Let's Call Her Barbie

In 1956 little girls played with baby dolls. They were practicing to be good mothers and little helpers. Ruth Handler thought otherwise. As she and her husband Elliot led Mattel Toy Company to become one of the largest in the world, Ruth was determined to single handedly change the way the people viewed women and to teach girls to reach for the stars. Ruth’s vision was the Barbie doll and it took three hardworking years to produce the very first 11 inch rubber doll. Barbie would be beautiful, fashionable, successful and independent. As the Mattel creative teams got to work Ruth faced many obstacles in the boardroom and with the public. The fan mail was not always positive and it would take many years for mothers to see the value in purchasing this doll for their children to dream. In an era when men were in charge, this tiny outspoken woman would not accept no for an answer. She created and fought for Barbie, a cultural icon which over the decades has evolved reflecting societal changes and embracing diversity as well as empowerment. To date more than 1 billion Barbies have been sold. Barbie has introduced over 100 dolls representing various ethnicities and has held more than 200 jobs, including roles as an astronaut and a president. This novel is a glimpse into the history of Barbie, alongside the fascinating life of Ruth Handler, a woman way ahead of her time. As Ruth famously quotes “Barbie always represented the fact that a woman has choices." ⭐⭐⭐⭐