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The LEGO Story: How a Little Toy Sparked the World’s Imagination
The extraordinary inside story of LEGO, based on unprecedented access to the company's archives and rare interviews with the founding family that still owns the company
This book tells the story of how my family built the LEGO brand. --Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, former President/CEO of the LEGO Group and 3rd generation owner
It's estimated that each year between eighty and ninety million children around the globe are given a box of LEGO, while up to ten million adults buy sets for themselves. Yet LEGO is much more than a dizzying number of plastic bricks that can be put together and combined in countless ways. LEGO is also a vision of the significance of what play can mean for humanity.
This book tells the extraordinary story of a global company and a Danish family who for ninety years have defended children's right to play--and who believe grown-ups, too, should make the time to nurture their inner child. The LEGO Story is built on Jens Andersen's unique access to LEGO's own archives, as well as on Andersen's extensive conversations with Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, former president and CEO of the LEGO group and grandson of its founder, Ole Kirk Christiansen.
A riveting cultural history of changing generations' views of childhood and the importance of play, The LEGO Story also a fascinating case study of how innovation and creativity helped leaders transform LEGO from a small carpentry business into the world's largest producer of play materials and one of the most beloved brands in the world. Richly illustrated with never-before-seen photos from the family's private archive, this is the ultimate book for fans of LEGO, revealing everything you ever wanted to know about the brand.
This book tells the story of how my family built the LEGO brand. --Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, former President/CEO of the LEGO Group and 3rd generation owner
It's estimated that each year between eighty and ninety million children around the globe are given a box of LEGO, while up to ten million adults buy sets for themselves. Yet LEGO is much more than a dizzying number of plastic bricks that can be put together and combined in countless ways. LEGO is also a vision of the significance of what play can mean for humanity.
This book tells the extraordinary story of a global company and a Danish family who for ninety years have defended children's right to play--and who believe grown-ups, too, should make the time to nurture their inner child. The LEGO Story is built on Jens Andersen's unique access to LEGO's own archives, as well as on Andersen's extensive conversations with Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, former president and CEO of the LEGO group and grandson of its founder, Ole Kirk Christiansen.
A riveting cultural history of changing generations' views of childhood and the importance of play, The LEGO Story also a fascinating case study of how innovation and creativity helped leaders transform LEGO from a small carpentry business into the world's largest producer of play materials and one of the most beloved brands in the world. Richly illustrated with never-before-seen photos from the family's private archive, this is the ultimate book for fans of LEGO, revealing everything you ever wanted to know about the brand.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2021
481 people are currently reading
4528 people want to read
About the author
Jens Andersen
35 books45 followersMr. Andersen has a Ph.D. in Nordic Philology from the University of Copenhagen. He is a former soccer player and coach in Denmark. He has won several Danish literature prizes and recognitions over the years.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 380 reviews
May 5, 2023
The LEGO Story: How a Little Toy Sparked the World's Imagination is a fantastic book that I highly recommend!
I wanted to read it for several reasons:
* I love books about business, leadership, company culture, and innovation
* My daughter is an 8th grade science and robotics teacher; she utilizes LEGO parts and LEGO coding for her students to build what they want as well as build specific items.
* My young nieces and nephew LOVE the LEGO Batman movie
* My daughter builds many Star Wars themed LEGO items and bought me a Bird-of-Paradise LEGO kit that I enjoyed putting together
LEGO started as a small family owned Danish business that has evolved and innovated significantly over the past 100+ years. They have had three generations of family member CEOs and then have successfully transitioned to several different non-family member CEOs. The business has survived and learned to thrive during the yo-yo craze, multiple fires, war, wooden block toys, the pivot to plastic "bricks," and then the evolution to digital and graphic arts entertainment.
Along the way, there are sibling rivalries, health issues, tragic deaths, a partnership with McDonald's and Happy Meals, labor and legal challenges, opportunities with the "girls" market, gender disparities in the workplace, city planning/renewal initiatives, and a host of other peaks and valleys in the business and marketplace. Yet LEGO remains true to their value of providing play and learning. Their mantra is to "play well." They believe adults and children should find time for fun, play, and learning. Their annual sales reach over 90 million children and over 10 million adults.
I wanted to read it for several reasons:
* I love books about business, leadership, company culture, and innovation
* My daughter is an 8th grade science and robotics teacher; she utilizes LEGO parts and LEGO coding for her students to build what they want as well as build specific items.
* My young nieces and nephew LOVE the LEGO Batman movie
* My daughter builds many Star Wars themed LEGO items and bought me a Bird-of-Paradise LEGO kit that I enjoyed putting together
LEGO started as a small family owned Danish business that has evolved and innovated significantly over the past 100+ years. They have had three generations of family member CEOs and then have successfully transitioned to several different non-family member CEOs. The business has survived and learned to thrive during the yo-yo craze, multiple fires, war, wooden block toys, the pivot to plastic "bricks," and then the evolution to digital and graphic arts entertainment.
Along the way, there are sibling rivalries, health issues, tragic deaths, a partnership with McDonald's and Happy Meals, labor and legal challenges, opportunities with the "girls" market, gender disparities in the workplace, city planning/renewal initiatives, and a host of other peaks and valleys in the business and marketplace. Yet LEGO remains true to their value of providing play and learning. Their mantra is to "play well." They believe adults and children should find time for fun, play, and learning. Their annual sales reach over 90 million children and over 10 million adults.
May 10, 2023
The LEGO Story: How a Little Toy Sparked the World’s Imagination is an inside look at the origins of one of the coolest companies. LEGO was originally founded in 1932, by Ole Kirk Kristiansen as a wooden toy company in Denmark. Savings from Ole Kirk’s wife, Sofie, allowed the company to continue, saving it from bankruptcy twice. The company faced challenges with fires, debts, minimal credit resources and limited supplies at times as a result of war.
LEGO has evolved a lot in its 90 years of existence, with this book detailing the major changes across each decade. LEGO first launched its mini figure line in the 1970s and broke into the American toy market in the 1980s through a Happy meal collaboration deal with McDonalds. I loved playing with LEGOs as a kid in the 90s and the company has continued to evolve drastically since then, expanding to premiere The LEGO Movie in 2014 and creating additional product lines targeted to girls, to grow its market and customer base.
LEGO is a translation of Danish words leg godt, which means “play well” and despite the various challenges the company has faced over the last several years, it does a great job keeping kids, imagination and creativity at the forefront of its purpose.
The LEGO Story is a historical, nonfiction account of LEGO though there are also some business lessons that may be useful to others. It will be of most interest to major LEGO fans and does seem targeted to a more niche group of readers.
LEGO has evolved a lot in its 90 years of existence, with this book detailing the major changes across each decade. LEGO first launched its mini figure line in the 1970s and broke into the American toy market in the 1980s through a Happy meal collaboration deal with McDonalds. I loved playing with LEGOs as a kid in the 90s and the company has continued to evolve drastically since then, expanding to premiere The LEGO Movie in 2014 and creating additional product lines targeted to girls, to grow its market and customer base.
LEGO is a translation of Danish words leg godt, which means “play well” and despite the various challenges the company has faced over the last several years, it does a great job keeping kids, imagination and creativity at the forefront of its purpose.
The LEGO Story is a historical, nonfiction account of LEGO though there are also some business lessons that may be useful to others. It will be of most interest to major LEGO fans and does seem targeted to a more niche group of readers.
January 2, 2023
Maybe I just misunderstood what this book was about. The gorgeous cover (and back cover with all the Lego products on it) and even the description made me think the book would be more about the Lego product than it actually was. This focused heavily on the business side of things and the owners. Which isn’t bad, but the description says ‘this is the ultimate book for fans of Lego’ and as a fan of Lego, I don’t think I agree with that statement. I think it’s more of a book for people who are interested in learning about how a business can come to be successful. But now that I’ve finished the book I’m literally seeing the quote “this book tells the story of how family built the Lego brand” by Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen soo yeah, maybe I really did just misunderstand the intent of the book.
I listened to the audiobook while following along with the physical book and while I think the narrator did an excellent job, the book is visually stunning. I appreciate that there is a pdf file with the pictures included in the book, but it just fits better to be following along with the book and see the picture places into the story exactly when they’re supposed to be (as opposed to one after another in the pdf file). I really did appreciate how many photos were included, and the variety of them.
If you are interested in learning the backstory of a business, I’d recommend this. But I’d be hesitant to do so if you are just someone who owns and appreciates Lego products.
I listened to the audiobook while following along with the physical book and while I think the narrator did an excellent job, the book is visually stunning. I appreciate that there is a pdf file with the pictures included in the book, but it just fits better to be following along with the book and see the picture places into the story exactly when they’re supposed to be (as opposed to one after another in the pdf file). I really did appreciate how many photos were included, and the variety of them.
If you are interested in learning the backstory of a business, I’d recommend this. But I’d be hesitant to do so if you are just someone who owns and appreciates Lego products.
June 17, 2025
This book was disappointing. You gain an understanding of the family-run business, but not much else. There was a curious dearth of information throughout. For instance, Denmark was invaded in 1940, but the book skips a couple of years to 1942. Lego's founder played a minor role in the Danish resistance, yet Lego thrived throughout the war—how? Moreover, the impact of sporadic mass layoffs was glossed over, and there was no mention of the effect plastic has on the environment. No company is perfect—hard choices need to be made during times of economic turmoil or war. Including such detail would have made this book vastly more interesting. Instead, it felt ingratiating.
December 7, 2022
This was decent but I wanted more. I felt the time spent in various decades was unequally distributed. The initial chapters set in the 20s thru WWII progressed very slowly. By the time it got to more recent decades and the real rise of LEGO as a global phenomenon the book moved at breakneck pace. Too much was thrown at the reader over the final chapters.
January 13, 2023
This book is an interesting mix of family history and business history behind Lego. I found the early history of how Ole Christiansen evolved from a carpenter to toy maker, living in rural Denmark in the 1930s, the most fascinating part. During the Depression making buildings became very difficult, but toys for children was still a growing business. They had their business destroyed by fire three times, but each time they went "all in" and successfully emerged as an even larger organization.
The overall story was amazing for two reasons. First, starting as a small family company, they focused on quality and growth, and transformed the entire toy industry in the process. Their concept of a single product line sold worldwide and specifically designed for repeat purchases was unique at the time and remarkably well executed. Second, they were and are still a family-owned business. Three generations have been to lead and able to adapt to changing conditions, and a fourth may be coming along.
The last chapter, Inheritance, was a lot less compelling than the rest of the book. Of course, that is in part because it is recent history, and it remains to be seen if Lego can continue the current run.
I was an early customer of Lego and still enjoy playing with my grandchildren. This book provided an excellent history of the company behind this special kind of toy. If you ever had an interest in Lego, it is worth reading this story about how they came to be.
The overall story was amazing for two reasons. First, starting as a small family company, they focused on quality and growth, and transformed the entire toy industry in the process. Their concept of a single product line sold worldwide and specifically designed for repeat purchases was unique at the time and remarkably well executed. Second, they were and are still a family-owned business. Three generations have been to lead and able to adapt to changing conditions, and a fourth may be coming along.
The last chapter, Inheritance, was a lot less compelling than the rest of the book. Of course, that is in part because it is recent history, and it remains to be seen if Lego can continue the current run.
I was an early customer of Lego and still enjoy playing with my grandchildren. This book provided an excellent history of the company behind this special kind of toy. If you ever had an interest in Lego, it is worth reading this story about how they came to be.
May 13, 2023
Really enjoyed this the story of the LEGO company from its origins as a carpentery business to making wooden toys to the plastic bricks and beyond
April 21, 2024
ŚWIETNA!
December 2, 2022
A boring book about something I find fascinating.
January 18, 2023
Work hard and pray - the initial slogan for Ole Kirk as he was building the early company in the 20s / 3os.
Quick Overview:
The Lego Story breaks down the history of Lego with each chapter covering a decade of the business. It is a business history book so if you are looking for more info on the actual product of Lego, this is not the book. This book covers the Kristenson family in depth, starting with the grandfather, Ole Kirk, passing down to the dad, Goedfrt, and then passing down to the son, Kjeld, who is stepping away in March 2023 to hand off to his son Thomas. Covers how to build a business from 1 employee to 10,000+ and also how to build something you can leave your family for generations.
Personal Thoughts:
The Lego Story is amazing, and it was fun to see how the company has evolved over the last 100 years. Some takeaways -
- Ole Kirk started making toys out of left over wood chips since their family couldn't afford toys. Even though they were just for his 4 boys initially, he still made them immaculately, modeling do everything to your best ability.
- His workshop / factory burnt down twice, got struck by lighting once and had another fire in the span of years. Despite this they continued on.
- He was so in debt initially that the first owner of Lego was a woman (Sophie his wife) as she was the only one the bank would give a loan to. Despite this, Lego has battled with having women in leadership over the years.
- From a business sense he pushed the idea of moving quickly and gambling more instead of always thinking everything out. Hire people outside the industry as they offer great outside perspective. Run with good ideas quickly.
- Leader must take the lead, and recede into the background. Leader must be dynamic but also thoughtful. A leader must be visionary but also keep both feet firmly on the ground. A leader must be self confident but also humble.
- Key moments - partnering with McDonald's to invade America
- Getting an ad on the Berlin Wall
- The Kjeld story was fascinating and I found myself relating to it closely especially with Amerisales. He wrestled with the idea of work needing to be fun, and to be creative. When it becomes a "job" all the energy and passion and desire to lead goes away. He did a good job in the back half of his life equipping and delegating more which shows me I may be on the right path.
- Great great book. The saddest/most real moment for me is all 3 of the men who built the Lego company (for kids) said they wished they would have spent more time with their own family.
Quick Overview:
The Lego Story breaks down the history of Lego with each chapter covering a decade of the business. It is a business history book so if you are looking for more info on the actual product of Lego, this is not the book. This book covers the Kristenson family in depth, starting with the grandfather, Ole Kirk, passing down to the dad, Goedfrt, and then passing down to the son, Kjeld, who is stepping away in March 2023 to hand off to his son Thomas. Covers how to build a business from 1 employee to 10,000+ and also how to build something you can leave your family for generations.
Personal Thoughts:
The Lego Story is amazing, and it was fun to see how the company has evolved over the last 100 years. Some takeaways -
- Ole Kirk started making toys out of left over wood chips since their family couldn't afford toys. Even though they were just for his 4 boys initially, he still made them immaculately, modeling do everything to your best ability.
- His workshop / factory burnt down twice, got struck by lighting once and had another fire in the span of years. Despite this they continued on.
- He was so in debt initially that the first owner of Lego was a woman (Sophie his wife) as she was the only one the bank would give a loan to. Despite this, Lego has battled with having women in leadership over the years.
- From a business sense he pushed the idea of moving quickly and gambling more instead of always thinking everything out. Hire people outside the industry as they offer great outside perspective. Run with good ideas quickly.
- Leader must take the lead, and recede into the background. Leader must be dynamic but also thoughtful. A leader must be visionary but also keep both feet firmly on the ground. A leader must be self confident but also humble.
- Key moments - partnering with McDonald's to invade America
- Getting an ad on the Berlin Wall
- The Kjeld story was fascinating and I found myself relating to it closely especially with Amerisales. He wrestled with the idea of work needing to be fun, and to be creative. When it becomes a "job" all the energy and passion and desire to lead goes away. He did a good job in the back half of his life equipping and delegating more which shows me I may be on the right path.
- Great great book. The saddest/most real moment for me is all 3 of the men who built the Lego company (for kids) said they wished they would have spent more time with their own family.
Read
December 6, 2022The LEGO Story was a really interesting listen about the history and evolution of the company and the family behind it. I've loved LEGO since I was a child and my own children have become fans as well, so it was fun to get this in depth behind the scenes look. The material was at times dense (especially the business aspects), but I thought the information was well organized and painted a great overview of the company's journey. This isn't a book about the LEGO toys themselves, though the development of the toys are discussed. This is a book about the Christiansen/Kristiansen family and their struggles and triumphs in creating the LEGO brand.
I appreciated the PDF companion that came with the audiobook since all the names and major players got a bit confusing after a while (there's an included family tree). The PDF also included photos of places, people, items, etc referenced in the text. The narration by Peter Cross was really fantastic and the audiobook was an enjoyable listening experience.
I will not be giving a star rating since this is a nonfiction title.
I appreciated the PDF companion that came with the audiobook since all the names and major players got a bit confusing after a while (there's an included family tree). The PDF also included photos of places, people, items, etc referenced in the text. The narration by Peter Cross was really fantastic and the audiobook was an enjoyable listening experience.
I will not be giving a star rating since this is a nonfiction title.
February 27, 2023
Anyone who likes/loves/ can’t buy enough LEGO, this book is for you!
It follows the entire story from the very beginnings to the modern age of LEGO and how it transformed from a sodden toy making company all the way up to the popular plastic bricks they are today!
I had such a good time with this one as I grew up with an entire assorted bin with all my LEGO that I would dump out and create crazy things.
It follows the entire story from the very beginnings to the modern age of LEGO and how it transformed from a sodden toy making company all the way up to the popular plastic bricks they are today!
I had such a good time with this one as I grew up with an entire assorted bin with all my LEGO that I would dump out and create crazy things.
December 26, 2024
This book is really about the FAMILY that invented and continue to own LEGO, not really about the toy. They mention, but ultimately gloss over the theft of the LEGO brick design from an English toy company by taking advantage of international trademark and patent laws. Yikes.
If you're unfamiliar with Denmark, like me, the constant mention of various local landmarks is meaningless.
It was about twice as long as it needed to be.
If you're unfamiliar with Denmark, like me, the constant mention of various local landmarks is meaningless.
It was about twice as long as it needed to be.
April 1, 2024
Durante algunos años tuve la oportunidad de interactuar comercialmente con la marca LEGO, también de niño tuve algunos sets con los que pude jugar y armar cosas, pero realmente me hacía falta entrar a conocer la historia de esta apasionante compañía a través de este libro. Estás páginas te llevan por los más de 90 años de historia de una empresa familiar que conserva sus valores por más de 5 generaciones cosechando éxitos. Es un libro que recomiendo para aquellos quienes estamos trabajando en un mundo corporativo, donde lo comercial, el mercadeo, la visión, misión y construcción de marca con propósito superior, son el pan de nuestro día a día. También se encuentran fotografías e intervenciones de los entrevistados que te aclaran lo aquí narrado. Lo súper recomiendo!
July 1, 2025
I never knew the history behind the toys I love so much, and this book definitely delivered. At times much more of a business book than expected, but it was able to express the vision and personality of the family behind LEGO that comes through in all their products. A great read for LEGO fans!
December 27, 2022
Fascinerend boek over hoe een familie bedrijf uitgroeit tot een wereldwijd fenomeen. Goede balans tussen een wat persoonlijker familie verhaal en de wat drogere zaken kant.
August 7, 2025
After reading this book, I might know more about the Kristiansens than my own family! In all seriousness, this is a seriously in-depth look at the origin of LEGO and the many risky decisions that led to today’s mammoth corporation. I especially enjoyed the earlier chapters where we learned about Ole Kirk and his deep convictions that led to the LEGO brick we know today. I wish the last chapter went a bit more into current product strategy - and pricing! - but otherwise learned a lot from this book. This is the type of story that matched with such exceptional research, creates a biography truly worth reading! 9/10
December 20, 2021
A fantastic description of a familily and their journey to make children happy by producing toys. The first part of the book is a brilliant look into history and the second half is a bit more business oriented.
February 3, 2024
Interessant verhaal. Ik ben fan van Lego, vandaar dat dit boek mij aansprak. Leuk om te lezen hoe Lego is ontstaan en hoe het bedrijf zich heeft ontwikkeld. Ook zitten er leuke anekdotes in. Een aanrader.
May 21, 2023
Začátek mě hodně bavil. Vznik firmy, její začátky a osudy zakladatelů.
Druhá polovina o ovládání všemožných trhů a marketingu, strategiích rozvoje... blablabla, to mě nebavilo. Ale stojí za to to přečíst.
Sama jsem jako dítě milovala Lego. Ráda jsem si stavěla to, co jsem chtěla, a i proto jsem odtažitá k tomu, jak se dnes Lego prodává - jako "stavebnice" s návodem. Marketingově to chápu, je třeba víc a víc prodávat.
Dnešní děti jsou možná už jiné, nevím. Snaha podbízet se společně s populárními postavičkami ale mě osobně na dnešních krabicích lega odpuzuje.
Navštívila jsem značkovou prodejnu Lego v USA a fascinuje mě, co všechno kdo z lega postavil. Jako dítě jsem ale chtěla (a asi bych to tak chtěla i dnes, kdybych byla dítětem) hlavně hodně různě barevných a různě velkých kostiček pro své vlastní paláce...
Z druhé poloviny knihy mě nejvíc zaujal nově postavený Lego house a všechny ty Legolandy. Některý bych někdy ráda navštívila.
Druhá polovina o ovládání všemožných trhů a marketingu, strategiích rozvoje... blablabla, to mě nebavilo. Ale stojí za to to přečíst.
Sama jsem jako dítě milovala Lego. Ráda jsem si stavěla to, co jsem chtěla, a i proto jsem odtažitá k tomu, jak se dnes Lego prodává - jako "stavebnice" s návodem. Marketingově to chápu, je třeba víc a víc prodávat.
Dnešní děti jsou možná už jiné, nevím. Snaha podbízet se společně s populárními postavičkami ale mě osobně na dnešních krabicích lega odpuzuje.
Navštívila jsem značkovou prodejnu Lego v USA a fascinuje mě, co všechno kdo z lega postavil. Jako dítě jsem ale chtěla (a asi bych to tak chtěla i dnes, kdybych byla dítětem) hlavně hodně různě barevných a různě velkých kostiček pro své vlastní paláce...
Z druhé poloviny knihy mě nejvíc zaujal nově postavený Lego house a všechny ty Legolandy. Některý bych někdy ráda navštívila.
December 17, 2023
4.75⭐
Brakowało mi jedynie czegoś o samych zestawach Lego. Żeby bardziej opisać jak były projektowane, albo coś o innych zestawach jak Lotr czy Batman. Ile czasu zajmuje wyprodukowanie jednego zestawu od zera i jak to przebiega... No sama nie wiem. Po prostu czegoś dogłębniejszego o samych zestawach. Ale tak poza tym to naprawdę dobra książka.
Brakowało mi jedynie czegoś o samych zestawach Lego. Żeby bardziej opisać jak były projektowane, albo coś o innych zestawach jak Lotr czy Batman. Ile czasu zajmuje wyprodukowanie jednego zestawu od zera i jak to przebiega... No sama nie wiem. Po prostu czegoś dogłębniejszego o samych zestawach. Ale tak poza tym to naprawdę dobra książka.
December 30, 2023
This book can be a very dry read. It leans very business-case-academic. But it comes alive as the story reaches the 21st century, and Andersen better weaves the play philosophy behind LEGO into the building blocks of revenues and management decisions.
June 26, 2024
Narovinu - čekala jsem, že to víc bude o legu a ne o rodině, která za ním stojí... kniha jako taková je zajímavá, ale není moc objektivní, když se autor věnuje hlavně úspěchům a neúspěchy jen rychle zmíní a jde hned dál.
October 18, 2024
Zadziwiająco bardzo dobrze się czytało. Przy niektórych wątkach, dotyczących filmów, programów czy zestawów brak może bardziej szczegółowych danych i ciekawostek. Ale poza tym nie mam zastrzeżeń.
August 12, 2024
Ce livre explique l’histoire de la compagnie LEGO du tout début. J’ai trouvé intéressant de voir l’authenticité des propriétaires et leur mission d’aider les jeunes et les moins jeunes à rester innovants et créatifs.
November 21, 2024
3.5/5
A solid history of Lego! I do agree with others where I wish there were more interviews/perspectives, but otherwise a comprehensive history of the iconic company.
A solid history of Lego! I do agree with others where I wish there were more interviews/perspectives, but otherwise a comprehensive history of the iconic company.
January 31, 2025
Voor wie wil weten wie de mensen achter LEGO zijn en hoe het allemaal begon, is dit wellicht een van de meest volledige boeken.
We volgen Ole Kirk Christansens terwijl hij in zijn schuurtje houten speelgoed maakt. Na nog een brand in 1960 (er zijn er nog een stuk of drie geweest!) besliste zijn zoon Godtfred dat ze het voortaan bij plastiek speelgoed zouden houden.
Daarna volgen we zoon Kjeld, die veelvuldig geciteerd wordt in dit boek, om tenslotte uit te komen bij Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, de huidige LEGO-baas.
Ik vond het een ietwat droog boek. Het gaat veel over de zakelijke kant van het bedrijf. Ook heeft de schrijver het steeds over Kronen, dit mocht ook wel eens in EURO's worden uitgedrukt.
Gelukkig stonden er veel foto's in van de leden van de familie -allen gelovig en fervent roker- en uiteraard zien we ook veel leuke LEGO-sets passeren in dit boek. Leuk, dat is volgens Kjeld het belangrijkste van allemaal! Maar zo leuk was dit boek nu ook weeral niet. En nu ga ik nog een LEGO-setje bouwen!
We volgen Ole Kirk Christansens terwijl hij in zijn schuurtje houten speelgoed maakt. Na nog een brand in 1960 (er zijn er nog een stuk of drie geweest!) besliste zijn zoon Godtfred dat ze het voortaan bij plastiek speelgoed zouden houden.
Daarna volgen we zoon Kjeld, die veelvuldig geciteerd wordt in dit boek, om tenslotte uit te komen bij Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, de huidige LEGO-baas.
Ik vond het een ietwat droog boek. Het gaat veel over de zakelijke kant van het bedrijf. Ook heeft de schrijver het steeds over Kronen, dit mocht ook wel eens in EURO's worden uitgedrukt.
Gelukkig stonden er veel foto's in van de leden van de familie -allen gelovig en fervent roker- en uiteraard zien we ook veel leuke LEGO-sets passeren in dit boek. Leuk, dat is volgens Kjeld het belangrijkste van allemaal! Maar zo leuk was dit boek nu ook weeral niet. En nu ga ik nog een LEGO-setje bouwen!
May 7, 2025
"Op 28 januari 1958, twee minuten voor twee 's middags, was de geboorte van de moderne LEGO-steen zoals we die nu kennen, met noppen en koppelbuisjes, een feit. De steentjes sloten nu perfect op elkaar aan, wat de bouwmogelijkheden vergrootte."
Eentje vooral voor de AFOLS (zoek het op! :-) ) en andere liefhebbers van LEGO. Aangezien ik mezelf daar ook toe reken, kon ik deze familiegeschiedenis wel smaken. Van de start als timmerbedrijf in 1915, over houten speelgoed in de jaren dertig tot de eerste plastic bouwblokjes, en de introductie van de minifigs in 1978 ... Met ook aandacht voor tegenslagen als branden en bijna-faillissementen - al moet je nu ook geen te harde kritiek verwachten, het is eerst en vooral het succesverhaal van de familie Kirk Christiansen.
"De omzet over 2020 bedroeg 43,7 miljard kronen. Toen Ole Kirk in 1932 zijn allereerste prijslijst voor zijn houten speelgoedproducten liet drukken, was dat nog 3000 kronen."
Eentje vooral voor de AFOLS (zoek het op! :-) ) en andere liefhebbers van LEGO. Aangezien ik mezelf daar ook toe reken, kon ik deze familiegeschiedenis wel smaken. Van de start als timmerbedrijf in 1915, over houten speelgoed in de jaren dertig tot de eerste plastic bouwblokjes, en de introductie van de minifigs in 1978 ... Met ook aandacht voor tegenslagen als branden en bijna-faillissementen - al moet je nu ook geen te harde kritiek verwachten, het is eerst en vooral het succesverhaal van de familie Kirk Christiansen.
"De omzet over 2020 bedroeg 43,7 miljard kronen. Toen Ole Kirk in 1932 zijn allereerste prijslijst voor zijn houten speelgoedproducten liet drukken, was dat nog 3000 kronen."
December 2, 2023
In this book Jens Anderson writes a history of LEGO from its inception as a woodworking shop under Ole Kirk Christiansen to the modern toy icon that it has become. A large portion of the information came from interviews that Anderson had with the former CEO and grandson of Ole Kirk Christiansen, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen. Since the woodworking shop was founded, the history of the family and the company were more or less the same topic.
As someone who has enjoyed LEGO since I was s kid it was interesting to read more about the company and the family that made it into what it is now. This definitely does not qualify as an unbiased history by any means. Criticism or unflattering stories certainly felt absent in the book, which wasn't terribly surprising.
One of the characteristics of Kjeld's approach to managing LEGO was an emphasis on branding and having a philosophy underpinning everything LEGO did. It is easy to see how this book would fit into his branding agenda and I suspect there is some bias in his recollections of how his father and grandfather ran the company so that the "idea" of LEGO appeared more temporally consistent than it might be in reality.
Overall this was an interesting book; I enjoyed learning more about the family and company responsible for my favourite childhood toy.
As someone who has enjoyed LEGO since I was s kid it was interesting to read more about the company and the family that made it into what it is now. This definitely does not qualify as an unbiased history by any means. Criticism or unflattering stories certainly felt absent in the book, which wasn't terribly surprising.
One of the characteristics of Kjeld's approach to managing LEGO was an emphasis on branding and having a philosophy underpinning everything LEGO did. It is easy to see how this book would fit into his branding agenda and I suspect there is some bias in his recollections of how his father and grandfather ran the company so that the "idea" of LEGO appeared more temporally consistent than it might be in reality.
Overall this was an interesting book; I enjoyed learning more about the family and company responsible for my favourite childhood toy.
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