Hello, Gorgeous

Barbra doesn’t have anything to worry about, now. After all, she’s BARBRA. She starred in NUTS, and YENTL and sang vibrant songs on vinyl albums my parents played over and over again on the stereo turntable. As one who enjoys interviewing, what I recall (is the hearsay) that Barbra doesn't do interviews. So when I saw the book, HELLO GORGEOUS, Becoming Barbra Streisand, by William J. Mann, I had to have it. Never mind that I have about 15 books that I want to read in varying degrees of desperate; this one had me completely intrigued. I dropped everything to read it.

I could tell you that I met her on a public street in Manhattan, that I gushed over her and she rolled her eyes at me and smiled that mysterious, enigmatic smile in my direction. Neither is true of course. But I had wondered for years why she didn’t give interviews. What really is the real back story behind the actress, and velvet voice and icon we now have known for decades as Barbra Streisand?

MANN captures a time when BARBRA was Barbara. Not as evolved, back when she was singing her heart out with Sleepin' Bee at the Bon Soir, in her early 20’s.

 

Back when she desperately wanted more than anything to be an actress.

There were very few moments, according to William Mann, author of this un-authorized biography, when she didn’t believe in herself.  HELLO GORGEOUS is peppered (at times quite a bit) with maybe’s and probably’s, but still paints a rather cohesive, and colorful portrait of the girl becoming a woman and then transforming into the icon.

I have always been curious about the “Elliot years”, which are covered extensively. I found the story poignantly painful, and beautiful, inspiring and encouraging. There were some big surprises in there but nothing that changes my love for this amazing actress and singer.

If you are even mildly curious about Barbra, this is the book for you. Thank you, William J. Mann. It's always nice to get questions answered. It gives peace to the soul. I give it 5 stars.