Barbie and Ruth by Ruth Gerber is the remarkable true story of the world’s most famous toy and the woman who created her. It is a fascinating account of how one visionary woman and her product changed an industry and sparked a lasting debate about women’s roles. At once a business book, a colorful portrait of an extraordinary female entrepreneur, and a breathtaking look at a cultural phenomenon, … phenomenon, Barbie and Ruth is a must read for anyone who ever owned a Barbie doll — a book Publishers Weekly calls, “a stirring biography… a fine study of success and resilience.”
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Ruth Handler was the daughter of Jewish immigrants, the tenth of ten children and one of the few born in the New Country. Raised by a sister old enough to be her mother, Ruth would marry her high school sweetheart, Elliott Handler, and together they would found an empire: Mattel. Their success at Mattel would span some twenty years, but the most …
Just okay. Felt drawn out. Interesting to hear about the inception of Barbie and Ruth Handlers life.
What an interesting, informative read this was! While I was never what one would call a girly-girl, I loved playing with Barbies when I was little – my dolls had careers and apartments, they traveled and were always (of course) impeccably dressed. I never owned a Ken doll; I didn’t see the need. For me, Barbie was about being a grown-up, living …