COLLECT ALL 21!

I'd like to point out Collect All 21!- Memoirs of a Star Wars Geek by John Booth for two reasons. One is to simply show off the cover that I re-designed for it. When I saw his original cover I was instantly enamored by his decision to cleverly utilize the classic Kenner proof of purchase as a design element. It's a brilliant move because it serves as a litmus test of its potential readers. Put simply, if you recognize it then the book is for you.

These little discs were printed on the blister cards of each Star Wars action figure, and they proved more valuable than money to Star Wars-collecting kids because a pile of them could be exchanged for exclusive mail away offers. (One of which granted early access to the infamous fan favorite, Boba Fett.) If you're not among the book's target audience it's just a blue and white circle containing some wonky font choices. But even in that case, the image hints at an appropriate planet-like orb.

More important than all that is the fact that this book is highly entertaining and well written. And here's the truly amazing thing about it— it's full of all of your own memories. Really! I spend half the time reading, and the other half experiencing long-forgotten Star Wars flashbacks. It has sent pulses into my brain that are reawakening moments and stories that have been dormant for decades. And when you enjoy visiting the past as often as I do, that's no small feat. As an added bonus, in many cases these thoughts are triggering non-Lucasfilm related retrospection too. A few pages can send me into a warm bath of childhood wonder.

So if you've ever used scissors on your Star Wars toy packaging then you may just want to order yourself a copy.