My Name is Barbra
Barbra Streisand is by any account a living legend, a woman who in a career spanning six decades has excelled in every area of entertainment. She is among the handful of EGOT winners (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) and has one of the greatest and most recognizable voices in popular music. She has been nominated for a Grammy 46 times, and with Yentl she became the first woman to write, produce, direct, and star in a major motion picture. In My Name Is Barbra, she tells her own story about her life and extraordinary career, from growing up in Brooklyn to her first star-making appearances in New York nightclubs to her breakout performance in Funny Girl (musical and film) to the long string of successes in every medium in the years that followed. The book is, like Barbra herself, frank, funny, opinionated, and charming. She recounts her early struggles to become an actress, eventually turning to singing to earn a living; the recording of some of her acclaimed albums; the years of effort involved in making Yentl; her direction of The Prince of Tides; her friendships with figures ranging from Marlon Brando to Madeleine Albright; her political advocacy; and the fulfillment she’s found in her marriage to James Brolin.
No entertainer’s memoir has been more anticipated than Barbra Streisand’s, and this engrossing and delightful book will be eagerly welcomed by her millions of fans.
Barbra Streisand is an American singer, actress, director and producer and one of the most iconic figures in music and film, the only recording artist in history to have earned #1 albums over six consecutive decades. She has received the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Kennedy Center Honor, the National Medal of Arts, France’s Légion d’Honneur, and America’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She founded The Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai, helping to raise awareness and push for more research into women’s heart disease, the leading cause of death among women. Through the Streisand Foundation, which she established in 1986, she has supported national organizations working on preservation of the environment, voter education, the protection of civil liberties and civil rights, women’s issues, and nuclear disarmament. In 2021 she launched the Barbra Streisand Institute at UCLA, a forward-thinking institution dedicated to finding solutions to the most vital social issues.
My Name Is Barbra, an autobiography by the iconic Barbra Streisand, offers an intimate and captivating insight into the life and career of one of the most celebrated and accomplished entertainers of our time.
In this compelling memoir, Streisand takes readers on a journey from her humble beginnings in Brooklyn, New York, to her meteoric rise to stardom as a singer, actress, director, and producer. With candor and wit, she shares personal anecdotes, behind-the-scenes stories, and reflections on her extraordinary journey.
The book delves into Streisand's early passion for music and theater, her struggles and triumphs in the early stages of her career, and her eventual breakthrough with the Broadway musical "Funny Girl." Streisand vividly recounts her experiences on iconic films like "The Way We Were" and "A Star Is Born," offering a unique perspective on the creative process and the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated industry.
Beyond her professional achievements, Streisand also opens up about her personal life, including her relationships, her family, and her commitment to social and political causes. She candidly addresses the challenges she faced as a woman and a Jew in the entertainment industry, and shares her thoughts on topics ranging from feminism to environmentalism.
Written with honesty and humor, My Name Is Barbra is a captivating read that offers a deeper understanding of the woman behind the legend. It is a must-read for fans of Streisand and anyone interested in the history of popular culture.
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