Barbie Doll Collection

Forever Barbie: The Unauthorized Biography of a Real Doll

Description:

Since Barbie's introduction in 1959, her impact on baby boomers has been revolutionary. Far from being a toy designed by men to enslave women, she was a toy invented by women to teach women what-- for better or worse-- was expected of them. In telling Barbie's fascinating story, cultural critic and investigative journalist M. G. Lord, herself a first-generation Barbie owner, has written a provocative, zany, occasionally shocking book that will change how you look at the doll and the world.

Customer Reviews:

I know you think i am a little young for this book but trust me it's great! It's so lovely! I never looked at a Barbie the same way again! This is a must-have for Barbie fans! i am liking how she talked about how Barbie made African-Americans & American-Asians feel undermined what with not a lot of ethnic Barbies being sold now. I loved loved hearing about the collector things & the odd people who think Barbie is the most fabulous thing ever. She also covers feminism, society's messages towards women, anorexic stars, & rituals that seem to be incorporated into Barbie play. & she gives some tidy background dirt on Mattel. He, he!
I did not like how she said the pregnant Midge doll was "icky". This book is nice with plenty of photos & stories of interesting people & disturbing artists as well as the acessories made to make up for Ken's groin loss (lol) & the secret messages implanted in Barbie's accessories. I will never see Barbie as a cheap piece of skinny plastic anymore. Now, she is society in doll form. Believe it!
Wamina!

Though I read the book because I was interested in the subject matter & was doing research for a writing project of my own, what struck me here was the talent of the writer. M.G. Lord is a rare combination for a writer. she's both the mechanics & the heart down-pat: She can construct a sentence or turn a phrase like nobody's business, & she digs into & presents the most relevant content with nice judgment. The broad array of cultural references at the tip of her consciousness alone is impressive. I enjoyed the book, & even laughed often at the edgy humor.

This book isn't the next _war & peace_ nor was meant to be. Just like that dude J. Alfred Prufrock, it's nice for swelling a crowd, & giving you something less-embarassing than watch tv to do when you require to just relax. Analyzing pop culture, learning obscure facts about something i am vaguely ashamed of myself for being interested in in the first place . . . mmmmmm, pass the oreo ice cream, . The author definitely shares my sheepish fascination with Barbie. His/her(?) text explores plenty of aspects of our relationship with Barbie - as children, parents, adult women, queers, artists, etc., & a lot of interesting background info on how she was created, the company who has promoted her over the years, & the toy industry in general. Holding my interest *without* getting so serious that I wished the book had come with a discussion section that met two times a week, _Forever Barbie_ was like a long, interesting cultural-analysis chat with an amusing girlfriend. I would read it again in a few years or recommend it to friends . . .

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