With more than 19 Academy Award nominations to her credit (more than any other actor in history) and three Oscar wins, Streep is unmistakably the most celebrated actor of her generation. Her screen performances are legendary, from Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady to Julia Child in Julie and Julia. Her range of talents is enviable. They include a veritable UN of pitch-perfect dialects and the capabilities for show-stopping Broadway tunes, campy comedies, and period dramas. Is such talent born or developed with care and precision? Beginning with her suburban high-school plays to her challenging graduate studies at the Yale School of Drama and culminating in her breakout performance as Joanna Kramer in Kramer vs. Kramer, Schulman's biography is an elaborate if far from exhaustive look at an aspiring artist and blossoming young woman coming into her own through the roles she perfected, the risks she took, and the relationships she fostered. Schulman's balanced portrait of Streep's unwavering dedication and demanding work ethic makes this a must-read for fans and aspiring actors.--Haggas, Carol Copyright 2016 Booklist

Schulman, a first-time author and frequent New Yorker contributor, draws heavily on interviews and archival materials to present an insightful portrait of the acclaimed actor at the dawn of her career. The book begins in 2012 with Streep winning her third Oscar, for The Iron Lady, and then backtracks to her early life, following Streep from her New Jersey upbringing to her time at the Yale School of Drama. Streep is lauded as one of her generation's finest acting talents, and her development of her art dominates the narrative, but the author's informal approach allows us to see a more down-to-earth and relatable side of the actor. We get to know Streep through her brief and impassioned relationship with character actor John Cazale, cut short by his death from lung cancer in 1978, and watch as she grapples with the shifting roles of women in the 1970s and develops her own identity as a feminist. Schulman concludes his book in 1980 with Streep accepting her first Oscar, for Kramer vs. Kramer, and appreciative readers will undoubtedly hope that a follow-up volume is in the works. Agent: Becky Sweren, Kuhn Projects. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Award-winning actress Meryl Streep earned the respect of both colleagues and audiences early on for the quality and variety of her performances. Schulman (arts editor, the New Yorker) focuses on her formative years throughout the 1970s, from youthful beginnings in New Jersey to Vassar and Yale School of Drama, to local and repertory theater, to acclaimed appearances in Joseph Papp's Shakespeare in the Park, on Broadway, and in such films as Manhattan and Kramer vs. Kramer. The author honestly and engagingly examines each component of Streep's professional development. Her personal life is woven into the narrative: a relationship with the late actor John -Cazale; friendships in and out of the theater; struggles to define herself; marriage to talented sculptor Don Gummer. Schulman's research is thorough on all counts, including in-depth biographical material, vivid behind-the-scenes accounts of productions, and contextual background on the theatrical and social culture of the times. He describes people and events with a cinematic flair, providing deeper insights into Streep as a woman as well as a consummate professional. VERDICT This absorbing portrait of an iconic actress's early years is essential for Streep fans. It will also find a wide readership among those who enjoy theater and film.-Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, NJ © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.