All dolled up From her origin as the near-clone of a German sex toy for men to her position as the reigning queen of dolls, Barbie has long been the world’s favorite foot-tall cultural icon. Next year she’ll reach the big four-o, and everywhere you turn there’s another party. One of the most entertaining is a new book from that trusty art publisher, Abrams Barbie: Four Decades of Fashion, Fantasy, and Fun by Marco Tosa. More than merely a catalog of Barbie, friends, and accessories, Tosa’s book is a beautifully illustrated history of a cultural phenomenon. It follows the changes in American social life over the last 40 years, as reflected in the lifestyle and accoutrements of the most popular doll in the world.
Valiant Women is a vital and engrossing attempt to correct the record and rightfully celebrate the achievements of female veterans of World War II.
