Barbie is a strong, independent doll. But is she a feminist icon? It’s complicated. Since her introduction in 1959, Barbie’s impact has been revolutionary. Far from being a toy designed by men to oppress women, she was a toy invented by women to teach women what was expected of them, for better or for worse. Whether tarred-and-glittered as antifeminist puffery or celebrated as a feminist icon (or, at any rate, an important cultural touchstone in understanding feminism) Barbie has undeniably influenced generations of girls. In Forever Barbie, cultural critic, investigative journalist, and first-generation Barbie owner M. G. Lord uncovers the surprising story behind Barbie’s smash success. Revealing her low origins as “Bild Lilli,” a risqué doll for adults sold as a gag gift in postwar Germany, Forever Barbie traces Barbie’s development and transformation, through countless makeovers and career changes, into an international pop culture icon and now “traditional toy.” Though not every doll in the line has been a hit—with pregnant Midge and Growing up Skipper among the more intriguing disasters—Barbie’s endurance, Lord writes, speaks as much to Mattel’s successful marketing as it does to our society’s overall ambivalence toward femininity. With new accessories, including a preface on the latest developments in the Barbieverse, Forever Barbie “will make you think of America’s most celebrated plastic doll in ways you never have before” (Susan Faludi).

Barbie ("Brooklyn") and Barbie ("Malibu") want to make it big in New York City, but they need help from someone with star power to make their dreams come true! Will the girls manage to find a star-making media mogul and get a meeting with him? Find out in this fun storybook with two adorable BFF necklaces! Barbie from Malibu and Barbie from Brooklyn have big dreams of becoming stars in New York City, and there’s one person who can make those dreams a reality: Otto Phoenix! But the friends quickly realize that getting a meeting with Mr. Phoenix is more difficult than they thought. When his assistant, Pandora, won’t let the girls meet with Otto, they have to get creative and come up with a plan to perform for him. Young Barbie fans will enjoy following along as Brooklyn and Malibu put on silly disguises, make pretzels, and scale a building in this fun storybook with two BFF necklaces!

Originally published: New York: William Morrow & Co, c1994.

The tragic and redeeming story of how one visionary woman built the biggest toy company in the world and created a global icon. Barbie and Ruth is the entwined story of two exceptional women. There's Barbie: the diminutive yet arrestingly voluptuous doll unveiled at the 1959 Toy Fair who became the treasure of 90 percent of American girls and their counterparts in 150 countries. She went on to compete as an Olympic athlete, serve as an air force pilot, work as a boutique owner, run as a presidential candidate, and ignite a cultural firestorm. And then there's Ruth Handler, Barbie's creator: the tenth child of Polish Jewish immigrants, a passionately competitive and creative business pioneer, and a mother and wife who wanted it all. After a business scandal that forced Ruth out of Mattel, the company she founded, she drew on her experience as a breast cancer survivor to start a business that changed women's lives. She was ultimately honored as a pioneer, humanitarian, and masterful entrepreneur. Based on original research, extensive interviews, and previously unavailable material, Barbie and Ruth tells the fascinating story of how two women forever changed American business and culture.

What happens when Barbie Roberts from Malibu meets another Barbie Roberts from Brooklyn? They become best friends, of course! Follow along as Malibu and Brooklyn learn what it takes to be a great friend in this fun storybook with an included charm bracelet. Barbie Roberts is off to New York City for the summer of a lifetime! She arrived at the Handler Arts Academy to find a surprise waiting for her—another Barbie Roberts! Barbie from Malibu and Barbie from Brooklyn become fast friends, but when an accident threatens to tear them apart, Brooklyn and Malibu discover the true meaning of friendship and working together. In this book based on the musical special Barbie: Big City Big Dreams, Barbie fans of all ages will enjoy reliving every moment of Brooklyn and Malibu’s adventures. Also included is a cute charm bracelet with three charms!

This book discusses the history of the Barbie doll and at the cultural reappropriations of Barbie by artists, collectors and especially lesbians and gay men.

What a Doll! The year is 1959. It is an era of one-dimensional paper dolls and cherubic baby dolls. And then, seemingly out of nowhere, there is Barbie doll. Sophisticated and full of possibilities. Barbie changes everything--forever. When Ruth Handler created Barbie doll five decades ago she not only introduced a wonderful toy for little girls, she helped create one of the most popular and prized collectibles in the toy market. Imagine, Handler's first doll, a Ponytail Barbie, sold for more than $25,000 at auction; a staggering amount for a doll that originally sold for $3. Barbie: A Rare Beauty hosts an amazing visual feast of 50 years of beautiful dolls, showcasing more than 500 striking photographs of some of the finest and rarest dolls ever created. Author and celebrated Barbie doll expert Sandi Holder presents a banquet of gorgeous vintage dolls, classic fashion sets, prototypes, one-of-a-kind rarities, Japanese fashions, store displays, licensed products and many never-before-seen items in this stunning presentation of the grandest doll ever: Barbie.