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The Man Who Changed How Boys and Toys Were Made
A fascinating portrait of the man who invented the erector set focuses on the life and times of A. C. Gilbert, the Yale graduate and marketing genius who created a toy that would radically change the market, and successive generations of boys. 17,500 first printing.
- GenresNonfictionBiography
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
44 people want to read
About the author
Bruce Watson
50 books32 followersBruce Watson is the author of "Light: A Radiant History from Creation to the Quantum Age" (Bloomsbury, Feb. 2016). Starting with creation stories and following the trail of luminescence through three millennia, "Light" explores how humanity has worshiped, captured, studied, painted, and finally controlled light. The book's cast of characters includes Plato, Ptolemy, Alhacen, Dante, Leonardo, Rembrandt, Galileo, Newton, Daguerre, Monet, Edison, Einstein... The American Library Association's Booklist called "Light: A Radiant History" "a dazzling book."
Watson currently writes the online magazine The Attic (www.theattic.space.) With weekly articles about American Dreamers, Wonders, Wits, Rebels, Teachers, and more, The Attic promotes “a kinder,cooler America.”
Watson is also the author of four other well-reviewed books, including "Freedom Summer: The Savage Season that Made Mississippi Burn and Made America a Democracy," "Sacco and Vanzetti: The Men, The Murders, and The Judgment of Mankind," and "Bread and Roses: Mills, Migrants, and the Struggle for the American Dream."
Watson has also written more than three dozen feature articles for Smithsonian. His work has appeared in the Boston Globe, the Los Angeles Times, American Heritage, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Yankee, Reader’s Digest, and Best American Science and Nature Writing 2003.
Watson currently writes the online magazine The Attic (www.theattic.space.) With weekly articles about American Dreamers, Wonders, Wits, Rebels, Teachers, and more, The Attic promotes “a kinder,cooler America.”
Watson is also the author of four other well-reviewed books, including "Freedom Summer: The Savage Season that Made Mississippi Burn and Made America a Democracy," "Sacco and Vanzetti: The Men, The Murders, and The Judgment of Mankind," and "Bread and Roses: Mills, Migrants, and the Struggle for the American Dream."
Watson has also written more than three dozen feature articles for Smithsonian. His work has appeared in the Boston Globe, the Los Angeles Times, American Heritage, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Yankee, Reader’s Digest, and Best American Science and Nature Writing 2003.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 25, 2022
Somewhat interesting biography about my grandfather and his interesting life, particularly as a toy maker. Short and worth a read.
May 13, 2015
Over the course of 224 pages, author Bruce Watson paints an insightful portrait of toy industry legend Albert Carlton (A.C.) Gilbert, inventor of the Erector Set and founder of the A.C. Gilbert Company.
Watson weaves A.C. Gilbert’s business acumen, boundless energy, and marketing prowess into more than a simple tale of a company’s rise to prominence in the competitive toy industry. He uses toys like the aforementioned Erector Set, chemistry sets, and toy trains, to weave a nostalgic tapestry of early 1900s Americana.
The narrative is also buoyed by the subject’s remarkable real-life exploits. In addition to his toy inventions, Gilbert was also an Olympic Gold Medalist in pole vaulting, a big-game hunter, an accomplished magician, and a Yale University-educated physician – a quintessential Renaissance man.
As his story unfolds, it becomes apparent that Gilbert routinely channeled his various outside interests into the success of his company and, like any successful businessman, was not afraid to take risks and try new things.
For example, he was one of the first toy makers to advertise extensively. He published magazines. And, he even developed a radio program focused on introducing “Gilbert Boys” to the science behind his inventions, as well as tips on life and growing up.
In 1916, Gilbert co-founded the Toy Manufacturers of America, the first trade association for the toy industry, and served as its first president. In 1918, he put on his lobbyist hat and banded together with others in the toy industry to convince the U.S. Government’s Council of National Defense to abandon its plans to impose a country-wide embargo on the buying and selling of Christmas gifts in support of the war effort.
One of the sources of information for this book is The Man Who Lives in Paradise, A.C. Gilbert’s autobiography — a title that is now definitely on my “must read” list.
Watson weaves A.C. Gilbert’s business acumen, boundless energy, and marketing prowess into more than a simple tale of a company’s rise to prominence in the competitive toy industry. He uses toys like the aforementioned Erector Set, chemistry sets, and toy trains, to weave a nostalgic tapestry of early 1900s Americana.
The narrative is also buoyed by the subject’s remarkable real-life exploits. In addition to his toy inventions, Gilbert was also an Olympic Gold Medalist in pole vaulting, a big-game hunter, an accomplished magician, and a Yale University-educated physician – a quintessential Renaissance man.
As his story unfolds, it becomes apparent that Gilbert routinely channeled his various outside interests into the success of his company and, like any successful businessman, was not afraid to take risks and try new things.
For example, he was one of the first toy makers to advertise extensively. He published magazines. And, he even developed a radio program focused on introducing “Gilbert Boys” to the science behind his inventions, as well as tips on life and growing up.
In 1916, Gilbert co-founded the Toy Manufacturers of America, the first trade association for the toy industry, and served as its first president. In 1918, he put on his lobbyist hat and banded together with others in the toy industry to convince the U.S. Government’s Council of National Defense to abandon its plans to impose a country-wide embargo on the buying and selling of Christmas gifts in support of the war effort.
One of the sources of information for this book is The Man Who Lives in Paradise, A.C. Gilbert’s autobiography — a title that is now definitely on my “must read” list.
January 17, 2016
Breezy biography of A.C. Gilbert succeeds in sparking interest in his eccentric life as Olympic athlete, magician, and toy millionaire as inventor of the Erector toyline. Author Bruce Watson injects allot of fun into the book with a writing style that captures the "golly-gee-whiz" attitude that Gilbert himself seemed to share through his toy ads and magazines. Its not all toys with this story, as Gilbert's life takes some unique turns with a brief career as an Olympic athlete and much later his opening the fifth radio station to be licensed in the United States. The anecdotes of the toy business during Gilbert's time are quite illuminating when Watson relates it to the larger world around it. Examples include the rise of American toy manufacturing following the outbreak of the First World War as a result of boycotts of German toys and later the attempt to effectively "cancel" Christmas and Gilbert's efforts to stop this. Watson makes valid arguments about the differences in attitudes towards children, women, and education in general between today's more cynical world and Gilbert's more optimistic era. Even if the reader is not a huge Erector set fanatic, the book is never at a loss with surprising stories such as Gilbert's marketing of a toy for adults (the vibrator) and an Atomic Energy Lab kit that featured actual radioactive elements for kids to track down with Geiger counters. The deeper and more complex story of Gilbert's relationship with his family is, by the author's own admission, given only a surface treatment as it seems little is actually known. Despite his persona of a friend to all young boys, Gilbert demonstrated a certain distance with his own children and grandchildren which is curious to note. Watson delivers a very engaging read with this look at Gilbert's life and its to be recommended to any with an interest in the history of toys or just someone open to looking for an offbeat biography.
June 24, 2008
This is a quirky bio of the man who invented the erector toy set that also diverges into social/cultural history as it tells its story. I liked the first half of it more because it was more of the bio and how the erector set came to be. I lost interest a bit later on when there were chapters on the social/cultural angle.
I never played with an erector set. Never really wanted to. Then again, I loathe science and math so the idea of doing quasi-engineering in my bedroom with pieces of real steel and nuts and bolts just doesn't appeal to me. It did to a lot of kids though and evidently the erector set is a magical thing for them to ponder--taking them back to their youth and their childhoods.
I never played with an erector set. Never really wanted to. Then again, I loathe science and math so the idea of doing quasi-engineering in my bedroom with pieces of real steel and nuts and bolts just doesn't appeal to me. It did to a lot of kids though and evidently the erector set is a magical thing for them to ponder--taking them back to their youth and their childhoods.
December 8, 2014
What did the book show me about my world that I never noticed before?
The book showed me that a talented man can be so much and impact the world a bunch of ways. He made magic sets and the famous Erector which I have been building and playing with in my childhood life for 6 years. He literally took toys to another level which changed my life.
What did I realize about myself as a result of reading this Book?
I told myself "look at this man, he made world records and created a successful Toy company that all the boys around america wanted toys from. He gave them basically a tutorial into making buildings, cars, etc." Then I realized I can be so much more than I am right now. All I have to do is take the chances and make that happen.
Why was this work so meaningful to me?
It was meaningful to me because my dad worked in construction and I could relate to that with the erector sets by making a tower or a building. Every time I saw him come back from work, I would have built something new for him to smile at.
How do I know the author's work influenced me?
I knew that the author influenced me after the chapter that said he went all over america in a train that almost looks like it came out of a cartoon. And in there was all of his erector sets in there for display, that's when I knew that he influenced me.
The book showed me that a talented man can be so much and impact the world a bunch of ways. He made magic sets and the famous Erector which I have been building and playing with in my childhood life for 6 years. He literally took toys to another level which changed my life.
What did I realize about myself as a result of reading this Book?
I told myself "look at this man, he made world records and created a successful Toy company that all the boys around america wanted toys from. He gave them basically a tutorial into making buildings, cars, etc." Then I realized I can be so much more than I am right now. All I have to do is take the chances and make that happen.
Why was this work so meaningful to me?
It was meaningful to me because my dad worked in construction and I could relate to that with the erector sets by making a tower or a building. Every time I saw him come back from work, I would have built something new for him to smile at.
How do I know the author's work influenced me?
I knew that the author influenced me after the chapter that said he went all over america in a train that almost looks like it came out of a cartoon. And in there was all of his erector sets in there for display, that's when I knew that he influenced me.
March 10, 2022
An interesting look into the life of Alfred Carlton Gilbert, from his start as an Olympic athlete to his rise as one of America's toy giants.
An interesting aspect of this book is Gilbert's approach to toys, that they are to learn from as much as to play with. Some of the A.C. Gilbert Company's most famous products are discussed (American Flyer trains, Erector sets) but a number of other products are also discussed. Some educational 'toys' like microscopes and chemistry sets are mentioned, as are some of Gilbert's practical home appliances, such as electric fans, bowl mixers, and other things.
Part of the focus of the book is how Gilbert's 'toys' helped shape the imaginations (and careers) of millions of kids. Boys and girls both played with Gilbert's products, leading to many developing an interest in mechanical or structural engineering, chemistry, and other fields.
Gilbert himself could be a complex man, but his approach to making toys was an influential one. I can only think of one contemporary who fielded as much success, Louis Marx of the Marx Toy Company. While Marx focused on inexpensive toys for fun, Gilbert focused on bringing technology (the electronic eye among others) and science (even the now infamous Gilbert Atomic set) into families so they play could also be a teaching moment.
An interesting aspect of this book is Gilbert's approach to toys, that they are to learn from as much as to play with. Some of the A.C. Gilbert Company's most famous products are discussed (American Flyer trains, Erector sets) but a number of other products are also discussed. Some educational 'toys' like microscopes and chemistry sets are mentioned, as are some of Gilbert's practical home appliances, such as electric fans, bowl mixers, and other things.
Part of the focus of the book is how Gilbert's 'toys' helped shape the imaginations (and careers) of millions of kids. Boys and girls both played with Gilbert's products, leading to many developing an interest in mechanical or structural engineering, chemistry, and other fields.
Gilbert himself could be a complex man, but his approach to making toys was an influential one. I can only think of one contemporary who fielded as much success, Louis Marx of the Marx Toy Company. While Marx focused on inexpensive toys for fun, Gilbert focused on bringing technology (the electronic eye among others) and science (even the now infamous Gilbert Atomic set) into families so they play could also be a teaching moment.
June 15, 2023
This is an engaging biography of one of the most interesting men I had never heard of. A.C. Gilbert was a brilliant inventor and businessman who exhibited all of the best qualities associated with the good old American entrepreneurial spirit.
Gilbert seems to have been outstanding at everything he set out to do. He won a gold medal at the 1908 Olympic Games (or, more correctly, tied for it). He won awards as a dog breeder and registered patents for everything from electric fans to vibrators. He built a railroad (a scaled-down model - sold thousands) and a radio station in Connecticut, which I suppose you could listen to on your crystal Gilbert Wireless Outfit. Probably the accomplishment he is best remembered for is his invention of the Erector Set, his bread and butter. These sets, over 30,000,000 of them, ranged in size from a basic set for a couple of bucks to more complicated rigs involving motors, pulleys and moving parts. These were turned out in Gilbert's factory in New Haven, a non-union shop that nonetheless pioneered employee benefits like health care and maternity leave.
Gilbert used to plug his products on his radio station, beginning his program with "Hello, Boys"...this was naturally back in the days when you could call someone with a penis a boy without being accused of misgendering him. That nonsense would be years in the future. Boys naturally made up the bulk of his customers, or, at least, their fathers did. Gilbert did not exclude girls, but he knew what side his bread was buttered on. Both boys and girls would go on to put their sets to practical advantage, using them to design objects such as the Bailey bridge which was later used to advantage by his country's military.
I think my favourite Gilbert anecdote best describes Gilbert's devotion to his boys and his attitude toward customer service. One Christmas a shipment of Erector sets had not been shipped to customers before closing time on Christmas Eve. One father, upset that his son wasn't going to have a gift on Christmas morning, looked Gilbert up in the phone book and called him to report that the gift hadn't been received. A sympathetic Gilbert actually contacted the store owner and had him get one of the Erector sets and deliver it to the residence. On Christmas Eve! It says a lot about the man and the times. Imagine being able to get hold of the head of any company today...Hell, sometimes you can't get an answer at the company, never mind the owner.
I really enjoyed the book, but I found that, while it told me a lot about what Gilbert did, I never really got a grip on how he thought, and learned very little about his personal life away from work. Some day I'll have to track down a copy of his autobiography.
Gilbert seems to have been outstanding at everything he set out to do. He won a gold medal at the 1908 Olympic Games (or, more correctly, tied for it). He won awards as a dog breeder and registered patents for everything from electric fans to vibrators. He built a railroad (a scaled-down model - sold thousands) and a radio station in Connecticut, which I suppose you could listen to on your crystal Gilbert Wireless Outfit. Probably the accomplishment he is best remembered for is his invention of the Erector Set, his bread and butter. These sets, over 30,000,000 of them, ranged in size from a basic set for a couple of bucks to more complicated rigs involving motors, pulleys and moving parts. These were turned out in Gilbert's factory in New Haven, a non-union shop that nonetheless pioneered employee benefits like health care and maternity leave.
Gilbert used to plug his products on his radio station, beginning his program with "Hello, Boys"...this was naturally back in the days when you could call someone with a penis a boy without being accused of misgendering him. That nonsense would be years in the future. Boys naturally made up the bulk of his customers, or, at least, their fathers did. Gilbert did not exclude girls, but he knew what side his bread was buttered on. Both boys and girls would go on to put their sets to practical advantage, using them to design objects such as the Bailey bridge which was later used to advantage by his country's military.
I think my favourite Gilbert anecdote best describes Gilbert's devotion to his boys and his attitude toward customer service. One Christmas a shipment of Erector sets had not been shipped to customers before closing time on Christmas Eve. One father, upset that his son wasn't going to have a gift on Christmas morning, looked Gilbert up in the phone book and called him to report that the gift hadn't been received. A sympathetic Gilbert actually contacted the store owner and had him get one of the Erector sets and deliver it to the residence. On Christmas Eve! It says a lot about the man and the times. Imagine being able to get hold of the head of any company today...Hell, sometimes you can't get an answer at the company, never mind the owner.
I really enjoyed the book, but I found that, while it told me a lot about what Gilbert did, I never really got a grip on how he thought, and learned very little about his personal life away from work. Some day I'll have to track down a copy of his autobiography.
April 27, 2022
Another book I don't remember where or when I bought it, and I ended up enjoying the story a lot more than I expected. I never played with an Erector set as a child, and I don't recall any of my friends having one, but I knew what they were. The story of A.C. Gilbert is a true rags-to-riches, self-made-millionaire story at a time in America when innovation was still giving us things we take for granted today, like electric fans and battery-operated flashlights.
I really enjoyed "living" through a time period that I don't read about often (1890's - 1940's), whether in fiction or nonfic, told through the eyes of someone with a genuine interest in the subject. A.C. Gilbert accomplished a lot in his life and was a product of his time, but he also engaged the imaginations of a generation of boys in a way few ever have before. If you like true stories of real pioneers, or just want a history of toys from the early half of the twentieth century, this is well worth a read.
I really enjoyed "living" through a time period that I don't read about often (1890's - 1940's), whether in fiction or nonfic, told through the eyes of someone with a genuine interest in the subject. A.C. Gilbert accomplished a lot in his life and was a product of his time, but he also engaged the imaginations of a generation of boys in a way few ever have before. If you like true stories of real pioneers, or just want a history of toys from the early half of the twentieth century, this is well worth a read.
Read
July 8, 2014I grabbed this at a used bookstore having never heard of it or the man it's about. I don't read a lot of biography, so I don't want to rate it on that front, but for anyone who's interested in kids media, child development, "gendered" play, or related topics, this is a fascinating history of how one man fundamentally changed the purpose and marketing of toys, and how the same mission that once made him a king among boys would fail to adapt to changing times.
January 12, 2016
Not necessarily a page-turner, but still a pretty fascinating look at the inventor of one of America's most popular toys. Full review here: http://www.sunlitpages.com/2016/01/th...
November 7, 2009
The Man Who Changed How Boys and Toys Were Made
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews