For starters, the fact that it took me over a week to read a 250 page book should be a big indicator of how disengaging this was.

I picked it up hoping for a fun nostalgia trip and, more than that, a look into the history and development/evolution of the dolls. I’m an elder millennial, so I’m 100% the target audience for this. I never owned one of the dolls, but I read all of the books up through Josefina when I aged out.

Sure, we got a little of Pleasant Rowland’s history, and we got a deep (frankly, too deep) dive into Felicity, but then it detoured into what I’m sure the authors thought was a nostalgia dump. It came off as self indulgent, awkward, and “not like other girls”. The insertion of pop culture references and “gee look at us!” Moments were way too common and so incredibly jarring that I almost gave up.

It’s been mentioned to death, but a JonBenét Ramsey birthday party? Really? Setting aside the egregious lack of awareness and tact to THROW A PARTY based on a child’s murder, why on EARTH would you admit that in print?!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

A love letter to American Girl dolls (of which I was a major fan when I was a kid) and millennial culture

I adored this book! Like the authors, I, too, became infatuated with learning abut history after reading the American Girl books as a child. I'm a bit younger, and my doll of choice was Kit who, while I understand why, was not included in this book, which was disappointing to me.

While based in history and includes lots of critical analysis of the stories - to say some didn't age well would be an understatement - this includes lots of late 80s and 90s pop culture references that keep it light and fast paced. While I definitely think some of the jokes and references gave a bit of a 'how do you do fellow kids' vibe, it honestly felt relatable.

At the end of the day, I finished this and immediately wanted to find the six-book sets for the historical dolls. I quickly learned that hunting down the books circa the 90s is not an easy task!

I requested this book because I was a huge American Girl fan as a kid, and I thought that this book would offer some insight into why the books and dolls were so popular then and why they are having a resurgence among adults now. The book did deliver on the premise, but it fell a bit flat at times for me. I appreciate the critical lens the authors took, but I thought their critiques could have been furthered and come to a stronger conclusion. Additionally, the books really focused on the original six dolls, while I was interested in learning about what had happened at the company since I had outgrown my own dolls. In all, it was still an enjoyable read, it just didn’t quite live up to what I’d hoped. It did, however, do an excellent job of bringing nostalgia for my dolls and their stories! If you loved American Girl as a kid, I do think this book is worth a read.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC!

I still remember the day I received my first American Girl doll. I cried tears of joy opening up the box and seeing Felicity’s face looking up at me. Before receiving my first doll, I’d been a big fan of the books, checking one series at a time out from the library. I was American Girl’s biggest fan. I loved the dolls, the books, the modern magazine, everything. The brand was key in sparking my love of history and storytelling.

These fond memories made Dolls of Our Lives a must read for me, and I have to say that this book was even more fun than I anticipated. The book, inspired by the podcast of the same name, is written by two historians and AG fans and explores their personal connections with the dolls, as well as how the dolls came to be. It’s equal parts funny and informative and a must-read for anyone who ever had or wanted one of the American Girls.

What I appreciated most about this book was that while it was celebratory, the authors didn’t shy away from pointing out some faults of the American Girl brand. Diversity is a huge one, and while recent updates to the brand have resulted in a more diverse lineup of dolls, there is still lots of room for improvement. They also explored the cost of American Girls (and all of their treasured accessories) and how that was a major barrier for many consumers, as well as how certain historical events were portrayed (or glossed over) in the dolls’ accompanying stories.

Despite the serious topics, the book maintains a light tone and is a great pick for anyone looking for some lighter, pop culture focused nonfiction. The chapters are structured to mimic the classic arc of American Girl series, down to the titles, and in between there are funny interludes that play into the memefication of American Girls culture. You don’t want to miss this one!

Dolls of Our Lives is out now. Thanks to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I truly hate to say that I was quite disappointed by this book. I have just as much American Girl nostalgia as the next gal, but that nostalgia was not enough to get me to read and enjoy a book that feels like a superficial, hodgepodge collection of tidbits about the dolls and The Pleasant Company. The writing was very millennial cringe, filled with so many unnecessary hashtags and random paraphrased song references. I truly felt like I was forcing myself to finish and hoping it would get better, but it was just the same content over and over. I honestly couldn’t tell you if I learned anything new from this book. Such a bummer - this was one of my most anticipated nonfiction reads for this year! Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via NetGalley.

Oh my goodness. This was so absolutely wonderful. I loved the American Girl series and it was such a big part of my childhood. This was such a fun and interesting read.

I did not have any American Girl Dolls and I remember being confused as to why these expensive items captured people's minds so wholly. This book definitely helped explain the cultural phenomenon that was AGD, though I'm still not entirely convinced I would have had one if I were a bit younger.

If you are interested in how a brand becomes a phenom, check out this book.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a review, but all opinions are my own.

I’m a Felicity! The nostalgia is so real, I devoured this book! I was obsessed with American Girl Dolls as a kid, read all the books, coveted the dolls and their outfits. The Christmas I opened up a brand new Felicity doll…I will never forget it. This book was a wonderfully researched trip down memory lane with so much new information! Truly a must have, my physical copy it’s on its way to my house to be displayed with my very carefully preserved Felicity doll.

Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel and Friends for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Very fun foray into childhood play, the dolls that set the scene, and how history from a girl's point of view can influence the consumer's adulthood.

a book that builds off the famous Dolls of our Lives podcast by two historians, Allison Horrocks & Mimi Mahoney. the podcast takes American Girl dolls seriously, analyzing their character arcs & reception with sophistication, nuance, & enthusiasm. the book does the same thing. it’s full of history, exploration, and personal anecdotes & reflection. the authors narrate their own audiobook, their voices blending well together both literally & figuratively. their book launch has reached sources as elite as The New Yorker & NPR and platforms as niche as the feminist millennial Be There In Five podcast. empathetic, passionate, & smart, DOLLS OF OUR LIVES is where it’s at

If you grew up with American Girl dolls then this book will make you want to dig out your old friend and dust off the companion books. The book looks at the history and cultural impact of American Girl. Mary Mahoney and Allison Horrocks. writers of this book and the team behind the Dolls of Our Lives podcast, do a great job sharing the stories of those who still love the dolls to this day. At times the writing is groan-worthy with the frequent pop culture references and use of slang that comes off more like moms trying to be relevant instead of funny or clever. Overall, it's an enjoyable book that all fans of AG will enjoy. But beware! It will make you start shopping around to recapture some of your former AG glory.

"...we are all products of our time, but there's also a lot we can learn by stepping into the past."

I loved this book.

I've been following Allison and Mary's Dolls of Our Lives podcast (formerly the American Girls Podcast) since 2019 and am a huge fan of the way they infuse history and pop culture into a discussion within the American Girl doll books and brand. Not only is their show incredibly thoughtful and engaging, they really have the It Factor when it comes to podcasts (great podcast voices, captivating topic, longevity).

I was ecstatic when I heard they were coming out with a book, and it delivered in every way. It's a beautiful continuation of the energy and content of the podcast (with lots of inside jokes infused), with even more thought-provoking insight into the AG brand and our unique but similarly connective experiences with it. It's a really thoughtful (and funny!) look at how and why this brand shaped a generation.

I so appreciate Allison and Mary's balanced (and progressive) view of how we can view and position ourselves to the brand now. DOLLS OF OUR LIVES is a really cohesive blend of history, scholarship, interviews, and reflection that I found incredibly valuable and important. It also connects the brand (and its products) to pop culture, girlhood, friendship, nostalgia, imagination, historical storytelling, career paths, morality, racism and classicism, worldbuilding, living history, childhood, communities, crafting, and generational relationships. It's thorough and again, thoughtful.

It helped me to reflect on a brand that meant so much to be as a youth, while still looking at it with a critical eye, creating a relationship that both honors history (mine and the brand's) and serves to create a better future.

We are just really lucky to have Allison and Mary in our learning and entertainment spaces. And in general, I feel very thankful that we are in a time when many books are reflecting on the best parts of our childhood, while taking a critical lens to what no longer serves us. (See also: ONE IN A MILLENIAL by Kate Kennedy.) That kind of reflection, I think, is mature and extremely valuable.

"...part of the joy of reconnecting with American Girl or the things we loved from childhood is not the return it presents to childish ways, but the opportunity to take part in things that make us feel like our truest selves."

I really cherish this book.

A big thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. DOLLS OF OUR LIVES is out now! 10/10 recommend.

This book has some bright spots, but it’s not really what it’s advertised to be; and contains entirely too much finger wagging and not nearly enough academic discussion about the cultural significance of the central subject.

The authors do a nice job on pop cultural references relevant to the time period, and they do an excellent job of discussing historical accuracy (particularly with regard to the American Girl doll books) and the treatment of nonwhite characters and, perhaps, nonwhite consumers.

I thought the academic considerations about historical misrepresentation were quite good, though the shouty anti-capitalist stuff if obnoxious, partly because a lot of it is built on economic misconceptions, but mostly because it’s pretty irritating to listen to someone rail about the evils of capitalism while selling you a book about $115 dolls.

More nostalgia and historical examination and less uninformed and out of place rants would have helped this book a lot. I also would have liked to see a greater proportion of the content dedicated to the dolls and other product as opposed to the books. Both are worth discussing, but better balance was needed.

As a former Kit girl, I loved this book. It was a nice trip down memory lane to think about the American Girl magazine and the Care and Keeping of You in a new light. The fact that the authors are historians as well as AG enthusiasts made for an engaging and educational experience. I would recommend this to anyone who had an American Girl doll, wanted one, or read any of the books. Some of their personal experiences on trips I could have gone without but overall I loved it!

This book was very much my shit! As someone who was raised on American Girls (books and dolls!), it was a wonderful trip down memory lane, and full of nostalgia. Big thanks to netgalley and MacMillan for an advanced copy to read and review. Dolls of Our Lives is out TOMORROW!

Mary Mahoney and Allison Horrocks are historians who met in grad school and bonded over their shared love of American Girl Dolls. They started a podcast, Dolls Our Lives, which admittedly I have not listened to but am going to start :) They dig into Pleasant Company and the American Girl franchise in a way that I really enjoyed - it was historical but also with a critical eye to the shortcomings. They say that when you love something you want it to be the best version possible, and that was very clear here.

Reading this book really took me back. I remembered getting those catalougs and spending hours going through them with friends. I remember reading and sharing the books. And perhaps some of my most treasured memories are going to Madison with my mom and childhood friends to volunteer at the American Girl Doll Sale (where returned, excess inventory and slightly damaged items were sold at a discount) which meant we could shop early! I would save my babysitting money all year and just wander the aisles in awe. And looking back, I treasure those memories even more.

American Girl and Pleasant Company are of course worthy of plenty of criticism - the cost! centering Addy and her stories in the trauma of being a slave! to name just two - and I appreciated how Mary and Allison approached it. The book was a wonderful way to reminicse about something that was very important in my childhood.

Will post this on goodreads, retail sites and my bookstagram @scottonreads

As a girl who grew up in the 90's I was all about American Girl, so I knew I needed to read this deep dive of the brand. Dolls of Our Lives is structured with six chapters, reminiscent of the six books assigned to each character ("Meet", "Learns a Lesson", "Surprise", "Happy Birthday", "Saves the Day", "Changes"). This structure made sense at times, and at some times it felt like the authors shoehorned topics in, even when it wasn't the best fit.

For a nostalgia factor, this book had what I needed. When they mentioned poring over the American Girl catalog and swooning over Samantha Parkington's cape, yes same. I loved the deep dive into the American Girl magazine, which I read religiously, and some of the history of the company and the founder, Pleasant Rowland. The book also makes some strong points about how the series encouraged girls to learn about history and see themselves as heroes, while not being afraid to point out the areas where the books may have failed us (Felicity's books refer to household servant Rose, not identifying her for who she was as an enslaved person, and bringing that to the attention of the reader) or discussing how the dolls themselves were not easily accessible to everyone due to their high price.

This book lost me a little bit with the authors themselves, I think they are used to sharing their own experiences due to their podcast (which admittedly, I have not listened to) but I found those sections dragged for me. I just didn't care about every detail of their trip to Williamsburg and I found their constant adoration of Molly to be redundant (and confounding, as a self-proclaimed Felicity who would rank Molly as maybe 3rd?). A few too many quippy pop culture references for me, but enjoyed this book generally for all of the memories it evoked.

As a huge fan of the Dolls of Our Lives podcast, I have been highly anticipating this book for months. Mary and Allison take a deep dive into the history of American Girl, from the dolls to the magazine, to Colonial Williamsburg, to the creator of the brand, Pleasant Rowland. A perfect mix of informative and hilarious, I highly recommend this book to anyone who grew up loving American Girl!

It had been a while since I thought about American Girl, or the role it played in my life, until I saw this book was being published. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read it, rediscover my love for the brand, and find people who shared a deep connection to it like me. I loved learning the history of Pleasant Rowland’s founding of the Pleasant Company, the roots of the original dolls, books, and other American Girl merch.

I found Allison and Mary’s voices throughout the book to be informative (they are historians, this is a given) while not being boring. There were times where the reflections upon the different dolls and their stories felt repetitive, but I understand there were points that were being made. I also had deep appreciation for their admitted privilege and how they included the stories of other women with backgrounds different from theirs. Their encouragement for white women like themselves to include anti-racist work as a part of their continuing American Girl education was excellent.

I overall found the book a little slow at times but an overall great and nostalgic read.