You may have already been to see the movies released a few weeks ago; you may be waiting for entertainment industry issues to resolve before you buy tickets. If you are looking for a little background information, or maybe a lot, about the creation of the atomic bomb and/or the history of the iconic doll–both with enormous repercussions to life and culture–you can check out some of the titles below from  Pasadena Public Library.

Barbie: The Album by Various Artists (2023)
Music available to stream in hoopla with your library card
Hear the soundtrack from the film Barbie directed by Greta Gerwig

The Bomb: The Weapon that Changed the World by Didier Alcante and Laurent-Frédéric Bollée, Illustrated by Denis Rodier (2023)
Digital comic available in hoopla with your library card
On August 6, 1945, at 8:15 in the morning, an explosive charge of more than 15 kilotons fell on the city of Hiroshima…and changed the course of modern warfare and life on Earth forever. The world was horrified by the existence of the bomb-the first weapon of mass destruction. But how could such an appalling tool be invented? To answer this question, Alcante, Laurent-Frédéric Bollée, and Denis Rodier return to the origins of its main component, uranium, and shed light on the scientific discoveries around this element and its uses both civilian and military. Sifting through the history, from Katanga to Japan, through Germany, Norway, the USSR, and New Mexico,The Bomb is a succession of incredible but true stories. Alcante, Bollée, and Rodier have created an exhaustive and definitive work of nonfiction that details the stories of the unsung players as well as the remarkable men and women who are at the crux of its history and the events that followed.

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird (2005)
92 OPPENHEIMER J, BIR
The book the film draws from, American Prometheus is the first full-scale biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, “father of the atomic bomb,” the brilliant, charismatic physicist who led the effort to capture the awesome fire of the sun for his country in time of war. Immediately after Hiroshima, he became the most famous scientist of his generation-one of the iconic figures of the twentieth century, the embodiment of modern man confronting the consequences of scientific progress.

Barbie: The Icon by Massimiliano Capella (2015)
688.7221 CAP
In this gorgeous compendium, which includes a ribbon marker and acetate jacket, we see the evolution of Barbie interspersed with historically and culturally significant world events, such as the first woman astronaut entering space in 1963, or the first woman running for president in 1984. Over time, Barbie has taken on nearly 150 professions and represented more than forty different nationalities. Fashion-wise, she has collaborated with more than seventy-five designers, including Valentino, Versace, Dior, Gucci, Calvin Klein, Prada, and Givenchy.

Barbie Forever: Her Inspiration, History and Legacy by Robin Gerber (2019)
688.7221 GER
Barbie Forever: Her Inspiration, History, and Legacy presents a detailed, fully authorized portrait of this beloved doll through all-new interviews, original sketches, vintage photos, advertisements, and much more–including a foreword by Olympic fencing medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad. 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.

Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World’s Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her by Robin Gerber (2009)
92 HANDLER,R GER
Barbie and Ruth is the remarkable true story of the world’s most famous toy and the woman who created her. It is a fascinating account of how one visionary woman and her product changed an industry and sparked a lasting debate about women’s roles. At once a business book, a colorful portrait of an extraordinary female entrepreneur, and a breathtaking look at a cultural phenomenon, Barbie and Ruth is a must read for anyone who ever owned a Barbie doll.

The Trials of J. Robert Oppenheimer David Grubin Productions [PBS American Experience (2009)
[DVD] 530 TRI
J. Robert Oppenheimer’s life and legacy are inextricably linked to America’s most famous top-secret initiative – the Manhattan Project. This biography presents a complex and revealing portrait of one of America’s most influential scientists.

In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer: A Play by Heinar Kipphardt (1968)
832 [KIPPHARDT]
Kipphardt used the facts taken from the published transcript to present some fundamental issues which faced the contemporary world in the Cold War era-the conflict between the responsibility of the individual to his country and to humanity as a whole, the right of the patriot to express views at odds with those of his government without his loyalty being called into question.

The Oppenheimer Alternative by Robert J. Sawyer (2020)
SF SAWYER, R
While J. Robert Oppenheimer and his Manhattan Project team struggle to develop the A-bomb, Edward Teller wants something even more devastating: a bomb based on nuclear fusion–the mechanism that powers the sun. Teller’s research leads to a terrifying discovery: by the year 2030, the sun will eject its outermost layer, destroying the entire inner solar system–including Earth. As the war ends with the use of fission bombs against Japan, Oppenheimer’s team, plus Albert Einstein and Wernher von Braun, stay together–the greatest scientific geniuses from the last century racing against time to save our future. Meticulously researched and replete with real-life characters and events, The Oppenheimer Alternative is a breathtaking adventure through both real and alternate history.

Dressing Barbie by Carol Spencer (2019)
eBook available in hoopla with your library card
Barbie’s wide-ranging wardrobe-including princess gowns and daisy-print rompers, flirty sundresses and smart pantsuits- combined fashion trends and haute couture with a liberal dose of fantasy. In Dressing Barbie, the successful and prolific designer Carol Spencer reminisces about her time at Mattel working with legendary figures such as Ruth Handler, Barbie’s creator, and Charlotte Johnson, the original Barbie designer, and talks about her best and most beloved clothing designs from each decade. But Carol’s most impressive creation is her own life. As Handler famously said, “Barbie always represented the fact that a girl has choices”-a credo Carol epitomized. In Dressing Barbie, she talks candidly about how she broke free of the constraints of the late 1950s to pursue a dazzling career and an independent life for herself.