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Okay, I'll admit my secret: I am an Oprah fan. I don't just like her book club (I'll get to that later) I also like the show. I think that since she moved into her format of making the world a better place she has succeeded in many ways. Her show is miles and miles away from the "trash-TV" talk shows that bring out the worst in people; Oprah brings out (along with some sappy tears now and then) the best in people. So why is it a secret that I like her? People like to make fun of Oprah, as though being the richest woman in America were something to be ashamed of. Many academics, (also known as literary snobs) like to think that they are "above" a popular book club. This makes it somewhat hard to admit that I am an Oprah book fan; but I will; I'll say it loud and clear. Oprah came from a poor upbringing to become a woman with the power to make a best seller out of a book, just by mentioning it once, (let alone what happens when she picks the book for her club). So why does Oprah bother? She loves to read! Surprise surprise that a woman who can become a huge success story knows how to use her brain! I think what Oprah has done with books is marvellous. Today I can go to the local Wholesale Warehouse club (you know the ones) and see great fiction (like Toni Morisson) being bought by people who normally would think that a Nobel prize winning author might be too hard. But they aren't too hard to read; you might not get everything but guess what? The "experts" don't get everything all the time either! But what happens is that people are trying and that's the only way to learn. So how does Oprah's book club relate to women writers? About half of her books are by women; a lot more of them are about women. And many of them are just plain good. I don't read every book that Oprah recommends, but those that I do read, I have enjoyed. Some of them are the stuff that great literature is made of. I'll admit I'm not a huge fan of the self-help books that make it to the list, but I think they can probably be useful for many people so don't let me stop you... go to her book club website and see for yourself. Below is a list of all the Oprah book club picks that I have personally read, and my opinion on the work. If you read one of these and like it, then get another book by the same author. Chances are, you'll like that one too (some of these authors are among my all time favorites, delivering book after book that I love). Pick one up if you think it sounds like your thing-- and don't be afraid to have your literati freinds see the Oprah's Book Club seal on the front of the book. If they scoff, and choose to avoid a book just because it's on a popular book club's reading list, then they are missing out, and maybe aren't as smart as they think they are. For more information on Oprah's book club, go to her official website. Oprah's Choices (The Ones I've Read): Here on Earth ~ by Alice Hoffman 1998 This book is about how domestic violence and the dreams of your first love can sometimes cause conflict in even an adult woman's life. You may not always want to like the characters, but the story is truly moving. Breath, Eyes, Memory ~ by Edwidge Danticat 1998 A story that brought tears and laughter out of me. The sensory details and lyrical language make this one of my favorite of the book club picks. Paradise ~by Toni Morrison 1998 This is the third book in a loosely related series of stories by this Nobel prize winner. The other two, Beloved and Jazz are great too, but you don't have to read all three. She's Come Undone ~ by Wally Lamb 1997 I wasn't as sure about this one but I think it's a good exploration of a woman's struggles to come to terms with a self image damaged by her upbringing. The Rapture of Canaan ~ by Sheri Reynolds 1997 When I read this book, I thought "Very realistic." I grew up in the South and this portrait of a fundamentalist community's clash with a young woman's growing pains seems true, and gripping. The Book of Ruth ~ by Jane Hamilton 1996 I listened to this one on audio tape and almost had to pull over for the tears that it brought out of me. These characters are so real that I felt I knew them personally, and their greif was mine. Song of Solomon ~ by Toni Morrison 1996 This book is a classic about an African-American young man's quest for identity. Mythic and complex, but worth the two or three readings it takes to get everything. |
More books in the book club: Why should you buy your books here? Do they cost more to use this link? |
