Barbra StreisandReviews

I started listening to Barbra's autobiography in Feb24 and was only able to finish December, so to say it's a long read is probably an understatement. Barbra is force of nature and has led a long and interesting life that is a pleasure to read about. She is deeply authentic and honest in her successes of which there have been many and her foibles. As an EGOT (non-competitive) it is amazing to learn about her rise as an un-conventional star, the challenges she faces a woman leader in a male dominated industry, her efforts to improve the world for all who live in it and her dedication to her craft and whatever else she gets herself into. She covers all the amazing partnerships and collaborations she has enjoyed over her career with some really big names in the music, movie, show business and later politics. I would suggest covering the book in chunks as I did to savor it and take time to dive into the treasure trove of video and audio recordings available these days to immerse yourself in all that is Barbra. This was beyond a doubt my best book of 2024 which is high praise considering my reading list this year. Congratulations Barbra for sharing what is clearly a life well lived, and yes you shall remain evergreen.½

Read it a long time ago but still in library so qualifies for a 3 star at least.

I really tried, and I am a big Barbra fan, but I just could not finish the book. I got to 40% and had to send it back. I was listening to it on audiobook, and thought that would be nice as some of her music and songs would be on there. I left off at 40%, so for this book that would be about page 400. I got as far as the making of The Way We Were, but I just couldn't listen to anymore. She goes into the minutest detail of the filming, choreography, costuming, stage set up and even the sound. By the sound of it she was minutely involved in all of her productions. I wonder what the directors and producers, and even the co-stars must have thought of that. Also, she goes into too much detail about women's rights, global warming, world events and politics, and If you don't agree with all of her politics (which I didn't), it gets a little difficult to wade through alll that to get to the stuff that I was interested in like her life, her family, her friends and acquaintances. There was just not enough of that and way too much of everything else. She is also not afraid to blow her own horn and does that throughout the book (at least the 40% that I listened to). I still like Barbra and admire her extensive body of work. She has led a very interesting and eventful life, and continues to do so. I didn't make it to that point in the monologue, but I'm glad she found James Brolin to spend her life with. I think from what I've heard they are a very solid couple, but as she didn't marry him until she was 53, I did not get far enough into the story to hear about that. I'm glad I listened to what I did as I now know about her childhood and her breakout into fame. That was interesting. But I'm very glad to close the audiobook now and get on with something else.

Not to disparage paper and print, I highly recommend finding yourself the recorded version of My Name is Barbra, read by Her Majesty Barbra herself in her lovely Brooklyn lilt and illustrated (so to speak) with amazing clips of the songs which we all know and love. I laughed, I cried (especially after her account of The Way We Were) and marvelled. The book in print will break your foot if you drop it on it; in the recorded version it will come damn near breaking your heart.

Audio, which has some lovely song excerpts, but since it was so long I had to listen to the book sped up, so the singing came out a little tinny. Streisand tells of her life in a conversational, but extremely detailed way. Lots of names are dropped. I was never a huge fan, but I think she is interesting and admirable.

Streisand, Barbra. 2023. _My Name Is Barbra_. Viking.

Review: This has become my year of reading memoirs. I didn't plan that, but that is how it is shaking out. I started Barbra Streisand's memoir, My Name is Barbra, a couple of months ago borrowing it from the library, but then I had to return it. Actually, I think I had to put it back on hold a couple of times before I decided to plow through it. Now I probably shouldn't have read it on my phone--my iphone had the page count at over 1600 pages, but looking at the print edition, it is only about 800 pages. It is still a lot for a memoir! But are you going to be the editor that tells Barbra Streisand to scale back? And should you?

The book started a bit slow for me--Streisand goes into a lot of detail about her life. And if I had edited it, I probably would have cut out reviews and letters from other folks telling her what a great job she did on this or that project. But I have to say, when I received that final loan and decided to put some focus on it, it turned into a delightful reading of a strong, inventive, creative woman who broke many barriers. Towards the end, I thought, well, she deserves every page here. I also, in the latter half of the book, started taking a moment to watch video clips of whatever the chapter was on (like Yentl or The Way We Were), and also started a playlist of her albums and other albums she mentioned. I gave myself the full "multimedia" experience and that was also a delight.

Contrast this to another memoir, The Woman in Me, by Britney Spears. Maybe I shouldn't compare two women like this, but I will do it. I enjoyed Spear's memoir, but I also tamped my expectations way down. When Britney arrived, I thought, "Oh, this girl has no power and is a victim." And then I am reading her memoir decades later and thinking, "Yes, just as I suspected. Poor thing. She's amazing and talented, but her story is sad." No one can say that about Streisand.

One of the things I loved about this memoir is how many hats Streisand has worn over her career. Singer, actress, director, fundraiser, designer, friend to world leaders.. She doesn't quit, and she never stops being creative, and she doesn't give up her control, which is refreshing. She embodies The Artist's Way, which I've facilitated. I was righteously angry to read about her slights with the Academy for Directing, thinking that we are in 2024 and that Greta Gerwig didn't get a Director's nod for Barbie. Grrrrr... We still have work to do.

One of my favorite things I can relate to is her love story with James Brolin, which doesn't come until later in the book and her life. I have my own James Brolin and I think finding that love later in life is so much sweeter. I stopped and watched a video of him talking about her, and it made me happy to see a man who loves and supports his strong woman. If anyone could fix that, it would be Streisand!

One irritation with the Libby app is that on my iPhone, a lot of the black-and-white photos in the book appear as negatives, and I have to click on them to see what they look like. And there are a lot of photos in this book. I didn't see most of them until the end, and by then, I had googled most of the people who appeared in the book.

If you love Streisand (and who doesn't?), you'll enjoy this book. Enjoy the ride!

Next up on my memoir list is Viola Davis's new memoir, which I also had to return and is now in my queue.

Very very long but fascinating.½

Very long, could have condensed some of it, lots of name dropping.

I've been a fan since I was a young teen and didn't know Streisand didn't want to be a singer, even as a child being an actor was her goal. That was a bit of a disappointment to me because I have loved her music so much and so long!

Though it's 966 pages, it was a well organized book and easy to read (though not so great to hold!) She writes about making each of her movies in detail, and devotes entire chapters to some. She also gives a chapter to some of her LPs, her political involvement, her 25-year marriage to James Brolin, and so on. Overall, well done and enjoyable.

An amazing journey guided by the greatest female singer of her time.

The long-awaited memoir by the superstar of stage, screen, recordings, and television.

INFORMATION-This album contains the following tracks:
I Remember Barbra, Pt. 1, 1:16
2 As If We Never Said Goodbye (Don Black / Christopher Hampton / Jay Landers / Charlie Midnight / Andrew Lloyd Webber) 4:51
3 Nice 'n' Easy/That Face (Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Lew Spence) 4:15
4 The Way He Makes Me Feel (Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Michel Legrand) 3:25
5 Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered (Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers) 2:52
6 Didn't We (Jimmy Webb) 2:56
7 Marvin Hamlisch Intro 1:29
8 The Way We Were/Through the Eyes of Love (Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Marvin Hamlisch / Carole Bayer Sager) 6:22
9 Jule Styne Intro 0:58
10 Being Good Isn't Good Enough (Betty Comden / Adolph Green / Jule Styne) 2:47
11 Rose's Turn/Some People/Don't Rain on My Parade (Bob Merrill / Stephen Sondheim / Jule Styne) 4:05
12 I Remember Barbra, Pt. 2 0:56
13 You're the Top (Jay Landers / Charlie Midnight / Cole Porter) 3:42
14 What'll I Do/My Funny Valentine (Irving Berlin / Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers) 5:06
15 Lost Inside of You (Leon Russell / Barbra Streisand) 4:19
16 Evergreen [Love Theme from A Star Is Born] (Barbra Streisand / Paul Williams) 3:17
17 Jason Gould Intro 1:18
18 How Deep Is the Ocean (Irving Berlin) 4:19
19 People (Bob Merrill / Jule Styne) 3:33
20 Here's to Life (Intro) 1:02
21 Here's to Life (Artie Butler / Phyllis Molinary) 3:57
22 Make Our Garden Grow (Leonard Bernstein / Richard Wilbur) 5:45
23 Some Other Time (Intro) 2:17
24 Some Other Time (Leonard Bernstein / Betty Comden / Adolph Green) 4:35

Recorded live, Oct. 11 and 13, 2012, at Barclays Center, Brooklyn.

Now a bit dated, the record flaunts the artistry of Streisand as she started her career. It was recorded when Streisand was age 20. First side of the album is lovely, The second side overdoes the voice strength and power

INFORMATION-This album contains the following tracks:
A1 - (3:40) Watch Closely Now - Kris Kristofferson
A2 - (3:49) Queen Bee - Barbra Streisand
A3 - (3:41) Everything - Barbra Streisand
A4 - (2:53) Lost Inside Of Your - Barbra Streisand & Kris Kristofferson
A5 - (2:49) Hellacious Acres - Kris Kristofferson
A6 - (3:04) Love Theme From A Star Is Born (Evergreen) - Barbra Streisand
B1 - (3:45) The Woman In The Moon - Barbra Streisand
B2 - (2:55) I Believe In Love - Barbra Streisand
B3 - (3:31) Crippled Crow - Kris Kristofferson
B4 - (7:12) Finale: With One More Look At You/ Watch Closely Now - Barbra Streisand
B5 - (1:46) Reprise: Love Theme From A Star Is Born (Evergreen) - Barbra Streisand & Kris Kristofferson

INFORMATION-This album includes the following tracks:
1 How Lucky Can You Get (Fred Ebb / John Kander), 4:48
2 So Long Honey Lamb (Fred Ebb / John Kander), featuring Barbra Streisand & Ben Vereen, 3:12
3 I Found a Million Dollar Baby (In a Five and Ten Cent Store) (Harry Warren), 1:59
4 Isn't This Better (Fred Ebb / John Kander), 3:29
5 Me and My Shadow (Dave Dreyer / Al Jolson / Billy Rose), featuring James Caan, 3:03
6 If I Love Again (Jack Murray / Ben Oakland), 2:59
7 I Got a Code in My Doze (A. Fields / Billy Rose), 1:10
8 (It's Gonna Be A) Great Day (Edward Eliscu / Billy Rose / Vincent Youmans), 5:38
9 Blind Date (Fred Ebb / John Kander), 4:57
10 Am I Blue (Harry Akst), 3:21
11 It's Only a Paper Moon/I Like Him (Harold Arlen / Fred Ebb / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg / John Kander / Billy Rose), 1:05
12 It's Only a Paper Moon/I Like Her (Harold Arlen / Fred Ebb / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg / John Kander / Billy Rose), featuring James Caan, 2:37
13 More Than You Know (Edward Eliscu / Billy Rose / Vincent Youmans), 2:28
14 Clap Hands! Here Comes Charlie (Ballard MacDonald / Joseph Meyer / Billy Rose), featuring Ben Vereen, 2:14
15 Let's Hear It For Me (Fred Ebb / John Kander), 4:04

INFORMATION-This album contains the following tracks:
A1 - (2:58) Hurry! it's Lovely Up Here - Barbra Streisand
A2 - (2:27) Main Title- On a Clear Day - Orchestra & Chorus
A3 - (2:52) Love with All the Trimmings - Barbra Streisand
A4 - (2:18) Melinda - Yves Montand
A5 - (3:00) Go to Sleep - Barbra Streisand
B1 - (2:14) He Isn't You - Barbra Streisand
B2 - (5:58) What Did I Have What I Don't Have - Barbra Streisand
B3 - (4:27) Come Back to Me - Yves Montand
B4 - (2:48) On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever) - Yves Montand
B5 - (2:09) On a Clear Day - Barbra Streisand

INFORMATION-This album contains the following tracks:
1 Smile (from "Modern Times") (Charlie Chaplin / Geoff Parsons / John Turner), 4:16
2 Moon River (from "Breakfast at Tiffany's") (Henry Mancini / Johnny Mercer), 3:41
3 I'm in the Mood for Love (from "Every Night at Eight") (Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh), 4:00
4 Wild Is the Wind (from "Wild is the Wind") (Dimitri Tiomkin / Ned Washington), 4:11
5 Emily (from "The Americanization of Emily") (Johnny Mandel / Johnny Mercer), 3:46
6 More in Love with You (from "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse") (Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / André Previn), 4:43
7 How Do You Keep the Music Playing? (from "Best Friends") (Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Michel Legrand), 5:09
8 But Beautiful (from "Road to Rio") (Johnny Burke / James Van Heusen), 5:35
9 Calling You (from "Bagdad Cafe") (Bob Telson), 4:58
10 The Second Time Around (from "High Time") (Sammy Cahn / James Van Heusen), 4:33
11 Goodbye for Now (from "Reds") (Stephen Sondheim), 2:47
12 You're Gonna Hear from Me (from "Inside Daisy Clover") (André Previn / Dory Previn), 4:06

INFORMATION-This album contains the following tracks:
1 Some Enchanted Evening (Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers), 3:54
2 Everybody Says Don't (Stephen Sondheim), 2:37
3 The Music of the Night (Charles Hart / Richard Stilgoe / Andrew Lloyd Webber), featuring Michael Crawford, 5:37
4 Speak Low (A.M. Brunner / Geoff Tate / Kurt Weill / Michael Wilton), 4:10
5 As If We Never Said Goodbye (Don Black / Christopher Hampton / Andrew Lloyd Webber), 4:45
6 Children Will Listen (Stephen Sondheim), 4:09
7 I Have One Hand, One Heart (Leonard Bernstein / Stephen Sondheim), 4:45
8 I've Never Been in Love Before (Frank Loesser), 3:54
9 Luck Be a Lady (Frank Loesser), 3:32
10 With One Look (Andrew Lloyd Webber), 3:35
11 The Man I Love (George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin), 3:43
12 Move On (Stephen Sondheim), 5:27

INFORMATION-This album contains the following tracks:
Sunday in the Park with George, musical play
1 Putting It Together (Stephen Sondheim), 4:20
2 If I Loved You [From "Carousel"] (Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers), 2:38
West Side Story, musical
3 Something's Coming (Leonard Bernstein / Stephen Sondheim), 2:55
Sweeney Todd, musical play
4 Not While I'm Around (Stephen Sondheim), 3:29
Company, musical
5 Being Alive (Stephen Sondheim), 3:23
The King and I, musical
6 I Have Dreamed / We Kiss In A Shadow / Something Wonderful (Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers), 4:50
7 Adelaide's Lament [From "Guys and Dolls"] (Frank Loesser), 3:25
8 Send In The Clowns [From "Musical A Little Night Music"] (Stephen Sondheim), 4:42
Work(s)
9 Pretty Women (from Sweeny Todd) / The Ladies Who Lunch (from Company) (Stephen Sondheim), 5:09
10 Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man [From "Show Boat"] (Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern), 3:31
Porgy and Bess, opera
11 I Loves You Porgy / Porgy, I's Your Woman Now (George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / DuBose Heyward), 4:35
12 Somewhere [From "West Side Story"] (Leonard Bernstein / Stephen Sondheim), 4:56

INFORMATION-This album contains the following tracks:
1 Sing/Make Your Own Kind of Music (Barry Mann / Joe Raposo / Cynthia Weil), 4:17
2 Starting Here, Starting Now (Richard Maltby, Jr. / David Shire), 2:37
3 Don't Rain on My Parade (Robert Merrill / Jule Styne), 2:22
4 Monologue, 2:51
5 On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever) (Burton Lane / Alan Jay Lerner), 1:46
6 Sweet Inspiration/Where You Lead (Carole King / Spooner Oldham / Dan Penn / Toni Stern), 6:18
7 Didn't We (Graham Lyle / Troy Seals / Jimmy Webb), 2:24
8 My Man (Jacques Charles / Channing Pollack / Albert Willemetz / Maurice Yvain), 2:47
9 Stoney End (Laura Nyro), 2:53
10 Sing/Happy Days Are Here Again (Milton Ager / Joe Raposo / Jack Yellen), 4:25
11 People (Bob Merrill / Jule Styne), 3:29

INFORMATION-This album contains the following tracks:
1 Love in the Afternoon, 4:07
2 Guava Jelly (Bob Marley), 3:17
3 Grandma's Hands (Bill Withers), 3:27
4 I Won't Last a Day Without You (Roger Nichols / Paul Williams), 4:19
5 Jubilation, 3:55
6 Simple Man, 3:03
7 Life on Mars? (David Bowie), 3:11
8 Since I Don't Have You (Lennie Martin / Joe Rock), 2:52
9 Cryin' Time (Buck Owens), 2:52
10 Let the Good Times Roll (Leonard Lee), 4:54

INFORMATION-This album contains the following tracks:
1 Wet (Sue Sheridan / Barbra Streisand / David Wolfert), 4:27
2 Come Rain or Come Shine (Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer), 4:47
3 Splish Splash (Bobby Darin / Jean Murray), 4:38
4 On Rainy Afternoons (Michel Legrand / Lalo Schifrin), 3:23
5 After the Rain (Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Michel Legrand), 3:43
6 No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) (Paul Jabara / Bruce Roberts), featuring Donna Summer, 8:21
7 Niagara (Marvin Hamlisch / Bruce Roberts / Carole Bayer Sager), 3:33
8 I Ain't Gonna Cry Tonight (Alan Gordon), 5:05
9 Kiss Me in the Rain (Santo Farina), 4:20

INFORMATION-This album contains the following tracks:
1 I Can See It (Harvey Schmidt), 2:58
2 Love Is Like a New Born Child (Oscar Brown, Jr.), 2:55
3 Folk Monologue/Value, 4:45
4 Cry Me a River (Arthur Hamilton), 3:05
5 People (Bob Merrill / Jule Styne), 4:43
6 He Touched Me (Ira Levin / Milton Schafer), 3:07
7 Marty the Martian/Sound of Music, the/Mississippi Mud/Santa Claus Is (Harry Barris / J. Fred Coots / Jeffrey D. Harris / Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers), 2:40
8 Natural Sounds (Lan O'Kun), 3:08
9 Second Hand Rose (Grant Clarke / James F. Hanley), 3:01
10 Sleep in Heavenly Peace (Silent Night) (Franz Gruber / Joseph Mohr), 3:34
11 Happy Days Are Here Again (Milton Ager / Jack Yellen), 3:19

INFORMATION-This album contains the following tracks:
1 Yesterdays (Otto Harbach / Jerome Kern), 3:05
2 One Kiss (Oscar Hammerstein II / Sigmund Romberg), 2;17
3 The Minute Waltz (Frédéric Chopin / Lan O'Kun), 1:59
4 Gotta Move (Peter Matz), 2:01
5 Non C'est Rien (Armand FA Canfora / Michael Jourdan), 3:27
6 Where or When (Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers), 3:06
7 Medley: Animal Crackers in My Soup/Funny Face/That Face/They Didn't Bel, 9:00
8 C'est Si Bon (It's So Good) (H. Betti / Henri Betti / André Hornez / Jerry Seelen), 3:40
9 Where Am I Going? (Cy Coleman / Dorothy Fields), 2:50
10 Starting Here, Starting Now (Richard Maltby, Jr. / David Shire), 2:53

INFORMATION-This album contains the following tracks:
1 He Touched Me (Ira Levin / Milton Schafer), 3:10
2 The Shadow of Your Smile (Johnny Mandel / Paul Francis Webster), 2:48
3 Quiet Night (Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers), 2:26
4 I Got Plenty of Nothin' (George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / DuBose Heyward), 3:08
5 How Much of the Dream Comes True, 3:06
6 Second Hand Rose (Grant Clarke / James F. Hanley), 2:11
7 A Kind of Man a Woman Needs, 3:55
8 All That I Want, 3:50
9 Where's That Rainbow? (Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers), 3:39
10 No More Songs for Me (David Shire), 2:54
11 Medley: Second Hand Rose/Give Me the Simple Life/I Got Plenty of Nothin (Rube Bloom / Harry Ruby), 5:47