The cover alone of Mike Doyle’s Beautiful Lego is a showstopper, but inside this 280-page $29.99 paperback are some of the most incredible examples of LEGO art you’ll ever seen in such a wide range of categories and styles that it’s impossible to NOT be rendered utterly speechless every few pages. Doyle’s own work is spectacular and rages from that stunning cover image to gorgeously ruined half-destroyed homes constructed in black, white and gray LEGO pieces.

Many other supremely talented artists contribute work as well ranging from realistic looking buildings and vehicles, cute animal builds, plenty of surprising characters from comics and movies, sci-fi spaceships, robots and mecha and other creations ranging from mosaics to surreal “Meta” works. And if you happen to be a Monty Python fan, there are a few very humorous recreations of skits that will have you grinning before you read the captions. The question “Why LEGO?” is answered by some of the artists here and it seems the answers all go back to the core element of guys and gals wanting to make those hard plastic shapes do things they’re not made to do and some more in-depth answers that are pretty deep if you’re one of those who thinks LEGOs aren’t made for artistic purposes.

And yes, don’t be surprised if about halfway through this book you find yourself wanting to check that hall closet to see if there’s that dusty old box of LEGO bricks still hanging out on that top shelf. Of course, you’ll probably be a bit rusty compared to Doyle and the other outstanding artists here, but thankfully, there’s a book for that as well from the fine folks at no starch press. Hmmmm.. I do happen to have space to build stuff, but I need the time and LEGOs. A whole LOT of LEGOs. And a whole LOT of money to buy those LEGOs. And a willing assistant. Wait, do I have time for a new hobby these days? Hmmmm… OK, and a WORKING time machine (most probably made from LEGOs)…