This book was offered to me by the publisher, Berkley Publishing, and I found it SO interesting!
Of course, I should start by saying that I was a huge Barbie fan when I was a little girl. Our cousin had given us all her Barbies when she outgrew them, and they were originals from the 1960’s. And boy there were a lot, and a lot of accessories, and it was all pristine: Barbie, Midge (with wigs), Chrissy, Skipper, Todd and Tutti (the little twins), Alan, Ken, and more. As a child of the 70’s, I received “helping hands Barbie” (not sure if that was her real name but her hands opened and closed so she could hold things so I called her that), as well as “Barbie Sweet 16”, “Malibu Barbie” (with the purple sunglasses), and the Barbie townhouse and Barbie’s Country Camper. I found reading the story of the real designers behind Barbie such an interesting look into history. Ruth Handler, creator of Mattel, really was incredibly savvy as a businesswoman. She was ahead of her time. And I found the self-destructive genius of Jack Ryan really unforgettable.
Here’s the scoop on the novel. Thank you for my copy! I highly recommend it.
Description
THE USA TODAY BESTSELLER ∙ She was only eleven-and-a-half inches tall, but she would change the world. Barbie is born in this bold novel by USA Today bestselling author Renée Rosen.
As featured in The New York Post ∙ RuPaul’s Book Club ∙ Book Riot ∙ The Nerd Daily ∙ Chicago Review of Books ∙ and more!
“A fresh and fun take on Barbie lore…clever and satisfying.”—Shelby Van Pelt, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Remarkably Bright Creatures
When Ruth Handler walks into the boardroom of the toy company she co-founded and pitches her idea for a doll unlike any other, she knows what she’s setting in motion. It might just take the world a moment to catch up.
In 1956, the only dolls on the market for little girls let them pretend to be mothers. Ruth’s vision for a doll shaped like a grown woman and outfitted in an enviable wardrobe will let them dream they can be anything.
As Ruth assembles her team of creative rebels—head engineer Jack Ryan who hides his deepest secrets behind his genius and designers Charlotte Johnson and Stevie Klein, whose hopes and dreams rest on the success of Barbie’s fashion—she knows they’re working against a ticking clock to get this wild idea off the ground.
In the decades to come—through soaring heights and devastating personal lows, public scandals and private tensions— each of them will have to decide how tightly to hold on to their creation. Because Barbie has never been just a doll—she’s a legacy.
Includes a Reader’s Guide and Exclusive Vintage Barbie Photos!
About the Author (I need to read her other books!)
Renée Rosen is the USA Today bestselling author of Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl, The Social Graces, Park Avenue Summer, Windy City Blues, White Collar Girl, What the Lady Wants, and Dollface. Renée lives in Chicago.
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