Barbra Streisand book: How to buy her long-awaited memoir My Name Is Barbra

Barbra Streisand's hotly-anticipated memoir hit our bookshelves on Tuesday.

The 81-year-old star has enjoyed six decades in the spotlight as a singer and actor, working and socialising with some of the world's biggest names.

Memoir My Name Is Barbra was published by Penguin Random House UK imprint Century on 7 November.

My Name Is Barbra details

The superstar shared some of her treasure trove of childhood and early career secrets, as well as showbiz anecdotes.

From Broadway to the big screen, the much-loved star is one of the biggest-selling recording artists of all time, and one of the few performers to have achieved EGOT status (winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony).

In the memoir, Streisand recounted her life from growing up in New York to the early days of her career and the years after.

King Charles friendship

Also in her book, she shone a light on her unlikely friendship with King Charles.

They first met when he was the Prince of Wales and she was working in Funny Girl in the 1960s.

Of their friendship, she writes: "The fact is, both Prince Charles and I are shy, but somehow we still managed to connect, because that proved to be the beginning of an unexpected friendship."

In 1994, the songstress performed at the Wembley Arena and the then-prince came to watch her. Now, in her book, she revealed his special gesture the following day.

Of the bouquet he sent, she wrote: "It was simply signed ‘Charles’. And the flowers were fresh from his garden!

"He wrote, ‘It was such a treat to attend your concert last night — you were wonderful and I adored every minute.' The Prince is the most ­gra­cious host and made every­thing easy for me, even sending his chauffeur to The Dorchester hotel to pick me up.

"The Prince is the most ­gra­cious host and made every­thing easy for me, even sending his chauffeur to The Dorchester hotel to pick me up."

Slowing down

For Streisand, her memoir could mark the end of an era as she hinted she wanted to focus on having more fun with her family at 81.

In a pre-recorded new interview with BBC Breakfast, the star revealed she hadn't had much fun in her life which she had devoted to her star-studded career and stardom.

"I want to live life," she says. "I want to get in my husband's truck and just wander, hopefully with the children somewhere near us.

"Life is fun for me when they come over. They love playing with the dogs and we have fun.

"I haven't had much fun in my life, to tell you the truth. And I want to have more fun."

Streisand's stardom

Her breakout performance came with the musical and film versions of Funny Girl and over the years, she has been awarded two Oscars, one for best actress for her role in 1968’s Funny Girl and the other for best original song in the 1976 film A Star Is Born.

She directed, produced, wrote and starred in 1983 film Yentl and became the first woman to win a Golden Globe Award for best director.

Publishers have sought a Streisand memoir for decades, with the singer telling Jimmy Fallon in 2021 that Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis asked her to write one in the early 1980s, when the former first lady was an editor at Doubleday.

The memoir was first announced in 2015, and scheduled for two years later, although it did not have a title at the time. A reference to it on her website, posted in 2015, was later pulled.

Ben Brusey, Century publishing director, said: “Barbra Streisand is the ultimate artist and icon, peerless in her mastery of multiple fields from music to film, theatre to philanthropy.

“Now, with the momentous publication of My Name is Barbra, Streisand announces herself as the ultimate writer and storyteller.

“One of the greatest tales of the creative life ever told, Streisand’s memoir reveals a voice on the page that is every bit as heartfelt, entertaining and spectacular as her greatest performances.

“We are thrilled and honoured to be publishing Streisand’s memoir and know it will be a landmark event full of joy and creativity that will dazzle and delight readers and critics alike.”

My Name Is Barbra was published by Century, a Penguin Random House UK imprint, on 7 November.

Buy it: My Name Is Barbra | £15 (Kindle) £35 (Hard Cover) from Amazon

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