Barbra Streisand Wanted 'Two Volumes' of Her Memoir Instead of Nearly 1,000-Page Book

Streisand's memoir 'My Name Is Barbra' was released on Nov. 7

Barbra Streisand knows she's "guilty" of writing a long book.

In an interview with The New York Times, the EGOT winner, 81, opened up about how she originally wanted to approach her long-awaited memoir My Name Is Barbra and how she didn't necessarily like the idea of having such a hefty tome.

“I wanted two volumes,” she told the outlet. “Who wants to hold a heavy book like that in their hands?”

The "Wind Beneath My Wings" musician "was very late in delivering the book."

Related: Barbra Streisand Says She Hasn't Had 'Much Fun' in Her Life Ahead of New Memoir Release

The book, which she was originally meant to be submitted in two years, took take her 10 years to finish. (It was initially announced in 2015 with a publishing date set for 2017.)

But its 970 pages, she hopes, encompasses her legacy.

“If you want to read about me in 20 years or 50 years, whatever it is — if there’s still a world — these are my words. These are my thoughts," she said.

My Name Is Barbra was published via Viking on Nov. 7.

"Barbra Streisand is a living legend, a woman who in a career spanning six decades has excelled in every area of entertainment, and this engrossing and delightful book will be eagerly welcomed by her millions of fans," a press release said of the book. "Dozens of books have been written about Streisand, and now in My Name Is Barbra, she tells her story in her own words."

The Broadway icon and actress' memoir shares a name with a 1965 album and TV special from Streisand and details everything from her Brooklyn childhood, to her big Broadway break and award-winning films like Funny Girl, A Star Is Born and The Way We Were.

Streisand also reminisces about her high-profile romances and dalliances with stars like Marlon Brando, ex-husband Elliott Gould (with whom she shares son Jason Gould) and former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau — which all eventually paved the way for her to find everlasting love with James Brolin, her husband of 25 years.

Related: Barbra Streisand Says Fear that Surgery Would Impact Her Legendary Voice Made Her Resist a Nose Job

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Streisand released two albums on Oct. 27 — Yentl: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition and Evergreens: Celebrating Six Decades on Columbia Records — both of which celebrated career milestones for the singer-songwriter.

Yentl: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition and Evergreens, mark two pivotal moments in Streisand's legendary career, respectively — the anniversary of her 1983 musical film Yentl and the anniversary of her signing with Columbia back in 1962.

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