3 out of 4 stars
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I've read the raw pdf file of this book which greatly influenced my overall view. What I couldn't find in this book, was an indication that Ms. Streisand gave permission to the author allowing for the publishing of these intimate details about her long and illustrious life. Having mentioned these two facts, I will place it on a shelf to produce an unbiased review.
Within the opening lines the reader is captivated by the unconventional journal-like style used by the author to describe her first meeting. It happened on the author's birthday and she was in the process of locking up her practice, in order to get home for her celebrations when a loud knock sounded on the door.
A frumpy looking woman with elegantly manicured hands was at the door, calling out loudly, in a heavy Brooklyn accent: "Open up Doc! You're supposed to be a doctor, aren'tcha? Well, I wanna see ya!"
The author felt a bit intimidated, yet curious and opened the door to a patient who would become her most favourite subject, influencing her about as much as she would help cure Ms. Streisand - whom has spent roughly 30 unsuccessful years in therapy.
The counselling sessions span over the course of one year and ends with a game between analyst and patient, leaving the reader feeling satisfied - no cliffhanger ending here. Quite an extensive bibliography is included at the end of the novel reinforcing the fact that Ms. Streisand has been an evergreen celebrity for many decades.
Witty humour has been used freely in this literary compilation which leads to extensive character building of the two main characters - doctor and patient. The reader can enjoy a wide range of emotions as they can relate to many of the events, although a few are very outlandish and reserved for those enjoying celebrity status!
The author ensured her book will not be incomprehensible to non Yiddish readers and/or laymen by providing translations of the Yiddish phrases in easy to read (and understand!) language. It is quite an experience to read a book that allows you a glimpse into the often "closed to the patient" mind of an analyst, basically removing the expressionless mask they are prone to carry.
This book deserves 4 stars, however due to my ethical nature I have to subtract 1 star for the simple fact that this specific copy has not been edited properly. Therefore I rate Barbra Streisand: On the Couch 3 out of 4 stars. These 348 pages are recommended firstly to fans of Ms. Streisand and secondly to mature readers as it contains content not suitable for our younger audience.
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Barbra Streisand: On the Couch
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