Ethan Mordden

Ethan Mordden has been hailed as "a sharp-eared listener and a discerning critic," by Opera News, which compares his books to "dinner with a knowledgeable, garrulous companion." The "preeminent historian of the American musical" (New York Times), he "brings boundless energy and enthusiasm buttressed by an arsenal of smart anecdotes" (Wall Street Journal). Now Mordden offers an entirely fresh and infectiously delightful history of American musical...

Begins with a broad year-by-year outline of Barbra Streisand's landmark achievements and a few of her more whimsical escapades. This is followed by a long essay on how her idiosyncratic self-realization marks her as a unique national treasure, an artist without limits. Then comes the major part of the book, a work-by-work analysis; this section is broken down into separate chapters, each organized chronologically: stage shows, television shows and...