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Third Girl from the Left
As a middle child in a large military family, Christine just wants to dance. Her parents support her dreams, even if they seem beyond their comprehension. At 20, determined and talented, Christine heads across the country from Santa Fe to New York City and, in a made for-Hollywood story, is chosen for the London cast of A Chorus Line.
While unwilling to fully cut ties with the traditional life her parents envision for her, she finds a new family with the dancers and more fluid, open characters that fill the theater world in London, and later New York, in the ‘70s & ‘80s. Christine learns that one member of her family is equally at home in her new world: Laughlin, her older brother—divorced, a father, ex-military and a corporate lawyer—also makes his way to New York City, where he meets, and begins to build a life, with rising fashion star Perry Ellis. The two men enjoy a partnership and a financial success that Christine both admires. and envies.
She spends much of her free time in their Upper West Side brownstone and Water Island retreat. Soon everyone is talking about a mysterious new disease. As deaths of dancers, theater folk, and eventually friends start to mount, Christine realizes she’s in the middle of an epidemic that neither her traditional family nor the public at large is ready to reckon with. As the AIDS crisis cuts closer and closer, eventually impacting those she loves most, Christine does what she has always done: she strikes her own path.
This memoir is an emotional, honest examination of what it takes to succeed in the competitive world of New York theater, how hard-won dreams can be quickly lost, what it means to redefine family, and the devastating toll AIDS exacted on a generation of artists.
While unwilling to fully cut ties with the traditional life her parents envision for her, she finds a new family with the dancers and more fluid, open characters that fill the theater world in London, and later New York, in the ‘70s & ‘80s. Christine learns that one member of her family is equally at home in her new world: Laughlin, her older brother—divorced, a father, ex-military and a corporate lawyer—also makes his way to New York City, where he meets, and begins to build a life, with rising fashion star Perry Ellis. The two men enjoy a partnership and a financial success that Christine both admires. and envies.
She spends much of her free time in their Upper West Side brownstone and Water Island retreat. Soon everyone is talking about a mysterious new disease. As deaths of dancers, theater folk, and eventually friends start to mount, Christine realizes she’s in the middle of an epidemic that neither her traditional family nor the public at large is ready to reckon with. As the AIDS crisis cuts closer and closer, eventually impacting those she loves most, Christine does what she has always done: she strikes her own path.
This memoir is an emotional, honest examination of what it takes to succeed in the competitive world of New York theater, how hard-won dreams can be quickly lost, what it means to redefine family, and the devastating toll AIDS exacted on a generation of artists.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published March 14, 2023
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831 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
March 25, 2023
I found this memoir to be beautifully written, brave, honest, and heartbreaking.
Having developed my own young life as an artist during 1970/80’s, I was deeply moved by the author’s tenacity and grit as she carved her own path within New York City. Her story of devotion to and loss of her beloved brother (and fellow dancers) to the crisis of AIDS was written with such a fierceness of love, I could hardly breathe as I read and held her book in my hands.
Having developed my own young life as an artist during 1970/80’s, I was deeply moved by the author’s tenacity and grit as she carved her own path within New York City. Her story of devotion to and loss of her beloved brother (and fellow dancers) to the crisis of AIDS was written with such a fierceness of love, I could hardly breathe as I read and held her book in my hands.
September 14, 2023
This is a beautifully-written memoir simultaneously about the author's experiences being a NYC-based struggling dancer/actress in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as her firsthand recollections of loving and losing so many close friends (including her older brother Laughlin, and his partner, fashion designer Perry Ellis) to AIDS in the mid-1980s and the stigma and silence surrounding the disease.
The memoir's title is in reference to the author's longstanding work in Michael Bennett's musical A Chorus Line, where she originated the role of Kristine (the third girl from the left of the chorus line formation on stage) in the London West End/international touring production and later continued the same role in the Broadway production for many years in the early 80s. The Chorus Line was Barker's big break but hardly a guarantee of durable success in Barker's field, which for women in the 70s/80s seemed like a particularly vicious milieu. Barker struggled with her body image (the standards for dancers were especially stringent and unrealistic) and spent years in unhealthy romantic relationships because she felt like she couldn't break away from either.
The memoir is written largely chronologically, so in the last third of the book, it almost seems as if Barker has receded into the background as she describes the heartbreaking experience of caring for her brother Laughlin as he dies from AIDS, the family fallout after his death, and the subsequent losses of Laughlin's partner and several other close friends from the theater world.
The standard by which I assess memoirs is largely based on whether the author has demonstrated perspective and personal growth as they reflect back on key years of their lives. What stuck out to me in this memoir is the grit and strength that Barker demonstrated in the most difficult moments she wrote about, and how she found the energy to keep persisting despite countless rejections in her career, bad relationships, deaths of many of her closest friends, and societal (and familial) attitudes stigmatizing people she loved. Still, it's been 40+ years since the events this memoir focuses on have taken place, so clearly there's also been decades of reflection and growth in the interim.
The memoir's title is in reference to the author's longstanding work in Michael Bennett's musical A Chorus Line, where she originated the role of Kristine (the third girl from the left of the chorus line formation on stage) in the London West End/international touring production and later continued the same role in the Broadway production for many years in the early 80s. The Chorus Line was Barker's big break but hardly a guarantee of durable success in Barker's field, which for women in the 70s/80s seemed like a particularly vicious milieu. Barker struggled with her body image (the standards for dancers were especially stringent and unrealistic) and spent years in unhealthy romantic relationships because she felt like she couldn't break away from either.
The memoir is written largely chronologically, so in the last third of the book, it almost seems as if Barker has receded into the background as she describes the heartbreaking experience of caring for her brother Laughlin as he dies from AIDS, the family fallout after his death, and the subsequent losses of Laughlin's partner and several other close friends from the theater world.
The standard by which I assess memoirs is largely based on whether the author has demonstrated perspective and personal growth as they reflect back on key years of their lives. What stuck out to me in this memoir is the grit and strength that Barker demonstrated in the most difficult moments she wrote about, and how she found the energy to keep persisting despite countless rejections in her career, bad relationships, deaths of many of her closest friends, and societal (and familial) attitudes stigmatizing people she loved. Still, it's been 40+ years since the events this memoir focuses on have taken place, so clearly there's also been decades of reflection and growth in the interim.
March 19, 2023
Third Girl From the Left is a moving, thought-provoking and visceral memoir. Above all it is a story about love and loss. By turns sad and uplifting, you will not want to miss this magnificent debut novel. Barker writes with humor and compassion, about the realization of her dream of becoming a Broadway dancer and about the tragic loss of her brother to AIDS. Barker gives us a new perspective from which to revisit a dark time in the life of gay men, with her strong and vulnerable voice.
March 19, 2023
A thoughtful, deeply moving look at the onset of AIDS in the theatre and fashion world.
This haunting memoir begins as a classic story about a small town girl pursuing her dream of a professional dance career. The early 1970s were a gritty time to be in New York with nothing but determination, energy and raw talent, but Barker is up for the challenges. Then, just as her career takes off, AIDS devastates both family and friends, requiring her to put all the strength and discipline that have made her a successful performer to use in unanticipated ways. Suspenseful, tragic and true, this heart-breaking account of what she did for love is lovingly and unflinchingly remembered.
This haunting memoir begins as a classic story about a small town girl pursuing her dream of a professional dance career. The early 1970s were a gritty time to be in New York with nothing but determination, energy and raw talent, but Barker is up for the challenges. Then, just as her career takes off, AIDS devastates both family and friends, requiring her to put all the strength and discipline that have made her a successful performer to use in unanticipated ways. Suspenseful, tragic and true, this heart-breaking account of what she did for love is lovingly and unflinchingly remembered.
August 22, 2023
Rarely do I read a book I give 5 stars to — my highest honor — and even more rarely a memoir. This book was amazing from page one . Perhaps she was an excellent dancer but she surely excels as a writer and I don’t say that often. Very worthwhile!
April 26, 2023
A truly memorable memoir. A MUST read….an exquisitely written memoir that doesn’t hold anything back! One of the most fascinating books I’ve read!
October 25, 2023
Come for a peek into a working actor's process of getting to perform in A Chorus Line. Stay for the absolutely beautiful, gut-wrenching, honest, and painful look into what it was like to be at the center of the AIDS crisis in New York City in the mid-80s.
Reading about Christine Barker's deep love and affection for her brother Laughlin (and his partner Perry Ellis) was striking and moving. She writes with an unflinching honesty about the pain and complicated nature of caring for someone with AIDS (especially at that time, given the horrible stigma and lack of rights for LGBTQIA+ people.)
I really appreciated that Christine Barker did not gloss over or shy away from the ugly, scary, sad, dirty memories of being a caretaker (and friend, confidante, sister, etc.) at the time.
Plus, one of my favorite book covers in recent memory! Bold, striking, graphic, evocative.
Reading about Christine Barker's deep love and affection for her brother Laughlin (and his partner Perry Ellis) was striking and moving. She writes with an unflinching honesty about the pain and complicated nature of caring for someone with AIDS (especially at that time, given the horrible stigma and lack of rights for LGBTQIA+ people.)
I really appreciated that Christine Barker did not gloss over or shy away from the ugly, scary, sad, dirty memories of being a caretaker (and friend, confidante, sister, etc.) at the time.
Plus, one of my favorite book covers in recent memory! Bold, striking, graphic, evocative.
November 24, 2023
Autobiography of a woman who provides the behind the scenes stresses and difficulties of making a career as a dancer/stage performer in NY. The second part of the book also shared her personal story of watching many of her friends and co-workers die of AIDS, including her brother.
November 20, 2024
An interesting view into the theater world and a heartbreaking account of AIDS.
August 29, 2023
I was so excited to go backstage during A Chorus Line in the 80’s , but the book didn’t deliver. It seemed all over the place and I lost track of who she was talking about. She does hit home on how devastating the AIDS crisis was to Broadway. I cannot imagine losing so many friends in such a short time.
October 19, 2023
This turned out to be a very interesting book. A little slow at first but when I got in to the meat of the story it was heart wrenching and amazing. So sad - the AIDS epidemic.
May 8, 2024
Incredibly poignant. This book showed a tragic, horrifying side to societal negligence. The author, Christine Barker, details her life as the "Third Girl from the Left" in the production of "A Chorus Line." She talks about being part of the theater world in the 80's, which was much more open to homosexuality than any other world at the time (and that's saying a lot because throughout the book, no one even in the theater world is super comfortable with voicing who they are aloud). It was the only place that being gay wasn't being villified, at least from Barker's perspective. Living in today's world, I think I take for granted how open everyone is about their sexuality and talking about safety in sex. It boggles my mind the conditions Barker lived in, which seemed perfectly normal at the time, but I could not imagine today. It is exactly that set of circumstances which led to the tragic loss of so many talented lives. It's hard to imagine what the world would be like today if instead of shunning this demographic, America and Americans had instead tried to learn more about them and develop treatments sooner.
One thing that Christine does wonderfully is address her tenuous relationship with her parents. It is a break that very much permeates the whole story and all of America at the time, because in not acknowledging the core demographic living and suffering from AIDS, everyday people were complicit in allowing the deaths of those who were inspired, curious, imaginative. They allowed the demographic to wither into obscurity. But Christine very strongly rebukes this and gives voice to these people in a empathetic, nonintrusive manner. It's more about feeling the pain as a member of the theater world than so much their individual lives and how they got sick in the first place. She does not judge them, she mourns them and lives they could have had if our government and society had not been so complacent and looked the other way.
November 17, 2023
A beautiful memoir set within the backdrop of the late 1970s/early 1980s Broadway theatre scene, specifically, the show A Chorus Line, which the author was a cast member. But this story is really a love letter to the author's brother and others of the time who suffered and passed away from AIDS. This memoir gives truth and meaning to the young men who were not able to openly tell their story and serves as a permanent record of what transpired during that time. It would be easy to say "we've come a long way baby" but that doesn't acknowledge the personal stories of gay men of this era who could not openly acknowledge their homosexual relationships for fear of being fired and discriminated against, nor the battles they faced fighting this unknown and misunderstood disease. Barker beautifully and painfully recounts her first hand experiences, so different than how she grew up, and is able to make sure that even in death, her brother's life was for a purpose. You might even say it was "What She Did For Love"...
A special thank you to Christine Barker for coming to speak with our book group.
A special thank you to Christine Barker for coming to speak with our book group.
May 1, 2023
"That was when I thought an actress was what that you DID, not what you ARE." Anne Baxter (on her futile attempt to give up acting to be a ranch wife)
Today when every airhead babbles on about his/her "passion" it's easy to forget that there are people who really do have a passion that controls their lives and makes any sacrifice worthwhile. This author knew from an early age that she WAS a dancer. The only question was how to get the training needed to dance on Broadway.
To her parents it seemed as unlikely as their daughter becoming an astronaut or President of the United States. They had a large family of children and few resources, but they did help her get dancing lessons. They also insisted that she attend college for two years before moving to New York. Her father hoped she'd find a more conventional career, teaching or nursing. Her mother hoped she'd fall in love and get married.
She finished her two years and headed for Broadway. Living in slums, working whatever jobs she could, and taking lessons in famous studios when she could afford it, she honed her skills and gained confidence. It paid off when she was hired for the cast of the London production of the hit musical "A Chorus Line."
I was aware that there WAS a musical of that name, but was surprised to learn that it was a ground-breaking play which put the spotlight on the unsung heroes of Broadway - the chorus dancers. Underpaid and overworked, they endure long hours and constant financial struggles in hope of getting on stage to dance.
"A Chorus Line" won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama and for several decades was the longest-running musical on Broadway (until surpassed by "Cats" in 1997.) Based on the lives of seventeen chorus dancers, it explores unrealistic ideas of female beauty, the harsh economic reality of trying to survive in an expensive town on a meagre salary, and the loneliness and danger of being gay.
This author was in the thick of the excitement and felt that her hard work had finally paid off. But job security is unknown in show business. Even the star of a hit musical one week can be unemployed the next week. For chorus dancers, it's a never-ending slog of practicing, dieting, and performing, hoping they don't get injured or that the management doesn't find someone they like more.
After her job on "The Chorus Line" ended, Christine spent years taking voice and acting lessons, supporting herself with television commercials. Her older brother Laughlin was a married lawyer with a daughter and the two siblings were close. She was one of the first to learn that Laughlin was gay and that he and his wife were divorcing.
Laughlin became business and personal partners with designer Perry Ellis, whose trendy clothes were one of the hottest brands in the 1980's. The two men renovated a town house, entertained celebrities, and Kristine was a frequent guest.
Then a mysterious illness appeared, striking down brilliant, creative men in their prime. Kristine lost loved friends on Broadway and (eventually) become a caregiver for her brother and his lover as they lost their own battles with AIDS.
It was a tragic time, especially since the victims couldn't always count on support and love from their families. Kristine's career military father and her ultra-traditional mother were broken-hearted at the death of their son, but firmly believed that "he brought it on himself." They were proud of his accomplishments and proud of him being a loving father to his daughter, but his sexuality was a deal-breaker for them.
Eventually, Kristine married, had children, and became a writer. This book is her story of the glory days of Broadway and how so many lives ended too soon. It's entertaining and exciting and I learned a great deal from it. If you're a Broadway fan, you'll love it. If (like me) you care nothing for the stage, you'll still love it. A good memoir is a good memoir.
Today when every airhead babbles on about his/her "passion" it's easy to forget that there are people who really do have a passion that controls their lives and makes any sacrifice worthwhile. This author knew from an early age that she WAS a dancer. The only question was how to get the training needed to dance on Broadway.
To her parents it seemed as unlikely as their daughter becoming an astronaut or President of the United States. They had a large family of children and few resources, but they did help her get dancing lessons. They also insisted that she attend college for two years before moving to New York. Her father hoped she'd find a more conventional career, teaching or nursing. Her mother hoped she'd fall in love and get married.
She finished her two years and headed for Broadway. Living in slums, working whatever jobs she could, and taking lessons in famous studios when she could afford it, she honed her skills and gained confidence. It paid off when she was hired for the cast of the London production of the hit musical "A Chorus Line."
I was aware that there WAS a musical of that name, but was surprised to learn that it was a ground-breaking play which put the spotlight on the unsung heroes of Broadway - the chorus dancers. Underpaid and overworked, they endure long hours and constant financial struggles in hope of getting on stage to dance.
"A Chorus Line" won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama and for several decades was the longest-running musical on Broadway (until surpassed by "Cats" in 1997.) Based on the lives of seventeen chorus dancers, it explores unrealistic ideas of female beauty, the harsh economic reality of trying to survive in an expensive town on a meagre salary, and the loneliness and danger of being gay.
This author was in the thick of the excitement and felt that her hard work had finally paid off. But job security is unknown in show business. Even the star of a hit musical one week can be unemployed the next week. For chorus dancers, it's a never-ending slog of practicing, dieting, and performing, hoping they don't get injured or that the management doesn't find someone they like more.
After her job on "The Chorus Line" ended, Christine spent years taking voice and acting lessons, supporting herself with television commercials. Her older brother Laughlin was a married lawyer with a daughter and the two siblings were close. She was one of the first to learn that Laughlin was gay and that he and his wife were divorcing.
Laughlin became business and personal partners with designer Perry Ellis, whose trendy clothes were one of the hottest brands in the 1980's. The two men renovated a town house, entertained celebrities, and Kristine was a frequent guest.
Then a mysterious illness appeared, striking down brilliant, creative men in their prime. Kristine lost loved friends on Broadway and (eventually) become a caregiver for her brother and his lover as they lost their own battles with AIDS.
It was a tragic time, especially since the victims couldn't always count on support and love from their families. Kristine's career military father and her ultra-traditional mother were broken-hearted at the death of their son, but firmly believed that "he brought it on himself." They were proud of his accomplishments and proud of him being a loving father to his daughter, but his sexuality was a deal-breaker for them.
Eventually, Kristine married, had children, and became a writer. This book is her story of the glory days of Broadway and how so many lives ended too soon. It's entertaining and exciting and I learned a great deal from it. If you're a Broadway fan, you'll love it. If (like me) you care nothing for the stage, you'll still love it. A good memoir is a good memoir.
August 25, 2023
A few weeks ago, my husband and I were trying to find something to watch on TV. It’s the end of the summer, so there are few shows on our DVR, and we’ve largely exhausted everything we actually want to watch on any of the streaming platforms. We were both scrolling through different streaming channels, when my husband asked if I had ever seen the movie Philadelphia. Oddly enough, I had not, despite it having been an exceptionally popular movie when it was released, and it earned Tom Hanks his first best actor Academy Award. We easily found it somewhere and settled in to watch this profoundly moving and sad movie. It’s very well done, and Hanks shines as the main character, fighting an unjust loss of employment. Not three days later, this book came up in my TBR queue from the library, and I couldn’t ignore the coincidence of similar themes between this book and the most recent movie I watched.
Christine Barker was in one of the original casts of A Chorus Line, a trailblazing Broadway musical that originally opened in the 1970s. Having grown up dreaming of performing on Broadway, I was drawn to this book because it was written by a Broadway icon. While not as well known as some later Broadway stars, having done the original London run of A Chorus Line puts her at the top of the elite Broadway performers. Ironically, she’s also “from” (I use that term loosely because her father was in the Navy and she spent her youth living a predominantly nomadic life) my home state of New Mexico. I felt an immediate kinship, though it was largely imaginary. Barker followed her dream of becoming a professional dancer using a creative way of funding it, and eventually landed the role of a lifetime.
Barker’s book isn’t about the glitz and glamour of being a Broadway actress, and it doesn’t have the feel-good happy ending I would imagine would follow achieving one’s dream. This book highlights family, both blood and chosen along the way. This book is about love, and the stigma that is assigned to those whose love doesn’t fit into a societal “box.” This book is about inequality for anybody wasn’t WASPy at the time. This book will absolutely break your heart. However, it should also provide a glimmer of hope, because 1985 wasn’t THAT long ago, and we have made significant progress since then (I can only hope that the recent setbacks are temporary and eye-opening).
Christine Barker’s story impressed the hell out of me while my heart was slowly falling apart for the extreme loss she suffered. Somehow, she survived, and she flourished. I cannot thank her enough for taking the time to put this story out there.
Christine Barker was in one of the original casts of A Chorus Line, a trailblazing Broadway musical that originally opened in the 1970s. Having grown up dreaming of performing on Broadway, I was drawn to this book because it was written by a Broadway icon. While not as well known as some later Broadway stars, having done the original London run of A Chorus Line puts her at the top of the elite Broadway performers. Ironically, she’s also “from” (I use that term loosely because her father was in the Navy and she spent her youth living a predominantly nomadic life) my home state of New Mexico. I felt an immediate kinship, though it was largely imaginary. Barker followed her dream of becoming a professional dancer using a creative way of funding it, and eventually landed the role of a lifetime.
Barker’s book isn’t about the glitz and glamour of being a Broadway actress, and it doesn’t have the feel-good happy ending I would imagine would follow achieving one’s dream. This book highlights family, both blood and chosen along the way. This book is about love, and the stigma that is assigned to those whose love doesn’t fit into a societal “box.” This book is about inequality for anybody wasn’t WASPy at the time. This book will absolutely break your heart. However, it should also provide a glimmer of hope, because 1985 wasn’t THAT long ago, and we have made significant progress since then (I can only hope that the recent setbacks are temporary and eye-opening).
Christine Barker’s story impressed the hell out of me while my heart was slowly falling apart for the extreme loss she suffered. Somehow, she survived, and she flourished. I cannot thank her enough for taking the time to put this story out there.
September 17, 2023
Kiss this book goodbye. It's a messy blend of the author's dull working-her-way-up dancing career with rants about how terribly women and gays are treated in the theatrical world (seriously), along with a defense of her not regretting an abortion in which she doesn't even tell her live-in boyfriend that she's pregnant, claiming she should have the power over her body (ignoring the other body inside her of which half belongs to the boyfriend). Add to that all her bragging about doing drugs and sleeping around, and all Barker does is prove that the stereotypes about immoral, liberal, unhinged theatrical performers are true.
She simply lies in a few spots in order to make straight men and Republicans look bad. She vents on Ronald Reagan too much, mostly for high interest rates for her 1981-82 condo, failing to admit the truth that interest rates were higher with Jimmy Carter in spring of 1980 (the highest ever in modern history). She also writes when she wanted a divorce, "Marriage was covered by laws unfavorable to women." No proof, and no logic that the laws at the time not allowing a one-sided divorce could favor either the man or the woman! She often mentions that "all women and gay individuals...did not have full control over their own destinies." Honey, no one has total control over their destiny in America or you'd have a society with no laws whatsoever.
Then there's the manipulative, depressing ending of over 100 pages involving her gay brother that hijacks this, making it less a memoir about the author than about her brother and the gay community. I won't spoil it but it's just another chance for her to spout negative opinions about those she doesn't agree with instead of seeing the unsettling flaws in the hypocrisy of herself and people she defends. Barker then stops at 1988, meaning we have no idea what has happened to her in the past 35 years.
It's so poorly written, like an unedited diary with all sorts of things you won't care about. She does, however, include another negative picture of Chorus Line creator Michael Bennett, who is verbally violent yet gets a pass for his bisexuality. At 334 pages, she needed to have a major multi-decades headliner career in order to make this worth reading, but instead it's more like she's just another gal in the chorus line--which might have made for a hit musical but as a life story this isn't that interesting or inspiring.
She simply lies in a few spots in order to make straight men and Republicans look bad. She vents on Ronald Reagan too much, mostly for high interest rates for her 1981-82 condo, failing to admit the truth that interest rates were higher with Jimmy Carter in spring of 1980 (the highest ever in modern history). She also writes when she wanted a divorce, "Marriage was covered by laws unfavorable to women." No proof, and no logic that the laws at the time not allowing a one-sided divorce could favor either the man or the woman! She often mentions that "all women and gay individuals...did not have full control over their own destinies." Honey, no one has total control over their destiny in America or you'd have a society with no laws whatsoever.
Then there's the manipulative, depressing ending of over 100 pages involving her gay brother that hijacks this, making it less a memoir about the author than about her brother and the gay community. I won't spoil it but it's just another chance for her to spout negative opinions about those she doesn't agree with instead of seeing the unsettling flaws in the hypocrisy of herself and people she defends. Barker then stops at 1988, meaning we have no idea what has happened to her in the past 35 years.
It's so poorly written, like an unedited diary with all sorts of things you won't care about. She does, however, include another negative picture of Chorus Line creator Michael Bennett, who is verbally violent yet gets a pass for his bisexuality. At 334 pages, she needed to have a major multi-decades headliner career in order to make this worth reading, but instead it's more like she's just another gal in the chorus line--which might have made for a hit musical but as a life story this isn't that interesting or inspiring.
June 20, 2023
I absolutely loved this memoir. Barker's clear-headed voice tells her story of finding success on Broadway in the much-loved musical, "A Chorus Line," and the heart-breaking epidemic of AIDS in the early 1980s, especially in the theatre world. Having grown up in the theatre, I could relate to the intense relationships formed during a production, the need for the audience's approval, acceptance as. someone, no longer a nobody. As she takes readers through the demanding work of a perfectionist like Michael Bennett, who did change the theatre world with his emotional musical. Barker introduces us to her family, including older brother Laughlin, who becomes fashion designer Perry Ellis' business partner, and more. She describes the place and time so accurately, and with such feeling, especially in the early years of AIDS, in the days when being gay was dangerous, to say the least. It was a heady time — so much new was happening, we were living on a prolonged high, the world was changing. And then the specter of a fatal disease began to hang over the nation, especially among actors, artists, musicians. Because of the stigma attached, it was never properly studied, no effective treatments were available; even treatment for symptoms and related complications were shoddy.
Barker is realistic in her memoir. Her pain is palpable as she watches people she loves sicken, including those she loves so deeply.
This is an important book. Barker talks about a time when nobody talked; when suffering had to be hidden; when some human beings had little value, as far as the rest of the world was concerned. It's important to read it now, as the country is tumbling backwards into old prejudices and misguided hatred.
'Third Girl from the Left," by Christine Barker, should be getting more attention.
Barker is realistic in her memoir. Her pain is palpable as she watches people she loves sicken, including those she loves so deeply.
This is an important book. Barker talks about a time when nobody talked; when suffering had to be hidden; when some human beings had little value, as far as the rest of the world was concerned. It's important to read it now, as the country is tumbling backwards into old prejudices and misguided hatred.
'Third Girl from the Left," by Christine Barker, should be getting more attention.
April 18, 2024
The look into the life of Broadway theater is fascinating, and you will never look at dancers the same again (yes, I had tons of respect for them before reading this book--now I am in awe). Christine Barker, the author, shows just how exhausting in every way the life of a dancer/actress can be. And as someone who saw A Chorus Line on Broadway and loved it, I was fascinated by all of the backstage information of the play.
The Blaming the Victim attitude of 1980s Republicans as far as AIDS is called out here, as it should be. Barker also makes interesting points about the similarities between women and gay men during that time period and earlier--having to hide who you really are, being sexually harassed, not having autonomy over your own body/self, etc.
Although I enjoyed this book very much, I wish it had been longer. I felt that the anger the author has towards her parents and (it seems) Perry Ellis are not as substantiated as they should be for readers. Certainly, the author's anger towards a society that was so homophobic in the 1980s that it allowed gay men to die without dignity is detailed throughout, making that anger very real for readers who were not alive back then. I wish the rest of her anger was either toned down (especially towards the end of the book where it comes off as a bit narcissistic--yes, thousands are dying, but what about me?) or explored more. The tone and even the writing in the last few chapters don't fit the rest of the book.
However, even given that negative, it is a great look at the 1980s in NYC, both the good and the bad. I am adding it to my Memoirs of Interesting Women books that are definitely worth reading!
The Blaming the Victim attitude of 1980s Republicans as far as AIDS is called out here, as it should be. Barker also makes interesting points about the similarities between women and gay men during that time period and earlier--having to hide who you really are, being sexually harassed, not having autonomy over your own body/self, etc.
Although I enjoyed this book very much, I wish it had been longer. I felt that the anger the author has towards her parents and (it seems) Perry Ellis are not as substantiated as they should be for readers. Certainly, the author's anger towards a society that was so homophobic in the 1980s that it allowed gay men to die without dignity is detailed throughout, making that anger very real for readers who were not alive back then. I wish the rest of her anger was either toned down (especially towards the end of the book where it comes off as a bit narcissistic--yes, thousands are dying, but what about me?) or explored more. The tone and even the writing in the last few chapters don't fit the rest of the book.
However, even given that negative, it is a great look at the 1980s in NYC, both the good and the bad. I am adding it to my Memoirs of Interesting Women books that are definitely worth reading!
December 14, 2023
Christine Barker is a master, for never had I read a memoir with so much worth, richness and beauty. She retells the story of her time as a Broadway Actress, from her early passion for dance, the arrival to New York as a young woman, the incredible highs and lows of life on the stage, and the crumbleing reality faced all around her as AIDS became everyday news.
What a tremendously beautiful book. Barker has the ability to transport you with her to the 70's and 80's, travel with her from New Mexico, to New York, Canada and England. From her room to the stage, Barker paints the picture of this period of her life with such vibidity and passion that you can't help but feel every emotion, as grand and painfull and bright as they may be. The time spent growing in all types of arts are reflected on this work, and I can't wait for a next Barker book. Simply a story of a time and place, The Third Girl From The Left is incredibly powerfull and gives us a glance to the hardships of pursuing art and the tragedy that, specially gay men, was sufferd during the AIDS pandemic. This was a disease of suffering alone, with loved ones, or under stigmatized ideas.
What a tremendously beautiful book. Barker has the ability to transport you with her to the 70's and 80's, travel with her from New Mexico, to New York, Canada and England. From her room to the stage, Barker paints the picture of this period of her life with such vibidity and passion that you can't help but feel every emotion, as grand and painfull and bright as they may be. The time spent growing in all types of arts are reflected on this work, and I can't wait for a next Barker book. Simply a story of a time and place, The Third Girl From The Left is incredibly powerfull and gives us a glance to the hardships of pursuing art and the tragedy that, specially gay men, was sufferd during the AIDS pandemic. This was a disease of suffering alone, with loved ones, or under stigmatized ideas.
April 12, 2023
I was especially interested in this memoir, having arrived in NYC around the same time the author did, and with similar ambitions. I turned away from my theater aspirations after just a few years, so it was interesting to read about someone who persevered and succeeded where I did not. Reading about what the author went through confirmed my choice: I would never have survived that life, even if I had a high enough level of skills and drive, which I did not. But I find it fascinating to read this inside account, which should appeal to anyone interested in life in the NY theater world.
I have the Audible edition of the book, and I have to say: I dislike the style of the actor who is reading it. To me, it seem over-acted, and her way of voicing the other characters I find distracting. She lowers her voice and makes it gruff to indicate a male character. Then again, how DO you voice different characters in a book effectively? I guess I'm just not used to audiobooks--I've only listened to a few and like it best when the author is reading.
I have the Audible edition of the book, and I have to say: I dislike the style of the actor who is reading it. To me, it seem over-acted, and her way of voicing the other characters I find distracting. She lowers her voice and makes it gruff to indicate a male character. Then again, how DO you voice different characters in a book effectively? I guess I'm just not used to audiobooks--I've only listened to a few and like it best when the author is reading.
July 17, 2023
This memoir provides a glimpse at the life of an up-and-coming Broadway dancer and a front row seat to the burgeoning AIDS crisis in NYC in the early 80s.
The first part of the book follows Ms. Barker's path from small-town girl to a role in A Chorus Line. We learn about the rigors of the work, and especially the challenges of getting on stage 8 times/week and delivering a perfect, meaningful performance. She also shares how hard it is to stay relevant and continue to make a living in her field (and yes, going to auditions all day IS work).
In the latter half of the book, the author's brother is diagnosed with AIDS and we see both the personal impact on Ms. Barker and how the disease starts to wreak havoc on the arts community. Of course, many books have been written on the topic, so it is the author's experience and connections that keep the interest level high. We share her grief as she loses so many people that she loves.
The first part of the book follows Ms. Barker's path from small-town girl to a role in A Chorus Line. We learn about the rigors of the work, and especially the challenges of getting on stage 8 times/week and delivering a perfect, meaningful performance. She also shares how hard it is to stay relevant and continue to make a living in her field (and yes, going to auditions all day IS work).
In the latter half of the book, the author's brother is diagnosed with AIDS and we see both the personal impact on Ms. Barker and how the disease starts to wreak havoc on the arts community. Of course, many books have been written on the topic, so it is the author's experience and connections that keep the interest level high. We share her grief as she loses so many people that she loves.
April 14, 2023
Such an interesting story about daughter of six kids growing up in NM (military family) and going to NYC to be an actor where she is on Broadway and in commercials. The weight restrictions (and mean girls — ie straw hat) are shocking and sad. Her oldest brother is at white shoe law firm and married with a daughter but he’s gay and winds up dating and living with Perry Ellis, helping to build up the Perry Ellis empire. Then AIDS comes, and the attendant stigma about being gay is front and center. The anguish and fear and pain of being gay and ostracized is expressed so well; the writing is beautiful.
-I hugged them tight in a long goodbye because whatever they believed, I knew I wasn’t coming back.
-it means my word means something.
-I hugged them tight in a long goodbye because whatever they believed, I knew I wasn’t coming back.
-it means my word means something.
September 3, 2023
Moving memoir by one of the dancers in the original Chorus Line production. The first half of this book describes the life of a Broadway dancer/actor, trying to piece together a living - until Barker gets cast in the London opening of A Chorus Line. She eventually comes back to continue the role on Broadway. Great descriptions of life in the theatre, life on the road, and the community bonding that takes place backstage.
The second half of the book is focused on the AIDS epidemic as it unfolded in NYC in the mid-80's, largely unacknowledged by the world and devastating to Barker as she watches her beloved older brother die, followed by virtually all of the important men in her theater life. Hard to read the second half - skim if you are emotionally vulnerable.
The second half of the book is focused on the AIDS epidemic as it unfolded in NYC in the mid-80's, largely unacknowledged by the world and devastating to Barker as she watches her beloved older brother die, followed by virtually all of the important men in her theater life. Hard to read the second half - skim if you are emotionally vulnerable.
March 23, 2023
I am a suburban mom with college age kids who gives FIVE STARS to Third Girl from the Left. Readers should know that the book reads like a novel and has wide appeal; it goes way beyond audiences interested in theater and/or gay history. It is ultimately a very human story about friendship, love and loss that just happens to be set in NYC on Broadway during the AIDS epidemic. People like me who only experienced the AIDS crisis indirectly or who came from families that didn't talk about sexual identity will be swept away by Barker's frank portrayal of family dynamics between different generations. Christine Barker's memoir is beautifully told and compelling to the last page.
March 24, 2024
This memoir is written by about the author’s time spent in NYC as a dancer on Broadway. That time period was at the beginning and during the AIDS crisis. All of her colleagues were affected by the disease, but in addition, her gay brother came to NYC. He found love and acceptance, but within a short period contracted the horrible unknown disease. The only negative about this book was the long narrative about her experiences becoming a dancer, however it was also part of her awakening to her independence, and to the reality of the gay men around her. She evolved, unlike her military family back home.
May 29, 2023
The author has had an interesting life, very far from what her parents expected of their children. It was almost two books in one. The first about her and her career and the second half was really focused on her brother who was the partner of a famous fashion designer in NYC. She told a good story but the book was full of errors which I always find distracting. Saying she went home and "took a name" instead of a nap, calling JC Penney's "Penney" and twice calling the exit sign in a theatre the exist sign.
March 24, 2023
“Third Girl from the Left” brought me to a time and place I’ve read about but could never fully imagine or appreciate. Christine’s story of hardship, loss, hope and love as a young woman in the throes of New York City’s entertainment industry was both heart-wrenching and heartening but ultimately a love story of friends, family, and self. “Third Girl from the Left” is an inspirational journey for young women and for all of us desperately seeking a more inclusive and empathetic world.
May 2, 2023
I just read several prior reviews and I agree with all the readers who said this was an excellent, intelligent, emotional memoir. There are many interesting strands: the difficult life of a Broadway dancer; the personal life of a semi-liberated small-town woman who wants to lead her own life and make her own decisions; AIDS in the pre-treatment years; family dynamics around sexuality back in the 80s. Barker's story is fascinating and highly readable.
March 22, 2024
“‘Society has changed,’ I whisper to an immaculate sky. But let no one forget all those men who paid for that good news with their lives.”
A beautiful book given to me by my dad, who provided care to AIDS patients in New York in the 80s. He said it was the best encapsulation of New York and theater in the 70s into the AIDS crisis of the 80s onward. Christine Barker is a gifted writer and so many moments in this book felt like an emotional punch to the throat.
A beautiful book given to me by my dad, who provided care to AIDS patients in New York in the 80s. He said it was the best encapsulation of New York and theater in the 70s into the AIDS crisis of the 80s onward. Christine Barker is a gifted writer and so many moments in this book felt like an emotional punch to the throat.
October 23, 2025
A beautifully written memoir about love, loss and heartbreak. Barker shares the story of her life as she navigates NYC as a single woman, dancer, and actress in the 1980's. She reflects what it was like to lose her loved ones (including her brother Laughlin) to AIDS and how being gay wasn't accepted at this time. We see the struggles she goes through to get to where she is today. Such a moving story that everyone should read!
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