My Name is Barbra by Barbra Steisand

I just spend 48 hours with the legendary Barbra Steisand, and it was delightful from beginning to end. Forty-eight hours is the length of her self-recorded memoir, and I have to say I didn't want it to end. From her early marriage to Elliott Gould and her breakout role in "Funny Girl," to her directing "Prince of Tides," and later marriage to James Brolin, this is an action packed and very revealing memoir. I came away thinking she is so smart, she is so particular yet not difficult at all, as so many people have painted her in the past. She lost her father when she was a baby, and was left with a very cold, competitive and uncaring mother. That would be enough to derail anyone's life. But she wanted to sing, and later act, and then direct, and she found a way to make a shining success of all three. For the last 6 decades, she has had a number one album each decade. She has an incredible recall for the events in her life, and I think this is because she kept copious journals. She alludes to them in the book, even detailing what she wore to certain events and what she ate. It is all quite fascinating, especially the section on her passion project, 'Yentl."  I loved the detail in this book, from the way she wooed Robert Redford into taking the role opposite her in "The Way We Were," to the kinds of ice cream she likes to eat, or the expensive paintings she likes to buy. And don't even get me started on her years with Jon Peters, they are a novella on their own. After reading this memoir, I am a bigger fan of Barbra's now more than ever. Don't hesitate. Just read it and enjoy Barbra in all her glory. To buy this book on Amazon click here.