Guest Book Review: On the Couch by Barbra Streisand

Another guest book review courtesy of Sharon – enjoy!

I will start by saying upfront Barbra has been, in my experience and life, without equal.

My mother took me to see Funny Girl as a teenager and the rest was history. I followed every song she sang, special she was in, and movie I was able to see, including her direction/acting of “Yentl.” It stands to reason my infatuation with her included published memes and “rag” tabloids. For six decades, she belonged to me and again through this novel the love affair continues.

Dr. Bond incorporates a fictional biography, in the form of psychotherapy sessions of a complex Barbra. She weaves information compiled from her research that lends itself to a very believable life story.

Dr. Bond’s understanding of psychotherapy is essential to the persona of this complex woman, daughter, wife, lover, singer, movie actress and film maker/director. But Barbra’s complexities do not end there. She is also a political activist and philanthropist.

Her fictional sessions are just what the reader expects, bring to the fore myriad components that together created this truly original woman. Insecure from an early age. Determined to be perfect. Victim of discrimination against women. A complex individual who needed to be loved. And there are so many other parts of this iconic woman – Dr. Bond manages to bring them all to glorious, technicolor life.

I enjoyed every session that Barbra and her “shrink” had for a fictional year. I was in the room, watching the dynamics of both of these phenomenal women. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever experienced a love affair with Barbra.​

Our review copy was provided by the Independent Book Publishers Association and Bancroft Press.