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Rating: 
Summary: Kathy and Don Lewis bring Chatty Cathy back to life!
Review: As a major collector of Chatty Cathy dolls I have seen how the Lewis' book has impacted the collector and the collectibility of this entire classic family of Mattel talking dolls. The Lewis' have captured the heart of Chatty magic and provide collectors, old and new, with a self-assured, intelligent and comprehensive review of the six incredible years that Chatty and family were produced starting in 1960. This book does not represent that all dolls pictured are "mint". Instead Kathy and Don take us on a colorful pictorial carnival ride, showing us all the warmth, charm, detail of the original dolls as well as pointing out the very many factory variations/substitutions that make Chatty Cathy and family SO collectible...Because of the Lewis' love, hard work and dedication to this doll over the last fifteen years, they have played a particularly important role in helping to "save" many original dolls that would have been lost over time. Clearly Kathy and Don have helped to establish the modern collecting craze that has led to the re-introduction of Chatty Cathy, which continues to inspire great joy in the hearts of many collectors with the release of each "new" doll over the past two years...Here's to the year 2000 and the 40th Anniversery of Chatty Cathy!
Rating: 
Summary: Good for the Begining Collector Prices Can Cause Confusion.
Review: I used this book in my first year of collecting and still do from time to time. I use it now mostly, to double check that an outfit is suppose to have this detail or that the correct stock number is on a box etc. In the beginning of my collecting years this book was like my "Chatty Bible". I will always recommend it to any new collector with a couple words of caution; prices are not in keeping with the fair market value and are often way undervalued and there are many variations out there not in this book. The values, while well intended, can and has led to confusion especially for the new collector. I think the word "Guide" is to be used loosely. There is no great book out on this topic that clearly depicts all the ins and outs of collecting of Chatty Cathys. This is especially true when it comes to the rarities and variations that are now uncovered. This book fell short when it came to warn this collector and many others, of the pitfalls and trickery out there used by unscrupulous sellers. However, for a small soft cover book it is great to show the basic types of Chatty Cathys and accessories. It stopped short of the authors' true potential. I believe it could have been far more comprehensive given the authors extensive knowledge and expertise.
I only recommend this book now because there is nothing else out there for the new collector except hours of web surfing to research and a few good dot com owners to help.
I also agree it is a "fun" book. I disagree with one reviewer about the condition of the dolls depicted. Many of the dolls are quite mint considering the type of doll and age. This was a doll that was toted everywhere and it's usability and appeal for children was quite high. I must add that the word "mint" is highly subjective.
All in all it's still a very good handbook or "guide" for the beginning collector as long as they know it's not a "Bible" or the last word on this topic. It is outdated yet still very useful. It's definitely worth having on your bookshelf or nightstand.
Rating: 
Summary: May be good for a new collector
Review: The book did not address issues that I have found to be a common thread with serious collectors: rarities; care for the dolls; different dresses and what they originally came with, etc..This may be good for a very new collector to get their feet wet in the Chatty collecting realm. I did return the book to Amazon (thanks for the easy return).
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Resource for Beginning Collector
Review: This is not a complete reference book, but it is excellent for those who are beginning their collection. It will help identify various editions of Chatty Cathy, outfits that were available for Chatty Cathy and her family, a few of the variations in some outfit pieces and what pieces came with each outfits. It also shows many odd pieces to look for: jewelry, patterns, tray table, furnishings, etc. There are even a couple of examples of Canadian Chatty Cathy dolls. My collecting has advanced beyond most of the scope of this book, but it still goes with me to every doll show, flea market and yard sale.
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