'A Game Maker's Life' Book Looks Back at the Invention of Iconic Toys'A Game Maker's Life' Book Looks Back at the Invention of Iconic Toys

Behind-the-scenes stories from the best job in the world from the man who created countless favorite toys.

Dan Carney, Senior Editor

May 23, 2022

9 Slides
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Image courtesy of Post Hill Press

Jeffrey Breslow is a preeminent toy and game inventor and designer who spent more than 41 years inventing toys and games and now he's penned a recollection of his career spent inventing fun.

"A Game Maker's Life," recounts how, after graduating with a BFA from the University of Illinois in industrial design he became the youngest managing partner of Marvin Glass and Associates, the leading toy design company in the world at the age of 33. Marvin Glass and Associates created games such as Simon, Operation, Guesstures, the Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle, Mousetrap, and UNO Attack!

Breslow was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in New York City in 1988 and left the toy business in 2008 to sculpt full time.

In this book, he tells how MGA founder Marvin Glass made Breslow a partner after only a year and a half at the company, calling him a "boy genius."

He is the only toy designer to win the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval twice and was inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame in 1998.

The book comes out Aug. 30 from Post Hill Press, with a price of $28 for the hardcover edition.

 

About the Author

Dan Carney

Senior Editor, Design News

Dan’s coverage of the auto industry over three decades has taken him to the racetracks, automotive engineering centers, vehicle simulators, wind tunnels, and crash-test labs of the world.

A member of the North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year jury, Dan also contributes car reviews to Popular Science magazine, serves on the International Engine of the Year jury, and has judged the collegiate Formula SAE competition.

Dan is a winner of the International Motor Press Association's Ken Purdy Award for automotive writing, as well as the National Motorsports Press Association's award for magazine writing and the Washington Automotive Press Association's Golden Quill award.

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He has held a Sports Car Club of America racing license since 1991, is an SCCA National race winner, two-time SCCA Runoffs competitor in Formula F, and an Old Dominion Region Driver of the Year award winner. Co-drove a Ford Focus 1.0-liter EcoBoost to 16 Federation Internationale de l’Automobile-accredited world speed records over distances from just under 1km to over 4,104km at the CERAM test circuit in Mortefontaine, France.

He was also a longtime contributor to the Society of Automotive Engineers' Automotive Engineering International magazine.

He specializes in analyzing technical developments, particularly in the areas of motorsports, efficiency, and safety.

He has been published in The New York Times, NBC News, Motor Trend, Popular Mechanics, The Washington Post, Hagerty, AutoTrader.com, Maxim, RaceCar Engineering, AutoWeek, Virginia Living, and others.

Dan has authored books on the Honda S2000 and Dodge Viper sports cars and contributed automotive content to the consumer finance book, Fight For Your Money.

He is a member and past president of the Washington Automotive Press Association and is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers

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