San Francisco, CA, September 9, 2010—A picture is worth a thousand words, or in the case of The LEGO Technic Idea Books, a thousand ideas. Just as an artist might graze among the masterpieces in a museum while contemplating his or her next work, LEGO builders will draw inspiration from this fascinating collection of photographs of LEGO Technic models where the pictures are the building instructions and every model is like a building block for that next, great project.

The three volumes in the The LEGO Technic Idea Book series—Simple Machines, Wheeled Wonders, and Fantastic Contraptions—are filled with photos of Yoshihito Isogawa's unique models, each one designed to fire the imaginations of LEGO builders young and old. The models are easy to replicate based on their pictures alone. Colors distinguish each part, showing how they're assembled, and each model illustrates a different principle, concept, or mechanism that will inspire readers' own original creations.

"The first thing readers will notice in The LEGO Technic Idea Books is that there's almost no text; this collection of photos is designed to teach through visuals alone," said No Starch Press Founder Bill Pollock. "By not telling people what to look for in each photo, each viewer takes away something different. After all, LEGO building is about using one's imagination."

The photos in each volume showcase a wide variety of model-building ideas and teach various construction concepts. For example, in volume 1, Simple Machines (ISBN 9781593272777), readers learn to:

• Use basic configurations of gears, shafts, pulleys, turntables, and connectors
• Create cranes, working doors and latches, motorized cars, a rocket launcher, a drag racer, and musical instruments

Then, in volume 2, Wheeled Wonders (ISBN 9781593272784), readers learn to:

• Make models that spin or move things, drag race, haul heavy gear, and rebound off walls
• Build differential gears, implement steering and suspension, and design clutch and transmission systems

And finally, in volume 3, Fantastic Contraptions (ISBN 9781593272791), readers learn to:

• Build working catapults, crawling spiders, bi-pedal walkers, and gadgets powered by fans, propellers, springs, magnets, and vibration
• Construct models that move and incorporate lights, pneumatics, and solar panels

LEGO builders who browse The LEGO Technic Idea Books will quickly see that with a little imagination, the possibilities are truly endless.

For review copies or for questions about The LEGO Technic Idea Books, contact Natasha Chilingerian at No Starch Press ([email protected], +1.415.863.9900, x301), or visit www.nostarch.com.

About the Author
Yoshihito Isogawa of Tokyo, Japan, is a technical writer and LEGO luminary. In addition to running Isogawa Studio, Inc., he regularly holds LEGO workshops, lectures at schools and science museums, and creates LEGO models for events and exhibitions. He is the author of the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Orange Book, Making Machines with Bricks, and several other Japanese-language LEGO titles. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Engineering at Tokyo University of Science.

Additional Resources
Sample pages and tables of contents:
Simple Machines: http://nostarch.com/technic_machines
Wheeled Wonders: http://nostarch.com/technic_wheels
Fantastic Contraptions: http://nostarch.com/technic_contraptions

Yoshihito Isogawa's YouTube channel

A look inside The LEGO Technic Idea Books (click to enlarge):

The LEGO Technic Idea Book: Simple Machines by Yoshihito Isogawa Oct 2010, 168 pp. ISBN 9781593272777, $19.95 USD [email protected] 1-800-998-9938 1-707-827-7000

The LEGO Technic Idea Book: Wheeled Wonders by Yoshihito Isogawa Oct 2010, 144 pp. ISBN 9781593272784, $19.95 USD [email protected] 1-800-998-9938 1-707-827-7000

The LEGO Technic Idea Book: Fantastic Contraptions by Yoshihito Isogawa Oct 2010, 184 pp. ISBN 9781593272791, $19.95 USD [email protected] 1-800-998-9938 1-707-827-7000

Available in fine bookstores everywhere, from www.oreilly.com/nostarch, or directly from No Starch Press (http://www.nostarch.com, [email protected], 1-800-420-7240).

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, LEGO, science, and math. Our titles have personality, our authors are passionate, and our books tackle topics that people care about. Visit http://www.nostarch.com for a complete catalog.

About O'Reilly
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