On Tuesday it will have been three weeks since Barbra Streisand’s autobiography was released.
The printed book in hardcover is 992 pages and weighs a ton. It went to number 4 on amazon but never got higher.
Today, “My Name is Barbra” is at number 60 on amazon and dropping fast. Was it too long? Yes. Did it have enough juice? Not really.
Ironically, a much better seller is the Audible version of “My Name is Barbra.” Coming in at a shocking 48 hours, the book is read by the famous Streisand voice. It’s number 6 on the audio book list, and really number 2 behind Britney Spears’s “The Woman in Me,” which is read by three time Oscar nominee Michelle Williams.
Streisand fans would simply rather hear the famous actress and singer’s voice than slog through those 992 pages. Also, there were PR mistakes with the Streisand book vs. Spears. In the latter, there were a lot of anecdotes planted everywhere before pub date. With Streisand, the publicity hit too late, including “CBS Sunday Mornings” on the Sunday after pub date — five days after. It should have come before.
Of all the stories in Streisand’s book, one that escaped becoming a gossip item was Barbra’s well written memory of “Funny Girl” co-star Omar Sharif’s pursuit and romance. Maybe no one cares now, but “Funny Girl” was a huge hit and Streisand received an Oscar.
What else isn’t selling? The “Evergreens” CD that was released a week before the book, of Barbra’s greatest hits. It’s only sold about 7,000 copies. “Evergreens” should have been called “My Name is Barbra” and included with the book. The tracks should have been rare demos of hits and actual hits. Instead, it’s a mishmash. No one’s buying a CD without “People” and “The Way We Were,” and “Stoney End.” That’s a missed opportunity!
