Forbidden LEGO - New from No Starch

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media contact: media@nostarch.com
+1 415.863.9900 x303


No Starch Press releases Forbidden LEGO: Building instructions for LEGO
models that break the LEGO rules

July 10, 2007, San Francisco--It just may be impossible to exhaust the
creative potential of LEGO bricks. When LEGO builders use their
imagination, the possibilities are endless. But the LEGO Company has its
official (and sensible) rules for building that include no cutting or
tampering with bricks, creating models that shoot unapproved projectiles,
or using non-standard parts. Well, toss those rules out the window.

Forbidden Lego (No Starch Press, August 2007, $24.95, ISBN 9781593271374),
the latest from geek publisher No Starch Press, introduces LEGO geeks (and
their kids) to the type of free-style building that LEGOís master builders
do for fun in the back room. According to No Starch Press Publisher Bill
Pollock (who seems to enjoy breaking the rules), "This is really fun
stuff; much more interesting than building a cute little house. Like how
to combine bricks with rubber bands, glue, plastic spoons, and ping-pong
balls to build a gun or a catapult. Wheee!"

Readers can try their hand at making
-A toy gun that shoots LEGO plates
-A catapult that fires candy
-A continuous-fire ping-pong ball launcher
-A high velocity paper airplane launcher
-And other useless but incredibly fun inventions

Once readers get into the spirit, they'll want to try inventing their own
rule-breaking models. Forbidden Legoís authors, a former LEGO senior
designer, and development director, share tips and tricks that will help
rule-breaking LEGO builders turn their visions into reality. Nothing's
against the rules in this book!


Additional Resources:
Table of Contents: www.nostarch.com/flego_toc.htm
Excerpt: Paper Plan Launcher  http://www.nostarch.com/download/flego_sample.pdf


ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Ulrik Pilegaard is a former Senior Designer and Studio
Manager for LEGO MINDSTORMS where he worked on projects for LEGO Technic
together with the Media Lab at MIT, and designed multiple models for LEGO
MINDSTORMS (including R2D2). After LEGO, he was Manager of Design at
Evolution Robotics, where he helped develop state-of-the-art robotics
solutions. Since 2004, he has worked for Energy Innovations as a senior
product designer.

Mike Dooley worked as the Senior Product Manager for the original LEGO
MINDSTORMS and was later promoted to Director of Development. Dooley is
currently Vice President for Product and Business Development at Evolution
Robotics, which focuses on next-generation technologies for consumer
robotics.


Forbidden LEGO: Build the Models Your Parents Warned You Against!
August 2007, 208 pp., 4-color, ISBN 978-1-59327-137-4, US$24.95

In fine bookstores everywhere, from www.oreilly.com/nostarch, or directly
from No Starch Press (www.nostarch.com, orders@nostarch.com, 800.420.7240).


ABOUT NO STARCH PRESS: Founded in 1994, No Starch Press is one of the few
remaining independent computer book publishers. We publish the finest in
geek entertainment---unique books on technology, with a focus on Open
Source, security, hacking, programming, alternative operating systems, and
LEGO. Our titles have personality, our authors are passionate, and our
books tackle topics that people care about. See www.nostarch.com for more
information and our complete online catalog. (And most No Starch Press
books use RepKover, a lay-flat binding that won't snap shut.)

# # #