My Name Is Barbra

Name: My Name Is Barbra
SKU: 7416
Availability: InStock

4.6 | 7,862 ratings

Price: 39.38

Last update: 04-04-2025

About this item

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.

Edie Nolan

A passionate woman

Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2024

Hot Toasty Rag
Review of 'My Name Is Barbra'

“It’s only the best fruit the birds pick at.”
Although not said by Barbra Streisand, the above quote from Bette Davis (written to Ms. Streisand after she received harsh words from others) sums up the unwarranted criticism of this immensely talented lady. I was probably a unique reader (unfortunately) and hadn’t heard any bad rumors about Ms. Streisand. I’d seen most of her films, listened to her Christmas album every year since its release, and her warmth and sensitivity immediately made an impression. I never thought she was unreasonable, difficult, egotistical, or didn’t know her place. My heart aches for her that she’s been criticized for decades and that untrue stories were circulated. A good portion of her memoir is dedicated to correcting those stories and telling the truth. Truth is very important to the authoress, and when we read how lies and betrayals were commonplace in her both her professional and personal lives, it’s quite painful. As I wrote in my fan letter, the honesty in her writing makes it easy to hope when she struggles, beam when she triumphs, appreciate her dedication, pain when she sorrows, and rejoice when she finally finds the love of her life.
Ms. Streisand is an incredibly sensitive and deep-feeling woman. She’s intelligent and naturally gifted. It was surprising to me to learn that she’s never had a voice lesson in her life – especially since my mom had told me the story of a woman who claimed to be Ms. Streisand’s voice teacher! Yet another example of people taking advantage of Ms. Streisand and lying for personal gain. In addition to detailing the life events that most readers already know about (her Oscar wins and snubs, relationships with Elliot Gould and Jon Peters, and political involvement), she also takes us through private struggles and intimate sorrows. She’s quick to explain her remarks that were either taken out of context or misinterpreted. From walking out on Celine Dion’s performance due to a medical emergency to deliberately editing interview footage to twist her words against her, it’s incredible how many people attacked her because they had issues within themselves and didn’t care what damage would be done to an innocent woman.
On a positive note, everything Ms. Streisand develops an interest in becomes a passion and success. Had she not become an actress (or singer or director or producer or writer or activist), she would have excelled in any number of other fields. Her love of food will leave you hungry; her respect for history will leave you thirsty for knowledge. She dabbles in the stock market, she knows how to mix sound tracks and edit video footage, and she even does her own makeup in every single film. And to top it off, everything she does, she does passionately and impeccably well. As a film production major (with an emphasis in editing), I appreciated her dedication to her films, and her ingenious method of taping a copy of the dailies on her camcorder so she could review the footage at home without adding to the budget or lab time. She’s the kind of person who’s constantly learning – and constantly loving. Reading about her love of little English tea sandwiches brought such a smile to my face. Although she has great moments of insecurity and can be her own worst critic, she still finds joy in all the little things.
And what a memory! She remembers what she ate, what she wore, who said what, the order of her songs in her first nightclub act, making My Name Is Barbra a truly personal memoir. This isn’t a dish-the-dirt book, nor is it an I-like-everybody “tell all”. It’s a woman’s life. She has terrible tragedies and beautiful successes. She gives people their privacy, but tells us what she feels we need to know. She’s had friendships with Marlon Brando, Stephen Sondheim, and President Clinton, but she also writes about private moments with her doggies. She discusses pre-, post-, and mid-production of her films (which you’d better watch beforehand, because she reveals all the plots), the conceptions of her albums, and dreams that were never realized. (In case you were wondering why she never played Mama Rose, you’ll find your heartbreaking answer.) As an avid biography reader, I was so impressed by her collection of photos: dozens and dozens, including a full page of her favorite album covers and another dedicated to her husband.
Don’t be daunted by the length; it will fly by and you’ll long for more once you’ve turned the final page. My mom and I read My Name Is Barbra together every day for a month. She was an integral part of our days, and we already miss her. Although, buying McConnell’s coffee ice cream at the store and re-watching her movies makes us feel closer to her.

Anshel Bomberger

I appreciate this writing as a piece of fine art.

Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2023

I loved everything about your book. I purchased the Audible version and the Kindle version (My dog eats books--I would be horrified if I found your book torn up in pieces). I am glad I purchased both versions. The photos I can look at on my Kindle and I get to hear your voice reading throughout on my Audible app. Your voice is soothing. It is articulate, and with such great diction.
I appreciated so many thoughts through out your book. One that struck me was when you told the person to pick up the garment that was on the ground (for you to walk on). Then you stated to never do that for anyone. It showed dignity on your part for the other--you weren’t so full of yourself to walk that path. You were taking on the burden of the other, as a form of Mussar lens. Your tone brought your point to that person, to where they probably had to think and think what you were expressing and why. To me, I interpreted your dialog as the same tone expressed from keeping someone from touching a hot flame or keeping a child from running into traffic. You were letting that person know, no one should be treated as if their poop doesn’t stink. People with huge egos would have walked right over that garment. Your intent was Kavod (Respectful and Honorable). This next comment has to do with the movie ‘Yentl.’ I was born intersexed and always felt like a man in a woman’s body. As a child I wanted to play with boy’s toys. I have an identical twin and she supports DeSantis and all of his hate toward LGBT+ persons. I can’t go to Florida to use a bathroom, no one is immune to being arrested if someone wanted to make someone’s day miserable. I’d have to worry if some medical professional would step away and let me die, because they have laws that protect them. Deep down my twin is hurt that I no longer look pretty and like her. I watched Yentl many times when the videotape came out. I identified with wanting more and not being expected to darn my husband’s socks. We were in the Army at the time that I watched Yentl in a movie theatre. I told my husband many times to take care of his issues by himself. I wasn’t about to take over where his mother left off. I married to hide my then lesbianism. I married to get out of the barracks, and to have a child. My son is going on 39, is gay, and the most wonderful human. It wasn’t until I learned I had cervical cancer that I had my female reproductive organs removed. As a part of cancer surgery, they send everything to pathology to make sure nothing has spread. That is when I learned my left ovary that never released an ovum, couldn’t because it was an ovotestee. Medically, I was a true hermaphrodite (Intersexed is the correct term these days). I loved Yentl so much that I name a red Dachshund-- ‘Avigdor’ and a red and white Jack Russell--Esther Hadass. May they rest in peace. As for your event with the Jewish Medium, it was as if the floor was the ‘Ouija Board’ and the table the ‘planchette.’ I believe you were given that message from your father. What I learned from you and this book is this... You write the way you would speak. It was so personal, revealing, vulnerable, and your absolute truth. I admire that.
You would tell people what you thought, but with no malice. You took the time to figure out what was going on in order to fix it and move on.
You are brilliant in so many ways--your attention to detail. You question everything. The little things do matter. You are not afraid of a ‘Chain of Command.’ You aren’t afraid to ask, ‘Why?’ Or to say, ‘No, I won’t do that.’ Not to be stubborn, but because it is the right thing to do in the moment. It was not about pumping your ego. I like that. I did that too in the military-- ‘Where is it written?’ I am now living as a Trans masculine human being. My own rabbi went along with a woman that called me creepy a couple of times in front of the entire congregation. When we had a Zoom meeting about it, they both basically said if I didn’t look the way I did, no one would bully me. I paused then asked them, ‘How would a blind person see me?’ At the end of the meeting I stated, ‘This is exactly why I like dogs more than people. Dogs have never treated me the way people have.’ I won’t step foot back into that building. If someone asks if I am a woman or a man, I say, ‘Yes’ and smile. I sound like a woman, have small feet, small hands; I’m losing my hair off of my head, and have a full beard. I am very happy being my authentic self as G-d has made me. I am a Jew, but I no longer go to shul. I light Shabbat candles. I dropped the given name ‘Sharon’ and legally had my birth certificate changed to ‘male’ and the name of ‘Anshel’ as my permanent first name. My struggle wasn’t with what Singer’s ‘Anshel’ was struggling with--being able to study Torah and having to live as a man to do so, my struggle was as a woman or a man, I felt a depth that I couldn’t express. I didn’t have the words. I literally was born both female and male. Thank you for being a model of risk taking, standing your ground, and pursuing anything that has a strong message for everyone. What you are doing is a mitzvah. You are an incredible author, singer, songwriter, actress, and mensch.

Anshel Bomberger
Georgetown, CO

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