My Name is Barbra by Barbra Streisand

This is a very long book, one I think she wrote herself, and should you not be daunted by the sheer weight of it and open it up, be aware that there are a lot of details shared within. There is a lot of name dropping and if you are one who wants to have rumors about the star confirmed or denied, you won't be disappointed--she does kiss and tell, and more importantly, she reveals the misogynists. For all the complaints about female directors not getting their due, her story is groundbreaking in the ways she was belittled and shunned. The first half of the book, the story races along with all the charm and energy of its protagonist. Her back story may startle when reminded of her improbable rise. Born in 1942 into a middle-class Jewish Brooklyn family, Streisand’s life was sharply altered at the age of 15 months when her father, a teacher and by all accounts a wonderful man, died suddenly of respiratory failure. The family was plunged into poverty, moved to the projects, and Streisand’s mother got remarried to a man who was cruel to her. Louis Kind ignored and belittled his stepdaughter, mocking her looks, while her mother was scarcely less abusive. Out of such conditions a great stars was born--despite a profound lack of support at home. She was on Broadway while still in her teens, and it was her exceptional voice that provided that entrée. Her mother appeared more jealous than maternal, but she found mentors from early on and as we know, she soared. She describes herself as a perfectionist and her own harshest critic, but her charisma shines through at every turn. She was late to find her perfect mate, but she was otherwise quite lucky from early in her career. This is long on details, and could use a good editor, but I read it through and through--but even if you just flip through the multitude of pictures, you will find something to enjoy within.