What do you think?
Rate this book
Barbie Forever: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy
Barbie Forever: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy presents a detailed, full-color portrait of this beloved doll through all-new interviews, original sketches, vintage photos, advertisements, a foldout timeline, and much more. Explore how the doll came to be, what it takes to create one of her many looks, and how her legacy continues to influence the world.
Since her debut in 1959, Barbie has been breaking boundaries and highlighting major moments in art, fashion, and culture. She has been an interpreter of taste and style in every historic period she has lived through and has reflected female empowerment through the more than 200 careers she has embodied. Today, an international icon, Barbie continues to spark imaginations and influence conversations around the world.
Barbie Forever is a vibrant celebration for the "Barbie Girl" in all of us.
Since her debut in 1959, Barbie has been breaking boundaries and highlighting major moments in art, fashion, and culture. She has been an interpreter of taste and style in every historic period she has lived through and has reflected female empowerment through the more than 200 careers she has embodied. Today, an international icon, Barbie continues to spark imaginations and influence conversations around the world.
Barbie Forever is a vibrant celebration for the "Barbie Girl" in all of us.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2019
6 people are currently reading
337 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
February 15, 2024
I received an ARC of “Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy” by Robin Gerber from NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group/Epic Ink in exchange for an honest review. I cannot tell everyone how much I loved this book.
The book’s formatting was absolutely PERFECT. The text, besides being easy to read and informative, had enough white space to make reading it an actual joy. And the photographs! There were full color photographs splashed across every single page. The author included photos of numerous Barbie dolls throughout the years, from 1959 through today. I particularly love how Gerber incorporated some black and white photographs as well, especially of the older photographs of the company’s founders, Ruth and Elliott Handler.
I played with Barbie dolls as a child. As an adult, I purchased them as well for my “closet collection.” Unfortunately, I no longer own the collection as I had a habit of giving away the dolls to all of the kids who became googly-eyed after I showed off my Barbies. But I **love** Barbies! So, when Gerber began discussing Barbie’s creator Ruth Handler, it really piqued my curiosity.
I’ve always admired how the company paid so much attention to diversity, so I shouldn’t have been surprised when Gerber revealed that Ruth Handler was Jewish. Learning this fact really makes it clear just how much the Jewish community has helped the United States become such a wonderful country. Sure, the US has its problems, but our problems are outweighed by the enormous talent in this country. And without the Jewish community, the United States would not be what it is today.
In just nine chapters, Gerber was able to provide a concise overview of the history of the Matell Company, its workers, and the impact that Barbie dolls have had not just on the U.S., but on countries around the world. I learned a lot from this book—including learning for the first time that Barbie had a surname (Roberts)!
This book is every Barbie lovers dream. But it’s also an important part of advertising and marketing history as well. People are going to love reading this book and I encourage everyone 100% to read this book.
The book’s formatting was absolutely PERFECT. The text, besides being easy to read and informative, had enough white space to make reading it an actual joy. And the photographs! There were full color photographs splashed across every single page. The author included photos of numerous Barbie dolls throughout the years, from 1959 through today. I particularly love how Gerber incorporated some black and white photographs as well, especially of the older photographs of the company’s founders, Ruth and Elliott Handler.
I played with Barbie dolls as a child. As an adult, I purchased them as well for my “closet collection.” Unfortunately, I no longer own the collection as I had a habit of giving away the dolls to all of the kids who became googly-eyed after I showed off my Barbies. But I **love** Barbies! So, when Gerber began discussing Barbie’s creator Ruth Handler, it really piqued my curiosity.
I’ve always admired how the company paid so much attention to diversity, so I shouldn’t have been surprised when Gerber revealed that Ruth Handler was Jewish. Learning this fact really makes it clear just how much the Jewish community has helped the United States become such a wonderful country. Sure, the US has its problems, but our problems are outweighed by the enormous talent in this country. And without the Jewish community, the United States would not be what it is today.
In just nine chapters, Gerber was able to provide a concise overview of the history of the Matell Company, its workers, and the impact that Barbie dolls have had not just on the U.S., but on countries around the world. I learned a lot from this book—including learning for the first time that Barbie had a surname (Roberts)!
This book is every Barbie lovers dream. But it’s also an important part of advertising and marketing history as well. People are going to love reading this book and I encourage everyone 100% to read this book.
October 16, 2019
If you want to read a personal story related to this book, check out my longer review on the blog.
The book really helped me go back to my childhood. More than that, it was so interesting to see how Barbie was invented, what the first models looked like, what her fashions looked like. The fashions especially! Oh god, this book is full of the most stylish and amazing Barbie designs ever. It reminded me how I used to make clothes for my Barbie along with my mom myself. (I think those are the only Barbie things I might have kept!) The book has a lot of one-page or two-page photos – of Ruth Handler, Barbie’s creator, of the first designs and clothes, the first ads, and just all sorts of special, incredibly gorgeous Barbies. And not just Barbies – it also has a lot of early Mattel toy sketches as they were being made. I looooooved the photos so much. And I tell you, there are photos in pretty much every page. Like 99% of the pages. The 1% reserved for me forgetting, cause I’m pretty sure it was on every page!
Barbie Forever really concentrates on diversity and how Barbie supports it right now. However, I felt that that wasn’t always the case – this is not apparent in the book. It paints the picture of Black, Latina and Asian Barbies available, well, pretty much always – except I’m pretty sure they’ve surfaced in the numbers only very recently. Yes, there might have been diverse Barbies in the 1980s, but were they very popular? Were they sold broadly? I doubt it.
I loved this book’s focus on the diversity and the way Barbie’s body tries to move towards a better, more inclusive body image right now, and that’s great! Barbie has made progress.
But why do I remember how I hated my curly hair because that wasn’t “normal”? Because I didn’t have blue eyes? Why have I never in my life seen a non-blonde, non-straight-haired, perfect-figured Barbie played with?
Perhaps those were the problems of the 90s. But they are not even mentioned.
However, I am happy, looking at the photos now. Knowing that if I was growing up now, I could find a petite, curly haired Barbie sold. And think I was normal.
A little too late, maybe, but better late than never! I would have liked to see this talked about in the book. But for some reason, maybe they couldn’t. Really, that’s the only bone to pick I had to pick with this book! I loved everything else.
The history of Barbie was also really interesting. Apparently, before Barbie, girls were encouraged to play with baby dolls (and grow up to be mothers), but they had no way to see themselves grown up (or in any other role, apart from mothers.) I didn’t even know that! That’s one thing Barbie changed.
(Funnily enough, men almost shut down the idea completely, saying that mothers won’t buy their daughters a doll with breasts. Because OF COURSE they did.)
As smart as the marketing technique was of making Barbie a “teen-age fashion model”, I fear that is exactly what raised quite a few generations of women who thought that modelling is the absolute greatest life for a woman (which, as it appears, is a very hard and unhealthy industry to be in for a lot of young women.) I’m pretty sure Barbie is also responsible for a lot of girls’ self-image problems. But disregarding all that, it also allowed girls to see themselves as future grown-up women with more opportunities and jobs than just being a mother, as in a pre-Barbie world. And that’s something this book really tried to accentuate.
All in all, I really loved reading Barbie Forever. It wasn’t just a journey into my own past – it was also an enriching experience, mostly due to the amazing, detailed and super good quality photos in the book. If you’re a fan of Barbie or if you at least remember her fondly from your younger days, this is a great book to delve into. I’d even say it’s a great coffee table accessory! I really enjoyed it.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook for review. This has not affected my opinion.
The book really helped me go back to my childhood. More than that, it was so interesting to see how Barbie was invented, what the first models looked like, what her fashions looked like. The fashions especially! Oh god, this book is full of the most stylish and amazing Barbie designs ever. It reminded me how I used to make clothes for my Barbie along with my mom myself. (I think those are the only Barbie things I might have kept!) The book has a lot of one-page or two-page photos – of Ruth Handler, Barbie’s creator, of the first designs and clothes, the first ads, and just all sorts of special, incredibly gorgeous Barbies. And not just Barbies – it also has a lot of early Mattel toy sketches as they were being made. I looooooved the photos so much. And I tell you, there are photos in pretty much every page. Like 99% of the pages. The 1% reserved for me forgetting, cause I’m pretty sure it was on every page!
Barbie Forever really concentrates on diversity and how Barbie supports it right now. However, I felt that that wasn’t always the case – this is not apparent in the book. It paints the picture of Black, Latina and Asian Barbies available, well, pretty much always – except I’m pretty sure they’ve surfaced in the numbers only very recently. Yes, there might have been diverse Barbies in the 1980s, but were they very popular? Were they sold broadly? I doubt it.
I loved this book’s focus on the diversity and the way Barbie’s body tries to move towards a better, more inclusive body image right now, and that’s great! Barbie has made progress.
But why do I remember how I hated my curly hair because that wasn’t “normal”? Because I didn’t have blue eyes? Why have I never in my life seen a non-blonde, non-straight-haired, perfect-figured Barbie played with?
Perhaps those were the problems of the 90s. But they are not even mentioned.
However, I am happy, looking at the photos now. Knowing that if I was growing up now, I could find a petite, curly haired Barbie sold. And think I was normal.
A little too late, maybe, but better late than never! I would have liked to see this talked about in the book. But for some reason, maybe they couldn’t. Really, that’s the only bone to pick I had to pick with this book! I loved everything else.
The history of Barbie was also really interesting. Apparently, before Barbie, girls were encouraged to play with baby dolls (and grow up to be mothers), but they had no way to see themselves grown up (or in any other role, apart from mothers.) I didn’t even know that! That’s one thing Barbie changed.
(Funnily enough, men almost shut down the idea completely, saying that mothers won’t buy their daughters a doll with breasts. Because OF COURSE they did.)
As smart as the marketing technique was of making Barbie a “teen-age fashion model”, I fear that is exactly what raised quite a few generations of women who thought that modelling is the absolute greatest life for a woman (which, as it appears, is a very hard and unhealthy industry to be in for a lot of young women.) I’m pretty sure Barbie is also responsible for a lot of girls’ self-image problems. But disregarding all that, it also allowed girls to see themselves as future grown-up women with more opportunities and jobs than just being a mother, as in a pre-Barbie world. And that’s something this book really tried to accentuate.
All in all, I really loved reading Barbie Forever. It wasn’t just a journey into my own past – it was also an enriching experience, mostly due to the amazing, detailed and super good quality photos in the book. If you’re a fan of Barbie or if you at least remember her fondly from your younger days, this is a great book to delve into. I’d even say it’s a great coffee table accessory! I really enjoyed it.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook for review. This has not affected my opinion.
October 10, 2019
"Barbie Forever" is a positive look back at one of the most iconic toys around: Barbie. Starting from her beginning in the middle of the 20th century, Barbie has been the both the subject of praise and scrutiny. I was definitely a Barbie girl (in a Barbie world) growing up and so this toy has a very special place in my heart and I was interested to get a better look at the history through this book!
As I mentioned before, this is a very positive look back at Barbie's origins and her history. The toy faced much scrutiny for offering unrealistic body types and sometimes problematic story lines. This book doesn't really mention that and focuses on the highlights of Barbie's history. And to Mattel's credit (Mattel is Barbie's manufacturer), the brand has made great strides recently in being more inclusive and honoring the diversity of the real world (it's never too late). I appreciated seeing how the brand had changed throughout time. Barbie goes from being a fashion doll to show off pretty clothes to something more like what she was for me growing up: a tool for my imagination. The book captures that magic!
The book is also beautiful! It has a ton of full color pictures that celebrate both where Barbie has been and where she could potentially be going. This was such a great walk down memory lane for me. My sisters and I had an EPIC collection of Barbies that we loved to play with and we definitely had so many of the Barbies that appeared in the book.
With the holidays being just around the corner, this book would be a perfect gift for those that grew up with Barbie like I did!
As I mentioned before, this is a very positive look back at Barbie's origins and her history. The toy faced much scrutiny for offering unrealistic body types and sometimes problematic story lines. This book doesn't really mention that and focuses on the highlights of Barbie's history. And to Mattel's credit (Mattel is Barbie's manufacturer), the brand has made great strides recently in being more inclusive and honoring the diversity of the real world (it's never too late). I appreciated seeing how the brand had changed throughout time. Barbie goes from being a fashion doll to show off pretty clothes to something more like what she was for me growing up: a tool for my imagination. The book captures that magic!
The book is also beautiful! It has a ton of full color pictures that celebrate both where Barbie has been and where she could potentially be going. This was such a great walk down memory lane for me. My sisters and I had an EPIC collection of Barbies that we loved to play with and we definitely had so many of the Barbies that appeared in the book.
With the holidays being just around the corner, this book would be a perfect gift for those that grew up with Barbie like I did!
May 6, 2024
In Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy (2019), historian Robin Gerber very specifically focuses (with both her text and also with the many accompanying illustrations and vast array of photographs) on Mattel’s creation of Barbie dolls and on the evolution of the product line, with Gerber textually showing that after initially slow orders, the demand for the dolls exploded and with Barbies also modelling a multitude of different careers for women and as such also being role models for girls.
But although the latter is an attitude with which I personally do tend to agree (well, at least to a point, and that as a girl playing with my own collection of Barbie dolls, my four Barbies all being dressed as having different and varied types of jobs, this certainly helped me realise that I did not need to simply be a housewife but could also strive for many different types of careers, no matter what in particular my grandmothers kept telling me as they tried rather unsuccessfully and with growing impatience to teach me how to cook, sew and organise a household), I do find it rather one-sided and a bit problematic that Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy mostly shows readers primarily the positive side of Barbie, that there is pretty well no bad press at all being provided in and by Gerber's text, nothing much at all about the problematic history of Barbie dolls regarding unattainable body shapes/proportions, objectification, gender stratification issues and that any potential controversies are either not mentioned at all by Gerber or explained away using euphemisms. And while in my opinion not actually a really hugely and unforgivably problematic issue with Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy as the book it clearly meant to be an exuberant laudation and celebration of Barbie dolls, of their creator Ruth Handler and also of the company that created the dolls, of Mattel, I personally do find Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy just a bit too positive, too all encompassingly uncritical for me to recommend without reservations and caveats, that as a historian, Robin Gerber is definitely not being sufficiently academically rigorous and much too one-sided and lacking nuance and critical thinking for me with regard to Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy (and Mattel in 2016 adding dolls to reflect petite, tall, and more curvy body types is definitely something positive, but that I do still have my issues with Gerber kind of leaving us with an assumption in Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy of Mattel doing no wrong at all and ever with its Barbie dolls).
And thus, although Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy is a nicely basic and also loving celebration of all things Barbie (both nostalgic and equally something also for younger readers interested in Barbie dolls and their history, with Robin Gerber's text suitable for ages twelve and older in my opinion, although I guess I should mention that there are some illustrations showing Barbie unclothed and with her breasts rather prominent) and with the detailed bibliography also very much appreciated, yes, the one-sidedly positive and optimistic author take on Barbie dolls and that controversies are mostly being rather and probably even wilfully ignored by Gerber, this makes my rating for Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy not be able to go higher than three stars (solidly three stars, and yes, I am indeed glad to have read Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy and to own a copy, but also having to admit that the critical thinker in me is certainly a bit textually annoyed and also more than a bit frustrated regarding what remains unsaid and what is glossed over).
But although the latter is an attitude with which I personally do tend to agree (well, at least to a point, and that as a girl playing with my own collection of Barbie dolls, my four Barbies all being dressed as having different and varied types of jobs, this certainly helped me realise that I did not need to simply be a housewife but could also strive for many different types of careers, no matter what in particular my grandmothers kept telling me as they tried rather unsuccessfully and with growing impatience to teach me how to cook, sew and organise a household), I do find it rather one-sided and a bit problematic that Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy mostly shows readers primarily the positive side of Barbie, that there is pretty well no bad press at all being provided in and by Gerber's text, nothing much at all about the problematic history of Barbie dolls regarding unattainable body shapes/proportions, objectification, gender stratification issues and that any potential controversies are either not mentioned at all by Gerber or explained away using euphemisms. And while in my opinion not actually a really hugely and unforgivably problematic issue with Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy as the book it clearly meant to be an exuberant laudation and celebration of Barbie dolls, of their creator Ruth Handler and also of the company that created the dolls, of Mattel, I personally do find Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy just a bit too positive, too all encompassingly uncritical for me to recommend without reservations and caveats, that as a historian, Robin Gerber is definitely not being sufficiently academically rigorous and much too one-sided and lacking nuance and critical thinking for me with regard to Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy (and Mattel in 2016 adding dolls to reflect petite, tall, and more curvy body types is definitely something positive, but that I do still have my issues with Gerber kind of leaving us with an assumption in Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy of Mattel doing no wrong at all and ever with its Barbie dolls).
And thus, although Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy is a nicely basic and also loving celebration of all things Barbie (both nostalgic and equally something also for younger readers interested in Barbie dolls and their history, with Robin Gerber's text suitable for ages twelve and older in my opinion, although I guess I should mention that there are some illustrations showing Barbie unclothed and with her breasts rather prominent) and with the detailed bibliography also very much appreciated, yes, the one-sidedly positive and optimistic author take on Barbie dolls and that controversies are mostly being rather and probably even wilfully ignored by Gerber, this makes my rating for Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy not be able to go higher than three stars (solidly three stars, and yes, I am indeed glad to have read Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy and to own a copy, but also having to admit that the critical thinker in me is certainly a bit textually annoyed and also more than a bit frustrated regarding what remains unsaid and what is glossed over).
April 23, 2024
Everything you want to know about the history, growth, and evolution of Barbie in a stellar book with intriguing tidbits, fabulous photos and retro ads, plus a bibliography and index. Beautifully written by Robin Gerber, also author of the first bio of Ruth Handler, creator of the Barbie doll and Mattel. As the author writes, Ruth's creation "is being designed and promoted just as she intended, as a vehicle for a child to pretend to be anything." I loved this book almost as much as I loved my Barbie dolls, and Barbie fans will agree!
May 8, 2024
Very informative and so fun to learn about! Now I need a video essay about this topic lol
As consumers we don't realize how much goes behind the scenes and often take products at face value. I was the same way when thinking about Barbie, even after watching the recent movie. This book goes into the different elements of history of the Barbie doll, like the design, the creator's motive, difficulties in production, along with a bunch of other fun facts!
There's lots of photos accompanying easy to read information, so the book flew by without me noticing. Very well structured and it feels well researched. The information within does feel curated, since there's no explanation of common criticisms, but that could easily be another book.
* Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for a copy!
As consumers we don't realize how much goes behind the scenes and often take products at face value. I was the same way when thinking about Barbie, even after watching the recent movie. This book goes into the different elements of history of the Barbie doll, like the design, the creator's motive, difficulties in production, along with a bunch of other fun facts!
There's lots of photos accompanying easy to read information, so the book flew by without me noticing. Very well structured and it feels well researched. The information within does feel curated, since there's no explanation of common criticisms, but that could easily be another book.
* Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for a copy!
March 14, 2024
This is a fun introduction to the history of Barbie. The many photos make this an easy and wonderfully visual read!
I personally would have enjoyed some more insight into Barbie as a concept, and the criticisms that have come with her, and body image for example. More discussion of other Barbie pop culture such as the animated movies would have also been very enjoyable for me. However, this book is primarily focused on the Barbie doll, which is understandable.
A nice informative read for anyone who wants a good basis on how Barbie came to be, and has changed over time.
Thank you NetGalley for this eARC
3.5 stars
I personally would have enjoyed some more insight into Barbie as a concept, and the criticisms that have come with her, and body image for example. More discussion of other Barbie pop culture such as the animated movies would have also been very enjoyable for me. However, this book is primarily focused on the Barbie doll, which is understandable.
A nice informative read for anyone who wants a good basis on how Barbie came to be, and has changed over time.
Thank you NetGalley for this eARC
3.5 stars
September 21, 2019
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
The best way to describe this book is as a loving tribute to the doll - with all that would entail as a very narrowly focused tribute espousing the positives while ignoring all the negatives. A large chunk is about Mattel chief Ruth Handler bringing the concept of the fashion doll to market and the doubts, fights, and perseverance that saw Mattel produce the doll (with quite a bit about her partnership with Barbie fashion designer Charlotte Johnson and her work in Japan). The rest of the book covers mostly the empowering aspects of Barbie: careers, pop cultural influences, and the fans. Negative issues and controversies are either glossed over, ignored, or respun into a positive light. With many wonderful and unique photographs, this coffee table suitable book is a beautiful presentation and very easy to read. There may not be a lot of history here, especially after the first three years of barbie are discussed, but the joy is likely most to be found in the archival photographs.The book is broken down as follows: Introduction, Inspiring fans since 1959, Barbie goes to market, Shaping Barbie, Barbie lifestyle, Fashion and art, Going global, The magic of Barbie, Bibliography, Acknowledgements, About the author, Image credits, Historic Timeline.
Although the book feels big, really most of the informative parts are in the beginning and a lot of the book are the large images. Since the author has also penned a book about Mattel chief Ruth Handler (the creator of Barbie), there is a lot of good information here with some interesting tidbits about Barbie's early years. Handler is fully lionized here - put on a pedestal as a one-woman show who made Mattel what it is today. And these areas of the book feel especially meant to create a mythos: Instead of being seen as the woman who found an erotic prostitute doll from Germany and basically recreated it wholesale in the US, the book tells a story of Handler always having the Barbie doll in mind but only needing proof that it could be manufactured (which she found with the German doll. We are told that she completely redesigned the doll, especially the face, so it wasn't a direct copy. But it's hard to argue that when the pictures in the book show nearly the exact same doll between Lilli and Barbie. Things like that especially feel like revisionist history here.
After a large chunk of the book is given to Handler, her employee Charlotte Johnson is discussed in several places. Johnson's challenge of living in Japan (the cheapest place at the time to manufacture Barbie and her clothing) without speaking the language are fun anecdotes but she soon disappears as the book glosses over the rest of Barbie history. Cherry picked features follow, from a discussion of the career barbies, a VERY brief discussion of the manufacturing, to the designers and clubs/fan inspired tributes.
At the end of each chapter are several pages dedicated to various fans and their collections, making the historical aspects even shorter than they appear at face value. I read the entire book in about 1 hour, including long stares at the lovely photographs. And really, that is the true value of the book - there are a lot of wonderful Mattel archive images to enjoy. From photographs of the early years of promoting Barbie, to old ads, promo pieces, even the original Barbie patents. Clearly, writing a very optimistic piece celebrating (glorifying?) Barbie has given the author access to some great images from Mattel. The book is beautifully presented with large images on each page, many in full color. All have clean graphic design layouts, though often the images do not match the discussions on the page at all (e.g., a 1970s Barbie will be in the middle of a discussion about the original Barbie).
Here's the thing: if you love Barbie (as do I, a collector of many years), then this book was meant for you. It's everything you love about Barbie and absolutely nothing negative in there. But if you want a truer history of the doll and Barbie phenomenon, you are not going to find it here. Issues/controversies that plague Barbie are very neatly respun in very obvious ways that greatly show the bias and true purpose of the book. In addition to the Lilli doll origins, topics such as female stereotype promulgation ("I don't like math!" Barbie) are changed into "Barbie created female careers before women could even realistically achieve them", body issues and impossible proportions causing girls to feel inadequate were translated into "Handler felt these proportions were best for the clothes/barbie introduced new body styles (in 2018!!)," The "Don't Eat!" diet book included with a baby sitter Barbie, the camera Barbie that could be used to spy on girls, etc. never see the light of day Controversies were deftly not mentioned while at the same time explaining them away. It felt disingenuous to not include the missteps that all companies/products make in a long lifetime and due to the times in which they were produced. A more cynical person would likely see the Barbie girl empowerment themes, various careers, and body type variety changes to be more of a reaction to Barbie market share loss in the 2000s due to the backlash of barbie being seen as a detriment to girls' self image. Indeed, the whole book feels like a response to create a new Barbie image and distance Barbie farther from the negatives that have grown up over the years.
As such, this feels more like a glossy Barbie marketing tool - a rose colored glasses view on the Barbie mystique likely meant meant more as a self affirmation bible for adult Barbie collectors and to recreate Barbie than as a book about her 'Inspiration, History, and Legacy." A more accurate title would have been, "For the Love of Barbie." I hope we do one day get a bigger picture that is more than just super fans espousing how much they love the doll, glossy marketing pictures, employees making marketing doublespeak, and lovely archive images. But for now, there is definitely an audience for a loving Barbie tribute book with some great images provided by Mattel.
February 7, 2024
Barbie has a special place in my heart having played a large place in my childhood as well as shaping my mindset that anyone can do/be anything. So when I found Robin Gerber's Barbie: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy I immediately requested it read (which I'm so glad I got to!). Although it is a short book, don't let that fool you, Gerber's book is so fun and thoroughly researched with extensive backgrounds behind the Barbie doll, her creator, Ruth Handler, and the global phenomena that followed.
Filled with images from early advertisements to modern campaigns and photos of Mattel founders and Barbie fans, this bright, colourful book is perfect for any Barbie fan who wants to look back into their childhood, or those who still have Barbie fever from the film released last year.
Thank you, NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – becker & mayer! for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Filled with images from early advertisements to modern campaigns and photos of Mattel founders and Barbie fans, this bright, colourful book is perfect for any Barbie fan who wants to look back into their childhood, or those who still have Barbie fever from the film released last year.
Thank you, NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – becker & mayer! for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 9, 2024
Obviously the timing is perfect for a book about Barbie. I was expecting mostly photographs but was surprised at the amount of information provided on the creation of Barbie. I was unaware of the challenges Ruth Handler faced in creating and marketing Barbie. I loved the chapter of early Barbie creations as I have 1960’s Barbie, Skipper and Ken stored in my basement. Unfortunately, I loved and played with them a lot, as did my daughter so they aren’t going to be collectables. The book continues with Barbie breaking boundaries, reflecting diversity and Barbie in fashion, art and pop culture. I learned a lot about a favorite icon.
Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group for the temporary ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving a voluntary review.
Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group for the temporary ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving a voluntary review.
March 19, 2024
This book is a super interesting dive into all things Barbie - from her inception by creator Ruth Handler, and her fight to get her onto shelves, all the way up to the recent Barbie box office hit.
Outside of watching the 2023 movie, and playing with my own Barbie dolls in the late 90s to early 00s, I didn’t have too much knowledge about the the popular doll, so this was a really interesting overview into her development over the years! The book also looks into designers who’ve worked with Barbie over the years, special dolls they’ve made of prominent people, and the continuous work to ensure Barbie keeps up its message - that you can be, and do, anything, and that every little girl (or boy!) can see themselves reflected in the doll.
The book is beautifully laid out, with a mixture of photos of interesting noteworthy dolls from throughout Barbies sixty-five year long history, and photos of notable people and events, such as Ruth Handler, and pictures taken at the Barbie fan club, and fashion events.
I think it really captures the essence of the doll, and it makes a fun and interesting read for anyone with any curiosity about the doll and her history!
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go and dust off the Barbie dolls I know are still sitting under my bed…
Thank you to the publishers, and Netgalley, for the copy to review.
Outside of watching the 2023 movie, and playing with my own Barbie dolls in the late 90s to early 00s, I didn’t have too much knowledge about the the popular doll, so this was a really interesting overview into her development over the years! The book also looks into designers who’ve worked with Barbie over the years, special dolls they’ve made of prominent people, and the continuous work to ensure Barbie keeps up its message - that you can be, and do, anything, and that every little girl (or boy!) can see themselves reflected in the doll.
The book is beautifully laid out, with a mixture of photos of interesting noteworthy dolls from throughout Barbies sixty-five year long history, and photos of notable people and events, such as Ruth Handler, and pictures taken at the Barbie fan club, and fashion events.
I think it really captures the essence of the doll, and it makes a fun and interesting read for anyone with any curiosity about the doll and her history!
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go and dust off the Barbie dolls I know are still sitting under my bed…
Thank you to the publishers, and Netgalley, for the copy to review.
October 19, 2021
This book was published in 2019, so basically a 60th Anniversary book for Barbie. When I started it I was impressed, the author went into detail about Ruth and Elliot Handler, and the success of Mattel and the difficulties Ruth experienced trying to produce a doll "with breasts". I was surprised that even in 1959, Ruth was forced to manufacture the dolls in Japan, because manufacturing costs in U.S. would outprice the doll from the market. I thought this was an issue born in the 7o's, but clearly not. It told of the design of the marketing campaign aimed at making girls become more conscience of appearance, because they wanted it to appeal to mothers, who would be the decider in whether or not to purchase the toys. Very interesting, but then something happened and it became a really long pretty boring Barbie commercial. The photos are not stellar and are hit and miss, mostly miss in respects to what the text is saying. Some of the photos descriptions even have misinformation, i.e. on page 93 when the text reads that the first Black Barbie was released in 1980. Does this not include Francie from 1966? The end of the book totally falls apart when there are a couple chapters on Barbie Collectors. I'm sorry, but not worth pages. There are 100,000 of Barbie Collectors in the world, not worthy of note. So boring text and so-so photos make this a book that if you really want to read get it out of the library like I did.
September 12, 2019
Let me begin saying that I don't know much about Barbie's history, so this book was a good introduction, as it gives several brushstrokes about her birth and Ruth Handler, the woman behind the doll, how a doll is made, her fashion and her impact as a pop culture icon. It also has lots of pictures and sketches, from the first dolls in 1959 to nowadays, so it was good to see the changes she has been going through the years.
With several interviews and testimonies, this book is proof that Barbie is as relevant today as sixty years ago and the huge scope of Barbie's effect on culture, being much more than a doll.
Interesting and fun read if you don't know much about Barbie, but I would have liked for it to go deeper into some themes and not just skim through the surface.
Thanks to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group, Epic Ink, for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review
With several interviews and testimonies, this book is proof that Barbie is as relevant today as sixty years ago and the huge scope of Barbie's effect on culture, being much more than a doll.
Interesting and fun read if you don't know much about Barbie, but I would have liked for it to go deeper into some themes and not just skim through the surface.
Thanks to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group, Epic Ink, for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review
January 5, 2024
Not quite what I was going for but a fine place to start. There’s a brief history of Ruth inventing Barbie and some of the obstacles she faced trying to convince the men it was a good idea. A brief bit on marketing genius Ernest Dichter and designer Charlotte Johnson. I don’t think I realized the fashion aspect of Barbie and how someone has to design and make these clothes and accessories.
Good pictures and descriptions. The last 2/3 skips along through time and touches on major Barbie releases and how culture and Barbie go hand in hand. There’s also mention of some of the major Barbie collectors out there, including Jian Yang from Singapore who designs and makes Barbie clothes out of tissues, toilet paper, and napkins. And the clothes look really good.
Good pictures and descriptions. The last 2/3 skips along through time and touches on major Barbie releases and how culture and Barbie go hand in hand. There’s also mention of some of the major Barbie collectors out there, including Jian Yang from Singapore who designs and makes Barbie clothes out of tissues, toilet paper, and napkins. And the clothes look really good.
October 2, 2019
This book is part of the 60th Anniversary of Mattel's iconic Barbie Brand. There are not enough superlative adjectives to describe the detail, history, original sketches, interviews, vintage photos, advertisements and much more that this treasure trove contains. I actually gasped when I opened my package from the publisher and discovered such a beautiful and comprehensive book inside. I felt like I needed to don a pair of white gloves to turn the pages and I recognized immediately that this book is museum-worthy.
The author Robin Gerber asked wonderful questions from the designers, artists, marketers, and managers. She posed questions about the ionic doll such as:
" How has Barbie lasted so long? And how long could she go on?"
"In the process she learned that Barbie is still everything she was originally intended to be, as a vehicle to imagine anything they can become. "
The book explores the genesis of Barbie and her evolution from generation to generation. She is very popular having world-wide fame.
Her coming out party took place in 1959 and she has been making statements in art, fashion and culture ever since she emerged into the marketplace.
She has been an interpreter of taste and style in every historic period she has lived through and has reflected female empowerment through more than 200 careers she has embodied. Today, an international icon, Barbie continues to spark imaginations and influence conversations around the world. The author has included a double-sided foldout timeline highlighting the important moments in Barbie's history.
The book is one for doll advocates ( especially Barbie dolls ) and would find a perfect spot on your coffee table to be displayed for all to thumb through. As it a gift it would be perfection! I highly, highly recommend this keeper.
The author Robin Gerber asked wonderful questions from the designers, artists, marketers, and managers. She posed questions about the ionic doll such as:
" How has Barbie lasted so long? And how long could she go on?"
"In the process she learned that Barbie is still everything she was originally intended to be, as a vehicle to imagine anything they can become. "
The book explores the genesis of Barbie and her evolution from generation to generation. She is very popular having world-wide fame.
Her coming out party took place in 1959 and she has been making statements in art, fashion and culture ever since she emerged into the marketplace.
She has been an interpreter of taste and style in every historic period she has lived through and has reflected female empowerment through more than 200 careers she has embodied. Today, an international icon, Barbie continues to spark imaginations and influence conversations around the world. The author has included a double-sided foldout timeline highlighting the important moments in Barbie's history.
The book is one for doll advocates ( especially Barbie dolls ) and would find a perfect spot on your coffee table to be displayed for all to thumb through. As it a gift it would be perfection! I highly, highly recommend this keeper.
February 23, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I love Barbie. I was not the most popular little girl around when I was young, but I still had plenty of girls coming over to my house to play Barbies. I had a ton of them and we woud go outside and line them up on the sidewalk all the way down our street. Over the years my son became a Barbie fan as well. Now he is an adult collector. We went to the Barbie movie together. So its not shock that I am obsessed with this book! 80% of the wonderfulness of this book are the beautiful pictures of Barbie and her friends over the years as well of pictures of her creator Ruth Handler and others. I really enjoyed the story about how Ruth set upon creating this world changing doll brand. I liked this book so much that I plan on buying a physical copy as a coffee table book that I can share with my son.
November 30, 2019
Ha sido interesante aprender sobre el origen de la muñeca que tanto quería cuando era pequeña.
Aunque a día de hoy mi colección de Barbies está cogiendo polvo en una caja, sigo recordando con cariño los ratos en los que jugaba con ella.
Ha sido curioso también leer sobre su origen, sobre cómo le costó a su creadora sacar el proyecto adelante y sobre como Barbie ha ido cambiando físicamente con el paso de los años, no solo cambiando la calidad a medida que transcurría el tiempo, sino también cambiando el pelo, la etnia, el tipo de cuerpo de la muñeca.
Una lectura interesante si como yo también te encantaba pedir Barbies nuevas por Navidad todos los años y pasarte las horas inventándote sus diferentes vidas y aventuras.
Aunque a día de hoy mi colección de Barbies está cogiendo polvo en una caja, sigo recordando con cariño los ratos en los que jugaba con ella.
Ha sido curioso también leer sobre su origen, sobre cómo le costó a su creadora sacar el proyecto adelante y sobre como Barbie ha ido cambiando físicamente con el paso de los años, no solo cambiando la calidad a medida que transcurría el tiempo, sino también cambiando el pelo, la etnia, el tipo de cuerpo de la muñeca.
Una lectura interesante si como yo también te encantaba pedir Barbies nuevas por Navidad todos los años y pasarte las horas inventándote sus diferentes vidas y aventuras.
February 5, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC to review!
4 stars!
This was a fantastic read and a must for any Barbie fan. After the recent movie my love for my childhood friend was rekindled so I jumped at the chance to read this.
All the pictures used were fantastic and I loved seeing the patents even shown too. Not only does the book explore how and when Barbie was started but also the impact she and her friends have had around the world. It speaks about how Barbie has fans of all ages, races, and genders, the global love Barbie has and if the love will continue to grow in the future.
4 stars!
This was a fantastic read and a must for any Barbie fan. After the recent movie my love for my childhood friend was rekindled so I jumped at the chance to read this.
All the pictures used were fantastic and I loved seeing the patents even shown too. Not only does the book explore how and when Barbie was started but also the impact she and her friends have had around the world. It speaks about how Barbie has fans of all ages, races, and genders, the global love Barbie has and if the love will continue to grow in the future.
February 22, 2024
This is a book that I would love to have a physical copy of to keep on my coffee table. Barbie was a big part of my childhood and I enjoyed reading this informative writing. I would recommend it to any Barbie enthusiast.
September 30, 2019
As a lifetime Barbie fan this was a fun look at the contemporary impact the doll has had on the world. It's also very inspiring to hear the fight Ruth Handler had to put up just to get her made. That alone is a Barbie story in itself.
February 27, 2024
Thank you to @Netgalley and the publisher for an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review
This is the ultimate book for Barbie fanatics and collectors - providing any and everything you want to know about Barbie from its inception to the #BarbieMovie , with beautiful photos and even a timeline at the end of the book
This is the ultimate book for Barbie fanatics and collectors - providing any and everything you want to know about Barbie from its inception to the #BarbieMovie , with beautiful photos and even a timeline at the end of the book
January 5, 2023
I thought this book was okay! I was hoping to learn more about Barbie’s family tree. However, this book was more about, like the cover says, her inspiration, history, and legacy. Also one thing I noticed in the fold out of Barbie through the years. In 1984 it shows the aerobics instructor Barbie then mentions “The doll was later featured in the 1999 animated Pixar film. Toy Story 2.” However, Toy Story 2 features “tour guide Barbie”. It was until 2010 when aerobics Barbie made her debuts in Toy Story 3
April 11, 2023
I got this book as a Christmas present a couple of years ago, unfortunately it was in Spanish (I don't know Spanish) so I couldn't read it immediately (for some reason it is impossible to buy in English). I did start translating immediately, but I didn't get very far because I had trouble navigating Google Translate at the time. However, since I am off work with an injury, I thought I might take another try at translating the book.
It's safe to say I was a lot more successful this time, getting through the majority of the book with just Google Translate. There were a couple of phrases and words that couldn't be translated, but overall I would consider this a good attempt at a translation. The book does make sense.
In terms of the actual content of the book, it was alright, I guess. I think I was focusing more on the translation, so I will probably need to re-read my translation another time to fully absorb it. But for a first read, I definitely enjoyed parts of the read. I enjoyed reading the history of how Barbie came to be through the creator, Ruth Handler, and how she had to overcome issues such as sourcing materials and convincing big companies that the brand would be a success.
Personally, though, I did not need the sections on how Barbie influences specific people today. I mean, it's great for them, but I care more about the history and I think I would have preferred the whole book to have been an in-depth history. But oh well.
There were some mistakes in the book, that put me off at times. Some minor like Barbie was introduced in Toy Story 2, yes, however the aerobics model did not appear until Toy Story 3.
And some major, like the history of dolls prior to Barbie. This book paints the narrative that Barbie was the first doll in adult form after the Lili doll in Germany, but that is not true. There were other dolls, but they represented racist and derogatory stereotypes, like the Mammy dolls or the Golliwog. They were completely omitted. Yes Mattel didn't produce these dolls, but they were present and widespread in America and Britain, they were a part of culture. By leaving this out, Gerber missed a big opportunity to address the horrible caricatures that were present in the fifties and how the introduction of Barbie would have affected that. How children were being raised (intentionally or otherwise) to believe that black people could only exist in these stereotypes, whereas Barbie could be anything. Instead, the book focuses just on the good Mattel did, by making Barbies of different ethnicities eventually. Again, I understand the book was a celebration of the brand, but I personally believe the whole truth should be presented, not just a perfect narrative that erases history.
Now I can understand the argument that perhaps Gerber or Mattel did not want to upset readers, but that just makes me question, who was this book for. I don't think children would read it because of the lack of information about the doll itself, nor do I think hardcore collectors/fans of the Barbie brand would be into the book because of the mistakes and the fact that a lot of information about Barbie's history and impact would already be known to them. So who is it for?
Like I said, it's a fine book, I just think it has some major issues.
It's safe to say I was a lot more successful this time, getting through the majority of the book with just Google Translate. There were a couple of phrases and words that couldn't be translated, but overall I would consider this a good attempt at a translation. The book does make sense.
In terms of the actual content of the book, it was alright, I guess. I think I was focusing more on the translation, so I will probably need to re-read my translation another time to fully absorb it. But for a first read, I definitely enjoyed parts of the read. I enjoyed reading the history of how Barbie came to be through the creator, Ruth Handler, and how she had to overcome issues such as sourcing materials and convincing big companies that the brand would be a success.
Personally, though, I did not need the sections on how Barbie influences specific people today. I mean, it's great for them, but I care more about the history and I think I would have preferred the whole book to have been an in-depth history. But oh well.
There were some mistakes in the book, that put me off at times. Some minor like Barbie was introduced in Toy Story 2, yes, however the aerobics model did not appear until Toy Story 3.
And some major, like the history of dolls prior to Barbie. This book paints the narrative that Barbie was the first doll in adult form after the Lili doll in Germany, but that is not true. There were other dolls, but they represented racist and derogatory stereotypes, like the Mammy dolls or the Golliwog. They were completely omitted. Yes Mattel didn't produce these dolls, but they were present and widespread in America and Britain, they were a part of culture. By leaving this out, Gerber missed a big opportunity to address the horrible caricatures that were present in the fifties and how the introduction of Barbie would have affected that. How children were being raised (intentionally or otherwise) to believe that black people could only exist in these stereotypes, whereas Barbie could be anything. Instead, the book focuses just on the good Mattel did, by making Barbies of different ethnicities eventually. Again, I understand the book was a celebration of the brand, but I personally believe the whole truth should be presented, not just a perfect narrative that erases history.
Now I can understand the argument that perhaps Gerber or Mattel did not want to upset readers, but that just makes me question, who was this book for. I don't think children would read it because of the lack of information about the doll itself, nor do I think hardcore collectors/fans of the Barbie brand would be into the book because of the mistakes and the fact that a lot of information about Barbie's history and impact would already be known to them. So who is it for?
Like I said, it's a fine book, I just think it has some major issues.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2019
Chances are, if you’re sixty years old or younger, you’ve owned, played with, and cherished at least one beloved Barbie doll. I owned loads of them when I was a child, and they played a large role in my growing-up years.
“Playing Barbies” was a favorite pastime growing up. My sister and I would set up a Barbie town square, containing a hairdresser, hospital, clothing store, schoolhouse, and more. We each had our handmade homes showcasing our own styles, on each end of the hallway and spent days setting everything up. We wrote out storylines of who would do what, who’d fall in love, who’d start a career, etc. Ahhh… those were the days. I can’t express how much fun we had, or how the Barbie town strewn and stretched across half the house drove our neat-freak mother half-crazy. I look back fondly, with a smile stretched wide, over the time my sister and I spent with Barbie and her friends.
Just as I treasured my Barbies, I’ll treasure Barbie Forever. Wow—what a pearl! From the beautiful front cover to the detailed timeline on the back pages, this quality, hardback coffee table book brings so many memories to the surface. I enjoyed reminiscing over Barbie’s many looks, learning how she came to be, and reflecting on the impact she’s made on so many lives. I’ve learned so much about this American icon and the creator behind her.
I’m glad the pages are sturdy and thick, because I’m sure this coffee table book will be thumbed through for many years to come. The photos capture the past sixty years and the history of this classic doll is priceless.
Quotes from the book:
Barbie “careers” have reflected not only the broad range of women’s roles in the world, but also their aspirations.
Barbie stands the test of time. Everyone has their Barbie story.
Thoughts on the cover:
The cover is gorgeous and makes a lovely, eye-catching coffee-table adornment.
Thoughts on the title:
Perfect titled, because Barbie is an American icon and will live on Forever.
Title: Barbie Forever
Author: Robin Gerber
Publisher: Epic Inc.
ISBN: 978-0760365779
Pages: 176
First line (Chapter One): There are endless ways to play with Barbie, and for sixty years, girls have loved the fantasies that the doll helps them create.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through BookPleasures. I was under no obligation to post a positive review.
“Playing Barbies” was a favorite pastime growing up. My sister and I would set up a Barbie town square, containing a hairdresser, hospital, clothing store, schoolhouse, and more. We each had our handmade homes showcasing our own styles, on each end of the hallway and spent days setting everything up. We wrote out storylines of who would do what, who’d fall in love, who’d start a career, etc. Ahhh… those were the days. I can’t express how much fun we had, or how the Barbie town strewn and stretched across half the house drove our neat-freak mother half-crazy. I look back fondly, with a smile stretched wide, over the time my sister and I spent with Barbie and her friends.
Just as I treasured my Barbies, I’ll treasure Barbie Forever. Wow—what a pearl! From the beautiful front cover to the detailed timeline on the back pages, this quality, hardback coffee table book brings so many memories to the surface. I enjoyed reminiscing over Barbie’s many looks, learning how she came to be, and reflecting on the impact she’s made on so many lives. I’ve learned so much about this American icon and the creator behind her.
I’m glad the pages are sturdy and thick, because I’m sure this coffee table book will be thumbed through for many years to come. The photos capture the past sixty years and the history of this classic doll is priceless.
Quotes from the book:
Barbie “careers” have reflected not only the broad range of women’s roles in the world, but also their aspirations.
Barbie stands the test of time. Everyone has their Barbie story.
Thoughts on the cover:
The cover is gorgeous and makes a lovely, eye-catching coffee-table adornment.
Thoughts on the title:
Perfect titled, because Barbie is an American icon and will live on Forever.
Title: Barbie Forever
Author: Robin Gerber
Publisher: Epic Inc.
ISBN: 978-0760365779
Pages: 176
First line (Chapter One): There are endless ways to play with Barbie, and for sixty years, girls have loved the fantasies that the doll helps them create.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through BookPleasures. I was under no obligation to post a positive review.
September 20, 2019
“Since her debut in 1959, Barbie has been breaking boundaries and highlighting major moments in art, fashion, and culture,” the inside jacket announces in Robin Gerber’s book, Barbie Forever: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy.
~ What ~
This oversized one-hundred-and-seventy-six-page hardbound targets those interested in the Barbie doll that has been around for sixty years and is still sold successfully worldwide. The large coffee table book begins with a foreword by Ibtihaj Muhammad and introduction, followed by eight chapters, and ending with a bibliography, acknowledgments, author’s biography, image credits, and historic timeline.
With full color, large photographs of design models of the iconic Barbie, the eight sections cover how the doll has been inspiring fans since 1959, her profitable marketing strategies, breaking toy boundaries, the evolution of her female shape, creation of her lifestyle, how she affects fashion and art, global attributes, and the magic she has provided to many doll owners.
~ Why ~
Being in my early sixties, I enjoyed seeing a couple of the old Barbies that I grew up with and still own, so I was familiar reviewing this book. I found the history of Mattel Creations, Ruth and Elliot Handler’s designing Barbie, and Charlotte Johnson’s fashion clothing interesting.
~ Why Not ~
Those who never owned a Barbie doll or do not care about the iconic figure that has enamored girls for decades and will probably continue to do so will not appreciate this book. However, it does show the progression of culture, events, and fashion that the well-known doll captured. Some may not care for a doll proportioned with unrealistic body measurements.
~ Wish ~
With so much historical content in the book, I wish an index was included so one could look up a topic.
~ Want ~
If you love the iconic Barbie doll and are looking for a beautiful tabletop book, this would make an excellent choice. It would be an ideal gift for the Barbie collector too.
Thanks to Bookpleasures and Epic Ink for this complimentary book that I am under no obligation to review.
~ What ~
This oversized one-hundred-and-seventy-six-page hardbound targets those interested in the Barbie doll that has been around for sixty years and is still sold successfully worldwide. The large coffee table book begins with a foreword by Ibtihaj Muhammad and introduction, followed by eight chapters, and ending with a bibliography, acknowledgments, author’s biography, image credits, and historic timeline.
With full color, large photographs of design models of the iconic Barbie, the eight sections cover how the doll has been inspiring fans since 1959, her profitable marketing strategies, breaking toy boundaries, the evolution of her female shape, creation of her lifestyle, how she affects fashion and art, global attributes, and the magic she has provided to many doll owners.
~ Why ~
Being in my early sixties, I enjoyed seeing a couple of the old Barbies that I grew up with and still own, so I was familiar reviewing this book. I found the history of Mattel Creations, Ruth and Elliot Handler’s designing Barbie, and Charlotte Johnson’s fashion clothing interesting.
~ Why Not ~
Those who never owned a Barbie doll or do not care about the iconic figure that has enamored girls for decades and will probably continue to do so will not appreciate this book. However, it does show the progression of culture, events, and fashion that the well-known doll captured. Some may not care for a doll proportioned with unrealistic body measurements.
~ Wish ~
With so much historical content in the book, I wish an index was included so one could look up a topic.
~ Want ~
If you love the iconic Barbie doll and are looking for a beautiful tabletop book, this would make an excellent choice. It would be an ideal gift for the Barbie collector too.
Thanks to Bookpleasures and Epic Ink for this complimentary book that I am under no obligation to review.
May 13, 2024
Obviously, Barbie is having a moment, and this handsomely illustrated coffee table book happily delves into the history and cultural significance of the fashion doll, whilst keeping more than a beady eye on its corporate overseers. And that's fine, I was not exactly looking for a critical takedown of the product, and its happy to safely have at its only villains the toy industry of 65 years ago that pooh-poohed the idea of a fashion doll. And whilst the driver of all of the innovation in the doll is clearly marketing and sales, it is a canny brand that does appear to have rolled with the times better than most. Partially because once it had cleared that early hurdle of getting the sales, then it wasn't that risky to fit the same basic doll in an astronaut or beekeeping costume.
The photos are half the fun here, and certainly, the historical chapter has a whole bunch of fun with blueprints and early prototypes, and for such a quintessentially American product, Gerber handles the "Made In Japan" aspect of it with a lightness of touch. And whilst it might load down Ruth Handler's legacy with a bit more than she originally planned (prosthetic leg Barbie really shifts from some of the original plans), the conception of a doll where a child can play at being an adult is surprisingly robust. This presents Barbie as a very broad church, and while it doesn't linger too much on the collector side, it is adamant about Barbie being for anyone who wants her (and can pay for one?)
It's not all plain sailing, the early chapter on the Barbie Shero range does seem to be just a roll call of exceptional women who have had Barbies made of them, and for all of the Barbies that get full pages here, the decidedly un-monobrowed Frida Khalo seems nothing to be proud of. But this is probably the right kind of book Barbie deserves, there is more than enough history to dive into, but we mainly want the pictures, and lots of interesting tidbits (Twiggy being the first celebrity Barbie, Barbie first being President in 1995 and the existence of Barbie's British friend Stacey). Updated from the 2019 60th anniversary edition, Gerber knows her stuff and has organised it well.
The photos are half the fun here, and certainly, the historical chapter has a whole bunch of fun with blueprints and early prototypes, and for such a quintessentially American product, Gerber handles the "Made In Japan" aspect of it with a lightness of touch. And whilst it might load down Ruth Handler's legacy with a bit more than she originally planned (prosthetic leg Barbie really shifts from some of the original plans), the conception of a doll where a child can play at being an adult is surprisingly robust. This presents Barbie as a very broad church, and while it doesn't linger too much on the collector side, it is adamant about Barbie being for anyone who wants her (and can pay for one?)
It's not all plain sailing, the early chapter on the Barbie Shero range does seem to be just a roll call of exceptional women who have had Barbies made of them, and for all of the Barbies that get full pages here, the decidedly un-monobrowed Frida Khalo seems nothing to be proud of. But this is probably the right kind of book Barbie deserves, there is more than enough history to dive into, but we mainly want the pictures, and lots of interesting tidbits (Twiggy being the first celebrity Barbie, Barbie first being President in 1995 and the existence of Barbie's British friend Stacey). Updated from the 2019 60th anniversary edition, Gerber knows her stuff and has organised it well.
September 24, 2019
My thanks to Quarto Publishing Group becker&mayer kids! for granting my wish via NetGalley of ‘Barbie Forever’ by Robin Gerber in exchange for an honest review.
Its subtitle: ‘Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy (Official 60th Anniversary Collection)’ sums up the contents. Robin Gerber previously had written ‘Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World’s Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her’ so she has a solid background on the subject.
‘Barbie Forever’ contains a great many photographs of vintage and rare limited edition dolls, sketches, advertisements, and much more.
What fascinated me was how Barbie came to be and learning of Ruth Handler’s realisation that young girls were already playing with adult paper dolls. So Barbie was created as a teen fashion model with the option to purchase separate outfits or to create clothing from patterns. (I recall my early efforts in dressmaking were for my Barbie.)
“Girls no longer saw dolls as their babies, but as themselves. A new kind of fantasy life had been unleashed for them, thanks to Ruth’s vision.”
Reading this I discovered a great deal about the history of the doll, such as the introduction of an astronaut outfit for Barbie in 1965! I was aware of the interest of fashion designers in Barbie though wasn’t aware how extensive it was. Lovely to see these creations featured in this book.
I received my first Barbie quite early on as I vividly remember that she came dressed in her iconic black and white striped swimsuit with a black sheath evening dress (Solo in the Spotlight from 1960). I loved my Barbie and as an adult various relations have gifted me with a number of collectible Barbies in recognition of that early bond.
It was surprising to realise that Barbie’s creator had expected that she would be popular for 3-5 years as this is the usual lifespan for toys. Now Barbie has reached her 60th year with no sign of stopping.
I recommend this gorgeous book, which would also make a perfect gift for Barbie enthusiasts and collectors.
Its subtitle: ‘Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy (Official 60th Anniversary Collection)’ sums up the contents. Robin Gerber previously had written ‘Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World’s Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her’ so she has a solid background on the subject.
‘Barbie Forever’ contains a great many photographs of vintage and rare limited edition dolls, sketches, advertisements, and much more.
What fascinated me was how Barbie came to be and learning of Ruth Handler’s realisation that young girls were already playing with adult paper dolls. So Barbie was created as a teen fashion model with the option to purchase separate outfits or to create clothing from patterns. (I recall my early efforts in dressmaking were for my Barbie.)
“Girls no longer saw dolls as their babies, but as themselves. A new kind of fantasy life had been unleashed for them, thanks to Ruth’s vision.”
Reading this I discovered a great deal about the history of the doll, such as the introduction of an astronaut outfit for Barbie in 1965! I was aware of the interest of fashion designers in Barbie though wasn’t aware how extensive it was. Lovely to see these creations featured in this book.
I received my first Barbie quite early on as I vividly remember that she came dressed in her iconic black and white striped swimsuit with a black sheath evening dress (Solo in the Spotlight from 1960). I loved my Barbie and as an adult various relations have gifted me with a number of collectible Barbies in recognition of that early bond.
It was surprising to realise that Barbie’s creator had expected that she would be popular for 3-5 years as this is the usual lifespan for toys. Now Barbie has reached her 60th year with no sign of stopping.
I recommend this gorgeous book, which would also make a perfect gift for Barbie enthusiasts and collectors.
December 15, 2019
Okay, so what you're not going to get in this book is negative stuff about Barbie- her supposed bad effects on girls' body image, her math woes, an unfortunate cookie cross-promotion- but you will get lots of interesting history and trivia about not just Barbie herself, but the times she's lived in. Learning about what Ruth Handler went through to get her doll made gave me new respect for her- just because her husband co-founded Mattel didn't mean she had an easy time making her dream a reality! Barbie's controversial figure came about because the tiny waist and hips made the clothes look better; the waists of the skirts and pants and the fasteners were bulkier than what equivalently sized human clothes had, so Barbie's waist and hips shrank to make the clothed doll look more proportionate. And oh my, the clothes! So much attention was put into every detail of the outfits, so that each was a complete play experience, with accessories to spark the imagination. For me, and I'm sure for many other girls too, the clothes were the best part- I didn't do pretend play with Barbie so much, it was mainly dressing her up, combining outfits to make new combinations, talking my mom into crocheting clothes for me, making clothes of my own. I also loved constructing homes for her, not just using doll furniture but also making furnishings out of household objects (half empty tissue boxes make groovy lounge chairs with built in side tables ha!). Barbie provided countless hours of creative fun for me, and helped me to look at objects in a different way, to see what they could become. She never gave me body issues- I recognized that she wasn't proportionate, and subconsciously realized she was a mannequin to put clothes on, and I didn't want that kind of body. To me, she was just fun to play with, and this book captures that. The pictures will delight Barbie fans, and the stories from collectors will give you the warm fuzzies. A perfect gift for any Barbie fan or collector.
#BarbieForever #NetGalley
#BarbieForever #NetGalley
February 19, 2024
As a colossal Barbie fan as a child, I jumped at the chance to enjoy this informative and insightful look into the phenomenon that is the cultural icon that changed the face of children's toys. This is packed with insights into the history and psychology of the Barbie doll, which I expected, however I didn’t expect to be so inspired and enamoured with Ruth Handler. She championed her idea and remained true to her conviction that this mass market doll would both appeal to the young girls of the time with the gap in this market for a toy that would be designed for their desires, but also tap into their imaginations with an aspirational glamourous "everywoman". I knew before reading this that Mattel has always been conscious of evolving the Barbie persona to reflect the changing times and empowerment of the audience - it seems unlikely that the first owners of the original Barbie doll would ever have imagined that there are options available in every career imaginable for Barbie (I had no idea there was an architect edition to be honest). With the images bringing the history and evolution to life, one of the joys of this book is obviously seeing all the iterations of the doll across time (and trying to spot ones I had owned), how the marketing has changed to reflect the changing population and fashions.
As the movie addressed the current public perception of Barbie as less than stellar and various backlash throughout history, I wondered if this book would also confront this - I did feel that this was not addressed explicitly, perhaps understandably, but this does make this quite a one sided
Above all, the weaving through of anecdotes of how perennial superfans have engaged with the doll makes this memorable read very much more about how the pop culture icon is more than just a doll and holds a place in people's hearts as well as history. The nostalgia made this a really joyful read that hopefully appeals to many.
Thanks NetGalley for the advance reader copy of this ebook.
As the movie addressed the current public perception of Barbie as less than stellar and various backlash throughout history, I wondered if this book would also confront this - I did feel that this was not addressed explicitly, perhaps understandably, but this does make this quite a one sided
Above all, the weaving through of anecdotes of how perennial superfans have engaged with the doll makes this memorable read very much more about how the pop culture icon is more than just a doll and holds a place in people's hearts as well as history. The nostalgia made this a really joyful read that hopefully appeals to many.
Thanks NetGalley for the advance reader copy of this ebook.
February 12, 2024
"Kim felt that Ruth Handler created the doll with a clear human truth at her core that will endure: a girl can be anything she wants to be."
If you are a fan of the movie Barbie (2023) or are generally interested in the history of the Barbie doll you will like this book! Gerber dives into the backstory of Barbie's creation, including the setbacks creator Ruth Handler met along her journey of designing and marketing the famous doll. "Ruth was the kind of person who's determination grew when her dreams were denied. Just as she had persevered to marry Elliott, she held on to her doll idea, believing she would make it work." And make it work she did...
The book lost me when it went into detail about various collectors and fans of Barbie. Personally, I wasn't very interested in reading these individual accounts but they are solid proof of Barbie's success and continuous evolving legacy. "What keeps Barbie culturally relevant? McKnight added, 'There's this wonderful open-endedness to Barbie. She's a canvas for storytelling.'"
The book's concluding chapter described the impact of the 2023 movie, which I found to be a fitting nod to such a huge milestone in Barbie history. I am excited to see Barbie continue to expand its diversity and create spaces for girls to dream bigger than ever before.
Thank you to NetGalley and Epic Ink for sending me an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!
If you are a fan of the movie Barbie (2023) or are generally interested in the history of the Barbie doll you will like this book! Gerber dives into the backstory of Barbie's creation, including the setbacks creator Ruth Handler met along her journey of designing and marketing the famous doll. "Ruth was the kind of person who's determination grew when her dreams were denied. Just as she had persevered to marry Elliott, she held on to her doll idea, believing she would make it work." And make it work she did...
The book lost me when it went into detail about various collectors and fans of Barbie. Personally, I wasn't very interested in reading these individual accounts but they are solid proof of Barbie's success and continuous evolving legacy. "What keeps Barbie culturally relevant? McKnight added, 'There's this wonderful open-endedness to Barbie. She's a canvas for storytelling.'"
The book's concluding chapter described the impact of the 2023 movie, which I found to be a fitting nod to such a huge milestone in Barbie history. I am excited to see Barbie continue to expand its diversity and create spaces for girls to dream bigger than ever before.
Thank you to NetGalley and Epic Ink for sending me an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews