Book SummaryMy Name Is Barbra, by Barbra Streisand

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of My Name Is Barbra

My Name Is Barbra is the 1,000-page autobiography of Barbra Streisand, perhaps one of the most successful and well-rounded performers in history. She’s starred in movies, plays, and television specials, and she’s recorded dozens of studio albums. As a testament to her career, Streisand is an EGOT winner (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards), a feat that only 24 people have achieved. Streisand is also a well-known feminist, environmentalist, and philanthropist; among her numerous accomplishments are creating the Streisand Foundation and endowing the [Barbra Streisand Center at...

My Name Is Barbra Summary Streisand’s Upbringing and Self-Perception

Barbra Streisand (which she emphasizes is pronounced “stry-sand,” not “stry-zand”) is a star of theater, movies, television, and music—but before that, she was a child from a troubled family.

In this section, we’ll discuss Streisand’s upbringing and how it affected her. Then we’ll talk about how she sees herself—perceptions that are, in part, shaped by that difficult childhood.

Streisand’s Troubled Childhood

The author was born Barbara (with an a) Streisand on April 24, 1942. She was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She says that her childhood was unhappy, even traumatic.

Streisand’s father Emanuel died unexpectedly when she was only 15 months old. She describes her mother Diana as self-absorbed and emotionally distant. For example, instead of empathizing with Streisand’s dream to be an actress and supporting her, Diana often said that she (Streisand) wasn’t pretty enough to be a star and should give up.

(Shortform note: While Streisand doesn’t say that she has Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD), therapist and social worker Pete Walker says that emotional...

My Name Is Barbra Summary Streisand’s Love Life

Although she’s played countless romantic leads on stage and screen, Streisand says that her real love life has been difficult.

First of all, when she was younger, Streisand was distrustful of men because of how her stepfather treated her and her mother. She says that, partly as a result of that treatment, she didn’t start dating seriously until adulthood.

Furthermore, Streisand tended to fall for men who were already in relationships. She thinks that’s because, as a child, she got used to being lonely. Chasing unavailable men was therefore a “safe” option because she was guaranteed to end up alone again sooner or later; either the man would turn her down, or they’d have a brief affair before he went back to his partner. Streisand believes that, subconsciously, this might have been less frightening for her than the possibility of a real, long-term relationship with someone.

(Shortform note: Some psychologists would agree with Streisand’s assessment of her love life here; women who grow up without fathers [often struggle with romantic...

My Name Is Barbra Summary Streisand’s Career

Streisand’s career as a performer is what she’s best known for. In this section, we’ll describe the manager who supported Streisand’s success, then we’ll discuss Streisand’s remarkable achievements in theater, as a singer, on television, and in movies.

(Shortform note: The factual details of Streisand’s career are readily available. Therefore, this guide will focus mainly on what she says about her personal experiences as a performer, rather than reiterating all of the specific roles she played and the albums she recorded.)

Streisand’s Manager

While discussing her early career, Streisand introduces Martin “Marty” Erlichman, a personal manager who went backstage to speak with her after watching one of her shows. During that first meeting, Erlichman correctly predicted that she would become an EGOT winner (short for someone who’s won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards), and he offered to represent her in the entertainment industry. Erlichman was her career manager from then on, meaning he negotiated the contracts for nearly everything she did.

(Shortform note: Erlichman has a reputation as one of the [best managers in the...

My Name Is Barbra Summary Barbra Streisand’s Legacy

Despite her extraordinary career, Streisand—who’s now in her 80s—doesn’t discuss her work when talking about her legacy. Instead, she says that her twin passions are politics and philanthropy; she wants to leave a kinder and fairer world for future generations.

Politics

Streisand describes herself as a feminist and a liberal; she holds up her life and career as testaments to those words.

Professionally, she shattered numerous glass ceilings in the entertainment industry, proving that women can be just as creative and successful as men. To people who respond negatively to her desire for creative control by calling her overbearing or a “control freak,” she asks why it’s a bad thing for a woman to manage her own projects when it’s expected for a man to do so.

(Shortform note: Though Streisand made great strides for women in the entertainment industry, it’s unfortunately still common for them to be mistreated and taken advantage of. For example, in The Woman in Me, pop star Britney Spears goes into detail about how her father—who also acted as her manager—[forced her into a legal...

Shortform Exercise: Reflect on Streisand’s Life

My Name Is Barbra is an unprecedented look at the life of one of the biggest stars in the world today, as told by Streisand herself. Think about how what you’ve read might change your views about Barbra Streisand as a performer and a person.

What did you know about Streisand’s life and career before reading this guide? What were your previous opinions of her?