My Name Is Barbra (book)

Last updated

My Name Is Barbra
My Name Is Barbra book cover.jpeg
Author Barbra Streisand
LanguageEnglish
Genre Autobiography
Publisher Viking Press
Publication date
November 7, 2023
Publication placeUnited States
Pages970
ISBN 9780525429524
OCLC 1380998376

My Name Is Barbra is the autobiography of American entertainer Barbra Streisand. [1] Released on November 7, 2023, the memoir spans 970 pages, while the audiobook, read by the author, exceeds 48 hours. [2] Generally lauded for sparing no detail, [3] [4] reviews recognized Streisand as "the architect of her persona and performance." [5]

Contents

Background

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, while an editor at Doubleday, sought to publish Streisand's memoir in 1984. [6] Streisand rejected the offer, feeling her age of 42 was too young, with more to achieve in her future. [6] Streisand subsequently began making notes, then started a journal in longhand in 1999. [6] [7]

Viking Press announced in May 2015 that they would publish the long-awaited memoir, spanning Streisand's entire life and career, which was planned for release in 2017. [8]

Publication

The book's November 2023 release lacks an index, [9] as Streisand hoped readers would engage with the book from beginning to end without browsing for specifics. [6]

Streisand's audiobook recording includes ad-libs that vary from the written text, resulting in a "natural, intimate spoken narrative." [10]

Reception

Before its release, My Name Is Barbra became a bestseller during presales in February 2023. [11] Following its publication, book sales topped Amazon.com charts, [12] with overall US sales exceeding 55,000 copies during its first week. [13]

Interview magazine subsequently compiled an index to the book's contents. [14]

Streisand's lavish accounts of wardrobe and style details spurred a dedicated fashion interview. [15]

The audiobook earned Streisand a nomination for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards. [16] [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbra Streisand</span> American singer and actress (born 1942)

Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand is an American singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success across multiple fields of entertainment, being the first performer awarded an EGOT.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grammy Award for Album of the Year</span> American music industry award

The Grammy Award for Album of the Year is an award presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales, chart position, or critical reception." Commonly known as "The Big Award", Album of the Year is the most prestigious award category at the Grammy Awards, and is one of the four general field categories alongside Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year that have been presented annually since the 1st Annual Grammy Awards in 1959.

"New York State of Mind" is a song written by Billy Joel that is featured on his fourth studio album, Turnstiles (1976). Although it was never released as a single, it has become a fan favorite and a song that Joel plays regularly in concert. Joel famously played the song at The Concert for New York City, the October 2001 benefit concert for the New York City Fire and Police Departments, as well as the loved ones and families of first responders lost during 9/11. He reprised the song and theme, playing it during his set at 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief at Madison Square Garden in New York City on December 12, 2012, where he changed lyrics to include the likes of "Breezy Point".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Way We Were (song)</span> Song by Marvin Hamlisch with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman

"The Way We Were" is a song by American singer Barbra Streisand from her fifteenth studio album of the same name. It was released as the album's lead single on September 27, 1973, through Columbia Records. The 7" single was distributed in two different formats, with the standard edition featuring B-side track "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?"; the Mexico release instead included an instrumental B-side. The song was written by Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman, and Marvin Hamlisch, while production was solely handled by Marty Paich. "The Way We Were" was specifically produced for the record, in addition to three other tracks, including her then-upcoming single "All in Love Is Fair" (1974).

<i>Guilty</i> (Barbra Streisand album) 1980 studio album by Barbra Streisand

Guilty is the twenty-second studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand released on September 23, 1980, by Columbia Records. It was produced by Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees and his group's regular production team of Albhy Galuten and Karl Richardson.

<i>The Barbra Streisand Album</i> 1963 studio album by Barbra Streisand

The Barbra Streisand Album is the debut album by American singer Barbra Streisand, released February 25, 1963, on Columbia Records, catalogue CL 2007 in mono and CS 8807 in stereo. It peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Top LPs, and has been certified a gold album by the RIAA. By 1966, the album had sold over one million copies worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbra Streisand discography</span>

Barbra Streisand is an American actress and singer. Her discography consists of 118 singles, 36 studio albums, 12 compilations, 11 live albums, and 15 soundtracks. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Streisand is the second-best-selling female album artist in the United States with 68.5 million certified albums in the country, and a career total ranging from 150 to 200 million making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Finally Found Someone</span> 1996 single by Bryan Adams and Barbra Streisand

"I Finally Found Someone" is a song by American singer Barbra Streisand and Canadian singer Bryan Adams. The power ballad was part of the soundtrack of Streisand's 1996 self-directed movie The Mirror Has Two Faces and was nominated for an Oscar. Several versions of a CD single were issued on its initial release. One contains a rare Spanish-language version of her 1976 song "Evergreen", as well as Adams' previous single "Let's Make a Night to Remember". Another version includes three solo recordings by Adams from his most recent album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Streisand (concert tour)</span> 2006–07 concert tour by Barbra Streisand

Streisand was Barbra Streisand's Fall 2006 North American concert tour. Comprising 26 shows, it was Streisand's first United States tour since 2000 and her first live concert events since her supposed farewell concerts, Timeless in 2000. The 2006 tour also marked the singer's first time playing in Canadian markets.

<i>Funny Girl</i> (film) 1968 film by William Wyler

Funny Girl is a 1968 American biographical musical film directed by William Wyler and written by Isobel Lennart, adapted from her book for the stage musical of the same title. It is loosely based on the life and career of comedienne Fanny Brice and her stormy relationship with entrepreneur and gambler Nicky Arnstein.

Charlie Midnight is an American songwriter and record producer and the founder of Midnight Production House. He has been nominated for the 1987 Grammy Award for Best R&B Song, two Golden Globes, and has been a producer and/or writer on several Grammy-winning albums, including The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album, Joni Mitchell's Turbulent Indigo, and Marlo Thomas & Friends: Thanks & Giving All Year Long. He also is a writer on the Barbra Streisand Grammy-nominated, Platinum-selling Partners album having co-written the Barbra Streisand and Andrea Bocelli duet "I Still Can See Your Face".

<i>Color Me Barbra</i> 1966 studio album by Barbra Streisand

Color Me Barbra is the seventh studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand, released on Columbia Records in 1966. The album was a yet another sales success for Streisand, reaching number 3 on the US charts and was certified Gold by the RIAA. It was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 1967 Grammy Awards, but failed to win either category.

<i>The Broadway Album</i> 1985 studio album by Barbra Streisand

The Broadway Album is the twenty-fourth studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand, released by Columbia Records on November 4, 1985. Consisting mainly of classic show tunes, the album marked a major shift in Streisand's career. She had spent ten years appearing in musicals and singing standards on her albums in the 1960s. Beginning with the album Stoney End in 1971 and ending with the album Emotion in 1984, Streisand sang mostly rock, pop, folk, and disco-oriented songs for Columbia records. Noted Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim personally penned additional lyrics for the songs "Putting It Together" and "Send in the Clowns" on request of the singer. The album, originally released on the Columbia label and subsequently re-released by Columbia and Sony Records, was a critical and commercial success. First certified gold by the RIAA on January 13, 1986, it reached four times platinum on January 31, 1995.

<i>Stoney End</i> (Barbra Streisand album) 1971 studio album by Barbra Streisand

Stoney End is the twelfth studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand. Released in 1971 and produced by Richard Perry, it was a conscious change in direction for Streisand, having a more upbeat, contemporary pop/rock sound. It included cover versions of several songs by contemporary singer-songwriters, including Laura Nyro, Randy Newman and Joni Mitchell.

"My Coloring Book" is a song written by Fred Ebb and John Kander. First performed by Sandy Stewart in 1962 on the television program The Perry Como Kraft Music Hall, she was one of the first artists to record the work in 1962 when it was released as a single. She also included the song on her 1963 album which was also named My Coloring Book. Stewart's single charted in the top 20, and so did another 1962 single version of the song recorded by Kitty Kallen. Stewart's recording of the song was nominated for the 1963 Grammy Award for Best Solo Vocal Performance, Female and Kander and Ebb were nominated for the 1963 Grammy Award for Song of the Year. Barbra Streisand also recorded the song as a single in 1962, but it was a financial flop. She made a different recording of the work on her 1963 album, The Second Barbra Streisand Album, which was a critical success and has enjoyed enduring popularity. Many other artists have recorded and performed the song in succeeding decades, most recently Kristin Chenoweth in 2014. While not originally written for one of their musicals, the song was included in the Off-Broadway musical revue And the World Goes ‘Round: The Songs of Kander and Ebb in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Streisand effect</span> Increased awareness of information caused by efforts to suppress it

The Streisand effect is an unintended consequence of attempts to hide, remove, or censor information, where the effort instead increases public awareness of the information.

<i>Love Is the Answer</i> (album) 2009 album by Barbra Streisand

Love Is the Answer is the thirty-second studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand released on September 29, 2009. The album consists of jazz standards and was produced by Diana Krall and Tommy LiPuma. It also features Krall on piano and orchestral arrangements by Johnny Mandel, Anthony Wilson and Alan Broadbent. A deluxe edition contains a bonus disc featuring versions of the songs with just Streisand's vocals and Krall's quartet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbra Live</span> 2012–13 concert tour by Barbra Streisand

Barbra Live was the sixth concert tour by American recording artist Barbra Streisand. Visiting North American and European markets, the tour was Streisand's first tour since 2006. Barbra Live was the 22nd best-selling tour in the world during 2012. It earned $40.7 million and sold 154,287 tickets.

<i>Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway</i> 2016 studio album by Barbra Streisand

Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway is the thirty-fifth studio album by American singer Barbra Streisand, released on August 26, 2016, by Columbia Records. Encore is her third studio album of Broadway songs and featured duets with several well-known actors including Jamie Foxx, Melissa McCarthy, among others. The album was promoted with the release of "At the Ballet" as a single.

References

  1. Knight, Lucy (February 7, 2023). "Barbra Streisand to publish her first memoir". The Guardian.
  2. Bayard, Louis (November 7, 2023). "Barbra Streisand's memoir is long and dishy. Here are the highlights". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  3. Kaplan, Ilana (November 7, 2023). "Love affairs, the diva thing and that nose: Takeaways from Barbra Streisand's huge memoir". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  4. Morris, Wesley (November 7, 2023). "Barbra Streisand Is Ready to Tell All. Pull Up a Seat". The New York Times. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  5. Luse, Brittany (November 7, 2023). "Barbra Streisand's memoir shows she wasn't born a leading lady—she made herself one". NPR. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Jones, Radhika (October 7, 2023). "Malibu Barbra: Inside Barbra Streisand's World". Vanity Fair . Archived from the original on October 8, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  7. People , September 29, 2014, issue
  8. "Barbra Streisand Memoir Coming in 2017". May 20, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  9. Jacobs, Alexandra (November 7, 2023). "Her Name Is Barbra, but It Wasn't Always". The New York Times. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  10. Woolfe, Zachary (February 23, 2024). "Audiobook Review: 'My Name Is Barbra,' by Barbra Streisand". The New York Times.
  11. Roeloffs, Mary Whitfill (November 7, 2023). "Which Celebrity Memoir Sold The Most In 2023—And Which Didn't". Forbes. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  12. Johnston, Rylee (November 8, 2023). "Barbra Streisand's Memoir Reaches No. 1: Here's Where to Buy It on Sale". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  13. Milliot, Jim (November 16, 2023). "Rebecca Yarros Rescued Print Book Sales Last Week". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  14. Hopf, Andrew (November 20, 2023). "An Index of Everything (and Everyone) Mentioned in Barbra Streisand's Memoir". Interview Magazine. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  15. La Ferla, Ruth (December 25, 2023). "Barbra Streisand Talks Personal Style and Her Memoir". The New York Times. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  16. "2025 GRAMMYs: See The OFFICIAL Full Nominations List | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  17. Willman, Chris (November 8, 2024). "Grammy Nominations 2025: Beyonce Leads With 11 Nods as Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX Are Among Top Nominees". Variety. Retrieved November 8, 2024.