My Name Is Barbra

By: Barbra Streisand

Narrated by: Barbra Streisand

Length: 48 hrs and 7 mins

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

Critic reviews

"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

"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

“A gloriously massive memoir from a sui generis star. . . . What a talent, what a career, what a life, and what a treat to relive it all with this most down-to-earth of demigods.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Don't Read, Listen!

Every review of this book has mentioned the length of it - almost 1,000 pages or over 48 hours of listening. I think a person's level of tolerance for that will be in direct correlation with their appreciation of the artist. I have always found Ms. Streisand fascinating as a performer and as a person and I believe her reclusiveness has diminished her recognition as the greatest female pop singer of all time. A voice like "melted diamonds" per Frank Sinatra.
Apparently she kept journals most of her life; the amount of detail in this book including conversations, meetings, events, outfits worn and meals consumed is staggering. Every bit of that - from her love of coffee ice cream to her exquisite vintage clothing - suffice to reveal Ms. Streisand at her most basic level. And the recounting of her numerous love affairs and friendships from Elliot Gould to Marlon Brando to Madeline Albright to Bob Dylan to Donna Karan reveal her most intimate self.
Her exhaustive detailing of the machinations behind her movies both as a star and a director made me want to go back and re-watch every one. Her chronicle of awards, sold out concerts, and best selling albums illustrate the depth of her popularity for over 60+ years. But the best part of listening to the audio book is that she sings at times! Or at least plays recorded versions of songs. Hearing her voice as illustration is priceless.
The telling of the span of her life also depicts the tumultuous times and people of those years. And the exposure to the issues of those eras including AIDS, equality for women, and climate change among many others apparently made her the politically aware activist that she has become known as today. Before listening to her book, I was unaware of her charitable foundation and support for areas like medical research for women's heart health. She has continually and selflessly given of herself and her fortune to benefit many deserving causes.
My only caveat is that towards the end of her story she becomes overly moralizing about her positions. Ms. Streisand certainly has a right to believe in the very progressive agenda that she espouses. However, she falls into the rather small minded trap of thinking that anyone who disagrees with her (most frequently Republicans) must be either evil, greedy or stupid. She seems to choose to not see the complexity in many of the issues that our culture is divided over and often comes across as frustrated that certain problems can't just be solved. Somehow. Despite her working class roots in Brooklyn, she has led a life of unimaginable wealth and influence. I can't think of many other people who could have a friend's helicopter pick her up at an airport in New Jersey to whisk her to a Broadway show whose 8 p.m. opening has been held for her arrival. One has to think a life with those kinds of perks have come to make her believe that anything can be accomplished. She appears to refuse to acknowledge that issues can have more than one complicated truth. For instance, her devotion and admiration for Bill Clinton is unfazed by the numerous women who have accused him of sexual assault despite her avowed feminism. She conveniently ignores any details that don't correspond with her set in stone ideas.
Despite all that, this was truly a captivating listen. Revealing her life, in her own voice, makes this a mesmerizing experience. Barbra Streisand is undeniably an icon of the entertainment industry in all its facets.

Every inch an incomparable star

Listening to Ms Streisand”s memoir was the greatest bookish pleasure of 2023. Utterly riveting. I hear her in my dreams. I would have loved to have met her.

Undeniable talent and delight

Her etherial and powerful voice and multi faceted talent and contribution is undeniable. This story in her own voice with all the behind the scenes stories is a wonderful gift. However, her political views shared in this story take away from her professional work and she cannot see views of others that don’t share her perspective and Southern California experiences. Love affairs with men married and the Clinton family and an all too common, unevolving devotion to our precious Democratic Party of the 50’s and 60’s raise several questions. She has raised millions and influenced the political process because of her celebrity, and her destain for all things “Republican offend half of the country.

Get to know Barbra

If you are a Barbra fan you will love it. It feels like she is talking directly to me. I listen to allot of autobiographies and this is the best of the best. It’s not a performance, it’s a candid conversation. She admits her faults and is charming as well as self deprecating. I have a much different idea of who she is and I love her even more than before. It’s long so if you aren’t interested in every movie, song, album, concert and lover, it might be too much but it wasn’t too much for me, it was just right.

Feels like sitting in the living room with my friend Barbra

Yes, it was long, but very enjoyable felt like I got to know my old friend inside and out. She shared many memories. Barbra opened the door to her life and inner feelings I enjoyed this so much. Thank you.

Excellent memoir experience!!

I love the audio, with Barbra telling her life story. she's very humble and generous and a lovely person inside and out. The only movies I saw when I was young was What's up doc and the Main event. Now I am watching A star is born, wow what a voice she haves and a great movie. I'll be watching others that I'm looking forward to watch. If your a Streisand fan you will enjoy this audio!!!

Barbra Streisand Recalls Her Career, Life and Times With Honesty and Grace

Listening to Barbra Streisand narrate her memoir while also following the e-book version (which has the bonus of photos) made for a long deeply satisfying experience that I recommend.

Entertaining writer in addition to her directing, music and actress in so many great movies

Such a delightful, entertaining book which I knew it would be, due to her opening up in the interviews about a few of the stories. All of her fame has not changed her personality and openness in believing the same things that ordinary people do. This is made even more special with her narrating the book!

Could I love her more?

I loved her before,just based on her singing.Now I love her even more based on her words.

Hello Gorgeous

What a beautiful person Barbra is inside and out, I appreciated this “singular sensation” sharing her life and experiences so deeply and truthfully. Every chapter was a total pleasure!