5 comments about Just Can't Get Enough: Toys, Games, and Other Stuff from the 80s that Rocked.

1. I bought this book before Thanksgiving this year and after reading it through myself, I had to take it back home with me for the holiday. My cousins and I sat around reading out loud many of the hilarious comments about all the toys we loved growing up and laughing at all the ridiculous (or should I say redonkulous?) toys from our youths. The book jogged our memories on all the toys we couldn't remember on our own now and really made us long for the silliness of the toys of the 80s. It's a hilarious book and really fun to sit around with friends and just remember the good times with the redonkulous toys of the 80s. (and for the record, I STILL want the U.S.S. Flag!!)



2. I am a big 80's fan and this book seemed interesting so I figured that I would give it a shot. I am soo glad that I did. I love the writers sarcasm and memories about the toys mentioned in this book. The book is like a trapper keeper, with the opening on the side. There are 32 toys mentioned in this book. I think I'm a little to young to remember some of them , but I know most of them. I showed the book to my brother who just flipping through it was laughing. It was so fun to talk about the toys.



3. After buying this book for my brother for Christmas (which he loved too btw) I Got this book yesterday for myself and read it all last night:):):) it's exactly what I was looking for a great nostalgia filled trip down memory lane....I thought I was a complete 80's geek but some stuff in this book I hadn't even heard of.....even though it's written by two guys and has a lot of "boy" toys....there were still all the major "girl" toys in there too....and I loved the candid stories they shared especially the babysitters club and punky brewster doll (sorry action figure) too cute:):):)it is nicely set out and presented really well.....a great gift for 80's children everywhere:):)I hope they will do another one from the 80's tv shows/fads etc.....and even the 90's too:):):)good job guys:):)



4. There's a certain innocence about the 80's that seems very transparent by today's standards. But in the 80's... we all thought that we were living a revolution of cutting edge pop culture. Little did we know that those years would pale in comparison to the childhood trends of the 90's & 2000's. I really believed that I had dismissed from my mind most of the decade and rightly so, it seemed so 20 something years ago. But honestly this book made me really appreciate what I had forgotten. Being a kid of the Reagan Era, I lived through the 90's thumbing my nose at most of these pop culture icons (and listening to grudge rock). I bought "Just Can't Get Enough" as a passing fancy (being a follower of vintage toys), not knowing that the personal stories and memories of the authors would be the gems within.
   
   The Book Itself - It's pretty neat really. The chapters are each a certain 80's icon, divided into small subsections with titles like, "The Story" or "The Products" or "What Does It All Mean?" All of this wrapped up in a suedo-Trapper Keeper style cover with a velcro clasp. When reading the chapters, you begin to appreciate how much time and effort was put into this book. With chapters devoted to Transformers, He-Man, Madballs, Scratch N' Sniff stickers, Garbage Pail Kids, etc., the book gives equal focus, regardless of obscurity. I particularly liked the toys that I remembered fondly from childhood, but also enjoyed the great details about toys I never knew - i.e. Pogo Ball or "Pogo Bal" as the writers note humorously. The authors treat us to most of the usual suspects of the decade, but there are a few rarely honored candidates such as Crossbows And Catapults, Choose Your Own Adventure books, and Hit-Stix among others. Also, there are some obvious misses such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ghostbusters, Gremlins, Get Along Gang, Shirt Tales, Smurfs, Pound Puppies, etc. Hopefully these oversights make way for a follow-up volume. But what you do get makes up for anything not included. First thing you will notice is the great writing style. I particularly like the sarcastic overtone that seems to permeate from every page, pure "Gen X" humor at its best. These authors go to great lengths to make each chapter witty and nostalgic. In fact, if you are unable to feel an overwhelming sense of nostalgia after reading this book, then you most likely were born after Operation Desert Shield... or during the hay days of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. Whether you relive the 80's regularly or haven't looked back since 1990 - this book is going to trigger fond memories... or at least jar something loose from the painfully hidden recesses of the mind.
   
   My Personal Reaction - I found myself on several occasions laughing out loud. My girlfriend seemed frustrated with me continually interrupting her TV watching by loudly exclaiming, "listen to this" as I read aloud large passages time and time again. Finally she picked up the book, which was a big mistake for me... since it took me quite a while to get it back. She appreciated different sections (the My Little Pony, Strawberry Shortcake, Rainbow Brite). It was like going to Toys 'R Us from your childhood; you either were in the boys section or over in the pink section if you were a girl - no matter which, it was fun. So I can say, there is something for everyone, boys and girls alike. Personally, I was pleasantly surprised by my fascination with chapters like the game Guess Who?, which I actually hated as a child. The more ridiculous the idea the funnier the commentary became as the authors put it all in perspective. And when I say perspective, I mean being a 20 something or 30 something adult. There is some crude humor in here that is not at all pointed to the young kids we once were. But honestly, do we expect any children today to even bother reading this? I can plainly put that to rest - kids today would never "get" what this book is about. Once you start reading, remember this isn't just a book about the items; it's a book about how they all relate to us - the children of the 80's. So don't get caught up expecting a long treatise on the history of everything 1980's, that's not what it's about.
   
   Final Thoughts - I read this only wanting more. The only fix for your "jonesing" would be to share this with others. If you buy this book, then don't forget to invite your other Gen X friends or siblings or whoevers to a fun filled day in the way-back machine. I highly recommend this book as a fan of humor and 80's pop culture. But, if you only want to see details of 80's toys - minus the nifty sarcasm, then check out Action Figures of the 1980s (Schiffer Book for Collectors) - it's loaded with great pictures. But be warned, that book doesn't have a one-tenth the laughs of "Just Can't Get Enough." If the authors do nothing else, then this book is still a masterpiece in its own right and worthy of a notable writing career. I hope this isn't the end though; there are plenty of unvisited pop culture products still lurking in our memories for "Just Can't Get Enough"... Volume 2.



5. great purchase for any kid at heart who grew up in th 80's. could've been more inclusive. may i suggest a part 2?

5 comments about 50 Ways to Use Your Noodle: Loads of Land Games with Foam Noodle Toys.

1. Our children at our child care center loved the activities in this book. I not sure who laughed the most the children or the adults. The games in this book need teamwork and cooperation.... We will also use the activities at our family reunion. Grade A+



2. I have used many of these games with my students at school and they have loved them! This is a must have for any teacher who wants a fun and active gym class on a low budget!



3. This book is full of games and activities for small or large groups using pool noodles. I plan to use several of the games with my students for team building. The pictures are slightly out-dated but the games are not. Looking forward to trying them out on my students this Fall!



4. 50 Ways to Use Your Noodle offers fun activities to use with groups of people, build teams, and have a great time. I've used the activities with various age groups from junior high through adults and all enjoyed the activities. The follow-up discussions really helped open participants' eyes to new situations or ways of approaching challenges. Easy to follow instructions and fun reading. The biggest challenges faced with using these materials are deciding which of the fun activities to use and finding space to keep all of the noodle supplies between trainings! :-)



5. There's something inherently funny about saying the words "Pool Noodle." Go ahead. Give it a try. Say: pool noodle, pool noodle, pool noodle. See what I mean? Even thinking about a pool noodle, a noodle in a pool, a pool full of pool noodles is kind of fun. And playing with a pool noodle, in a pool, of course, sitting on one, lying on one, lying on several...fun, all fun.
   
   Well, what Chris Cavert and Sam Sikes tell you what you can do with pool noodles, on the land, even, is every bit as fun, and even more inventive than that. They've written two noodle books, as a matter of fact: 50 Ways to Use Your Noodle and 50 More Ways to Use Your Noodle.
   
   Now, before I go any further, I want to warn you. Page through these books, and you're going to want to invest heavily in pool noodles. At about $3/noodle, we're not talking junk. Though you could purchase Tubular Polyethylene Foam Pipe Insulation, Pre-Slit, 3/8" Wall Thickness, For Use On 1/2" Copper Pipe Or 1/4" Iron Pipe, for maybe $3 for 4 3-foot sections. Which is more junk-like, but not much cheaper. Not only are you going to want to buy many, many pool noodles (at least one for each player), but you're going to want to (dare I mention this? yes, yes, I must) cut some of your noodles into 3-foot "Midaronis," 3-inch "Minironis," and 1-1/4-inch "Meatballs."
   
   OK, by now you get a good sense of the tone of the whole thing: fun, funny, creative, inventive. So you're ready for at least one game. Like, for example, Balloon Volleyball, played with Midaronis. Do I need to explain this any more? Everyone with their own Midaroni. Trying to hit a large balloon over a volleyball net. Do you need me to tell you what fun this can be? Or how about the baseball-like "Bustin Burgers" game - where one player sails pool noodle Meatballs to the Midaroni-swinging batter?
   
   You might not expect the more creative activities, like the semi-self-explanatory "Noodle Doodles." And in all likelihood, you wouldn't have begun to anticipate the group team-building, problem-solving aspect of the whole thing, with exercises like seeing how many Meatballs or Minironis two people can hold between them. And yes, in the 50 More Ways book you'll even find pool noodle games you can play in the - can you believe it - pool.
   
   Together, the Noodle books are a treasure of creative, playful, problem-solving fun that should prove an invaluable resource to any youth leader, team builder, or provocateur of playfulness.
   
   
   RE: Noodle Economics
   
   Chris comments: "we found that the foam pipe insulation is okay for some of the noodle book activities, however, it doesn't have the rigidity for most games. Also, you lose the "visual" pull the colors have. Even though you might pay $3.50 (or so) for a noodle, you'll cut the long ones in half - thus cutting your cost in half. And, as long as the participants don't pick on or chew the noodles they last a very long time - the return on investment is great. Bonus: if you buy in the fall they are really cheap - stores don't like to warehouse them because they take up so much space (some stores give them away to educational programs just to get rid of them before the winter months)."
   
   Bernie DeKoven, author, Junkyard Sports, the Well-Played Game, from Deepfun.com

5 comments about Ty Beanies Tracker Third Edition.

1. Beanie Babies were one of the truly remarkable pop culture phenomena of the last 15 years. I can still remember the first time McDonald's offered the Teenie Beanies and my wife and I spent the better part of the weekend trying to track down as many of the little critters for our son as we could. Beanies, however, suffered the same fate as many other collectibles such as comic books and sports cards, two hobbies I was very familiar with. First, it quickly became driven by speculators trying to make a quick buck. Next, corporate greed too over as Ty began churning out more and more product and started to try and manufacture collectibles with special releases. Today, we go to garage sales and Flea Markets and see people dumping their Beanies, often for as little as a buck each.
   
   Yet for its core collectors, those who got into it for the love, and not necessarily the promise of future value, Beanies are still around and viable. If you don't think there is still an active market out there for trading Beanies, just check out eBay. As I write this review there are over 21,000 auctions underway in the Ty category. The speculators have long since dropped out, prices have righted themselves, and Bangzoom has released the 2nd edition of their indispensable guide. The guide covers the Beanie scene right up through the beginning of 2006 and in its review of the marketplace it makes no bones about it...now is a great time to buy, but not such a great time to sell.
   
   The book provides a history of Beanies and their hang tags. A picture of generation's unique tag is included in the book with notes on variations and changes. The book also lists several different Beanie related websites that feature news, accessory sales, trading posts, and other information. The book lists Beanies alphabetically, and lists their birth date, introduction date, retirement date (if applicable) and their hang tag poems. The generation(s) is also listed as well as a current price. But you'll find more than just Beanie Babies In the guide...it also covers Beanie Buddies, Kids, Boppers, Teenie Beanies, Jingle Beanies, Pluffies, Punkies, and more, over 1500 different TY items. The back provides a handy index and checklist.
   
   While the craze of the mid-90's may be over, there are still millions of Beanie collectors and lovers out there and there is simply no better book on the Market than the Ty Beanies Tracker from Bangzoom.
   
   Reviewed by Tim Janson



2. This new edition of Ty Beanies is a complete, very informative source for all "Beanie" collectors, old or new, excellent reference!



3. Few 20th century collectibles have had as huge a success in the popular culture as those small plush toys known as Beanie Babies -- as well as Punkies, Pinkys, Girtz, and more!. Now in an expanded and fully updated third edition, "Ty Beanies Tracker" under the deft editorship of Beanie Baby expert Karen Holmes provides collectors, dealers, and the general public with a unique, comprehensive, illustrated reference and price guide for these popular toy collectibles. Featuring more than 4,000 color pictures comprising the complete Ty product lines (including variations and rare items), "Ty Beanies Tracker", with its Note Pages, Daffynitions, Attic Treasures, and NASCAR Beanies, is a simply indispensable addition to personal, professional, and community library Antiques & Collectibles reference shelves.



4. This book is my bible when buying or selling TY beanies accurate price list, interesting facts and is a must for TY beanie lovers that love to collect these little guys.



5. This book is very accurate, informative and well put together. For some time now I've been looking for an up to date beanie list and price guide and this book is it! It's a great item for all Ty collectors!

2 comments about Hot Wheels Forty Years (Hot Wheels (Krause Publications)).

1. interesting book, plenty of photos, not just a dry catalogue, goes into the history of the manufacturing and design process, great coffee table and reference book



2. I just recieved this book today and "WHOW" what a book. The details of the graphics are fantastic. The are numerous pictures of cars in cards and with the graphics you feel as if you can pick it right off the page.
   
   Angelo has brought the Hot wheel history full circle with this book.

5 comments about Everett Grist's Big Book of Marbles: A Comprehensive Identification & Value Guide For Both Antique and Machine-Made Marbles (Grist's Big Book of Marbles).

1. As a serious marble collector, I think this book is invaluable. It's informative and very well put together. I believe it could also work well for non-marble collectors. Marbles are pretty universally fascinating and this book can inform anyone about the worth and characteristics of marbles.



2. Excellent book for identification of marble types and values, and for general history of marble manufacture and select manufacturers. Grist details characteristics of marbles to identify the manufacturing method and general production dates, but you cannot identify marbles to manufacturer or more specific production dates by this book. Excellent pictures and selection of marbles. Overall, this is a good quality marble book.



3. I decided after attending a national collector-run marble show in my area to get this updated Third Edition of Grist's book, because it looked like it would have enough new pictures to make identifying all those troublesome common marbles a possibility. And the pictures in the book are nice, being clear and color-accurate, and showing multiple marbles so one can see the range of designs/colors that fall within a category. However, I've always considered Grist to be a lazy author, and this just confirms it. Yes, it takes some work to get the pictures of so many marbles, but that is something almost anyone could eventually do. This is sub-titled a 'comprehensive' ID book, so I expected Grist to deliver. He does not even come close to delivering on that promise! First of all, many marbles are left out and many more poorly dealt with. As new as I am to marbles, even I know that there are subtle differences that help one to differentiate between marble companies. Yet Grist has virtually NO TEXT explaining how to ID various types of marbles. It is simply pictures and an occassional comment, and as we all know, pictures of certain marbles, such as cateyes, do not do justice in showing the differences. Those need to be EXPLAINED (how many vanes, shape, etc) because the differences usually do not show well in pictures. None of this happens. Many of the Peltier marbles are simply lumped together as 'Champion Jrs.' with none of the common names used in the trade included. And as far as being a comprehensive value guide, only ranges are given with no differention for size or condition given. That is hardly a comprehensive price guide! On top of that, most prices on common marbles (under $10 each) appear to be grossly inflated over what is actually happening in the marketplace today. I wish I could get those prices for my commons - I'd be rich! The final insult is the poor editing done in the book. "Peltier" is spelled "Pelitier" half the time. There are pictures where the heading states "row 1" when it means "column 1." Just plain sloppy. Most pictures of the rarities have no prices at all and only general category IDs for the entire group shown. In general, a nice picture book but nothing about it is 'comprehensive' - just more false advertising. Why can't anyone put out a book with the quality and extent of pictures Grist does and the helpful, detailed text and variety listings such as Block attempts? Then we would be approaching a 'comprehensive ID and value guide.' So far, I've found nothing close.



4. Everett Grist's Big Book of Marbles is very comprehensive and extremely well illustrated. It will be a great reference for both hand-made and machine-made marbles. The price estimates given for the illustrations are realistic in my opinion and will be helpful in valuing my collection.



5. Great pictures, and lots of them, with information on go-alongs and on manufacturers, but not a great an ID guide as I had hoped it would be. I still can't tell who made my vintage marbles.

5 comments about Ultimate Guide to G.I. Joe 1982-1994.

1. GI Joe toys of the 80's were some of the most fun and exciting ever seen, and this book chronicles them with brilliant excellence! A must have for any fan of the toys!



2. What this guide is essentially comprised of is clinical pictures, bland details and a very dry presentation. This book is entirely geared towards the Joe collector who isn't necessarily interested in the fun or cool aspect of the toy line. For the casual Joe fan or those looking for some glorious nostalgia, the book fails miserably.
   
   The promise of the immense amount of full-color pictures are what sold me on this book. What it actually delivers are unenthusiastic shots with no fun factor at all. Each figure is shown with legs and arms straight out laid on their backs on a flat white background. Each piece of personal equipment is shown beside the figure, not on it. It is all quite cold and boring to flip through.
   The vehicles and bases fare even worse in their representation. They are mostly photographed from a full-on top-down view. A small handful are shown from the side. You only get one photo per vehicle, so if the angle doesn't inspire you (and it never really does), you are out of luck.
   While there is absolutely no action to the pictures, they are very sharp in quality.
   I would have liked to have seen pictures of the cards the figures came on and the boxes the vehicles came in, since the artwork was always amazing. Since this is an aspect to some collectors, I would have assumed it to be included. You can see the actual carded figure or vehicle/playset box about 5 times throughout the whole book. What a travesty!
   
   The information presented with the photos spits out name, classification and then proceeds to take some direct quotes from the file cards. The whole file card is never printed and would have been a great inclusion. Instead you are forced to read what the author decides is important enough to document. In most listings you are given other proposed codenames for the figure, which are obscure tidbits of info I found worthless. Specific figure variants, when actually mentioned, are discussed only briefly with no accompanying pictures. Suggested prices are given but compared to actual prices at hobby shops and eBay, they are practically useless.
   Unless you are a collector looking up banal manufacturing details, there isn't much enjoyment to be gleaned from reading what is printed.
   
   Nearly a full third of the guide covers the 90s era Joes, which many agree are easy to dismiss as part of the Joe universe. Again, only the most avid collector would care for this much info. The guide even goes so far as to cover the Street Fighter series of figures put out by Hasbro in 93. That has so little to do with actual Joes it's not funny.
   
   I had an enormous GI Joe colelction up until my teens and I still love the Joes to this day. I am not a rabid collector. I am a nostalgic fan. For me, this book was a waste of money. No cool photos of the Joe figures with their gear on and no fun displays of the vehicles and such. I read the comics and watched the shows. For me, there was nothing worth reading into here. No interesting information or exhilerating facts.
   Before you go out and get a copy of this guide, ask yourself if you are a general fan or a collector. If you answer fan, pass on this book. It is strictly for the OCD collector.



3. For those of us that collect this is an excellent reference guide. It details weapons, vehicles and just about anything you can think of. The only thing I was expecting was to have pictures of the figures/vehicles..carded. And thats one thing that would have made this book perfect, that aside its a great book and I am glad I picked it up. The pictures included are crisp, clear and the information on them is detailed. Enjoy...



4. My husband and I enjoyed this guide and found it very useful for our collection. Great pictures with accessories. Just seemed very complete for the collector. Well done in my opinion and would recommend.



5. As an avid childhood collector of GI Joe 3 3/4 figures and vehicles, I can certainly say that this guide seems extremely accurate. Although most of my collection sadly did not survive my childhood, this book certainly brings back some memories. It also helps to appraise some the pieces that did survive. I'm only depressed now that I didn't take better care of my original collection as it would have been worth a lot. As a GI Joe geek, it was interesting to see Larry Hama's (the original author of the Joe's Filecards) comments and thoughts on the characters. As a kid, I can certainly say I never gave the ideas behind the characters much thought. I also didn't understand half the things written on the filecards as they had more military jargon than a Tom Clancy novel. It does contain numerous references to the GI Joe cartoons and comics to help illustrate complete character biographies - which is interesting only if you were (or are) well-versed in the comics, the cartoons, and the toys. Overall, this is a great resource for serious collectors and devoted GI Joe disciples, but it's probably a bit too technical for casual fans.

5 comments about Collector's Guide to Pez: Identification and Price Guide, 3rd Edition.

1. Buy something else with your hard earned money,my friend.I have been involved with Pez since the 50's and I am tired of the constant profiteering.Ed Haas must be turning over in his grave,my friend.



2. Being a personal friend of Shawn Peterson would probably leave you with the notion that I have a biased opinion. Having known him for a number of years and knowing his passion for collecting PEZ, I assure you that a significant amount of time, effort, and research went into this book. In reading a couple of, what I feel are unwarranted, negative reviews of this book I'd wholeheartedly disagree with their assessment. This is an outstanding book of reference with excellent photography and informative narrative. I recommend it to anyone in the hobby, or anyone simply wanting to reflect back to their childhood and reminiscing about a much simpler time in life. He's done an outstanding job in assembling an historic perspective of the company, rare and unusual dispensers, as well as common variety and new offerings. Buy with confidence and enjoy!



3. Although it's not a highly competitive category, this book takes the top spot in Pez guides.
   Being the newest, it has the most up to date pictures, prices and products.
   The extended section on candy packs, and Pez paper products/inserts is helpful, as other books lacked in that departement.
   Overall it's a solid price and picture book, with accurate estimates and such. It's the best of what's out there, so it's worth a shot.



4. Many people like myself collect Pez dispensers. It is a wonderful hobby to have because it is virtually impossible to find every variation of every dispenser there is. Sometimes there are many different variations of a single dispenser, for example the colors that were made. This is where this guide comes in handy. In here you will find colorful pictures of almost every known dispenser made, along with pictures of some different variations. This helps you know what you are looking for when you want a certain dispenser. Listed also are estimated values of the dispensers, which is also helpful in giving you an idea of what that certain dispenser will cost you normally. Also pictured in this book are different inserts from the packages, different displays that were available, different flavor packs that have been packaged with the dispensers and even Pez with unique or foreign packaging. This is a great book for collectors and even those who are a little interested in Pez dispensers. The pictures and information make it easier to know what you are looking for, so if you are looking to collect Pez I recommend this guide as it will be a big help to you.



5. Shawn Peterson's Collector's Guide to Pez is filled with useful information on prices and availability of almost every Pez dispenser ever made. Along with wonderful, colorful photos and great details, Peterson has included great information for both beginning and advanced collectors of Pez products. His information on convention, collectors groups, and bargain hunting are particularly useful as a resource. In a hobby as fun and varied as Pez collectiong is, a great tool is needed. Peterson's text is the Bible for lovers of Pez both young and old. This is the only book you need whether you are a new collector or an old pro. It is definetly worth the money and will be a great addition to your growing Pez collection.

5 comments about Greenberg's Guides Lionel Trains Pocket Price Guide 2008 (Greenberg's Pocket Price Guide Lionel Trains).

1. Greenberg's Guides Lionel Trains Pocket Price Guide 2008 (Greenberg's Pocket Price Guide Lionel Trains)
   
   This is the ultimate guide for pricing Lionel trains.



2. When it comes to concise and easy to use price guides to Lionel Trains I have always found Greenberg's Guides to be invaluable. It breaks the catalogue numbers down into eras or distinct ranges of years of production and lists price ranges based on condition in a very orderly fashion. If you sell or buy on eBay this is a valuable tool. Greenberg's Lionel Trains Guides and publications are all first rate and come highly recommended.



3. The item was a gift and the receiver found it very useful for his train collection.



4. Very happy with the quick delivery, I paid for that! But disappointed in the binding of the guide. The first 57 pages were cut that you could not read the entire page. Prices were cut or model numbers.



5. An excellent publication. I've used this book over the years and always get the latest update for the information it contains.

5 comments about Collector's Encyclopedia of Barbie Doll 2008: Identification & Values (Collector's Encyclopedia of Barbie Doll Collector's Editions).

1. This is a collector only. Its not a price guide for all Barbie's ever made, like it makes you think.



2. J. Michael Augustyniak's COLLECTOR'S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BARBIE DOLL COLLECTOR'S EDITIONS 2008 is a 'must' for any Barbie collector or any collection catering to doll collectors. It packs its pages with the latest values and updated color photos, including descriptions, notes on special collections and Barbie attributes, and more. If only one Barbie doll collector's comprehensive reference were acquired for a general lending library, it should be this one.



3. I found this book to be very helpful in that I have a BARBIE COLLECTION and needed to find out the value of my 200+ collection for insurance. Although not all of my dolls were in this book I still found many of the values that I needed.
   Great value for the money spent



4. I just love this book! everything is great....
   I love looking at all the dolls.......



5. if you want to buy dolls you need to know what you are doing especially here on Amazon where some of the Barbie prices are three times what they should be . so you need advice from an expert who isn't trying to run prices up on his own stuff he has for sale. Michael is both expert and honest. You can't hope for better than that!

5 comments about Transformers: Identification and Price Guide.

1. I'm a TF fan since it first came out in the 80's. I had a few TF in the 80's which I wish I kept in mint or good/playable condition. I started collecting again since the new 2007 live action movie came out. I wish they had the new toys as well. But for the contents of it, it is packed with what you want to know on all the earlier generations of this franchise. I recommend it for all true TF fans and collectors alike.



2. This is great reference guide. It shows all the Generation 1 Transformers (84-90). It shows all the pieces and a bio of each character. It also shows the value.
   As kid I had over 50 of the originals and they are worth a ton of money. I use this book as a guide to purchasing used transformers at Ebay.
   I wish he would come out of with with a volume 2 (92-07) which would show all the generation 2, Beastwars, Alternators, Universe,Cybertron, 07 movie, and classics. Which I think are better than generation 1.
   Awsome book. I reconmend this book to all collectors.
   Also check out the G.I Joe guide.



3. This is a great book about the 80's transformers toy line. It has plenty of info on many transformers like their favorite motto to stats. If you are fan and/or collector this book is a must!!!



4. I had heard good things about this author, and this guide, from reviews at other Transformer sites, so I bought it (it was also being sold for half price at amazon.com when I bought it). It was well worth every penny! It is very thorough and gives great details on each type of Transformer and each of the "lines of Transformers" that were made up to 1990. Each Transformer is also given approximate prices for what they are worth as well. Granted, the prices will change over time, but this guide will still be a worthy identification reference for a very long time.
   I would have given it a 5, but there were quite a few grammatical errors in the book, but it won't affect your ability to understand the information.
   My favorite part of the book is that the author appears to have had fun writing it, but takes it seriously enough to make it a very thorough reference guide. A must have for any Transformer fan, from beginner to expert!



5. This is the best Action Figure guide I have ever seen. It is very informative and very accurate, the author even adds his personal take on most of the figures. And talk about bringing back old memories. I actually bought this book for nostalgic purposes and was very pleased. It was nice seeing all the old Transformers from the 80's in one piece. Makes me wish I knew what happened to all my old ones, man I'd be rich if I would have taken better care of them. Hope Mark Bellomo does a guide book for the rest of the Transformers. If you are looking for the ultimate 80's Transformers Action Figure guide, this is it!