What do you think?
Rate this book
The Barbie Chronicles: A Living Doll Turns Forty
A THOROUGHLY GROWN-UP LOOK AT A TWENTIETH-CENTURY MUSE OF OUTSTANDING PROPORTIONS
To some she's a collectible, to others she's trash. In The Barbie Chronicles, twenty-three writers join together to scrutinize Barbie's forty years of hateful, lovely disastrous, glorious influence on us all. No other tiny shoulders have ever, had to carry the weight of such affection and derision and no other book has ever paid this notorious little place of plastic her due. Whether you adore her or abhor her, The Barbie Chronicles will have you looking at her in ways you never imagined.
To some she's a collectible, to others she's trash. In The Barbie Chronicles, twenty-three writers join together to scrutinize Barbie's forty years of hateful, lovely disastrous, glorious influence on us all. No other tiny shoulders have ever, had to carry the weight of such affection and derision and no other book has ever paid this notorious little place of plastic her due. Whether you adore her or abhor her, The Barbie Chronicles will have you looking at her in ways you never imagined.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
9 people are currently reading
199 people want to read
About the author
Yona Zeldis McDonough
53 books234 followersI live in Park Slope, Brooklyn and many of my novels take place here. But my new novel takes place in New Hampshire, and I have woven into it a historical component: the tragic story of Ruth Blay, who in 1768 was the last woman hanged in the state. When I read about Ruth, I was fascinated and horrified in equal measure, and I knew I had to write about her.
I was educated at Vassar College and Columbia University, where I studied art history. But I started writing fiction in my 20's and never looked back. I am the author of seven novels, 27 books for children and am the editor of two essay collections. I'm also the fiction editor of Lilith Magazine . Please visit my website, http://www.yonazeldismcdonough.com or find me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/yzmcdonough; I love to connect with readers everywhere.
I was educated at Vassar College and Columbia University, where I studied art history. But I started writing fiction in my 20's and never looked back. I am the author of seven novels, 27 books for children and am the editor of two essay collections. I'm also the fiction editor of Lilith Magazine . Please visit my website, http://www.yonazeldismcdonough.com or find me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/yzmcdonough; I love to connect with readers everywhere.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 18, 2008
As with most books of essays, this was a mixed bag - some were enjoyable, some were dry and some seemed liked they would never end. The book jacket makes the reader aware that there will be a fair amount of anti-Barbie sentiment, and it's definitely present (though not pervasive). However, as the editor notes in her own essay, it's fine to buy Barbie, just don't buy into her. And, generally, I think the second part is a problem that adults have or see versus the girls (and it's nearly always girls) who play with Barbies.
I was a huge Barbie fanatic myself, and I think that I was savvy enough that I never confused Barbie's life with what I wanted mine to be. I never wanted Barbie's clothes - they were generally hideous and Bob Mackie tacky. I never envied Barbie's proportions - breasts came soon enough, and no one I knew ever made much of a big deal about them one way or another.
What I find most interesting about Barbies (and this isn't really covered in the book at all) is the very different ways in which girls play with them. For example, I never liked to play Barbies with my friends; Barbie was a solo activity for me. And I didn't dress and undress my Barbies, generally I found a favorite outfit for them and they wore the same thing all the time. And my Barbies and Kens definitely weren't sex manics - ugh (although I was of the "Ken bump" age - apparently Ken doesn't have a bump anymore, but, instead has molded plastic underpants. Wow!)What I DID do with them is probably most telling - I would use all my old Easter baskets and create lavish, detailed Rose Parade floats for my Barbies to ride. I would create elaborate high school social structures for them (I was in elementary school at the time) which relied more on paper lists than the dolls themselves (which Barbies were friends? which Barbies were on the basketball team?). I would create huge shopping malls which covered my entire bedroom floor, and I would use all my accessories as merchandise and I spent a great deal of time on advertising and prices (Daddy would love this if he knew - his own little budding capitalist). I digress, but I'm guessing that each little girl who loved Barbies loved them in her own way (maybe one was all about the Barbie/Ken sex....which would be tough through the plastic jockeys, or maybe another mothered her Barbies), and that way would tell us far more about what she was to become than any dismissive "Barbie is anti-feminist" slogan. (And if any armchair psychologist want to interpret the above to tell me what sort of adult I should have turned out to be, I'm all ears!)
However at least one of the essayist touched upon a fact that, even as a child, I found quite troubling about Barbie. Where were all the older people? And where were the babies? One author mentions the "Happy Family" dolls, and notes that the set had both grandparents and babies. I had those too, and all of the dolls - Barbies, Happy Family, Charlie's Angels, my Cher doll, Darcy, all lived happily in my Erin-village together (even then Cher was an older, cougar-like woman.....I think it was the long, claw-like nails and false eyelashes she had).
Anyway, worth reading if you're a fan, but many of you have probably read many of these arguments before.
I was a huge Barbie fanatic myself, and I think that I was savvy enough that I never confused Barbie's life with what I wanted mine to be. I never wanted Barbie's clothes - they were generally hideous and Bob Mackie tacky. I never envied Barbie's proportions - breasts came soon enough, and no one I knew ever made much of a big deal about them one way or another.
What I find most interesting about Barbies (and this isn't really covered in the book at all) is the very different ways in which girls play with them. For example, I never liked to play Barbies with my friends; Barbie was a solo activity for me. And I didn't dress and undress my Barbies, generally I found a favorite outfit for them and they wore the same thing all the time. And my Barbies and Kens definitely weren't sex manics - ugh (although I was of the "Ken bump" age - apparently Ken doesn't have a bump anymore, but, instead has molded plastic underpants. Wow!)What I DID do with them is probably most telling - I would use all my old Easter baskets and create lavish, detailed Rose Parade floats for my Barbies to ride. I would create elaborate high school social structures for them (I was in elementary school at the time) which relied more on paper lists than the dolls themselves (which Barbies were friends? which Barbies were on the basketball team?). I would create huge shopping malls which covered my entire bedroom floor, and I would use all my accessories as merchandise and I spent a great deal of time on advertising and prices (Daddy would love this if he knew - his own little budding capitalist). I digress, but I'm guessing that each little girl who loved Barbies loved them in her own way (maybe one was all about the Barbie/Ken sex....which would be tough through the plastic jockeys, or maybe another mothered her Barbies), and that way would tell us far more about what she was to become than any dismissive "Barbie is anti-feminist" slogan. (And if any armchair psychologist want to interpret the above to tell me what sort of adult I should have turned out to be, I'm all ears!)
However at least one of the essayist touched upon a fact that, even as a child, I found quite troubling about Barbie. Where were all the older people? And where were the babies? One author mentions the "Happy Family" dolls, and notes that the set had both grandparents and babies. I had those too, and all of the dolls - Barbies, Happy Family, Charlie's Angels, my Cher doll, Darcy, all lived happily in my Erin-village together (even then Cher was an older, cougar-like woman.....I think it was the long, claw-like nails and false eyelashes she had).
Anyway, worth reading if you're a fan, but many of you have probably read many of these arguments before.
February 25, 2020
I have always loved Barbie. I loved her as a child, and I continued to love her as an adult. So, I was a bit disappointed with this book only because most of the 25 essays collected here were not positive ones. I was, of course, expecting all the negative stuff about Barbie’s measurements, how unrealistic they are, how big her bust is and how tiny her waist, etc, etc, blah, blah, BLAH!
I’ve heard it all before and it has never made sense to me. What’s more, I got this book because the editor is a Barbie fan too. I had the pleasure of meeting Yona Zeldis McDonough in a bookstore where she was promoting her other books, “The Doll Shop Downstairs,” and “The Cats in the Doll Shop.” I did not go to the store to see her; I had never heard of these books before. But I was drawn to the idea of a doll shop and the adorable illustrations on both books’ covers. (You can read my reviews of them too) McDonough came over to me and we started talking. I said that I have always loved dolls. She asked me what dolls I played with as a child. I almost reluctantly mentioned Barbie, who was most definitely the star of my childhood, but who I know can be so controversial. To my surprise and delight, though, McDonough had a very positive response. She told me that she loves Barbie too and has a book about Barbie. So naturally, I was expecting this book to be more of a love letter to Barbie. I guess, being the editor, McDonough did not have control over what the other authors wrote. However, she does have an essay of her own, in which she writes, “Is there such widespread contempt for the intelligence of children that we really imagine that they are stupid enough to be shaped by a doll?” I agree. As a child, I knew that Barbie was a doll and not meant to be realistic. I’ve seen many dolls these days that have overly large heads. That’s pretty unrealistic too – but nobody writes scathing commentary about them.
There are some positive stories. One that I liked is from Melissa Hook who said that Barbie helped her to connect with her sometimes distant grandmother. They bonded over Barbie’s clothes. The Fashion Talk that she had with her stylish grandmother taught her how to be a stylish woman. Now, I’d say that’s exactly how Barbie should be used.
It’s true also that even some of the more negative essays have little bits of positive mixed in. Amongst the body bashing, one author notes that Barbie’s waist is not tiny to send bad messages to girls. It’s tiny to accommodate her fashions – hence the term Fashion Doll. Had Barbie had a wider waist, the fabric of her clothes would make her look as if she had no waist at all. I know this firsthand. I often tried to make clothes for my Barbies. In the late 70s and early 80s, designer jeans where all the rage. I had gotten a bit of denim from my grandmother’s scrap drawer, but it was hard to make a waist for the tiny jeans, the fabric bunched up and did not look right. In the end, Barbie could only wear tops that went out over the waist of her homemade jeans.
Another positive point was made by Susan Shapiro who said that what she learned from Barbie was that it was okay to have a lot of different careers. As a child, I loved Barbie’s careers most of all. I wanted to have a fabulous career and be confident and competent in it, as I imagined Barbie to be. As it turns out, I’ve had lots of different jobs too. I often lament the fact that I never got to do a deep dive into any one career. But the thought that I might be the human equivalent to Barbie in my work life is a comfort that I had never considered before!
I could go on, there is a lot to think about in these essays. If you are a Barbie fan you should probably read this book, you’ll get something out of it. Just be prepared for all the negative stuff, which sadly, never seems to go away. But fortunately, neither does Barbie. 😊
I’ve heard it all before and it has never made sense to me. What’s more, I got this book because the editor is a Barbie fan too. I had the pleasure of meeting Yona Zeldis McDonough in a bookstore where she was promoting her other books, “The Doll Shop Downstairs,” and “The Cats in the Doll Shop.” I did not go to the store to see her; I had never heard of these books before. But I was drawn to the idea of a doll shop and the adorable illustrations on both books’ covers. (You can read my reviews of them too) McDonough came over to me and we started talking. I said that I have always loved dolls. She asked me what dolls I played with as a child. I almost reluctantly mentioned Barbie, who was most definitely the star of my childhood, but who I know can be so controversial. To my surprise and delight, though, McDonough had a very positive response. She told me that she loves Barbie too and has a book about Barbie. So naturally, I was expecting this book to be more of a love letter to Barbie. I guess, being the editor, McDonough did not have control over what the other authors wrote. However, she does have an essay of her own, in which she writes, “Is there such widespread contempt for the intelligence of children that we really imagine that they are stupid enough to be shaped by a doll?” I agree. As a child, I knew that Barbie was a doll and not meant to be realistic. I’ve seen many dolls these days that have overly large heads. That’s pretty unrealistic too – but nobody writes scathing commentary about them.
There are some positive stories. One that I liked is from Melissa Hook who said that Barbie helped her to connect with her sometimes distant grandmother. They bonded over Barbie’s clothes. The Fashion Talk that she had with her stylish grandmother taught her how to be a stylish woman. Now, I’d say that’s exactly how Barbie should be used.
It’s true also that even some of the more negative essays have little bits of positive mixed in. Amongst the body bashing, one author notes that Barbie’s waist is not tiny to send bad messages to girls. It’s tiny to accommodate her fashions – hence the term Fashion Doll. Had Barbie had a wider waist, the fabric of her clothes would make her look as if she had no waist at all. I know this firsthand. I often tried to make clothes for my Barbies. In the late 70s and early 80s, designer jeans where all the rage. I had gotten a bit of denim from my grandmother’s scrap drawer, but it was hard to make a waist for the tiny jeans, the fabric bunched up and did not look right. In the end, Barbie could only wear tops that went out over the waist of her homemade jeans.
Another positive point was made by Susan Shapiro who said that what she learned from Barbie was that it was okay to have a lot of different careers. As a child, I loved Barbie’s careers most of all. I wanted to have a fabulous career and be confident and competent in it, as I imagined Barbie to be. As it turns out, I’ve had lots of different jobs too. I often lament the fact that I never got to do a deep dive into any one career. But the thought that I might be the human equivalent to Barbie in my work life is a comfort that I had never considered before!
I could go on, there is a lot to think about in these essays. If you are a Barbie fan you should probably read this book, you’ll get something out of it. Just be prepared for all the negative stuff, which sadly, never seems to go away. But fortunately, neither does Barbie. 😊
May 4, 2009
I love Barbie,so this book looked like fun. Instead it's a book of feminist & intellectual rants about what Barbie symbolizes & means to our culture. Some of the stories were good & gave me things to think about, but most of them the authors were taking Barbie way too seriously. They need to lighten up. Little girls love Barbie because she's glamorous & lets them practice being grown up in a safe way, & I personally think Barbie is a great role model for girls. She's wholesome, she comes in every color & nationality, & she shows girls they can be both pretty & smart, you dont have to choose one over the other. I cant wait to have a little girl to buy Barbies for & play with her & relive that part of my childhood.
July 26, 2023
Very dated, given the changes in Barbie over the past twenty years. Barbie is no longer the super-white, super-skinny girl she was in 1999 and that makes a lot of these writings outdated. But more than that, too many of the essays were by academics writing for other academics (ugh, all that language that’s unintelligible to those outside their tiny world!). They are an awkward fit in a book aimed at the general public. For someone wanting to explore what Barbie has meant in American culture, this is an interesting historic piece, but I’d be far more likely to recommend instead M.G. Lord’s Forever Barbie.
April 19, 2023
To some she's a collectible, to others she's trash. In the Barbie Chronicles, twenty three writers join together to scrutinize Barbie's forty years of hateful, lovely, disastrous, glorious influence on us all. No other tiny shoulders have ever had to carry the weight of such affection and derision, and no other book has ever paid this notorious little piece of plastic her due. Whether you adore her or abhor her, The Barbie Chronicles will have you looking at her in ways you never imagined.
September 8, 2023
I just reread this because of the current Barbie movie being shown. I’m on the fence about it; some of the essays I could relate to and some not so much. Everyone has a different experience of Barbie I suppose.
May 25, 2021
The Barbie Chronicles offers a variety of opinions of Barbie and the phenomenon surrounding her, and it's that variety that makes this book so good. The contributors have all been influenced by Barbie but in different ways and to different degrees. While a book by a single author on Barbie might offer great insight into one of the ways Barbie can be perceived, the only way to get a comprehensive picture of the little plastic doll's effects on our society - and indeed, our society's effects on the little plastic doll - is to look at it from many different angles. And sure, not all the essays are fantastic, but they all bring something to the table and together, make up a truly fascinating whole.
September 2, 2024
I overall enjoyed this book! While some essays were written better than others, there were some important points and perspectives I had never considered before. My main criticism was that the writings supporting Barbie seemed more emotionally based than the anti-Barbie writings, which had a greater variety of styles. As a person who leans more toward factual evidence than simply personal experience, the different perspective’s arguments could sometimes feel unbalanced. However, some of the personal writings were lovely! I would recommend that you read the book with an open mind. From reading many of these comments, I feel that many people missed the book's point, not to entrench yourself in your views but to expose yourself to new ideas and viewpoints.
October 22, 2007
I'm really into reading Barbie books this year. For some reason my rinky dink local library is full of fun Barbie books. This book was good, it's a collection of essays by various woman authors. I didn't care for the negativity directed towards Barbie in most of the essays though. If it's a birthday tribute, maybe it could have been a bit more Barbie positive. I still like to read about different women's reactions to Barbie, so it made for an interested read.
June 27, 2007
Another one of the first feminist books I read. As you might expect I read all the third wave stuff first and am only going deeper into second wave these days. Third wave was a fantastic guide for me as a preteen in a way that I don't think second wave could have reached me yet. These essays are funny, relatable meditations on this cultural icon of femininity.
May 31, 2012
This book has been sitting on my shelf for about ten years. I bought it as a teenager and read it in my late twenties. I liked this book, it was insightful and funny. It made me wish I could remember how I played with my own Barbies as a kid and made me wonder just how much they shaped my own life.
March 28, 2021
Trattandosi di una raccolta di scritti di autori diversi, va da sé che la qualità sia ondivaga, alternandosi tra letture curiose e/o deliziose ad altre che lasciano il tempo che trovano (poesie in primis!!).
Want to read
February 20, 201140 is the new 10!! What did I do with my matching Chanel bag and pumps?
February 6, 2017
It is a mixed bag from Barbie lovers to Barbie haters. Some of the essays are pretty amusing.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews