Forever Barbie, M. G. Lord
Forever Barbie, M. G. Lord
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Forever Barbie
The Unauthorized Biography of a Real Doll

Author: M. G. Lord

Narrator: Robin Weigart

Unabridged: 10 hr 14 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/07/2024

Synopsis

Barbie is a strong, independent doll. But is she a feminist icon? It’s complicated. Since her introduction in 1959, Barbie’s impact has been revolutionary. Far from being a toy designed by men to oppress women, she was a toy invented by women to teach women what was expected of them, for better or for worse. Whether tarred-and-glittered as antifeminist puffery or celebrated as a feminist icon (or, at any rate, an important cultural touchstone in understanding feminism), Barbie has undeniably influenced generations of girls. In Forever Barbie, cultural critic, investigative journalist, and first-generation Barbie owner M. G. Lord uncovers the surprising story behind Barbie’s smash success. Revealing her low origins as “Bild Lilli,” a risqué doll for adults sold as a gag gift in postwar Germany, Forever Barbie traces Barbie’s development and transformation, through countless makeovers and career changes, into an international pop culture icon and now “traditional toy.” Though not every doll in the line has been a hit—with pregnant Midge and Growing up Skipper among the more intriguing disasters—Barbie’s endurance, Lord writes, speaks as much to Mattel’s successful marketing as it does to our society’s overall ambivalence toward femininity. With new accessories, including a preface on the latest developments in the Barbieverse, Forever Barbie “will make you think of America’s most celebrated plastic doll in ways you never have before” (Susan Faludi).

About M. G. Lord

M. G. Lord is a cultural critic and investigative journalist. She is the author of the widely praised books Astro Turf: The Private Life of Rocket Science, a family memoir about Cold War aerospace culture, and Forever Barbie: The Unauthorized Biography of a Real Doll.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Jessica on March 12, 2024

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher (Liveright) for promotional purposes. What an insightful look into the world of Barbie! This book was originally published in the 90s, but this edition has a new preface which does discuss the Barbie movie. In the preface, the author also di......more

Goodreads review by Richard on July 10, 2013

Barbie is already made of material that will never decompose, but she is lifted to real immortality by the dea-ex-machina of the sublime writer/critic/memoirist/historian MG Lord, who proves a point I have always struggled to make, which is that one doesn't need pubes or a navel to make a real impac......more

Goodreads review by Ashley on June 06, 2024

After seeing the Barbie movie, I was interested in learning more about the history of Barbie and exploring the impact she's had on our society and culture. This book delivered on both fronts. This book was originally published in 1994, and it's told from the perspective of that time. I appreciated t......more

Goodreads review by Ashleigh on August 24, 2023

3.5/5 - The more I read nonfiction, the more I think there are generally two groups of books: concepts explained with brevity and followed by examples, then books that cover so much ground that it's impossible to fully digest. Both can start conversations and introduce you to new ideas, but only the......more

Goodreads review by Dodi on May 05, 2025

I read Let's Call Her Barbie about a month and a half ago and marveled at the Mattel toy company. Forever Barbie focuses on the cultural impact of Barbie, and M.G. Lord's lens is academic. The book was published originally in the 1990s; only the introduction has been updated. It's a little nostalgic......more

Quotes

This thorough consideration of the Barbie world is as relevant now as it was 30 years ago.

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