A Catholic girlhood, New York theatre, marriage, and the healing power of humor are interwoven in MIRROR TALK's lyrical and often witty reflections.
Mirror Talk
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Barbara Alfaro graduated from Goddard College in Vermont and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. She is the recipient of a Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award and two Jenny McKean Moore writing scholarships at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. Visit www.BarbaraAlfaro.net
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More About the Author
A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Barbara Alfaro is the author of a memoir called MIRROR TALK about growing up on Long Island and being a young actress in New York. She has also published a Kindle edition of a collection of poetry called FIRST KISS, a paperback edition of a book of poems called SINGING MAGIC, a children's story titled ROBIN'S SONG, and a collection of 10-minute comedies called THE SIRIUS INTERVIEW & OTHER SHORT PLAYS. A recipient of a Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award in Playwriting for her play "Dos Madres," her poems and essays have appeared in various literary journals. Visit http://barbara-alfaro.blogspot.com
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
Mirror Talk by Barbara Alfaro is a thoughtful book, rich in detail, humor and poignancy.
A memoir, Mirror Talk takes the reader on a gentle journey from childhood to retirement. The writing is graceful, the observations clever, sometimes painful but always honest.
Barbara Alfaro's gift of description is fresh and delightful: Coney Island's rollercoaster described as "a giant doodle against the sky." A lake where, as a child, she went fishing with her grandfather described as "spotted with lily pads." Or the conclusion that "Having a successful marriage proved a lot more difficult than geometry."
Barbara is an accomplished poet and playwright, and it shows in her flowing, rhythmic prose.
I loved the chapter "Summer Romance," which deals with family love and loss, and confides to the reader the event that changed Barbara's life - seeing her first play. She writes, "I don't remember the play. I do remember loving everything about it - the stage, lighting, sounds, costumes. It was as if the most beautifully illustrated book in the universe had suddenly come to life, giant-size and accompanied by music. I was instantly and permanently theatre mad."
Much of this witty and wistful memoir is devoted to the author's life in the theater. And her behind-the-scenes glimpses of New York's theatrical universe reveal the quirky, weird and wonderful people known as actors, directors and producers.
Her chapter "Make Mine Cognac" had me laughing out loud.
For a wise and gentle look at a tenderly-layered life, I recommend Mirror Talk, a memoir by Barbara Alfaro.
A memoir, Mirror Talk takes the reader on a gentle journey from childhood to retirement. The writing is graceful, the observations clever, sometimes painful but always honest.
Barbara Alfaro's gift of description is fresh and delightful: Coney Island's rollercoaster described as "a giant doodle against the sky." A lake where, as a child, she went fishing with her grandfather described as "spotted with lily pads." Or the conclusion that "Having a successful marriage proved a lot more difficult than geometry."
Barbara is an accomplished poet and playwright, and it shows in her flowing, rhythmic prose.
I loved the chapter "Summer Romance," which deals with family love and loss, and confides to the reader the event that changed Barbara's life - seeing her first play. She writes, "I don't remember the play. I do remember loving everything about it - the stage, lighting, sounds, costumes. It was as if the most beautifully illustrated book in the universe had suddenly come to life, giant-size and accompanied by music. I was instantly and permanently theatre mad."
Much of this witty and wistful memoir is devoted to the author's life in the theater. And her behind-the-scenes glimpses of New York's theatrical universe reveal the quirky, weird and wonderful people known as actors, directors and producers.
Her chapter "Make Mine Cognac" had me laughing out loud.
For a wise and gentle look at a tenderly-layered life, I recommend Mirror Talk, a memoir by Barbara Alfaro.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
Baby Boomers will recognize many of the stories in Mirror Talk: summer vacations at the beach, holidays at the grandparents, schoolmates influential in not always positive ways, schoolyard infatuations, romances, marriages, and those boring but necessary entry level jobs. Throughout these stories, Mirror Talk reflects the high goals the Boomers either created for themselves or that family and society foisted upon them. The lesson of Mirror Talk is that, while disappointment sometimes follows high expectations, disappointment is reserved for those strong-willed folks who have the courage to aim high. Disappointment is, therefore, a positive, representing humankind's eternal striving for personal betterment, albeit a sometimes unsuccessful striving. As such, Mirror Talk is not a generational piece, after all. Rather, it is a timeless tale of those persons who aim for the material heavens, but in so doing reach a heaven of a more immaterial sort.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The best gifts often come in small packages, and Barbara Alfaro's slender 125-page memoir "Mirror Talk" is a small treasure. I can't decide whether this author is a poet who writes essays, or an essayist who writes poems; jump into the book and decide for yourself. "I exist," Alfaro writes, "in psychological not chronological time ... the dual curse and blessing of writers, the true time-travelers." These stories are full of warmth and wit, and the necessary brutal self-honesty that builds a series of individual recollections into an ever more deeply-moving whole. Life at the Rehearsal Club in Manhattan as an aspiring actress involves quite a bit of waitressing, and the perhaps requisite nervous breakdown ("I wasn't sure what to wear for a psychiatric evaluation"); a youthful first marriage full of promise inexplicably falls apart; and her Catholic-schooled girlhood seems to sabotage a career at ABC World News--"Barbara Walters told me I'd make a good producer one day if I would just become `more aggressive.'" But by finishing college in her forties at Goddard, (a hippie school full of "volatile vegetarians") she finally achieves confidence in her writing, and moves on to achieve recognition as a poet and playwright--capitalizing on her earlier theater degree and experience. As an author, Alfaro understands the connections that weave past and present together, and as a poet, illuminates this fabric with a vocabulary fresh and vibrant. There's an unflinching quality to her writing that reminds me of the late Irish journalist and broadcast personality Nuala O'Faolain's best-selling memoirs "Are You Somebody?" and "Almost There," but without the bitter edge. Alfaro takes poignant and leads it in the direction of humor (would you meditate on the Marx Brothers while getting an MRI?), in an easy, conversational style that makes for an engaging read. "I keep saying that I've never gotten anywhere," the author writes in the closing lines of "Mirror Talk." Oh, Barbara--you have!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Delicious writing!
This is a collection of essays and poems about the author's life. Each one is a beautifully written treat to be savored, even as the mood of each one ranges from humorous to sad to... Read more
Published 25 days ago by Kenetha Stanton
Ah, memories....
This was a fast, enjoyable read. Packed full of humor and memories of a fascinating life.
I was interested in this book to begin with because I also attended Catholic school... Read more
I was interested in this book to begin with because I also attended Catholic school... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Marie C. Cordalis
Enjoyed this look into the author's past
Mirror Talk by Barbara Alfaro was a very enjoyable read. Her travels through life are interesting to ride along with from her Catholic school upbringing to struggling to find her... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Kathryn K. Sweet
Nostalgic and humorous
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review.
Barbara Alfaro has assembled a great series of essays reminiscent of events in her past. Read more
Barbara Alfaro has assembled a great series of essays reminiscent of events in her past. Read more
Published 1 month ago by K
A Treat for Everyone
Mirror Talk is a real treat for everyone. The sweet essays bring back life in the 60's. Barbara Alfaro has a wonderful way with her words and each essay reveals bits and pieces she... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Chris Felcher
Captivating and Beautiful
In this memoir and her book of poems, Singing Magic, Barbara Alfaro's poetic sense of where words should come to rest against white space is flawless. Read more
Published 8 months ago by VeritatemDilexi
Wonderful Memoir!
I just finished reading this memoir and I loved it. Even though I don't usually read memoirs, it was recommended by a friend. "Mirror Talk" is witty, sharp, and wistful. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Manuel
Delightful memoir..touching and humorous!
Barbara Alfaro's Mirror Talk is a delightful book of essays and poems all tied in together to form a memoir. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Kimberly Fujioka
Magical Mirror Talk
A completely engaging and entertaining memoir -- from Rockaway Beach to TV producing to theater, this author has the gift of making everyday life seem like a miracle. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Carla Sarett
Mirror, mirror...
I can only compare reading Barbara's Mirror talk to appreciating a pointillist painting. When you begin to read it up close, the author lays down the colored dots of her life... Read more
Published 12 months ago by R. Garcia
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