes on the same page even, often with a different date despite the fact that they are the same exact figure. In other cases, I have found incorrect dates for figures, or even incorrect names. One funny error notes that the Clone Wars in Star Wars took place over 300 years, rather than the canonical 3 years. In virtually all aspects, the minifig book lacks the quality-control checks and editing I would expect from DK. It is as though the people who arranged the hodgepodge of images also created the captions with absolutely no oversight. Were the minifig book sold separately, I would probably demand a full refund from the publisher out of sheer anger at the poor editing of this book. While the visual appeal is arguably good, the writing of some of the poorest quality I have seen in a publication.
   
   So, my advice is to buy this set if you want it purely for the images. It is a great visual feast of Legoness. However, if you expect deep content and a fun jaunt back into the history of Lego, I'd suggest you wait for another book because this will leave you scratching your head asking: "Didn't Lego make more sets before 2000?"



3. I ordered the Lego book, but was sent STAR WARS Lego book. Since this was for my son's b-day I had no time to return it...luckily he likes Star Wars as well. Little irritated that I could have got the Star Wars book cheaper though. Thought I was paying for the Lego book.



4. the minifigure book is a great celebration of an iconic lego item! one criticism, there is a bias towards more recent minifigures, for example, there are no pictures of the original yellow castle minifigures!
   
   the main book has some great features, specifically, great shots of early lego sets, and the wooden toys the company produced before it began making the bricks, there are features of great historic interest such as a double page spread on the evolution of the lego logo. a similar criticism could be made however, there is a definite bias towards recent sets, specifically the movie theme sets, and whilst there are 'sets to remember' pages, vast swathes of great sets from earlier years just don't appear. having said that, i still give it five stars, its worth every cent, very enjoyable, and you'll keep picking it up to look t it!!



5. This book set is great. One book contains much history and background of the Lego company and products. The other is all about the miniature figures. Our kids and I spent hours of fun reading it. The price in Amazon makes this book set a great buy.

5 comments about Lionel Trains Pocket Price Guide 1901-2010 (Greenberg's Pocket Price Guide Lionel Trains).

1. I have Lionel Train Pocket Price 1901 - 2010. Print quality remain good and price adjustments for valuable asset collectibles show slight rise item values than Lionel Train Pocket Price 2007.
   
   Purchased Lionel Train Pocket Price found good deal at Amazon.com
   
   Smile,
   Randall Biell



2. I'm new to the game of collecting / buying Lionel trains. I was looking for a guide that would give me a broad description of the various trains, accessories, etc. made by Lionel over the years (INCLUSIVE OF PHOTOS OF EXAMPLE ITEMS), along with a range of fair-market prices.
   
   Unfortunately, I found that this guide must be tailored to the experience, serious collector who already (and completely) knows Lionel stock. The guide has pages and pages of listings (a good thing), but they only include:
   
   Lionel Item Number; a five or six word description (no photos); excellent price; mint price.
   
   Again, perhaps a good resource for the experience collector. But definitely NOT helpful to someone like me who is trying to learn more about the Lionel family of trains and how to distinguish / recognize them.
   
   Sorry ... but I'll be returning my copy to Amazon.



3. Greenberg's Guides Lionel Trains 2010 Edition offers a pocket-sized guide packed with the basic facts on Lionel train collecting, covering all the basics of buying, selling or trading Lionel trains and accessories from prewar to modern times. Product listings include brief descriptions of each item, variations, and fair-market values. The truly pocket-sized slim format lends to take-along toting and is a fine pick for any Lionel collector's library.



4. Excellent rtesource for the train collector. Easy to use and understand. Pricing is spot on.



5. Need this guide to get a good idea if you are getting a good deal on purchasing items at train shows, etc.

3 comments about The Dcc Guide: How to Select and Use Your Command Control System.

1. Although I'm not done reading this book and being a Virgin to DCC it has been very helpful so far and when I finally purchase I am sure it will come in handy then also.



2. Certainly helped me choose which equipment to buy. Well worthwhile buying, especially for a beginner.



3. The DCC Guide by Don Fiehmann is an outstanding publication for anyone new to DCC! The author presents a very comprehensive approach to the subject and is accompanied with excellent graphics. I have purchased various publications on the subject, but The DCC Guide is truly the best guide for the non technical model railroader.

3 comments about Beckett Official Price Guide to Hot Wheels 2009 (Beckett Price Guide to Hot Wheels).

1. My son love this. You have the Official Price Guide from 2007 models to 2009. It is so awesome to see how a 2007 Hotwheel model value is for colectors. We find out that one of my son's favotite Hotwheels actual value is $10.49 for colectors. Wont sell it though :)



2. THIS BOOK IS GOOD FOR COLLECTORS NEW TO COLLECTING.I WAS EXPECTING THW CURRENT VALUE OF OLDER HOT WHEELS THAT I HAVE .



3. This is the second one that has come out in two years. It is full of color pictures and has alot of information and some bonus stuff as well. A must for any Hot Wheels collector.

2 comments about Tomart's Price Guide to Hot Wheels, Vol. 2: 1997 to 2008, 6th Edition.

1. My husband loved this Christmas gift as he collects Hotwheels now he knows what they are worth and can see ones he doesn't have.



2. What can I say? Tomart. The best. As good as it gets. Very recommended.

5 comments about Barbie: All Dolled Up: Celebrating 50 Years of Barbie.

1. This book is fantastic! Not only is it a great coffee table book , it is also wonderful for the Barbie Collector with reproductions of the fan club letter from long ago and lots of other memorabilia .



2. It was my entire childhood in one book. I blissfully recalled the Barbies I had, and dreamed about the Barbies I wish I had. I can't imagine a more complete book than this!



3. My 10 year old loves the guide books for Barbie and this book is something a little different to add to her collection. It has great pictures and fun history on Barbie. It is easy to read and refer back to. She has gotten lots of reading time out of it since Christmas and it will be fun to hold on to for future generations.



4. The jacket cover was bent down ont the top, either before packaging or because of tight packaging. The page corners in over 50% of the book were stuck together.
   Wish I had bought the book at the Barbie Store at Mall of America when I was there in Nov., instead.



5. I bought this book for my 9 year old Barbie fan. It is done in the style of a scrapbook and some pages have mini books and other extras to pull out. There's even an "official" Original Barbie Fan Club welcome letter. The colors and quality of the paper (the pages are very thick and kind of glossy)are phenomenal. This will be a book my daughter will pour over time and time again. I especially love seeing all the old barbies I had as a girl - and it's up to date with many of the barbies my girls have now. You won't be disappointed!

5 comments about 50 Years of the LEGO Brick.

1. I bought this item for a friend who is a Lego enthusiast and collector. Since it is published and mostly sold in the UK, he had never seen it or heard of it. He loved it, especially charmed by the Legos blocks on the side. It ended up being the quiet hit of Christmas, as everyone in the family took turns getting completely absorbed in it. The copy ads are very interesting.



2. I spent a couple hours looking at this book, then tucked it away for our son's 14th birthday in a couple of months. It's too cool of a present to be lost among his Christmas presents. Perfect gift for a kid who loves Legos and already owns the DK Publishing books. Not for anyone under about 12, just because it probably won't capture their interest for very long.



3. Not exactly what I expected - the manuals are copies of very old sets I had hoped they would be from the 1970's. Hopefully my grandson will enjoy it anyway.



4. Nice book, a must have for the LEGO fans.
   The book contains removeable old LEGO flyers.
   
   Mooi boek, een must voor de echte LEGO fans.
   In het boek zitten o.a. uitneembare oude LEGO Folders



5. I had to write a 10 page paper on the history and design of the LEGO brick. I found this book to be an enormous help. It is very thorough, from the history of LEGO beginnings all the way to the future of LEGO bricks. The design of the book is really great, it includes reprinted catalogs from the past as well as other bits of history. If you are a fan of LEGO, I highly suggest purchasing this book to go with your LEGO collection.

3 comments about Tomart's Price Guide to Hot Wheels: Volume 1: 1968 - 1996.

1. Excellent update to the earlier editions. Only complaint is why the numbering format was dropped for the models, as used in the previous layouts. The color photo of each model is a big plus. A great guide.



2. Excellent book well laid out. Tons of pix and prices!
   
   Great for the collector.



3. loved it he finally came out wih a new edition to his original
   
   cant wait for volume two
   
   Tomart's Price Guide to Hot Wheels: Volume 1: 1968 - 1996

5 comments about Collector's Ency of Barbie Doll Collector's Editions (Collector's Encyclopedia of Barbie Doll Collector's Editions).

1. I had misgivings about ordering this book because for me, Barbie dolls should be playable. However, I learned from this book that many of the dolls I consider to be pretty enough to be enjoyable and therefore worth buying are labeled "Collector" by Mattel. Thankfully, these dolls are often available for $20 or less from many vendors. I also learned from this book that many of the dolls that I find unattractive and are often included in playsets are Generation Girl Barbies. This book helped me to understand my choices. I recommend it to anyone who plans to buy Barbies for their children. In contrast to this book, check out the Foreign Barbies book by the same author that describes not only dolls exclusive to overseas markets but many playline dolls sold in the US. The playline dolls just aren't as nice as the "Collector" dolls and it's not about price point. After perusing the Foreign Barbies book, I no longer wished for an Encyclopedia of Playline Barbies.



2. My daughter saw this book at Pottery Barn Kids and asked Santa for it. I found it for a better price on Amazon. Book arrived in perfect condition and she loves it.



3. I needed a book that would give me the values of my Barbie collection - this book was the most complete of all that I looked at.



4. I was actually looking for a book that showed all the Barbie's ever made. This book doesn't cover that.



5. This was shipped and packaged very well and also it's helping me with my collection. Item was as described and I would highly recommend this seller and will do business with again!!!!!!!!!!++++++++AAAAAAAA

4 comments about Marbles: Identification and Price Guide.

1. I really have absolutely nothing against this wonderful work and in fact have nothing by praise. Of the many marble books out there, and there are many you will note, this one is at the top of the list for shear teaching power. It is also the one book (if you are silly enough to just carry one) that you should take with you to auctions and sales. I say this because of the ease of finding what you are looking for. At an auction or sale you simply do not have several hours to ponder and research...you need information and you need it fast. This work allows you to do that due to its wonderful organization.
   
   Now, if you are interested in marbles, old marbles, and who isn't, then this is what I would term as a keystone or base book. It gives you a wonderful starting point to further your research. All the various machine marbles are covered; or at least most of them and the author has given us a good start at understanding, identification and source of the old clay marbles. I will state at this time though, that if you are interested in specialty marbles, such as clay, then you probably will need supplemental books to go along with this work. No one book can cover ever aspect of this fascinating subject...it would be impossible.
   
   Also, let me warn you as to the pricing provided here. This is a good starting point and gives good information as to how to evaluate any given marble or category of marble, but DO NOT come under the impression that value is static. The cost or value of any given piece can vary greatly and change almost from day to day. Also geography has a lot to do with it. I know from personal experience that prices for any given item can swing tremendously from the East Coast to the Midwest. If you pay say one hundred dollars and think you are getting a bargain at the time, don't expect to triple your money in some other state or some other time. Like any antique or collectable, any given item is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it or is willing to part with it for.
   
   All in all though, this is one of the best and if you interests lie in this direction, then you certainly should have a copy of this one in your possession. I have been particularly impressed with the quality of photographs provided in this volume.
   
   Don Blankenship
   The Ozarks



2. I got this book for my husband who had just bought seveal clay marbles. Although the book is very encompassing on differnt marbles and the photos are of top quality, my husband was disappointed in that there was very little on clay marbles but he would recomment it for an all-around book on marbles.



3. Great Marble book. Informative with detailed photos. This book is for collectors old and new.



4. Easier to use than some of the other marble "standards." It is well organized and the values, based on the condition of the marble, are with the marbles. Some of the other books have you constantly flipping from back to front to find a value. The different types of antique handmade marbles are logically grouped for the most part and the machine made marbles are divided by manufacturer.There is even a section with examples from contemporary marble artists. My one complaint would be that there should be an index to make finding of the great many types of machine made marbles easier. Until something better comes along, I carry this with me to auctions, flea markets, antique shows or anywhere else I think there might be an opportunity to buy, sell or trade marbles.