“Barbie and her creator, the sharp-elbowed gal who built the biggest toy company, have a story to tell.” —Time

Barbie and Ruth is the remarkable true story of the world’s most famous toy and the woman who created her. It is a fascinating account of how one visionary woman and her product changed an industry and sparked a lasting debate about women’s roles. At once a business book, a colorful portrait of an extraordinary female entrepreneur, and a breathtaking look at a cultural phenomenon, Barbie and Ruth is a must read for anyone who ever owned a Barbie doll.

This is the entwined tale of two exceptional women. One was a voluptuous eleven-inch-tall beauty who debuted at the 1959 Toy Fair in New York City and quickly became the treasure of 9 out of 10 American girls and their counterparts in 150 countries. She went on to compete as an Olympic athlete, serve as an air force pilot, work as a boutique owner, run as a presidential candidate, and ignite a cultural firestorm. The other was Ruth Handler, the tenth child of Polish Jewish immigrants.

A brilliant, creative, ruthless, and passionately competitive visionary, Ruth was a mother and wife who wanted it all—a masterful entrepreneur who, together with her curvaceous plastic creation, changed American business and culture forever.

This gripping biography of a business icon reveals:

A Visionary Entrepreneur: Discover how Ruth Handler, the daughter of Polish immigrants, defied expectations to build the world’s largest toy company from a garage workshop.
Women in Business: A candid look at the challenges and triumphs of a woman navigating the male-dominated corporate world of the 20th century.
The Birth of an Icon: Go behind the scenes of Barbie’s creation, from a controversial concept everyone rejected to a global cultural phenomenon.
A Story of Resilience: Beyond the boardroom, this is the powerful story of a woman who faced down a devastating health crisis and SEC fraud charges to redefine her legacy.

Book Talk

Join the conversation