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]
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] The book debuted at #2 on the New York Times Bestseller list.[14]
