{"title":"Jonathan Bender","description":"\u003cp\u003eJONATHAN BENDER is a freelance features writer and the author of three books. His recent books include \u003cem\u003eStock, Broth \u0026amp; Bowl\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eCookies \u0026amp; Beer\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eLEGO: A Love Story\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBender’s work has appeared in \u003cem\u003eTime Out New York\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eWomen’s Health\u003c\/em\u003e, CNN.com, ESPN.com, and the \u003cem\u003eKansas City Star\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen he’s not writing, Bender pursues stories about people with unconventional jobs and lives, with a particular focus on entrepreneurs and offbeat subjects. Much of his work draws on that same curiosity about lives lived outside the mainstream.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJonathan lives in Kansas City, Missouri, with his wife and children.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJonathan Bender’s books are published by Trade Paper Press, an imprint of Turner Publishing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrowse more: \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/books-new-releases\"\u003eNew Releases\u003c\/a\u003e · \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/award-winning-books\"\u003eAward-Winning Books\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"lego","title":"LEGO: A Love Story","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eAn adult LEGO fan's dual quest: to build with bricks and build a family\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003eThere are 62 LEGO bricks for every person in the world, and at age 30, Jonathan Bender realized that he didn't have a single one of them. While reconsidering his childhood dream of becoming a master model builder for The LEGO Group, he discovers the men and women who are skewing the averages with collections of hundreds of thousands of LEGO bricks. What is it about the ubiquitous, brightly colored toys that makes them so hard for everyone to put down?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn search of answers and adventure, Jonathan Bender sets out to explore the quirky world of adult fans of LEGO (AFOLs) while becoming a builder himself. As he participates in challenges at fan conventions, searches for the largest private collection in the United States, and visits LEGO headquarters (where he was allowed into the top secret set vault), he finds his LEGO journey twinned with a second creative endeavor—to have a child. His two worlds intertwine as he awaits the outcome: Will he win a build competition or bring a new fan of LEGO into the world? Like every really good love story, this one has surprises—and a happy ending.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExplores the world of adult fans of LEGO, from rediscovering the childhood joys of building with LEGO to evaluating LEGO's place in culture and art\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTakes an inside look at LEGO conventions, community taboos, and build challenges and goes behind-the-scenes at LEGO headquarters and LEGOLAND\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTells a warm and personal story about the attempt to build with LEGO and build a family\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you're an avid LEGO freak or a onetime fan who now shares LEGO bricks with your children, this book will appeal to the inner builder in you and reignite a love for all things LEGO.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- amazon-buylink --\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003csmall\u003eWe earn a commission for purchases made through the following links.\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/0470407026\/ref=nosim?tag=tpcecomm-20\" rel=\"sponsored nofollow\"\u003eshop for this title at Amazon\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c!-- \/amazon-buylink --\u003e\u003c!-- bookshop-buylink --\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/book\/9780470407028\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003eshop for this title at Bookshop.org\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c!-- \/bookshop-buylink --\u003e","brand":"Jonathan Bender","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":43185554620632,"sku":"9780470407028","price":22.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0563\/7786\/8475\/files\/9780470407028_FChigh_mockup_v2_1738784845_e5b8e890-55de-411d-8cfc-24e4926c1cf8.jpg?v=1791984615"}],"url":"https:\/\/turnerpublishing.com\/collections\/author-jonathan-bender.oembed","provider":"Turner Publishing","version":"1.0","type":"link"}