The Great Beanie Baby Bubble
Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute
Ratings5
Average rating3.6
15
Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute
Ratings5
Average rating3.6
“Fascinating, strange, sad, funny, and entirely engrossing, The Great Beanie Baby Bubble is a smart, engaging book that’s as much about the odd saga of these plush toys as it is about the nature of obsession and desire.” —SUSAN ORLEAN, author of Rin Tin Tin New York Times bestselling author Zac Bissonnette explores what happened when a $5 stuffed animal took over America and turned a college dropout into a billionaire. Now a major motion picture starring Elizabeth Banks and Zach Galifianakis, The Great Beanie Baby Bubble tells the story of the most extraordinary craze of the 1990s. In the history of consumer crazes, nothing compares to Beanie Babies. With no advertising or big-box distribution, creator Ty Warner – an eccentric college dropout – became a billionaire in just three years. But the end of the fad was just as swift and extremely devastating, with "rare" Beanie Babies deemed worthless as quickly as they'd once been deemed priceless. Bissonnette explains how and why the Beanie Baby craze rose and fell, and explores the rise of ecommerce and eBay. Through first-ever interviews with former Ty Inc. employees, Warner's sister, and the two ex-girlfriends who were by his side as he became the richest man in the history of toys, The Great Beanie Baby Bubble tells the inspiring yet tragic story of one of America's most enigmatic self-made tycoons. Perfect for collectors, investors, and fans of marketing and business books, The Great Beanie Baby Bubble explores the mass hysteria that captivated America.
Reviews with the most likes.
Probably more like 3.5 stars but I couldn't bring myself to round up. ( disclosure: I read this book b/c someone talked about it on Twitter.)
This book is a fascinating look into one of the few trends I participated in as a child. Though I was not collecting them. My sister and I just wanted the cats. I knew the Beanie bubble was a thing but I didn't realize the extent. Or how obsessive Ty was about the appearance of his creations. That being said, this book just didn't feel cohesive. There were sections that made sense, like the McDonald's saga, but overall the structure just left me confused. I would have appreciated a timeline. Instead, the book starts at the midway point, goes to the beginning and then the end.
Good things:
* The pure insanity of Ty.
* Quotes from people directly involved.
Cats are responsible for everything! For the most part, the book doesn't openly mock people for collecting.
* The cover gets more hilarious the further you go.
Areas for improvement:
Faith's manuscript. I want more of it. A more focused timeline.
* An interview with someone on the manufactory side of things.
The book has pictures, but didn't include several I thought it should have. I feel like I still have several unanswered questions.
Just absolutely fascinating, like watching a slow moving train wreck.
