Barbie

I thoroughly enjoyed delving into Robin Gerber's "Barbie." The narrative gracefully unfolds, offering a captivating journey through Barbie's inception to the silver screen. Exploring the genesis of Barbie's concept, the inspiration that fueled its creation, and the pivotal elements shaping her evolution was truly fascinating. Additionally, gaining insights into Margot Robbie's thoughtful style choices for red carpet events added a delightful layer of depth to the book. Gerber skillfully weaves together the history, evolution, and personal touches, creating a heartwarming narrative that beautifully captures the essence of Barbie's journey.

This was a great read to learn more about the celebrated figure that we know as Barbie, great that the legacy of Barbie is ever evolving.

Like many others, I adored playing with Barbie's as a child. I have many fond memories of opening dolls on my birthday and playing for countless hours with my siblings and friends. This book shone a light into the history of a beloved childhood toy and the source of many treasured memories.
The information presented in this book was clear, concise and factual. But for me, the real joy of the book was in its images, the vintage diagrams and photos were illuminating, it was also enjoyable to look at the different dolls, recognising some that I owned and some that I have purchased for the younger members of my family.
The book shows the enormous scope that Barbie has and how she has evolved over time to be able to be able to be a beacon of representation to different people from different backgrounds.
The timeline at the back was well done in demonstrating the continuity and change of Barbie as a brand.
This book would make a fantastic addition to the coffee table of any Barbie fan.
Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, a Barbie textbook! I love this. I could see myself getting a physical copy for sure. It mentions the history of Barbie all the way up to the Barbie movie which is on a list of my all time favorite movies. I think this would be excellent for a feminist studies class.

Like most women, i re fell in love with barbie during the summer of barbie 2023, and this book is a beautiful addition to the barbie fever that has taken over. stunning pictures are interlaced with barbies history, i think this would be the perfect gift for fans of any age.

This book is a beautiful history of Barbie. Starting with the history of Barbie and its creators and continuing with vivid photographs of Barbie’s and their inspirations. This was a trip down memory lane!

As a girl who grew up playing Barbies, this was such an excellent read. The photos and the backstories just triggered something so nostalgic I felt like a kid again while reading this!

As a Barbie girl from the age of 2 I adored this book, seeing the history of the iconic doll move with the times and fashions was a real treat. I loved all the 90's bits as it took me right back to my Barbie hey days. People are too quick to blame Barbie for things the reality is she is a powerful empowering iconic for everyone. This book would a great gift for Barbie Girls of all ages...I hope the love created for Barbie after the success of the movie continues and we keep getting treats like this book!!!

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this arc!

This is a book for all the Barbie lovers (like me). I loved the Barbie timeline where you can see all the evolutions and all the different sorts of Barbies. Little me is screaming while reading this book. Everyone should read this book!

So I grew up loving Barbie, so I may be a bit biased, but I loved this book! I think it talked more about the creation of Barbie than I’ve ever heard before! I have looked into the history of Barbie many times, but this definitely taught me a lot that I didn’t know. I also loved the pictures, especially of Barbie is designer clothing. I didn’t know that much about Barbie’s connection with the fashion industry!

Thank you NetGalley, Robin Gerber, and the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review! I really enjoyed this book and would love to see what it looks like in person. It includes a lot about Barbie, from the history to the new movie, and has some gorgeous images. I learned a lot about the doll while reading and how it's grown over the years. The chapter about the movie really interested me because I loved the movie. I recommend this to all Barbie fans! It would make a great coffee table book.

Thankyou so much to NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. It was really fascinating to learn the history and back story of the Barbie doll.

The photography through showcasing Barbie from her debut, showing all the drawing of the outfit designs, showing Ruth and Mattel through the years. It talks about how Ruth Handler came up with the idea, and also naming Barbie after her daughter Barbara as it was her that helped Ruth come up with the idea. Ruth wanted Barbie to be an affordable doll for adults and children, getting the idea from a doll cut out magazine her daughter had where you had paper dolls that you popped out and then cut the clothes out and then used the little folds to hang them on the “doll.” She wanted to create something more, something 3D that you could not only dress up but play with. She had her idea rejected so many times saying it wouldn’t sell and no one would want it, boy was she proven wrong.

The book not only talked about the creation of Barbie, but also the global phenomenon that she became and her impact on the world going right up to today mentioning the blockbuster hit movie, Barbie.

This is a great book for any Barbie fan, learning her history and finding out she is so much more than a doll. I feel like it teaches you to push and never give up…can you imagine if Ruth would have taken no for an answer when she pitched the idea of Barbie.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for letting me read this advanced copy!

I really enjoyed this book and all the insights it gave into the iconic world of Barbie. As a fan of Barbie, I enjoyed learning about her history and her creator, Ruth Handler. I also enjoyed the pictures that were provided throughout, showcasing so many of the beautiful Barbie dolls and outfits that she wore over the years. It was so wonderful to be able to see so many of the fashion designs and Barbie dolls that were mentioned in the book.

I liked how the book not only talked about the creation of Barbie, but also the global phenomenon that she became and her impact on the world - including the blockbuster hit movie, Barbie. Highly recommend to those who are fans of Barbie and would love more knowledge about how she came to be, and how she's changed the world!

I loved playing with Barbie's when I was younger, watched the old animated Barbie movies and loved the recent Gerwig adaptation.
This book brilliantly takes you through the history of Barbie and the social impact she has had at each stage as well as what spurred the changes. Well written and with beautiful images throughout,

Are you or anyone you know a Barbie fan, especially after that the movie came out? Then I think this is a book for you because here we have a perfect book for Barbie lovers.

In this book we get to to know more about her history and her legacy combined with beautiful pictures.

If I ever get the chance to buy this book I will do it because it would be a great coffee table book and a chance for me to learn my daughters about Barbie and look at the pictures together since my oldest loves Barbie.

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.

I’ve been trying to learn more about Barbie and her legacy since watching Greta Gerwig’s incredible movie and this book is a great source for it. Love the images!

Thank you for the opportunity

This was so cute! After seeing the Barbie movie last summer, I’ve been obsessed with Ruth Handler and her role in the creation of Barbie. I loved getting to read more about the evolution of Barbie over the years. This is a great book for adults, young adults, and even young girls who are starting to read longer books.

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.

Thank you NetGalley for this early copy of Barbie by Robin Gerber. The timing couldn't be better for me as I volunteer at a museum that just opened an exhibit on Barbie and the Power of Pink.
I thought the information provided in this book was perfect, with an easy delivery of information and a plethora of pictures. I learned some new information on Mattel and the evolution of Barbie and walked away with an even greater appreciation for what the brand stands for.

I think this is the perfect size book and anyone would enjoy learning more about the brand, its mission and all the nostalgia that goes with Barbie.

Because of the Barbie movie by Greta Gerwig I have been reading more about the history of Barbie and I really liked the illustrations of this book, I would love to see it in physical edition!

Because of the Barbie movie by Greta Gerwig I have been reading more about the history of Barbie and I really liked the illustrations of this book, I would love to see it in physical edition!

After watching Greta Gerwig's movie on Barbie, I pulled out all of my childhood Barbies, cases, clothes, camper, etc. It has reignited a nostalgia in me of remembering when play was all about imagination (no cell phones or iPads or personal computers back then). I remember creating worlds with Barbie and I smiled when I saw some of the outfits in this book as being ones I owned or my best friend owned. I knew this book would be a great read because I had read Robin Gerber's book "Barbie and Ruth" that came out in 2010 and enjoyed it tremendously. Not only do we learn about the history of Mattel and the idea for Barbie, we also learn about how they are made, their impact on fashion and meet some of the collectors. The photos and artifacts in this book are terrific. I really enjoyed the trip down memory lane!

Thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group – becker & mayer!, Epic Ink for an ARC and I voluntarily left this review.

OBSESSED. Fascinating and visually stunning. I need to buy a hardcover of this book for my coffee table ASAP.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of "Barbie" by Robin Gerber. This coffee table book features stunning illustrations and a very thorough timeline of the creation and evolvement of Barbie over the last 50+ years. To say "now is the time" for this book is an understatement. I have 3 girls who are obsessed with Barbie; the Barbie movie rules our household; and Barbie dolls are on every surface of the playroom. This was a beautiful book to flip through and provided an expansion of the minor history presented in the Barbie movie. I loved looking at the evolution of the doll, her hair, makeup, clothes, accessories, etc. I would love to buy this for my home when it is released!

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A fitting ode to Barbie! It has just the right amount of written pictures to be a light coffee table book.

I received this book as an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity.

The author has done a thorough and excellent job of telling the history of Ruth Handlers Barbie doll.

The photos included in this book make this book a fun and entertaining read.

#Barbie #NetGalley

Robin Gerber's "Barbie" details the history and importance of Barbie for girls and women empowerment.

Great time for this book to pair with the phenomenon of the new movie. I loved learning more.

I’ve been a Barbie fan and collector since childhood, so it’s no surprise I loved this book. I enjoyed the in-depth look into Barbie history. The gorgeous photos were so much fun to look at - the nostalgia! Last year’s Barbie movie reinvigorated my love for the doll and this took that love a step further. Definitely recommend.

“The genius of Barbie has always been that she is what her fans make her.” This quote perfectly encapsulates Robin Gerber’s book, as well as Ruth Handler’s concept for the Barbie doll. As a lifelong Barbie fan, I loved this detailed look into the history and legacy of the Barbie doll! I could go on and on about my own experiences with the Barbie brand, but I enjoyed learning about the creation of the doll, how the Barbie brand has evolved over the years, and everyone who has played a role in the life of Barbie. If you’ve been enjoying the nostalgia of Barbie since the 2023 movie, this is the book for you!

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.

This books was an absolute delight! It follows Barbie from a simple idea to the actual doll to inspiring girls and then to the sensational Barbie movie. There are a lot of details into this this book and so many wonderful pictures that it actually made me want to delve even deeper and see all the important Barbie dolls throughout the years. I also might consider getting a doll or two just to keep on my shelves - even though I already have a Barbie doll in my childhood house (I only ever had one Barbie doll, but she was the perfect doll for me - with hair blonde white before it was a trend, with one frontal sparkly pink highlight, who wore jeans and white sneakers).

While this book is a tribute to the doll and its creator and it talks a lot about how diverse the doll is these days, I actually wanted it to talk about some of the bad parts of the doll like body image or expectations and so on. Plus I am sure there were at least a couple of juicy scandals or lawsuits worth mentioning.

In the end, it's a great read for Barbie fans or just people who are interested in the history and fame of things.

An amazingly comprehensive look into Barbie's world. This doesn't give just the basic facts that we all know and love about Barbie, but delves deeper into how the dolls are made, her timeline from creation to today's dolls, their worldwide success, and the magic that is Barbie. this book shares exclusive photos of the different Barbie dolls, outfits, and illustrations of the doll's dimensions, making it a must read for fans and collectors.

This book is wonderful if you want to know more about the history of Barbie with tons of beautiful photos. If you liked the movie, or are a Barbie fan, this book is for you!

Disclaimer: I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review

I truly enjoyed this both beautiful and informative book. Like many, I played with Barbies as a kid and enjoyed the movie last summer thoroughly, as much as I enjoyed the discourse and nostalgia that came along with it. I had seen some articles about Margot Robbie's style choices on the red carpets, so it was nice to see that all in one place. This book was really interesting, fun, and would be a great coffee table book for any millennial looking to celebrate their youth and irritate right-wing relatives with their decor.

A beautiful collection of the history of the iconic doll from humble beginnings to a worldwide movie star. A must for all fans!

Review of "Barbie" by Robin Gerber

Ohmygosh, I just love seeing all the photographs and reading about Barbie and the story behind the world-famous doll. I've loved Barbie since I was a little girl. I'd spend hours and hours playing with my many Barbies, varying from Ballerina Barbies to equestrian Barbies and so many more. Life really was all about Barbie when I was a little girl.

This book gives you all the insights in the history of Barbie and provides the most beautiful photographs. I really think this is a book I'd LOVE to have as a coffee-table book. Perfect to go through every now and then, even if it's just to find the little girl in yourself.

I really recommend this one, it's amazing. I'm super thrilled that I can still read this book for more than 30 days. I'll definitely go back to look at pictures again or read some of the stories again.

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.

A great look into the iconic doll and her long history including the changes made to her throughout the years,the significance she has on the toy industry as a whole along with the kids she inspired, fashion and media : this is the ultimate love letter to the doll that has remained a symbol to the childhood of so many little girls and I'd HIGHLY recommend.

Loved this book, it was really well researched and I learned a lot. I loved all the photos and getting to know more about Ruth. I loved the timeline at the end. Thanks NetGallery!

Ruth Handler saw her daughter and friends playing with paper dolls of grown women and wondered why they couldn’t have actual dolls. She designed Barbie against everyone’s advice. What mother would allow her daughter to play with a doll with a grownup figure?
Mattel toys placed TV commercials on The Mickey Mouse Club and sales took off. The story of creating all of Barbie’s tiny garments in Japan is amazing. Barbie has always been ahead of the times, breaking new ground for women. She’s been an astronaut, surgeon, everything. Barbie’s motto is See It/Be It.
Her creator thought Barbie would sell for three or four years. Barbie is now 65.

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.

Robin Gerber’s “BARBIE: Her Inspiration, History and Legacy” is a cute reference guide of the history of Mattel and Barbie. I loved reading about her story and evolution and the pictures were a fantastic addition to an otherwise fascinating book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy.

Disclosure: I received an advance review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Now I know that Barbie doesn’t really have anything to do with classic rock, but I really enjoyed the Barbie movie and when I saw there was a coffee table book coming out about Barbie available to review, I jumped on it, especially with Women’s History Month happening now and this year being the 65th anniversary of Barbie. If you’re a Gen X, Millennial, or Gen Z, you’ve never lived in a world without Barbie. How awesome is that! With it being International Women’s Day today, I think it’s the perfect day to publish this book review.

I remember when I was younger, Barbie was seen as one of the worst things for women’s rights because she’s skinny, pretty, and blonde. Even in university, I’d see pop feminist graphics that scaled up a Barbie doll and show how unrealistic her proportions are and how that’s bad for women’s self esteem or whatever. People see her as perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards and setting women’s liberation back by decades. This is all a complete misrepresentation of Barbie and we saw that myth dispelled in Greta Gerwig’s film last year. All the women in Barbie Land were Barbie. Barbie is Black, Barbie is Asian, Barbie is Hispanic, Barbie is a doctor, writer, lawyer, judge, president, astronaut, any job out there you can think of! Before Barbie, all the dolls girls would play with were babies and girls would pretend to be mothers, but the introduction of Barbie was a game changer because she’s a grown woman with her own job, no kids, and she’s not married. Nope, Ken is not her husband! Barbie is her own person and she shows that girls can be anything, a very important message during the second wave feminism years of the mid 20th century.

Robin Gerber previously wrote a biography about Barbie’s creator Ruth Handler called Barbie and Ruth and now she’s back with this coffee table book celebrating 65 years of Barbie from its humble beginnings in the 50s with Ruth and Elliot Handler starting a toy company with their friend Harold Matson (Mattel is a portmanteau of Matson and Elliot) to it becoming an ever-evolving cultural phenomenon and more than just a doll.

This book shows how much of an entrepreneur Ruth Handler was. She was calling the shots and coming up with the creative ideas. Early on Mattel made music and cowboy themed toys, but these were nothing compared to Barbie. Before Barbie, girls could play pretend with paper dolls with interchangeable outfits, but she wanted to take that concept from 2D to 3D, a doll would take that to the next level. During the postwar years there was a lot of prosperity so people had more disposable income to spend on things like toys for their kids and finally you had the concept of teenagers – they’re not quite kids, but they’re also not fully grown adults. While Ruth Handler had a lot of confidence in her idea and believed it would succeed, the men at Mattel thought that no parent would buy their daughters a dolls with a fully developed figure. However, during a trip to Europe she saw the German Lilli doll and knew her idea had potential. A lot of work went into designing and manufacturing Barbie and her accessories. It was truly an international effort, as the doll was originally manufactured in Japan and Handler hired a renowned Austrian psychologist and marketing expert Ernest Richter to market Barbie as something aspirational. Finally in 1959, the first Barbie was introduced with her blonde hair in a ponytail, her fringe curly and short, and wearing that iconic black and white striped swimsuit, as modelled by Margot Robbie in the 2001: A Space Odyssey inspired opening scene of Barbie.

Surprisingly Barbie wasn’t a hit straight away and at the Toy Fair in New York, many buyers turned their noses up, but things changed within a couple months and dolls were flying off the shelves and Mattel couldn’t keep up with demand. It took them three years to catch up with the backlog of orders. Ruth Handler expected it to be a fad, but instead it became a cultural phenomenon with a fan club starting in the 60s and the Barbie universe expanding with more characters like Ken, Skipper, Midge, and Christie and more career and sport themed outfits thanks to customer feedback. They even made a Twiggy Barbie – the very first celebrity Barbie! Within a decade of launch, Ruth Handler became a millionaire. Decades later, Barbie became more diverse with celebrities becoming Barbies, like Zendaya, Chloe Kim, Misty Copeland, and Ava DuVernay. Historical figures too! Like Frida Kahlo, Amelia Earhart, and Katherine Johnson. Barbie also reached out to fashion houses like Oscar De La Renta, YSL, Versace, Dior, Bob Mackie, Moschino, and Christian Louboutin for collaborations and some of their designs were made miniature for Barbie and more accessible to the masses, now everyone can have a piece of designer clothing. Andy Warhol even painted a portrait of Barbie, which his friend BillyBoy* sold for over $1.1 million. Barbie has ended up in museums like the Louvre and is a whole franchise with computer games, publications, books, all sorts of media all about her. Growing up I loved playing the Barbie hair styling computer game, even though I was a bit of a tomboy.

There are lots of beautiful vintage pictures and as a vintage fashion nerd, I love it! If you’re a fan of the Barbie movie and want to know more about the history, it’s a great read. It’s the perfect book for any Barbie enthusiast and if you love the mid 20th century, the aesthetic of the photos is heavenly. So much behind the scenes information on Barbie like the marketing and business side of things and the manufacturing and history of dolls. This book isn’t just beauty, there’s brains behind it too. There are many valuable marketing lessons to be learnt from Barbie. There’s so much more to Barbie than you think!

What a delightful little book! An excellent, to-the-point basic examination of the history of Barbie that would be a terrific foundation for anyone looking to learn more about the iconic doll and her visionary creator, Ruth Handler. (Even better, there are so many gorgeous, full-color pictures of the doll and her world to fawn over!) This was really a lot of fun to read, and makes me even more glad that I have Gerber's other book, "Barbie and Ruth," waiting for me on my pile of books at home - because if this book has any fault, it's that it leaves me wanting so much more!

This book was a great introduction to the history and legacy both Mattel and Barbie have had on the world. I learned so many things about every stage of Barbie’s history and how it came to be the empire it is today! Very good and interesting read if you are curious to know about Barbie and Mattel, and how they beat the odds of toy making. It doesn’t mention it in the book, but since the Barbie dream house paint line released- which this book now has me wanting!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and Robin Gerber for allowing me to read this e-arc in exchange for my honest review

A wonderful book introducing the history of the iconic Barbie doll. The reader learns not only about the circumstances of the doll's creation and her first steps on the market, but also about the wider social context - how Barbie has sought to empower women and inspired successive generations of girls over the years. Of course, this is not the kind of feminism that everyone agrees with, but it was still interesting to learn about these perspectives. I also really enjoyed the beautiful photographs that enhance the whole book. I would love to have a physical copy of this book.
I highly recommend it to all Barbie fans.