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My Name Is Barbra

Written by: Barbra Streisand
Narrated by: Barbra Streisand
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Publisher's Summary

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

PLEASE NOTE The audiobook edition is read by Barbra Streisand. Features additional anecdotes and music that are exclusive to the My Name Is Barbra audiobook.

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 the history of 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 on stage and winning the Oscar for that performance on film. Then came a 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.

©2023 Barbra Streisand (P)2023 Penguin Audio

What the critics say

"The celebrity memoir I've coveted most is that of the singular Ms. Barbra Streisand. . . . We don't see a diva, we see a genius. . . .  In a society that tends to value women's passivity while lauding their accomplishments in hindsight, it's a distinct pleasure to look back with My Name Is Barbra and marvel at how the real she came to be." —Brittany Luse, NPR

"The book is undeniably moving—it does not, even for a moment, read as false. . . . Streisand’s chatty, discursive presence hums on every page. . . . Riveting . . . . All the usual memoir forms rear their heads. There’s the sob story, the gallant bildungsroman, the louche chronicle of various addictive behaviors, the righteous making of an activist, the victory lap. Streisand’s book, in its sheer breadth and largesse, attempts to be all of these things, and thus becomes something incredibly rare. . . . If something interests her, then it is interesting, full stop. In a way, she draws on an old-fashioned idea of celebrity: to be a star is to be golden, and to make everything you touch look the same. . . . Streisand has never thought it necessary to contain herself, and there’s no reason to start now." —Rachel Syme, The New Yorker

“[My Name Is Barbra is] enlightening. It’s shake-your-head funny and hand-to-mouth surprising. The lady who wrote it is in touch with herself, loves being herself. . . . Streisand’s boundlessness, her capaciousness — the lack of precedent for her whole-enchilada ambitions, the daffiness, the sexiness, the talent, orchestration, passion, originality; her persistence and indefatigability; the outfits; the hair — were a watershed.” —Wesley Morris, The New York Times

What listeners say about My Name Is Barbra

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Uggh.......

Let me start by saying that I am a huge Barbra Streisand fan. I love her because of her huge talent but also because she is a woman who makes no apologies for her intelligence and power. But I am 10 hours into this book and I may stop. It is definitely interesting to listen to her talk about the tiny details of her artistic decisions etc. She has such an interesting way of seeing the world and committing to her craft. What I am not enjoying is hearing the non stop bragging. In this book she continually tells the reader how she never thinks she is good enough and how she never listens to her songs because of that. She tells us that she is "not as smart" as many of the people she admires and has worked with. But right up against that is the constant reading of positive reviews and reminding the reader of how great everyone thinks she is. I am actually surprised that her editors did not scale this back a bit. It is not one or two....it is non-stop. Chapter upon chapter is her reading all of the amazing compliments and reviews she has gotten. And she keeps reminding the reader that she didn't keep any of them - it is only because her mother kept a scrapbook. She also conveys compliments that she has heard through the grapevine. Before she reads many of them she says things like "I am almost embarrassed to read this....but I will......." I wish I hadn't read this and just kept my view of her as it was. I guess that is the risk when you decide to read an autobiography. After 10 hours I am utterly over hearing her tell me how great she is and how the people she admires most are the ones who share that opinion. Bummer.

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4 people found this helpful

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Princess of all the tides.

Wow. Just wow. I could not stop listening. Her speaking voice was amazing. I’ve never listened to her music and only watched a few movies but her life story was incredible. And she could read the damn phone book and I would listen to her. There’s a simple click in certain words that feels like soft serve ice cream in the back of your throat. When she recalls the deli meats, I tasted them. There’s a smooth, velvet nuance that encouraged me to flip each page. I listened while doing my job as a cleaning lady and indulged in each and every word and phrase. My name is Kathryn.

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But….

I don’t care about fashion or architecture but listening to Barbra go into detail on both…man. I could listen to anything this woman has to say. I always knew she was an incredible singer and actress I don’t understand the complexity of her musical and theatrical genius. Just an unbelievable book with music to match! Cost me a fortune as I am now downloading her music after having her vinyls.

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Honesty about all else

I have always loved and admired Barbra her story simply affirms why she is simply the best.

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My Name is Barbra

I loved the book and the personal touch from the author makes for an enjoyable read or listening experience. I would recommend this book to anyone.

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  • JoeGato57
  • 2023-11-08

BARBRA IS LIKE BUTTAH!

OMG … Barbra…this book is simply THE BEST!!!
“My Name is Barbra” is a fantastic read and 100 times better in audio format - yes, I plan to buy the hardcover too.
Barbra's narration is like a lovely, unforgettable song. 
Worth the wait! 47 hours of pure blissful Barbra. This Audible edition is like Chanukah, Christmas, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur all rolled up into one. Since I plan to re-listen over and over again, then it's the holidays all year round!
Do yourself a favor and purchase "My Name is Barbra"
It truly is like buttah!!!
Okay, I can't type anymore... I'm getting verklempt.

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27 people found this helpful

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  • Daniel Baños
  • 2023-11-07

A must “hear”

Just amazing… Barbra is simply the best… and a great reader! :) don’t miss it… amazing !

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  • Cill
  • 2023-11-08

A Pure Pleasure

A honest and informative insight into the life of a supremely talented women - an actor, a singer, a director, a producer, a sound engineer - as I listened to the book, I kept stopping to look up movies and play songs that were mentioned - Her memories are related with just enough detail to enjoy and understand them without bogging the reader down in unnecessary details. The book keeps moving along at a good pace. I did increase the reading speed by 25%. Barbra - thank you so much for being so generous with your life details and your feelings. I listen to hundreds of books a year and this one is my favorite for 2023 so far.

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24 people found this helpful

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 2023-11-09

A witty and insightful epic

The conversational reading of this wonderful memoir is both comforting and inspiring. Barbra Streisand is even funnier than I expected, and her insights into the many ingredients that go into making a good song are enlightening. As an extra treat, sometimes the listener even gets to hear parts of songs from her records. I'm only about a quarter of the way through, and already feel that this audiobook will be nominated for an Audie Award.

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  • Claire
  • 2023-11-10

What a Girl, brilliant!

This woman has captivated so much insight in this beautiful book.
Love, kindness, perseverance, truth, as well as compassion we should all feel for ourselves.
I’ve always loved her but now I’m in love with her.
She dreamed of a life she lived. And the universe was by her side every step of the way.
She shows us how to respect our own destiny, to believe in ourselves .
I cried and laughed as she reached my heart.
Her story should be made into a Movie. 🥰🥰

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  • Eric C.
  • 2023-11-15

on and on and on

I love Barbra Streisand, but this book is so long winded! If you want to know about EVERY performance she ever did, what she wore, and what she sang at those performances, you'll enjoy this book. I still have 36 HOURS left of this and I'm not sure I can do it.

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9 people found this helpful

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  • Regina P
  • 2023-11-10

Streisand’s Conversational Style Narration is A Treat

Barbra’ conversational style is extraordinarily winning. It makes for a riveting and compelling listening experience. Its has a “ Brooklynese “ vibe that is fast disappearing . My fellow New Yorkers , of a certain age , will know exactly what I mean. For me, the book was worth the $49.00 dollar price tag!

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  • Thomas P Lick
  • 2023-11-10

Streisand pulls you in

Given the sheer number of years she's been famous, it's unsurprising that Streisands talent is taken for granted. Audiences come to expect long notes and a steady supply of heartbreak in her songs. We imagine ourselves falling in love with (or maybe even despising) Streisands mannerisms on film before we commit to witnessing her act. It is widely understood that Barbra Streisand is a legend. But sadly, the term "legend" is so well worn in today's society that it is hardly adequate to describe her. Thankfully, Streisand has released her memoir, and it puts into focus the person behind the superlatives.

"My Name is Barbra" grants us access to the teenager who simply wanted to act and was unprepared for stardom. Still, reading each chapter is like watching her achieve the impossible...over and over again. It serves as a reminder that Barbra Streisand was put on this earth to share her indelible talents with the world.

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  • Jennifer Hurst
  • 2023-11-10

Feels like you’re sitting next to her

Great book, great story. She makes you feel like she’s taking directly to you. And it also feels personal.

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  • Charles Decker
  • 2023-11-09

Like buttah

It’s like having a tea party with Barbra herself. No pretenses whatsoever. A real delight.

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6 people found this helpful