I had the pleasure of interviewing Jenga inventor, Leslie Scott for my book, Timeless Toys. After reading her new book, it was clear to me that I simply scratched the surface of her remarkable story. About Jenga tells the tale of inventing one of the most popular games in the world, and like the game she made famous, her book is filled with edge-of-your seat suspense. From the game's humble origins in East Africa, to its trek to England, Canada, the US and then the world, this toy tale is punctuated with ups and downs, huge risks and vast reward. Yet this is much more than a recounting of the development and rise of a great game brand.
About Jenga: The Remarkable Business of Creating a Game that Became a Household Name is essentially a book on the business of creating and licensing games. Scott shares how she tried to patent her game (with a comical poke at her lawyer), but she also shares her somber, cautionary tale of signing an agreement (without a lawyer) that she unfortunately must live with to this day. I thoroughly enjoyed her detailed research and opinion on what makes a great game, but it was her deeper reflections on the nature of play that made this book a good read. While Scott delves into her own story and shares many family pictures, About Jenga is a much more than a memoir. It's a book on the business of game licensing and the universal human desire for play.
Oh, and by the way, it's also an inspirational story of a remarkable woman, who with creativity and grit, gave the world one of its greatest games.
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