Bette Midler: A View From a Broad

by Bette Midler, Sean Russell (Photographer)

With her brassy voice and bold performances making the world finally pay attention, she needs no introduction. Grammy award–winning singer, Academy Award–nominee, Broadway star of her critically acclaimed one-woman show and beloved actress in The Rose, Beaches and Down and Out in Beverly Hills—Bette Midler is a household name whose career and fans span generations.

In A View from a Broad, originally published in 1980, Bette relives her career through memories of endless rehearsals, her fear of flying, crazy schedules and wisdom she learned from Thai Gondoliers, with the trademark razor-blade wit that her fans have grown to know, love and expect.

Filled with photographs, a new introduction and heartwarming stories that highlight only a portion of a brilliant career, A View from a Broad is the perfect gift for anyone who loves music, theater or just plain fun—and will be cherished by the fans of Divine Miss M for years to come.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Music, Humor, Biography Memoir, Pop Culture

160 pages, Hardcover

First published March 15, 1980

About the author

Bette Davis Midler is an American singer, actress and comedienne, also known to her fans as The Divine Miss M. She is named after the actress Bette Davis although Davis pronounced her first name in two syllables, and Midler uses one. During her career, she has won four Grammy Awards, an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award, and has been nominated for two Academy Awards. She is currently performing a new concert show, "The Showgirl Must Go On," live five nights a week as a headliner at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

Reviews

[Erin Lee]

“I never know how much of what I say is true. If I did, I’d bore myself to death.”

Truer words have never been spoken. The Divine Miss M does it the only way she can—rapid-fire, slightly off-kilter, and never duplicated. As a work of literature, it is so-so. But as a glimpse into the mad artistry of a true star, it works. I love Bette, and always have.

So much of this book is random mishmashes of true anecdotes from her world tour cobbled with ham fisted contrivances. But the realest, most beautiful thing in the whole book is the picture of Bette, sans makeup, in Thailand, looking serene and natural and unplugged. That is the soft siren of the sea I love, not the boisterous broad that she can be (though I love her too.)

[La Tonya Jordan]

Bette Midler first around the world tour was full of anticipation and well documented through our memories. She is greater character actor on stage and the characters she develop are a testimony to her bright imagination. The truthfulness of her fear, exhaustion, sights, rehearsal schedules, demands from the press and fans demonstrates her humanity. She is a living breathing person with faults and not a super diva without any feelings. The book shows how insane she is in a very good and healthy way.

[Brigitte]

This is my girl. I love her to pieces even though she is all kinds of crazy/outrageous. I love all facets of her personality--and there are a LOT! Not sure how much of this book is 100% true, but it served its purpose: it was entertaining. And it made me want to read more about my beloved Bette. So I bought another biography!

[Della Tingle]

I love Bette Midler! She is a treasure! So unique! There is, seriously, no one like Bette!

However, this is one of the strangest books I have ever read! 🤣🤣 I very much enjoyed all of the colored photos, though!

[Russell Sanders]

As we grow older, most of us mature. By the time we reach our senior years, women seem to become more matronly, while men become more staid or sometimes more crotchety. I’ve always been a big fan of Bette Midler. And as she has aged, she seems to fit that “more matronly” description. I don’t know her personally, and I certainly haven’t followed every moment of her current professional life, but it seems to me that she is no longer the “out there, bigger than life” character she built her career on. And that brings me to her book A View From a Broad. Written in 2014 and purportedly about her first world tour in 1980, the outrageous Miss M of her early career years shines brightly here. She is outrageous, bold, and fearless in her humor. It was a blessing when I found this book, now over a decade old from its publication date. It is the dose of humor I needed. I found myself laughing uproariously and feeling a need to immediately relate what I was reading to my husband across the room. The tour was, I’m sure, a true event; most of what she says is, perhaps, invented from whole cloth. The woman was born to make us laugh, and at that point in her career, she was totally unafraid to be, at times, almost profane with her humor. She is a marvel. Maybe she still is that raucous in both real life and professionally, but I think, as she has grown in years, she has toned down her public persona. She’s still a gift to us. But oh, how I want to laugh with her some more.

[Cyndy]

This book is about Ms. Midler's first tour of Europe and Australia in 1979. It was an interesting read, especially given the off stage predicaments that Ms. Midler describes. My favorite line in the book is " “The road!” Miss Frank proclaims each time we go on tour. “Why, it’s the Devil’s Walkway, and anyone who trods it is bound to Hula in Hell.” "

Midler, Bette. A View from A Broad. Simon & Schuster. Kindle Edition.

[Jack Rogers]

Bought this book very randomly in the final moments of a book fair in Trinity College.

Beautiful pictures and prose that made me question if Bette Midler actually wrote it as the writing was so sharp. The prose drifts from fact to what must be fantasy so fluidly it made me question what was real. It made me feel like I was getting a glimpse into Miss M's head. Full of diva moments. I enjoyed it but by god it took me ages to finish for no food reason.

[Diane Thayer]

A friend loaned me this book, thinking I would enjoy it. I have to admit, I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. Bette Midler's wit and writing style made for a fun read and truly provided some insight into the life of a performer doing a world tour. I would highly recommend this book for all fans of The Divine Miss M.

[Kimberly]

Having been a Bette Midler fan for years, I have to say this book disappointed me. While some reminisces and photos were engaging, other snippets felt confusing and disjointed like she couldn’t decide what to keep and what to edit so she left it all there for the reader to decide.

[Elaine]

This book was a little raunchier than I would have preferred. It was entertaining IF one could ignore the language & other items mentioned.

[Sarah Rigg]

A high school friend made me watch "The Rose" probably some time in late 1986, and I got a little bit obsessed with Bette Midler after that. Her memoir is a hoot, as you would expect.

[Emma Kate]

One of my all time favourite singers and someone who is as wildly vibrant, irreverent, completely unapologetic, crude, loud and unabashedly fabulous as I can only ever hope to be.

[Deborah Cleaves]

Love her. This book? Not so much. More okay rather than great.

[Sue]

i found this book at a used book store and i enjoyed it more than i thought. Bette is delightfully droll

[zuzia.*࿐]

a

[Gayle Guild]

Quick read, fun pictures. Not a real memoir, just musings of the tour. Very lightweight. Glad I didn’t pay for the book!

[Lavender]

An entertaining and colorful memoir. Includes some fun pictures, and good stories.

[Dawn Nelson]

Fun, Funny , Wild & Divine! I have always wanted to see her on stage, but never got the chance. I ❤️ all the movies she has acted in - Beaches is still my Fave !

[Kathy Davie]

A brief documentary look into Bette Midler's 1978 world tour and her musings, thoughts, and reactions.

My Take
Melodramatic and free-wheeling, ridiculous chatter that feels as though you're listening to Midler talking at you. It's crazy and revealing, sad and ditzy, happy and nuts, and too funny for words. Do be sure to read Midler's "Band Application". You'll crack up.

An interesting tidbit about growing up in Hawaii surrounded by all that gorgeous color. It certainly makes sense about Bette, and I'm completely with her on this. Color is too important to ignore!

"Being moral isn't what you do … it's what you mean to do."

Color and black-and-white photographs are scattered throughout the book. Pictures that will make you laugh out loud and others that will pull you in. Midler free associates in her humorous style about each country she visits with comments about the food, the money, going through customs, the audiences, styles, and more.

Midler doesn't spare anyone, including herself. I particularly enjoyed her point about always taking characters on the road with her — masks she can hide behind. Reading her process for how she determined the identities of the characters was a fascinating look behind-the-scenes.

For the most part, the chatter holds together, although there are great lengths that you simply read without worrying about what it means. It's rather scattered at times nor am I always sure what's truth and what's said for the fun of it.

The Characters
You all know Bette Midler. Miss Frann Frank was her prim and proper companion and wardrobe mistress. She mentions her mother and her siblings: Daniel and her twin sisters, Judy and Susan.

The Harlettes are Katie, Franny, and Linda. At least to start.

Vilmos Angst is a determined film director.

Yes, there are more characters, but these were the ones who stood out.

The Cover
The cover is a bright pink with Bette Midler in a mermaid costume, hip cocked, head shyly tilted, and arms raised in a Y-frame as though she’s holding up the Hollywood-lights title. It’s perfect.

The title keeps cracking me up for its literal and humorous interpretation, as this is indeed A View From a Broad.

[Marilyn Vix]

This was a really fast read. It's fun to get Bette's perspective on things in life, and an insight to her thinking. Being 11 years old when this book was written, I'm glad it was republished to be appreciated by fans that have grown up. To read some of her humor and outrageous backstage issues makes you look at life in her unique perspective. All her turmoils of a first European Tour are frozen in a short but sweet romp into the Divine Miss M's mind. It was fun to visit. Had to pick up a biography on her next. Good for any personal journey reflection.

[Annette]

Fun, fast read. Basically Bette Midler's thoughts from her world tour (written in 1980) in short chapter/essay form. No heavy thinking needed, just a fun look into the tour, actually so light I was hoping for something a bit meatier. Her dynamic personality does come through but it almost seemed part of her act so it would be nice to her from her real voice. Would like to read something more from her because she is a fun writer - fast paced just like she seems to be.

[Theresa]

It is unadulterated vintage Bette Midler, the Divine Miss M, in all her raucus witty glory. It covers her 1978 first world tour, the one that gave birth to Dolores DeLago, reading much like a script for her show interspersed with touching memories of the trip (my fave was her viewing of The Little Mermaid statue). I loved it! Glad I chose it for the Pop Sugar 2016 challenge as my book by a celebrity.

[Gina]

Ok only for you Bette because I like you, I'll give you 3 stars but really I was hoping for more content. There's not much to this book, just random story telling about her world tour in 1980. I still enjoyed it and appreciated the pictures. I had a few laugh out loud moments but overall I wish it was better.

[Andrew]

Slight and not well organized, Midler's account of her first world tour still makes for a fun read. This is because she knows how to tell a story to make you laugh. For the short amount of time you spend reading this, you feel like you've spent an evening on really comfortable stools with the Divine Herself drinking amazing cocktails and letting the lady make you chuckle.

[Julie]

Funny stories about Bette and her characters and costumes, giving only a small glimpse into what it takes to do a world tour and the things that can go right/ wrong. She is very generous to her fans, though not so much to reporters. Love the pictures and stories. Very short read, coffee table book.

[Beth (MrsGinTN)]

This is more for a diehard fan than a casual one. It is interesting and fun, but I would liked a little bit more of an introduction. Some of stories are just hilarious though.

I received this through the first reads giveaways.

[Natalie]

I read this on kindle-paperwhite and I bet I'd give it more stars if I got to see the photos and other layout bling in better quality - my first kindle total fail on quality of translation to e-reader format - Bette gets five stars who ever did the kindle edition gets 2 at most, ugh .

[Sarah]

I love Bette Midler. I think she's such an optimistic and charismatic person.
This book, though, was too much. I just wanted to hear some stories from the tour. Maybe I was looking more for an autobiography. This book wasn't that.

[Stefano P]

Bette at her best! The stories are extremely funny and well written. Bette Midler shows that she's got one of the finest and wittier brains ever to work in the show business. The only shame is that it is way too short. I wanted more!

[False]

I like her a great deal, so I really wanted to enjoy this book, especially when she talked about it resurrected her young voice. I was disappointed. She tells poignant stories when being interviewed. I missed that insight and tenderness.