Derek Nelson

PAINFULLY BEAUTIFUL

Reviewed: 10-11-24

LMP was hysterically funny and kind. She was the most authentic person I ever knew in the world of celebrity. She didn’t know how to be fake. It just wasn’t in her. She had the best laugh. Last time I saw her was actually at the Scientology center maybe 14 years ago… She looked great, she was in a great mood, she was making fun of Scientology, even though she was there. I knew her and what Riley calls her very good years. I am so saddened to hear of her pain and struggles in the years following our interactions. Her daughter does an incredible job of making known her mother’s struggles in an effort to help other people who struggle. People have a very severe misconception that people who are famous, and l/or rich, and/or powerful have perfect lives and don’t struggle or don’t have demons. If this could happen to Lisa, it can happen to anyone. Hopefully this book encourages people in similar situations to hold on, persevere, and come out the other end.

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Thank God For Ray Stark

Reviewed: 06-13-24

Barbra Streisand says she doesn’t understand where the reputation of her being difficult comes from. All she has to do is listen to the book. Any normal person who has lived a full life would realize - especially someone who spent 10 years writing a 1000 page book examining their career and life. She doesn't and that's a major fault line in her life story.

You’re literally waiting for her to have the revelation in this epic book :

"wow, I was extremely difficult then"

"thank God they stuck with me."

"Thank God for Ray Stark who gave me Funny Girl, I wouldn’t be anywhere without him… "

For this and other reasons, you can see why people have wanted to dislike Barbra Streisand her entire career - however it’s impossible to do so. Regardless, of how strong willed and irritating she may be - she has stuck to her vision - and by some miracle has been allowed to exercise it in mediums that don’t allow for much creative interference. We have been the beneficiaries.

Her need for creative control, which she speaks about relentlessly, should have applied to the audiobook playback. She has always been a fast talker - legendarily so, and mentions it many times. However the audiobook has been slowed down so significantly it’s painful to listen to at regular speed. I listened to the book at x1.5 speed to get it to what her typical speaking speed is in interviews.

Her controlling nature and need to have creative control over everything she does is evident in this book in the biggest possible way. Clearly, she refused to have an editor. This book could be half the length and probably would’ve become a best seller. She doesn’t know how to tell a story without, including every single detail to the extent of saying ‘I turned to the left. walked four steps, reached for my pocketbook, lifted it up walked outside to my car. I got in my car put it in drive …..” even a novice editor would have been able to take 20 to 30% off of this book without changing a thing of significance.

A lot of times blames people for saying she's controlling because she’s a female - however, no male actor or singer would have gotten away with what she got away with from the very beginning. I’m not saying being controlling is a bad thing, just own up to it. Don’t use the cliché of it's a slight against females… It’s not always the case. She’s controlling and there’s nothing wrong with that. That control did help her become a legend.

She's a legend because she had the right voice at the right time. And she had RAY STARK.

The legendary RAY STARK who brought her Funny Girl - the Broadway show, and then movie he developed based on the life of his mother-in-law, Fanny Brice. Stark, who later in life would become one the last great Hollywood moguls - was, in the 1960's already an immensely successful agent and producer. Stark made her career and she would not be the legend she is today without him. Without her, he still would have become the mogul he became. Yet, she dismisses him and complains about normal business procedures a producer for any actress or actor would be conducting. She also complains about the contract she had with him, and multiple times repeats in the book that she never reads contracts because she doesn’t care about the money or the details of the contract - she only cares about ultimate creative control. To understand what control you have - you have to read the contract. She obviously still has a lot of anger towards Ray Stark - as she does towards many people, mostly people who were more powerful and suggested or implemented a way different than hers. When it comes to Stark - clearly his way was the right way, as it launched her into the stratosphere, how she does not realize this or show him any appreciation is ungrateful.

As well, arguably one of the most famous Jewish people in the world and one of the most famous people in the world overall… Why Barbra Streisand insists on relentlessly reminding listeners she’s Jewish is baffling. I have never listened to a non secular - or read a non secular book where the author speaks so much about their, or any religion - and, this is way before she gets to Yentl. When I go to temple I hear less about Judaism than I have in this book.

This book is fascinating in that, if she’s telling the truth, she’s being exactly who she is and she still doesn’t recognize - she is her reputation… Extremely talented, highly controlling, extremely difficult, and ungrateful to those who made her career. The blindness it takes for someone to write 1000 page book and not realize this is extraordinary.

She is an extremely talented individual, when it comes to phrasing in music… and also as a Director / producer. As an actress, she’s playing herself, controlling, mouthy, and pushy.

That said it’s an interesting time capsule of a career that would never happen again.

Barbra is a true American legend and we need more people in the world like her. I forgive her blindness to herself - as many famous people never can truly see themselves - and that’s where an editor would’ve been extremely helpful. She is one of only a few examples in history of superstars who skyrocketed to fame in youth and maintained that fame for decades - they have a very unique psychological make up. Think Micheal Jackson, Tom Cruise, and Madonna (who is the most normal of them all and makes Streisand look insane by comparison).

I really enjoyed this book.

Thank G-d for Barbra Streisand

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Appreciation Grows

Reviewed: 05-27-24

Like most moviegoers, I have always appreciated Rebel Wilson‘s comedy and fearlessness without really known much about her. This book changes that. Very revealing, very thoughtful, and very, very, very funny. Gives a new and greater appreciation for this extraordinary talent who has a lot to say and says it with conviction and intelligence.

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Effective and Revealing

Reviewed: 05-27-24

The book really makes you realize how important The View has been to our lives. Chronicles all of the infighting and idiotic network decisions which have damaged the show at times. Nothing makes a network executive more excited than trying to destroy a winning formula.
I always love a book read by the author, but this author could’ve spent more time learning the correct pronunciation of names, especially those of worldwide notability - names most everyone knows the correct pronunciation of - and also mispronounces nuclear while speaking of when combover conman Trump mispronounced nuclear. Overall a very interesting, informative, and entertaining read.

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Brilliant

Reviewed: 05-25-24

This book is so well researched and captivating that I wish it didn’t end. Barbara Walters life is really a chronicle of the 20th century and she interviewed most every important person that made the 20th century what it was… Along the way shattering glass ceilings and redefining tv. . She was the first superstar journalist - she changed news and celebrity She was of her time and ahead of her time. This book tells the story brilliantly.

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Glimpses

Reviewed: 02-27-24

With so many extraordinary people to cover the author did a great job giving glimpses into their backgrounds and lives - and their overlap with Truman Capote. Overall, very informative and entertaining. 

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Still Growing Up With Melissa Gilbert

Reviewed: 11-01-23

I watched Little House after school mostly - repeats were on at 3. It was a ritual - It grounded me. This book also grounded me. Melissa’s journey is not all that dissimilar from anyone’s. We’ve mostly all been rich - or bouncing off the bottom at some point. We’ve all had successes and failures. We’ve all been passed over for something or another. We’ve all let it affect us far too much. Hopefully, we have also gotten to a point in our lives where we have all taken control and learned to enjoy the little things - which add up to one big glorious thing. The meaning of life. That is this book in a nutshell - it’s Melissa’s journey of figuring out who she really is - and embracing it. You can’t help looking in the mirror the whole way through- and enjoying every memory…hers and your own.

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A MUST ON SO MANY LEVELS

Reviewed: 10-31-23

This book is hysterically funny, amazingly informative, not only Little House, but about Hollywood of many eras… it’s also Extremely courageous and overall so enjoyable, and probably the best behind the scenes little house book ever and a damn good book by any measure. She’s needs to put out another.

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Not really a behind the scenes

Reviewed: 10-31-23

I’ve listen to other books by the cast, and they always say how remote Melissa Anderson was, that is on full display here. It’s basically a telling of her favorite episodes with a few background stories - in which she weaves some anticlimactic stories about her personal life. There is one about her getting pulled over with friends when she was younger. The story is literally so inconsequential you wonder how she remembered it, let alone why she included it.

Overall, it’s an enjoyable listen, but unless you’re a diehard fan, go right to Allison Arngrim’s brilliant, revealing, and courageous book.

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3 people found this helpful

Jaw dropping

Reviewed: 12-03-22

Excellent book, wonderfully researched and composed. This historical figure who doesn’t get as much attention as she deserves, is the linchpin of the Kennedy assassination. The mere fact of her death and the way of death proves there was a conspiracy.

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1 person found this helpful