Top Five LEGO Books Worth Adding To Your Bookshelf

With the release of the LEGO Star Wars Visual Dictionary, we thought we would take a look back at our top five LEGO-related books. The new Star Wars Visual Dictionary may well make the next list as it's surely going to be 160 pages of galactic joy (not forgetting the fact it includes a 25th anniversary LEGO Darth Maul Minifigure).

There have been so many LEGO books over the years (more than we can count in fact) and it’s been hard to narrow down just five. While exploring LEGO ideas online and admiring people's MOCs is enjoyable, there is something to be said for having a tangible book - you just can’t beat it. Besides, you always know exactly where to find that picture or idea you came across!

So here are our top five LEGO-related books in no particular order.

CHAPTER 1

The LEGO Architecture Idea Book by Alice Finch

Amazon - $18.99

An amazing book packed full of awesome ideas to use in your MOCs. As it states on the front cover, 1001 ideas for roof work, brickwork, windows, columns and much more. Alice Finch is a well-known LEGO builder and she has created large-scale models of Rivendell and Hogwarts Castle to name a couple. Alice’s builds have been featured in the documentary “Beyond the Brick: A LEGO Brickumentary", The Seattle Times and WIRED. Alice resides in Seattle, WA but when she is not home she is travelling all over the world demonstrating building techniques, giving talks and teaching LEGO fans of all ages how to use LEGO to make the world a better place.

The book starts with some wall techniques and decorative relief ideas and ends on gable ends and dormer windows. What we especially love about this book is that the author has included piece names and numbers so that you can source the exact parts without having to use guesswork. She has also included pictures with brightly coloured pieces to show the steps in creating the builds.

Whether you are looking to build your own modern modular or recreate a Gothic-style castle there are techniques in here for both and so much more. It's worth noting as well that this book is not just for expert builders, there are simpler methods included as well. It all just depends on how adventurous you are feeling with your build. Head on over to Bricklink and start placing those brick orders.

CHAPTER 2

In Focus - Explore The Miniature World Of LEGO Photography

LEGO Store - $30.00

In Focus is a collaboration of over thirty outstanding photographers from all over the world who are exploring their surroundings in miniature form. The photographs contain so much LEGO detail with builds and LEGO Minifigures, that it's possible to fully immerse yourself in the moment and imagine you are there.

This book really highlights the whole play-well ethos of LEGO. A large amount of the photographers in this book are part of the BrickCentral and Stuck In Plastic communities, which have collectives of toy photographers who host virtual workshops and at least once a year organize live exhibitions.

The book starts with a delightful picture of a family of astronauts on their space buggy, a simple picture but so very effective. Moving onto a spooky picture in a forest including two LEGO Minifigures looking a little scared alongside a surfer’s camper van just chilling on the beach at sunset. This is an absolutely brilliant book and if this doesn’t make you want to grab your LEGO and a camera and run outside then I don’t know what will.

CHAPTER 3

LEGO Minifigure Year By Year A Visual History

DK -$40

This book doesn’t need any explanation as the title says it all, but this is a definitive LEGO Minifigure visual guide from the beginning in the 1970s until 2013. The history and timeline of the now iconic LEGO Minifigure is an interesting tale and it’s funny to think that the first LEGO Minifigure in 1975 was just a blank yellow head, a torso with arm-shaped bumps alongside a single solid leg. The amazing details we have seen developing over the years are all displayed here in glorious technicolour.

For those of you who collect LEGO Minifigures, this is a vital piece of literature to own as you can see exactly who you are missing to finally complete that elite collection of yours. There are also three LEGO Minifigures accompanying this book; a LEGO Stormtrooper, a LEGO Townsperson and a LEGO Robber.  

LEGO Minifigure collecting can be quite an expensive hobby if you are looking to acquire some of the older figures but these can be sought from a variety of places, check out thrift stores, ebay and online market places. Also, due to the valuableness of some of the minifigures, it's worth looking into ways to protect them while on display - iDisplayit does a large range of display cases especially for LEGO Minifigures which you can find here.

CHAPTER 4

Steampunk LEGO by Guy Himber

Amazon - $23.33

WOW, that is how we feel about this book. It is visually stunning and the amazing creativity displayed in these 185 pages is out of this world, quite literally! For those of you who are unaware, Steampunk, for those unfamiliar, is an exceptionally imaginative genre that imagines an alternate history of 19th-century technology.

Steam-powered machines are a major component and are often chosen over the recently discovered electricity. These machines can be viewed with all their cogs and gears on display as these are part of the aesthetic as they float through the sky or drift along through forests.

LEGO is the perfect resource for being able to create such mind-bending machines and you will notice within the pages of this book that LEGO Technic pieces play a big part. This book contains everything from a simple(ish) penny farthing to an amazing, chequered airship and everything in between. Not that we needed any convincing but Steampunk LEGO is a shining example of what amazing inventions can be created by letting our imaginations do the talking.

CHAPTER 5

LEGO Star Wars Small Scenes from a Big Galaxy by Vesa Lethimaki

Amazon - $28.61

Vesa has been a huge Star Wars fan since he first saw the movie when he was eleven years old and then he rediscovered his passion for it when in 2009 he started to document his sons’ toys. Living in Finland means he has the best scenic background to recreate Hoth but he also enjoys representing Endor and Tatooine too.

Vesa doesn’t just recreate iconic scenes from the films, he also makes his own up and includes humorous elements that can be enjoyed by adults and children alike. As huge LEGO Star Wars fans, we particularly enjoy the creativity and imagination that has gone into producing these photographs.

There is a massive world of LEGO toy photographers out there and it’s a shame there aren’t more books of this calibre available. There has been one released recently which is raising money for Doctors Without Borders called Toys Beyond Borders, which has a fantastic collection of over 50 toy photographers from around the world (including several LEGO photographers) showcasing action figures and LEGO Minifigures in the real world.

*All prices are correct at the time of publishing.

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Do you own any of these books, are you interested in LEGO toy photography, would you like to see any features about these kinds of things? We value your comments and input so please reach out to us and let us know.