If you don't know what to give at the end of the year to a LEGO fan who already has everything or almost everything and who will look good out of politeness in front of the LEGO IDEAS table football that you had planned to put under the tree, know that the publisher Dunod is publishing this year a French version of the work by Jens Andersen already published in English in 2022 under the title The LEGO Story: How a Little Toy Sparked the World's Imagination.

The work, titled in French The LEGO saga - The little brick that conquered the world, has since its publication become a reference in terms of the history of the LEGO group, its author having had full access to the group's archives as well as to Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, director of the company from 1979 to 2004 and incidentally grandson of the founder of the brand, Ole Kirk Christiansen.

The 380 pages of this French version are therefore filled with photos and visuals, some of which are completely new, and statements from Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen covering the historical course of the LEGO adventure from its creation to the present day.

Make no mistake, this is not a book to glorify LEGO products, even if they are obviously at the center of the group's history, the book is above all a detailed chronology of the development of the brand with its successes, its failures, the methods of its managers to maintain pressure on its customers and its strategies to stay afloat even during the most disrupted periods by bad choices or unfavorable economic conditions.

We could regret that the author lingers almost a little too much on the first years of what would become the LEGO company and then moves a little too quickly to the current period, but this richly documented and illustrated return to the sources remains coherent and punctuated. of first-hand statements that give the impression of having at hand a book that is not a simple fictionalized version of the history of the LEGO Group.

The common thread of the book is obviously the family saga of the group initiated by the founder Ole Kirk Christiansen, extended by his son Godtfred Kirk Christiansen then perpetuated by his grandson Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, and one will have to feel a certain interest in this story which has led to the brand's current success so as not to abandon reading along the way. This is the price to pay to immerse yourself in this saga at the origin of our passion and even if the book only evokes LEGO products through their impact on the evolution of the brand, the effort will in my opinion be amply rewarded.

This work is not a marketing manual, even if it largely discusses the group's strategy, such as the partnership with McDonald's in the 80s to conquer the USA, nor is it a biography. discount idealizing a story too often told by omitting certain details, it is simply a richly documented and abundantly commented analysis by someone who knows more than anyone about the history of his own family and his society.

The book is available at the public price of €26.90 on FNAC.com, at Cultura or at Amazon:

The LEGO saga

26.90 €

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Note: The copy presented here, provided by the publisher, is as usual put into play. Deadline set for 19th November 2023 next at 23:59 p.m. Simply post a comment below the article to participate. Your participation is taken into account regardless of your opinion. Avoid “I’m participating” or “I’m trying my luck”, we suspect that this is the case.

Update : The winner was drawn and notified by email, his nickname is indicated below.

A quick reminder for those interested: the new edition of the LEGO Harry Potter Character Encyclopedia with the exclusive Rita Skeeter minifigure is now available.

The supplied minifig will allow you to populate the aisles of your set a little more 75978 Diagon Alley, a diorama that incorporates the entrance door to the premises of the Daily Prophet and which already allows to obtain the photographer of the newspaper.

This 200-page book which includes more than 200 minifigs from the LEGO Harry Potter range is currently in stock at Amazon, the French version will only hit the shelves on September 8:

Discount -4%

LEGO Harry Potter Character Encyclopedia New Editi

21.52 € 20.67 €

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Lego Harry Potter, the Character Encyclopedia

24.95 €

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Note in your diaries: the publication announced for April 2, 2024 of an updated version of the Visual Dictionary LEGO Star Wars, the latest version of which dates from 2019. On the program, 170 pages dedicated to sets and minifigs from the LEGO Star Wars range with the most recent products now taken into account and an exclusive minifig inserted in the cover of the book .

We don't yet know which character will accompany this update, but don't rely too much on the silhouette present on the preliminary visual of the cover, we know that these temporary illustrations are not a reliable clue about the figure provided.

Tour the LEGOⓇ Star Wars™ galaxy in this fully updated edition, which comes with an exclusive LEGO Star Wars minifigure! Discover every detail of best-loved sets and vehicles including the Mos Eisley Cantina and the Millennium Falcon. Find out about your favorite LEGO Star Wars minifigures—from Rey and C-3PO to Darth Vader and Boba Fett. Meet the LEGO Star Wars team and discover exclusive behind-the-scenes facts! Find out everything you need to know about LEGO Star Wars in this must-have guide for fans of all ages.

Pre-orders are already open at Amazon, it's never too early to reserve your copy:

Discount -9%

LEGO Star Wars Visual Dictionary Updated Edition

25.30 € 22.96 €

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Still in the LEGO literature section, be aware that three new "Annual 2024" are announced for August 31 with each time a minifig associated with a small 64-page activity book.

Nothing new or exclusive, it will simply be possible to get Luke Skywalker in Endor outfit as in the set 75353 Endor Speeder Chase Diorama with his hair but without the helmet, Albus Dumbledore as delivered in the set 76402 Hogwarts: Dumbledore's Office and Karen composed of elements already seen in several boxes.

LEGO® Star Wars™: Return of the Jedi: Official Year

12.64 €

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LEGO® Books: Official Annual 2024 (with gamer LEGO

12.66 €

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LEGO® Harry Potter™: Official Yearbook 2024 (with Albus Dumbledore™ minifigure)

12.63 €

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Good news for those who love LEGO books but prefer to be able to enjoy their editorial content in French, the new edition of the LEGO Harry Potter Character Encyclopedia accompanied by the exclusive minifig of Rita Skeeter will also be available in French from here to next September. Same content, same number of pages (200) as the original English edition.

The book is currently on pre-order for just under 25 € at Amazon and on FNAC.com, it's a little more expensive than the English edition but it's the price to pay for the youngest to really benefit of proposed content:

LEGO Harry Potter Character Encyclopedia New Edition

24.95 €

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