I was looking for a price guide for these toys and this isn't it, but I didn't even care because this book is fabulous. Wonderful pictures and the origination of the most beloved toys. Big, thick heavy book. Nice coffee table book.

If you have fond recollections of tossing a Frisbee with a friend, putting a hotel on Boardwalk, using a "Q" on a triple word score, dressing a Barbie doll, watching a Slinky descend a stairway, yelling "Yahtzee," or winning a game of Trivial Pursuit or Pictionary, this fine retrospective by Tim Walsh belongs on your coffee table. All those memories and more came back for me as I turned the pages of "The Playmakers -- Amazing Origins of Timeless Toys" and learned of the inspirations, the struggles, the near-misses and the overwhelming successes of toy and game inventors of the 20th Century. The nostalgic experience and the well-researched backgrounds of these fun and educational diversions make for hours of reading and fact-finding enjoyment. I was surprised to learn that most of the big sellers over the decades have been of American origin -- though Trivial Pursuit came out of Canada and Rubik's Cube has Hungarian roots. It's a bullet-proof selection for anyone on your Christmas list who never quite grew up when it comes to playing with toys and games.

Have you ever wondered who the creators are of the wonderful toys and games you and your family have enjoyed over the years? THE PLAYMAKERS has the answers. You may be especially interested in those most famous or very rare toys or games that you have tried or maybe just heard about over the years.

Even those that may deny they are toy lovers must admit they have some time or another played a game they really enjoyed or had a favorite toy of their childhood. Therefore, everyone is a toy lover! THE PLAYMAKERS will bring back memories of happy times for all ages. The collective book Tim Walsh has put together is remarkable. This is not about toys that can be picked up in any toy store or mall or even those toys made just for children. No, no, no! This is about toys for everyone: young and old, male and female. Toys and games made for all to enjoy.

This colorful, informative book by Tim Walsh is so fascinating that every family should have one in their bookcase. THE PLAYMAKERS is a terrific book that is not only fun to read but is also an historical chapter in the civilization of man.

A flip through the pages of Tim Walsh's "The Playmakers" is a trip in a time machine. I had more fun reminiscing about my favorite toys than I remember having when I played with them 25 years ago! The genesis of the greatest toys of all time is a captivating story that has never before been told in such interesting detail. Tim's passion for playthings oozes from the pages and stirred nostalgia in the heart of this overgrown kid.

"Toys are magical," begins the introduction to The Playmakers: Amazing Origins of Timeless Toys, and the book goes on to remind us just how true that statement is. And what reminders! They're all here: the Lincoln Logs, Slinkys, and Crayolas that turned kids into artists, architects and scientists, by inspiring them to use their imaginations and to play! Above all, this book reminds us how important it is to play, both with our imaginations and with each other. Many of the book's entries are games (Monopoly, Candyland, Twister) that inspire thoughts of the interactions these toys brought to our lives and the friendships they helped build. This is no mere listing of popular toys with pretty pictures -- it's a definitive look at 100 years worth of America's most important toys, with background information on the inventors including sketches, prototypes and trivia on their development and marketing. Author Tim Walsh was born on Christmas Day, and is game inventor and certified "toy freak." Expertly photographed and affectionately written, this book does a wonderful job of expressing the "joy of toys." From the first entry (Flexible Flyer) to the last (Beanie Baby), it's a delightful chronicle of America at play in the 20th century.