WHAM-O Super Book

Tim Walsh is a game inventor, documentary film maker, toy historian, consultant and author. His latest book is WHAM-O Super Book: Celebrating 60 Years Inside the Fun Factory. This book has lots of great stories behind Spud Melin and Rich Knerr's toy company WHAM-O and their "fun factory". You'll know this company for their famous inventions like the Hula-Hoop, Frisbee, Silly String, Super-Ball, Hacky Sack, Slip 'n Slide and my personal fav the Bubble Thing. Did you know that Play-Doh began as a wallpaper cleaner created by a soap company? WHAM-O once created a do-it-yourself bomb shelter? troops in Iraq might be using Silly String to detect trip wires? Thanks to this book, now you know. There are lots of interesting stories combined with tons of classic ads and pictures to inform you about all things WHAM-O. Walsh is witty and since he's reporting on a fun subject, he finds lots of exciting stories to tell. A section on the failed toys developed by the company over the years was particularly interesting. The WHAM-O company makes for fun stories and this book is a great showcase for some of the best and most fun toys lots of us played with when we were kids.