Barbie turns 50 this month and behind every great story now a days lies a book, or in this case, according to Newsweek Magazine,  two dueling biographies.  Barbie and Ruth by Robin Gerber and Toy Monster: The Big, Bad World of Mattel by Jerry Oppenheimer offer up two different versions as to who should get the credit for Barbie’s birthright.  Was it Ruth Handler, founder of Mattel, that deserves all the credit for spotting a Bild-Lilli doll (the inspiration for Barbie) while on a trip to Europe?  Or was it Jack Ryan, head of research and development for Mattel, who Oppenheimer calls the “Father of Barbie”?  Whichever book you read, the struggle for credit eventually led to Ryan being pushed out of the company.  Apparently, no glass ceilings there.

Click here to purchase these books from your favorite Indie bookstore

On a lighter note, I want to thank my friend Ann for emailing me the following Barbie Turns 50 image with the caption  “feel better?”  I love my friends.