Download Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World's Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her epub

I was intrigued to find out about the creative genius behind Barbie and was pleased to read this book.

It was about the vision of one woman whose husband had the insight to follow and help to create Barbie when she first appear on the scene. Against all odds: parents concern over a doll which was mature looking, a male dominated industry and the sacrifice of her family, Ruth was able to bring little girls, everywhere this doll called Barbie.

The trials faced to bring this doll to the center of the toy world was intriguing, nail bitting and, at times, infuriating. The hardest part of this book, was the ousting of a woman whose whole life was not as charming as her dolls. Ruth was a woman driven to provide a doll that could be played with, dressed and engaged little girls to use their creative imagination to be anything they could imagine. She was a pioneer ahead of her time and her husband was a true believer in her dreams. Nice read.

I loved the book great inspirational book I grew up with Barbie and played with her until I was a teenager and through her dreamed of wonderful dreams. It was nice to learn the history of Barbie the rise and fall and rise again of her mother. Thank you Ruth for your vision and determination to bring dreams to all the little girls and remind us all a girl can be anything they put their mind too with hard work and determination

I loved this book for the historical information and the insight to the invention of certain toys at various time periods. The book doesn't hold back in revealing Ruth's true nature, but it is honest and shows how a very powerful woman beat all the odds of being in a man's world and accomplished many things that others wouldn't have had the tenacity to do. If you are looking for a book to give you some courage, Ruth will do it for you. The lady behind the popular beautiful doll had her ugly flaws and scars but she never have up when tough times stared her down. She faced them head on, and made my problems look very small.

An interesting and informative read about a dynamic woman who was definitely ahead of her time. It was especially interesting how she had to be snuck into a meeting with prospective stock brokers because women weren't allowed on that particular floor of the building. Growing up with Barbies, I enjoyed hearing about her conception. Also, I had no idea how much else she was involved with, including helping women with breast cancer. I highly recommend this book.

Barbie and I were born the same year so I grew up with her and her friends. Years later, I entered the toy business as a toy designer and I worked with the Barbie license and knew some of the people mentioned in Barbie and Ruth. I was even at the TMA event when Ruth and Elliot Handler were inducted into the TMA hall of fame. So, I REALLY enjoyed the book and I learned some things that even I didn't know about Mattel and the Handlers early beginnings.

I never liked dolls much, especially Barbies. But it was very interesting to read about how this woman persisted in getting the doll she wanted to make produced and ended up with one of the country's most successful toy companies.

Robin Gerber's biography of Ruth Handler is well researched, thoughtful, insightful and obviously written out of a genuine curiosity. With all this in mind, why did this biography leave me feeling a bit slighted? I think the answer lies in the title, which implies a dual biography that simply doesn't exist. Part of the problem obviously exists with the marketing of the book. The cover clearly shows preferential treatment of Barbie. Look at the sweeping title and font of "Barbie" and then the rather diminiuative "Ruth" below "Barbie" and the title. Truth be told, there is really very little about Barbie doll that most folks haven't already heard about decades ago. Her humble beginnings are not revelatory here. By the end of the book, you know very little about Barbie but a lot more about her "mother".

The reader is treated to not only a chronological biography of her inventor but also an emotional history as well. Under Gerber's pen, Ruth Handler becomes someone more than just a name once linked to scandal. Gerber portrays the tough as nails Handler also as a vulnerable and at times insecure woman. There is little sentimentality here. Gerber doesn't try to make Handler out as a saint--as perhaps many of her admirers do to a fault. This is perhaps one of the real achievements of this book. Love her or hate her, the Ruth Handler legacy will always lie within glint of the child's eye when dreaming with her invention.

What an interesting story about how Mattel was formed. Ruth was certainly a woman ahead of her time -- a business woman in a man's world of the 50's and 60's.