This is a weighty book of reference, bringing to mind the various Britains, Airfix, Italeri, etc., figures I've used or made over the years. Figure modellers and collectors would find this book of great interest.

IPMS Magazine, Issue 3 - 2021

With its 621 pages packed with beautifully reproduced colour photographs and Toiati’s descriptive text full of interesting details and anecdotes, it’s a book that will naturally appeal to the collector of toy soldiers but also anyone who has had the pleasure of using and enjoying them as children or in adulthood.

Read the full review here

Solo Slow Wargaming

As featured by

Austro Classic, 6/2019

Magnificent. A book to relax and enjoy the story of the toy soldier in both visual and written ways.

Read the full Spanish review here

Miniaturas JM

Wow, this book is so full of memories. If you read this book from the beginning, you’ll be taken on a ride through time from the earliest to the present-day toy soldiers. However, I found the best way to read this book is just open it and start reading… anywhere. It’s addictive, informative, fascinating and fun.

It also includes scale figures from Airfix, which is a bonus for an Airfix enthusiast.

The book is superbly produced to a very high standard and very well written. If you have any interest in this subject, you really need this book. I would even stick my neck out and say it’s the ONLY book you’ll need.

Read the full review here

Vintage Airfix

Featured 'ON THE BOOK SHELF' with Neil Smith

Wargames Illustrated, December 2019

Toiati creatively delivers exhaustive details, captivating anecdotes and a sense of nostalgia that exudes the fundamental childhood joy of playing with toy soldiers combined with adult collectors’ wonderment at their charms.

Toy Soldier & Model Figure magazine, issue 245 - reviewed by Stuart A. Hessney

Kudos to Pen and Sword publishers for using thick glossy paper. This book exudes quality and is worthy of its heft. The History of Toy Soldiers offers an incredibly impressive amount of research on the topic of collectible toy soldiers. Enjoyed it.

Historical Miniatures Gaming Society

I actually suggest not reading the book from cover to cover, but instead opening it, picking a random page and reading about the figures that appear. It is a great journey of exploration — and one that should provide much entertainment to anyone interested in toy soldiers.

If you know someone who loves toy soldiers, this would be a great choice for a gift.

Read the full review here

Miniature Wargaming

Toy soldiers have been used for centuries by children, soldiers and collectors, celebrated by this comprehensive history. For anyone with any interest in the subject this is a must buy book – Most Highly Recommended.

Read the full review here

Firetrench

As featured on Old Barbed Wire Blog

Old Barbed Wire Blog

What a fascinating book. This large book, with over 600 pages, is quite excellent. We usually think of the 'toy soldier' as a toy for children, with glossy paint and looking very colourful. This takes the story much further back, as model soldiers were found in some form as far back as the Egyptians and the Romans. We see how they have evolved over the years, and been made from clay, wood, metal and even paper, before getting to the plastic offerings of more recent years... A beautifully presented book, a very useful reference and a really interesting read as well.

Read the full review here

Military Model Scene, Robin Buckland

I really love this book. It's huge and has so much information that you'll probably find yourself going through it several times. The first time I went through it, I scanned the chapters while looking at the great photos of the soldiers. The second time was spent reading the chapters that caught my eye and interest. I've finished my third pass and I'm sure I'll continue to pick it up to peruse it. Toiati has such a great leisurely and fun writing style. He ends the book in his friendly style with "I am now situated in Rugby, in the East Midlands. If you are passing, please call and we can talk soldiers together. I'll put the kettle on".

Read the full review here

Military History Online

This amazing book traces the history of toy soldiers from the earliest times to the present day. Lavishly illustrated, it is inspiring and inspirational. The sheer variety of what was and is available not only to collectors but to todays' children and enthusiasts is awe-inspiring. A must-have must-read Bible for lovers of toy history and in particular toy soldiers. Absolutely glorious!

Books Monthly

This book is undoubtedly a labour of love and written by an apparent expert in his field. It is both encyclopaedic in function and specialised in its subject; a volume to ‘dip into’ rather than read in a conventional way. As a result, its likely-readership will be those with a specific interest in the subject. To such individuals the work may achieve ‘Standard Reference Work’ status. Its unusual subject may also have curiousity value to readers of a more generalist nature.

Keith Rimmer, NZ Crown Mines

This is a book that will get you gasping: ‘I had those!’ or ‘I always wanted one of them!’ and will bring memories flooding back.
It is a collection of essays looking at individual manufacturers and companies with plenty of anecdotes about the period and the figures. If you get into the chapters that illustrate a key moment in your toy soldier life then you’ll be catapulted back into the past.

Hoplite Association

The text is extremely readable, almost conversational, and will probably end up being dipped into rather than read cover to cover. Some of the makers stories have the authors personal reminiscences included. Many manufacturers, large and small** are covered in the text, with all the well known names amongst the lesser known. All sizes are covered including wargame figures and large scale plastic kits such as those from Airfix and Aurora. Even the terracotta warriors get a mention in passing... I can really recommend that anyone who enjoys toy/model soldier history should get a copy for their shelves.

Read the full review here

Steam, Steel and Torpedoes

Having recently decided to engage in the hobby of toy soldiers, this book is exactly what I wanted to gain some insight into the history and the background to understand something of the depth of the subject. It is written in a style that is egalitarian with no scent of snobbery about any particular type or method of construction and it is a very welcoming book. As well as describing the rare and wonderful it also includes plastic mass produced products that rightly have their place in the hobby. Well indexed by manufacturer; having explored it once it becomes a reference book to dip into. The passion of the author for his subject shines through. Fascinating reading.

Michael McCarthy. Battlefield Guide

Michael McCarthy