River Forest toy inventor goes by the book

Kids these days may be growing up in the world of iPhones, but electronic devices can't teach them the same life lessons as board games and old-fashioned toys, a River Forest inventor argues in his first published book.

Bruce Lund, founder of Lund and Company Invention in River Forest, announced last month that his book is now available on Amazon and createspace.com for $24.99. The book is called Bruce's Beliefs: Everything I Know about Business (and Life), I Learned Playing with Toys.

His contention is that toys have a profound influence on children's lives as they grow up, and they affect how children choose to interact with the world as adults. He noted that Frank Lloyd Wright credited building blocks he played with during childhood as the reason he became an architect. Similarly, the Wright brothers (no relation) received a toy airplane.

Lund said toys can teach kids a lot about how the real world functions, from concepts like gravity and inertia to skills like cooperation or cheating.

"They learn proper ways of behaving that will work better for them as adults," he said.

The book is a collection of Lund's blog entries, written over the past three and a half years. The book began coming together about a year and a half ago. A statement on the company's website said the book contains business advice and inspirational commentary about life and love.

Lund said electronics are an undeniably important part of today's society, but they must take their place beside plastic and wooden toys and games.

To Lund, games serve as vehicles for interaction.

"The magic takes place above and beyond the game board between the players," he said.

The book can also be purchased by calling the company at 708-689-8233. His blog can be viewed at www.lundandcompany.com/bruces-blog.