Barbieland: The Unauthorized History
by Tarpley Hilt
Barbie was always my favorite toy as a little girl; I still remember fondly the Western Barbie who could wink as one of my first dolls and recently I purchased a Camping Fun Barbie for my niece, who loves to go rock climbing, (Barbie can do anything). So I was interested to read more about how the famous doll got her start and evolved over the years. As the title states Barbieland isn’t authorized by Mattel, which means Hitt was limited in some of her access to the company and current goings on, but what readers get instead are some juicy details that an “approved” version might leave out. Barbieland is Hilt’s first book, but I hope she writes more pop culture histories in the future since she has a great voice that made this book fun as well as informative to read; even if you aren’t a Barbie fan this insight into the inner workings of toy manufacturing should be riveting and if you do love Barbie than this is a must read. It is interesting to view the last 50 years of feminist and capitalist history by the path of one tiny pair of high heeled feet.
The Toys that Built America Documentary Series
I always enjoy the History Channel series about significant innovations and innovators that helped shape America from TV Icons like Johnny Carson to food like Dunkin Donuts. They always add a sense of drama and intrigue with their recreations of significant moments. Season 1 of Toys that Built America is available from Kanopy which includes topics like Ruth Handler’s creation of Barbie and the competition between Milton Bradley and Parker Brothers in the creation of board games. Season 2 of Toys that Built America is available from Hoopla which looks at all American creations like Cabbage Patch Kids and some toys that got their start oversees like the Super Mario Brothers; fittingly for this time of year there is one episode specifically about Christmas Crazes. I thought Lego especially has an interesting back story. This is a fun show to watch with the family and feel nostalgic and learn some interesting facts about what it takes for toys to go from ideas to store shelves.
Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager
Hoboken Library Staff Picks 