I’ve been featuring numerous LEGO-themed books here in the blogsite for quite some time already – ranging from simple activity books intended for younger LEGO fans, to inventories and LEGO MOC building tips and design for older, fully engaged fans of the brick. Most of these books simply cater to the common interest that most of us have: a new LEGO set or subtheme that is set to be the most recent craze, new milestones about the LEGO Group, or simply for the sake of that exclusive minifigure or special LEGO parts that come along with the book. However, this recent book entitled The Ideal Order by seasoned writer and LEGO fan Dr. Christoph Bartneck is kind of difficult to categorize because it is a class on its own. So if you think you have seen and known what all those LEGO books out there has to offer, then you may want to read on for the next few minutes and see what The Ideal Order has in store.
The Ideal Order is not entirely much about the LEGO brick itself, but our relationship towards it as a fan and devotee of this ubiquitous toy. It deals with issues that almost all AFOLs like us can relate to – dealing with the ups and downs of life and making sense out of it through the help of our common interest towards LEGO. Often times when I work with a certain LEGO set, or just simply trying to put order in that chaotic pile of LEGO pieces, is in itself already therapeutic. I liken it to a form of positive escape from the crazy humdrum of day-to-day activities. In a way, The Ideal Order perfectly captures that feeling of working with LEGO pieces while at the same time, learning to deal with some of life’s most difficult issues. The story of Dr. Park’s life and the struggles that he faced, echoes what most of us have silently faced for some time already. If you consider yourself to be a true fan of the LEGO brick then reading this book is a must.
Here’s a brief summary of Dr. Bartneck’s The Ideal Order.
Dr. Rob Park’s life is out of order. His estranged wife is leaving him, the relationship to his daughters is strained and his academic career is at a dead end. He escapes into the cult of LEGO and the study of classification systems. By sorting his collection of LEGO bricks he reconnects to his daughters and he maintains his sobriety while maneuvering in the bizarre world of academia. Prof. Dr. Smith and his newly found Adult Fans Of LEGO help him to find a new structure for himself, his brick collection and his family.
Dr. Bartneck’s goal in writing this book is to ultimately help AFOLs go through that rough patch in their lives by trying to connect our passion for the LEGO brick to a renewed sense of our selves, and appreciation to those who really matter to us. He is even kind enough to offer a FREE copy of The Ideal Order to anyone interested by simply visiting his site and downloading a copy of his book either in PDF or ePub formats.
As part of his efforts to reach more AFOLs, Dr. Bartneck also offers a radio play version of his book which will be available across multiple media platforms such as Apple iTunes, Google Music, Stitcher, and TuneIn. He also plans to offer this radio play version as a podcast feed, with 12, 30-minute episodes all in all, with each episode to be released every Friday starting tomorrow. Here’s a teaser on what to expect in the podcast.
If you wish to support Dr. Bartneck’s work and his other publications, please do him a favor by visiting his website, and check out the other books that he has written.
