My Name Is Barbra

Barbra Streisand's autobiography requires a commitment--it's over a thousand pages or, if you listen to the audio version as I did, fifteen hours. But it's worth it. Streisand has led a fascinating life full of events you know about and ones you don't, as well as people you've heard of and those you haven't. I recommend the audio version because listening to Streisand tell her own story is a hoot. She's a real raconteur, and you feel like you're her best friend by the end. As an added bonus, when she refers to her music, she plays a clip so… show more.

Barbra Streisand reads her autobiography out loud for the audiobook. It takes 48 hours and covers her early years, her films, her albums, her politics, and her love life, and when it finished, I was bereft. What a woman! She was prolific and clever and often underestimated or put down, particularly in her early years, because she was a woman.

I said aloud, “Yes, Barbra!” when she triumphed over adversity (or sexism). She’s a phenomenal woman. However, she hates giving presentations and speeches and ties herself in knots at the thought. It’s reassuring that even a global superstar like Barbra… show more.