Meryl Streep: The Reluctant Superstar

by Diana Maychick

Blending interviews with the actress, her associates, and her friends, this candid portrait of Meryl Streep details her life, her extraordinary talent and successful career, and her continual refusal to sacrifice moral and aesthetic standards for fame and

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

166 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1984

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

The back cover blurb starts with “On screen, on stage, she’s a superstar” and it’s hard to disagree with this, the statement even more true now in 2017 as it was in 1984 when this biography was first published. Diana Maychick was a reporter for the New York Times and although sometimes she gets a little carried away with herself (she includes Meryl’s thoughts, but didn’t interview her, as well as conversations she couldn’t have been party to), this is informative and well written. From her childhood with older brothers to her college education - and taking in the mischief and fun around them - this follows Meryl to New York where she discovers Joseph Papp and his Public Theatre, makes life-long friends with John Lithgow and Mary Beth Hurt and enjoys an intense love affair with John Cazale that ends in heartbreak (he died before “The Deer Hunter” was released). Life is bleak for a while but then she meets Don Gummer (and is married within six months - a relationship that continues today), hits a streak of fantastic films as the 80s dawn, enjoys Oscar success and begins a family (the book ends with her about to make “Falling In Love” with Robert DeNiro and “Heartburn” with Jack Nicholson). Taking a decent look at the making of the films - the piece on “Sophie’s Choice” is especially interesting - while never neglecting Meryl’s private life and her dedication to her family, this is a great read, well paced and well told. It also performed the best trick a biography can do - by the end of the book, I felt like I knew Meryl Streep. Recommended.

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, but that's probably because I have a somewhat large obsession with Ms Streep.

The book was published in 1984 and so only covers her early life and the early part of her career. Still, it was interesting reading. Meryl is so private that there are only three biographies and they're all from years and years ago. Still, being a hardcore fan, I want to read anything and everything I can.

The writing isn't great and you can tell that the author has had to scrabble around for information - I read/heard something about Meryl hating the people that chose to write biographies about her and so there's no way she would have given them ANY information intentionally - but it still made for interesting reading. The excerpts from her various interviews and the facts/photographs just reminded me why I find her so inspiring and it made me fall in love with her all over again!

[Danny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I. LOVE. MERYL. This book is really good, but why is it so hard to find newer, more recent biographies of meryl? This one unfortunately only goes to 1984, but it is still worth the afternoon reading.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed learning about Meryl Streep's life upto 1984 when this was written. Author was perhaps a little gaga and over laudatory, but Streep also seems to
Merit the acclaim. She is an incredible actress.

[Kathy]

Most versatile actor ever. Her story needs updated.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

edition written 1984

[Susan Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read on Meryl. Love learning about "stars" and this was a great look into her life.

[Susan C Lance · Rating 2 out of 5]

Biography. Not well written