From GMTV weathergirl to Loose Women anchor; Andrea McLean has become one of our most-loved TV presenters. But for years her famous smile has been concealing some devastating secrets. With heartbreaking honesty she opens up about the end of her first marriage and how; on the edge of a breakdown; she found herself juggling her demanding career with raising her son alone. When her second marriage also fell apart - in the glare of the media spotlight - it seemed her life had really hit rock bottom. In her fully updated autobiography; Andrea writes movingly about her joys and sorrows; and about coming to terms with being a single mum again. She describes how she learns that messing up doesnt mean youre wicked - just human. And she takes us behind the scenes at GMTV; Dancing on Ice and Loose Women to reveal that television can be a treacherous place for a good girl!
#388148 in eBooks 2012-10-09 2012-10-09File Name: B006R8PGMQ
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. No overnight sensation- the insecure. determined girl behind the mythBy Richard BrennanThe kooky girl from Brooklyn with the stunning voice burst upon the show business world when she was 19. killing audiences in a bit part on Broadway while simultaneously becoming a must-see attraction in New York supper clubs. By the time Barbra was 20 she was singing for thousands in the Hollywood Bowl. and for millions on the Judy Garland show. At 21 she was truly "the greatest star" with raves in Funny Girl. plus Tony. Grammy. and Emmy nominations all in the same year.If you are a fan you know this outline already. along with the friends discarded and detractors accumulated along the way. Except you dont really know the story until you read Mr. Manns book which details the years from Barbras arrival in Manhattan (at barely 16!) to her Broadway coronation in Funny Girl. He recreates her life marking spring. summer. winter. fall of those five years. His book not only heaps in the details that time. but it also shows how the Barbra Streisand Story we have heard for decades was manufactured first by Barbra. then her managers and publicists. The attention to original sources and recollections and carefully weighing them together is what sets this books apart from previous biographies.Highly recommended.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Her Brilliant BiographyBy Frances YorkThis is far more than just an extraordinarily fine biography. which William Mann appears to realize in his extensive introductory and concluding notes. and in the fact that he includes a wealth of meticulously documented source information. Manns portrait of Streisand is also a remarkably honest glimpse into the deliberate crafting of celebrity. talent. and persona in a far less cynical time than ours. In following Streisand through her childhood to her huge first break when she was cast as Fanny Brice in "Funny Girl" in her early twenties. Mann. chasing down. it appears. everyone who knew Streisand in any context. develops a picture of a complex. ferociously ambitious young woman consciously building her own myth as she juggled mediums and media makers in the late fifties and early sixties with unique success. Mann goes further. however. Maintaining detachment. without losing sight of the less likable sides of her personality.he nevertheless allows us to empathize with Streisand. as he explores her motivation. and the history that led her to produce such a persona.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Hello GorgeousBy laceys pampered catsI have always loved her movies and music but limited knowledge of Broadway history. I found this history of her struggles very enjoyable. It has made me an even bigger fan than ever. I found the book very informative. but it seemed somewhat repetitive and at times slow reading . It is full of humor. shows her determination. business savoy and how extortionately talented she is for this younger generation that did not live during her reign of popularity.
