Review of Barbra Streisand: On the Couch
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Review of Barbra Streisand: On the Couch
Most of us want to know our favourite celebrities intimately; we want to have a deep understanding of their mentality and personality. This is achieved by Alma H. Bond in Barbra Streisand: On the Couch. This novel expresses the life experiences of Barbra Streisand; she reveals this information during her therapy sessions with Doctor Dale, a psychoanalyst. The information about Barbra contained in this story is true, but the encounter with Doctor Dale is fiction. The audience is exposed to intimate details about Barbra that are not known to the public. Her childhood is described in the novel. She is from a Jewish family and lost her dad at a very young age. Her mother was devastated by the demise of her husband; her emotional pain caused her to maltreat Barbra. From her childhood, Barbra developed a lot of insecurities because of her father's death, her mother's maltreatment, and the bullying that she suffered in school. Barbra was very talented; we are told how she began her career in Hollywood. Every major step in her career is expressed in this book, such as the creation of the movie named Yentyl. Intimate details of her personal life are expressed throughout the text. We become acquainted with her many lovers and three husbands. Very private information about Barbra is revealed in this novel, such as her son's sexuality.
A wonderful feature of this book is that it exposes the audience to the process and experience of psychoanalysis. I learnt a lot about psychoanalysis from this text. For instance, I found the use of psychoanalysis to cure Barbra's tinnitus (a physical illness) to be quite interesting. The reader will learn psychoanalytic strategies and tips which they could use for their own psychological self-analysis.
The plot of this book is very interesting. The book narrates the life and times of a Hollywood legend. It encompasses intimate details about Barbra Streisand. Of course, this makes for a juicy storyline. Another great feature of this book is that it depicts Barbra in a relatable manner. The audience will no longer perceive Barbra as a flamboyant, narcissistic celebrity, but they will now perceive her as a flawed human being that is just trying to achieve her dreams.
As I read this text, I noticed a number of grammatical errors. Even though this was disappointing, it is my opinion that the text is professionally edited. The grammatical errors did not mar the pleasure that I derived from this book; considering all the positive features which I mentioned, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars.
I encourage psychoanalysts to read this book; they might learn something that will enhance their professional skills. As well, those that are interested in psychoanalysis should read this book. If you love Barbra Streisand, then you definitely want to read this book.
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Barbra Streisand: On the Couch
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