Box offices around the country were taken by storm last weekend thanks to the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon, where moviegoers watched double features of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. But did you know you can Barbenheimer at the library too? If you’d like to learn more about the history of America’s most famous doll and about the creation of the world’s most powerful weapon, here are some books you can check out using your Livingston Library card…
(Descriptions provided by the publishers)
Barbie Forever: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy by Robin Gerber
A detailed, fully authorized portrait of this beloved doll through all-new interviews, original sketches, vintage photos, advertisements, and much more. A double-sided foldout timeline showcases important moments in Barbie history. Explore how the doll came to be, what it takes to create one of her many looks, and how her legacy continues to influence the world.
Robert Oppenheimer: A Life Inside the Center by Ray Monk
Robert Oppenheimer was among the most brilliant and divisive of men. As head of the Los Alamos Laboratory, he oversaw the successful effort to beat the Nazis in the race to develop the first atomic bomb–a breakthrough that was to have eternal ramifications for mankind and that made Oppenheimer the “Father of the Atomic Bomb.” But with his actions leading up to that great achievement, he also set himself on a dangerous collision course with Senator Joseph McCarthy and his witch-hunters. In Robert Oppenheimer: A Life Inside the Center, Ray Monk, author of peerless biographies of Ludwig Wittgenstein and Bertrand Russell, goes deeper than any previous biographer in the quest to solve the enigma of Oppenheimer’s motivations and his complex personality.
The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie: A Doll’s History and Her Impact On Us by Tanya Lee Stone
During her unparalleled fifty-year history, Barbie has been the doll that some people love-and some people love to hate. There’s no question she’s influenced generations, but to what end? Acclaimed nonfiction author Tanya Lee Stone takes an unbiased look at how Barbie became the icon that she is, and at the impact that she’s had on our culture (and vice versa). Featuring passionate anecdotes and memories from a range of girls and women, a foreword by Meg Cabot, and original color photographs, this book explores the Barbie phenomenon in a brand-new light.
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird
A portrait of scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb, discusses his role in the twentieth-century scientific world, as well as his roles as family man and head of Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Studies.
Dressing Barbie: A Celebration of the Clothes That Made America’s Favorite Doll and the Incredible Woman Behind Them by Carol Spencer
A legendary fashion designer for Barbie shares the story of her adventures working behind-the-scenes at Mattel, and spotlights the creations that transformed the world’s most famous doll into a style icon in this beautifully designed book-published in commemoration of Barbie’s sixtieth anniversary-illustrated with 100 full-color photographs, including many never-before-seen images of rare and one-of-a-kind pieces from the author’s private archive.
The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes
The definitive history of nuclear weapons–from the turn-of-the-century discovery of nuclear energy to J. Robert Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project–this epic work detailsthe science, the people, and the sociopolitical realities that led to the development of the atomic bomb. Reading like a character-driven suspense novel, the book introduces the players in this saga of physics, politics, and human psychology–from FDR and Einstein to the visionary scientists who pioneered quantum theory and the application of thermonuclear fission, including Planck, Szilard, Bohr, Oppenheimer, Fermi, Teller, Meitner, von Neumann, and Lawrence. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the National Book Critics Circle Award.
—Joe, Adult Services & Acquisitions