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Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World's Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her
by
Robin Gerber
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 count...more
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 count...more
Hardcover, 288 pages
Published
February 3rd 2009
by HarperBusiness
(first published January 1st 2009)
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I read this one at the same time I had barely finished the biography of Marie Curie and in the middle of the Steve Jobs biography. Though their stories differ, they don't. These three geniuses have so much in common: narrowly laser focused determination, obvious intelligence and a willingness to take credit for others' work with total self absorption and unswerving drive to achieve, whether it's scientific discovery or business success. This one traces the story of Ruth Handler, the force behind...more
The story of Barbie and her creator (I had no idea a woman created Barbie) is an interesting and compelling story; however author Robin Gerber's "Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World's Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her" telling of the life of Ruth Handler and the birth of Barbie is far from interesting or compelling. And, the book barely mentions the 'story of the world's most famous doll.' A more appropriate title would be, "The Story of Ruth Handler: The Woman behind Mattel."
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Honestly, I don't think I would have ever picked up this book had it not been a Book Club pick and I'm not really sure why. I loved Barbie when I was younger; I had pretty much everything that Barbie could have and played with her (and her friends) all the time. I guess I just never even considered learning about how she was created.
Surprisingly, this book was actually extremely interesting. True Ruth Handler (Barbie's "mother") was a total b..., the book didn't really focus on Barbie that much...more
Surprisingly, this book was actually extremely interesting. True Ruth Handler (Barbie's "mother") was a total b..., the book didn't really focus on Barbie that much...more
I feel like all of the women who hate on Barbie as a sexiest piece of plastic trash should learn the background story of her creator before they stick their noses up in the toy aisle. Barbie was designed by a woman who grew up in a poor, hardscrabble Chicago neighborhood, found the love of her life in her teens, and worked to create a doll that little girls would want to play with, because it allowed them to daydream about being grown women.
Not only did she build Mattel from the bottom up, but a...more
Not only did she build Mattel from the bottom up, but a...more
Overall, this was a good biography. Sometimes the person being written about is more interesting than the book itself, but in this case, it was an equally interesting person with an equally interesting story. Ruth Handler would have made an interesting subject based on her rise within Corporate America alone. She co-created and was an executive at Mattel in the days when women didn't work and IF they did they were secretaries. It was an interesting twist that she was the driving force behind Bar...more
Fascinating story about how Ruth Handler invented Barbie and, with her husband Elliot Handler, made Mattel into the top toy company. They were both children of immigrant Jewish families; he was the designer of many toys and she was the saleswoman and led Mattel.
Did you know that Barbie was a tough sell in 1959 because buyers thought she was too curvy and a bit scandalous, and that they thought little girls only wanted to be moms and play with baby dolls? Ruth created an adult doll so little girl...more
Did you know that Barbie was a tough sell in 1959 because buyers thought she was too curvy and a bit scandalous, and that they thought little girls only wanted to be moms and play with baby dolls? Ruth created an adult doll so little girl...more
I found this book to be very eye-opening and informative of how the creator of Barbie, Ruth Handler, really came to her success. Before reading this book, I thought that before Barbie, Ruth didn't have any big enterprise or business. I was completely wrong. Ruth and her husband created the brand Mattel long before the idea of Barbie even popped into her head. Mattel was a business that created different kinds of toys, for example, a toy gun and ukelele. Eventually Ruth came up with the idea of B...more
Dave got me this book for Valentines Day because he knows I have been a Barbie junkie all my life. So, the title is a bit of a misnomer since there is not much Barbie in it. Some stuff about her creation. It's really a biography of Ruth Handler and Mattel, the company she founded with her husband. It's a fast and fun read. Lots of juicy stuff. We all know she named Barbie after her daughter Barbara but did you know she was modeled on a sex doll sold in Europe? And did you know Ken was named for...more
1 like · like · see review
Jul 16, 2009
Ed
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Career women, business students, entrpreneurs, toy industry people
Recommended to Ed by:
Joe Cutcliffe
I was surprised at how interesting and well-written this book about Ruth Handler, the founder of Mattel Toy Company and the creator of the Barbie doll was. Having read and reviewed the disappointing [Book:Toy Monster], I was afraid this was going to be the polar opposite, nothing more than an adoring eulogy to an exceptional woman.
It is far more than that and far more even-handed than is usual in these types of biographies. Plus the writing is first-rate. It reads like a novel and as the friend...more
It is far more than that and far more even-handed than is usual in these types of biographies. Plus the writing is first-rate. It reads like a novel and as the friend...more
This is the fascinating story of Ruth Handler, the woman who created the Barbie doll and founded the Mattel toy company. Ruth was a trailblazer for women - she was business-minded, a working mother and ran her company the way she wanted to - all during the 1950's - 1970's. No matter what hardship came her way she was able to overcome it in her own way. After she was forced out of Mattel Ruth was able to use her business skills to start a new company that helped women who had had mastectomies - a...more
The author, Robin Gerber, was not a fan of Ruth Handler, the inventor of the Barbie doll. Usually the author of a biography has a least some warm feelings for their subject. That did not appear to be the case here. Ruth was presented as a man-eating, cold, vindictive, and generally unappealing woman. I loved Barbie, heck I still love Barbie. If it was socially acceptable to play with dolls at 46 years old, I would have tons of Barbie stuff. I read a lot of biographies, but this one was a real le...more
More about Barbie's creator, Ruth Handler, than Barbie herself. Handler's story was interesting, though. While her husband, Elliott, was the face of Mattel, Ruth was the brains behind the operations. She was known as a hard-charging, no-holds-barred appraoch to business made her a pioneer. It's a shame her story isn't more well-known. I mean, who knew Barbie was invented by a woman or that the initial opposition to it was so fierce? And who knew that a woman was behind one of the largest compani...more
About Barbie (and Ken, etc) and her creator Ruth Handler. Equally fascinating was the detail about the rise, fall and re-rise of this driven and successful business woman. Not someone to totally admire but she did mentor many women and men. She discovered rewards in being involved with and championed many issues and skills, like breast cancer, AIDS, and community service. Author Robin Gerber likely used info from all the sources she found and was given access to and this is easy and quick read.
My friend bought me this book because I'm a Barbie collector. I expected more discussion of Barbie's cultural impact and the evolution of her image. Despite that disappointment, it was a good read, a well-organized biography of a pioneering businesswoman who deserves more attention from feminists. Handler revolutionized toy marketing (a mixed blessing, perhaps!) and then rebounded from breast cancer and a Martha Stewart-like stock scandal to create the first attractive and comfortable prostheses...more
A book about Barbie and her maker, Ruth Handler. This is a neat book in terms of that it was neatly portioned out. I was able to read the book over a 2+ week period without missing a beat. Nothing spectacular.
The book did focus much more on Ruth Handler than Barbie. It told a story without getting emotionally involved. After reading the book, I don't feel anything special toward Ruth Handler. Neither did I throughout the book.
I read this book to try to compare Barbie and the American Girl dolls in their play potential, obviously not in looks and clothes. I came to the conclusion that while Mattel has made them both huge product extension toys, American Girl dolls provide an age appropriate toy with plenty of room for creative play.
This book is really more about the people who created Mattel than about Barbie specifically.
This book is really more about the people who created Mattel than about Barbie specifically.
Sep 30, 2009
Anne
added it
Barbie was a ground-breaking toy in ways I had not really considered. Ruth, her creator, was a sharp cookie and one of the hardest working enterpreneurs I've ever heard of. I chose this book as a lark, but wound up being fascinated by it. It's a biography, a business book, a page-turner, a time capsule - all in one. Nice fast read, too!
I have a love/hate relationship with Barbie. I used to enact soap opera plots with my dolls with my best pal Jenny. These days I'm relieved that my daughter doesn't want one yet. Who knew that Barbie was created by a woman - that the Mattel company was started by a woman, in fact? Fascinating biography of Ruth Handler.
This remarkable story was told without warmth or empathy. As a result it reads like a list of facts. CEO's are often not warm and fuzzy but this woman's incredible imagination, drive and spirit in a time when women were not only not welcome in the business world but were scorned should be celebrated.
It was interesting to read how the Mattel corporation grew and how very few people thought that Barbie would be such a successful toy. I think I took for granted that Barbie has been around all my life, but even though she is turning 50 this year I think lots of women could find something to relate to in this book.
I enjoyed learning the details involved with the creation of Mattel. Ruth is tough to like and equally tough to dislike. Hands down, she was brilliant, motivated and self-confident. The author did a wonderful job examining the cost(s) of her business life on her personal life.
How Ruth Handler came to be Ruth, how Barbie came to be Ruth's brainchild, and how together they changed American business and culture is the focus of this biography. No matter whether you find Barbie to be an insult to women or a fun toy to dress in a variety of clothing the story of Barbie and Ruth is an interesting read.
This book was a compelling read. It caught my eye because like a lot of girls, I loved Barbie, but my mom used to work for Mattel in the 60's, and I wanted to learn more about it, and boy did I. It wasn't always pretty, but it was fascinating. I loved it.
Barbie is not just a pretty face with a tiny waist and big chest. Just ask her creator! This shows the struggles that Ruth had creating the tiny doll and how she almost never existed. Definitely an new side of Barbie that I never knew.
As a little girl (okay also as a woman) who loved Barbies, I was really interested in reading this book. Ruth Handler was a strong and fascinating woman ahead of her time and I am grateful for her creation of my favorite doll.
This was a really interesting look in to the pioneering businesswoman who invented Barbie. I just wish they had been a little more serious about whether or not the charges of insider trading and corruption were true.
I typically don't read biographies, but I found this one very interesting. Ruth was an amazing business woman.
Interesting read as I didn't realize that Ruth Handler created Mattel...however I wanted more Barbie, less Ruth.
Mar 02, 2009
Emily
marked it as to-read
Happy Birthday, Barbie! I was obsessed with Barbies growing up, and the history is pretty fascinating.
Quite a story about trying to mix/blend parenting with business. The dolls named Barbie and Ken were a huge success and made Mattel. But the rest of the story involves a fractured family with misplace priorities. Ruth's husband was creative and inventive and created new products. Ruth ran the business/marketing/sales portion of the business. I am in awe of Ruth's ability to sell and market. She was "ruthless."
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Feb 21, 2009 11:18pm