The Importance of Being Barbra: The Brilliant, Tumultuous Career of Barbra Streisand
- ISBN-10
- 142990853X
- ISBN-13
- 9781429908535
- Category
- Biography & Autobiography
- Pages
- 256
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2007-04-01
- Publisher
- Macmillan
- Author
- Tom Santopietro
Description
Controversial, a global icon, a diva among divas---Barbra Streisand, the last genuinely unique show business personality of the twentieth century is the most honored entertainer in the world today. But along with the Tony, two Oscars, six Emmys, eight Grammys, ten Golden Globes, fifty gold albums, and wild acclaim have come wildly diverse reactions to a personality as outsized as her talent. In the words of Streisand herself, "I'm a liberal, opinionated Jewish feminist---I push a lot of buttons." In Tom Santopietro's witty yet analytical look at this one-of-a-kind career, the myths and personal foibles are stripped away, and the focus lands squarely on the work. From the early recordings to the groundbreaking television specials, from the Hollywood blockbusters to the history-making comeback concerts, Streisand's career is placed within an oftentimes uniquely American social context but always allowed to speak for itself. In a brisk, funny, and always compelling style, The Importance of Being Barbra reveals all the milestones in a new and sometimes startling light, ranging from the brilliance of Funny Girl and The Broadway Album to the misbegotten yet curiously popular A Star Is Born. Treating Barbra Streisand like the serious artist she is---and has always claimed to be---The Importance of Being Barbra delves into the key reasons for her all-encompassing success: the overwhelming ambition, the notorious perfectionism, the fervent gay following, the dramatic pull of a voice and style that mysteriously connect with the lovelorn all around the world. A full-scale examination of the acting, singing, and directing that have ranged from the dazzling to the occasionally inexplicable---it's all here for anyone who has ever wondered at the phenomenon that is Barbra Streisand.
Get the book
Similar books
-
Hello, Gorgeous: Becoming Barbra Streisand
By William J. MannMerrick would “bristle”: Kissel, David Merrick: The Abominable Showman. ... “David Merrick may hold”: LAT, September 29, 1962. ... 285 “not ready yet”: Jerome Robbins to Ray Stark, [nd, September 1962], JRC, NYPL.
-
Barbra Streisand: Redefining Beauty, Femininity, and Power
By Neal GablerBarbra Streisand has been called the “most successful...talented performer of her generation” by Vanity Fair, and her voice, said pianist Glenn Gould, is “one of the natural wonders of the age.” Streisand scaled the heights of ...
-
Learning How to Learn: How to Succeed in School Without Spending All Your Time Studying; A Guide for Kids and...
By Alistair McConville, PhD, Barbara OakleyThis means if you have a not-as-goodas-average memory, and you sometimes struggle with learning, there's still lots of hope for you! More about this later. * It's pronounced “ra-MON-ee-ka-HALL.” * The “fingers” at the end.
-
The Way We Were: The Making of a Romantic Classic
By Tom SantopietroNow, just in time for the 50th anniversary of the film's release, this behind-the-scenes account from best-selling author Tom Santopietro features new insights from Barbra Streisand, James Woods, Lois Chiles, and Alan Bergman, providing the ...
-
Considering Doris Day
By Tom SantopietroArts and Entertainment.
-
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
By Colin Larkin25 December 1937, d. 31 March 1986), Rudolph (b. 1 April 1939) and Ronald Isley (b. 21 May 1941), began singing gospel in their home-town of Cincinnati, USA, in the early 50s, accompanied by their brother Vernon, who died in a car crash ...
-
Why To Kill a Mockingbird Matters: What Harper Lee's Book and the Iconic American Film Mean to Us Today
By Tom SantopietroIlluminates the enduring relevance of "To Kill a Mockingbird" in racially torn America, tracing the writing of the book and the creation of its film while sharing insights into its controversies and legacy.
-
My Passion for Design
By Barbra StreisandA culmination and reflection of Streisand's love of American architecture and design between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries, the book contains many of her own photographs of the rooms she has decorated, the furniture and art she has ...
-
Encyclopedia of Gay and Lesbian Popular Culture
By Luca Prono... Goes To Hollywood with Paul Rutherford, Nasher Nash, Mark O'Toole and Peter “Ped” Gill, but the group had to wait two more years before they could get a recording contract with Trevor Horn's ZTT Records. “Relax,” the first piece the ...
-
I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was: How to Discover What You Really Want and How...
By Barbara SherA life without direction is a life without passion. I Could Do Anything If Only I Knew What It Was guides you not to another unsatisfying job but to a richly rewarding career rooted in your heart’s desire.