Barbara Gordon (1) (1935–2026)
Author of I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can
For other authors named Barbara Gordon, see the disambiguation page.
About the Author
Image credit: Barbara Gordon
Works by Barbara Gordon
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Gordon, Barbara
- Birthdate
- 1935
- Date of death
- 2026-04-07
- Gender
- female
- Occupations
- journalist
- Short biography
- Barbara Gordon (1) is the author of the best selling autobiography, I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can and a novel Defects of the Heart. Her last book, Jennifer Fever, was a provocative look at a middle aged man who turns in his spouse of many years for a newer, much younger, sexier model. Other nonfiction works include Older Men, Younger Women (which also includes a chapter on Older Woman, Younger Men Relationships).
In addition to having been a writer for NBC's The Today Show, Ms. Barbara Gordon is also a three time Emmy award winning film maker. Some of the subjects explored in her documentaries were: Dalton Trumbo: A Profile Slumlord, The Plight of Returning Vietnam Veterans Victor and Marchetti: Former CIA Agent.
Ms. Barbara Gordon has contributed to PBS's The Great American Dream Machine and Black Journal. She also has written for Parade and numerous other magazines. Over the past few years she has given scores of lectures and speeches throughout the United States to women's groups, college campuses and town halls on many topics. - Nationality
- USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- USA
Members
Reviews
Mental Illness
Barbara Gordon's groundbreaking memoir tells the extraordinary story of a woman who has it all, or thinks she does-a career as an Emmy-award-winning documentary producer, a man she loves, a world of friends, and a beautiful apartment in Manhattan. But beneath the facade, Barbara's life is spinning out of control. In spite of the pills prescribed by her doctor, a nameless terror disrupting her daily life intensifies until she is besieged by crippling anxiety attacks. A formerly show more strong, independent, successful woman, Barbara's life becomes a nightmare of paralysis and fear. When Barbara finds herself unable to leave her apartment or walk the streets of New York alone, she decides to take charge of her life. She doesn't want pills, she wants answers. Instead of ending her fears, quitting the medicine leads to the unraveling of what she thought was her perfect life, and Barbara becomes a casualty of a flawed and inept mental health system. Barbara had often spoken for the voiceless in her films, but she suddenly finds herself powerless, without a voice of her own. Though she feels frightened and misunderstood, the tenderness and love of another young patient, Jim, helps Barbara rediscover her voice and her identity. show less
Barbara Gordon's groundbreaking memoir tells the extraordinary story of a woman who has it all, or thinks she does-a career as an Emmy-award-winning documentary producer, a man she loves, a world of friends, and a beautiful apartment in Manhattan. But beneath the facade, Barbara's life is spinning out of control. In spite of the pills prescribed by her doctor, a nameless terror disrupting her daily life intensifies until she is besieged by crippling anxiety attacks. A formerly show more strong, independent, successful woman, Barbara's life becomes a nightmare of paralysis and fear. When Barbara finds herself unable to leave her apartment or walk the streets of New York alone, she decides to take charge of her life. She doesn't want pills, she wants answers. Instead of ending her fears, quitting the medicine leads to the unraveling of what she thought was her perfect life, and Barbara becomes a casualty of a flawed and inept mental health system. Barbara had often spoken for the voiceless in her films, but she suddenly finds herself powerless, without a voice of her own. Though she feels frightened and misunderstood, the tenderness and love of another young patient, Jim, helps Barbara rediscover her voice and her identity. show less
Anyone who thinks that becoming addicted to Valium can't happen to them should read this book. Brutally honest it follows Barbara Gordon, a successful award winning documentary film maker, through her addiction to Valium and her painful struggle to get off. This is a great read. I won this from Goodreads.
This review was written for LibraryThing Member Giveaways.
A rather pathetic memoir of a privileged woman refusing to take responsibility for her own life and her dependence on psychiatric malpractice. An easy read because one can skip pages without losing anything meaningful.
This memoir chronicles a harrowing period in producer and documentary film maker Barbara Gordon's life. She unflinchingly describes her anxiety attacks, Valium addiction, abusive relationship and hospitalizations. Well written and ultimately uplifting.
This review was written for LibraryThing Member Giveaways.
Awards
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Statistics
- Works
- 3
- Members
- 343
- Popularity
- #69,542
- Rating
- 3.6
- Reviews
- 9
- ISBNs
- 58
- Languages
- 8