Oprah Winfrey

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Oprah Winfrey

Dive into the literary world of Oprah Winfrey, Talk Show Host & TV Producer.

Oprah Winfrey is a media mogul, actress, producer, and philanthropist, widely respected as one of the most influential women in the world. Born into poverty in rural Mississippi in 1954 and later raised in an inner-city Milwaukee neighborhood, Oprah faced numerous hardships early in life. Yet, she turned these challenges into motivators, eventually becoming the host of "The Oprah Winfrey Show." The show, which aired for 25 years, broke records and became the highest-rated television program of its kind in history, reshaping the landscape of talk show entertainment with its focus on literature, self-improvement, and spirituality.

❝Books were my pass to personal freedom. I learned to read at age three, and soon discovered there was a whole world to conquer that went beyond our farm in Mississippi.❞ — Oprah Winfrey

Oprah's love for reading is profound and well-documented; she has been an ardent advocate for books throughout her career, believing deeply in their power to educate, inspire, and transform lives. In 1996, she launched Oprah's Book Club, which quickly grew to become a hugely influential force in the publishing world. Her selections often catapulted authors to bestseller status and introduced readers to a diverse range of stories and perspectives. Oprah's personal reading list spans across genres, including works of fiction, memoirs, and spiritual guides, reflecting her broad interests and commitment to personal growth and understanding.

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Oprah Winfrey's Favorite Books

Last Updated: May 2024

River, Cross My Heart: A Novel

Breena Clarke's debut novel is set in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington D.C. during the 1920s and focuses on the impact of a young girl's drowning on her family and the tightly-knit African American community.

After Visiting Friends: A Son's Story

Michael Hainey's memoir uncovers the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of his father, a Chicago newspaperman, leading to a deeper understanding of family secrets and personal history.

Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail

Malika Oufkir recounts her harrowing experience of being imprisoned for 20 years with her family in a desert detention camp after her father attempted to overthrow King Hassan II of Morocco.

Cry, the Beloved Country

Alan Paton's profoundly moving novel addresses the social injustices of apartheid in South Africa through the story of a rural Zulu pastor searching for his son in Johannesburg.

Also recommended by:
Bill Nye

The Sound and the Fury

William Faulkner's novel uses a stream-of-consciousness style to tell the tragic story of the Compson family, focusing on themes of despair, the changing South, and the loss of family honor over several generations.

Also recommended by:
Woody Harrelson

To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee's beloved novel, set in the racially charged South of the 1930s, follows young Scout Finch as her father, lawyer Atticus Finch, defends a black man unjustly accused of rape, teaching profound lessons about morality and justice.

Also recommended by:
Tupac Shakur Jordan Peterson

Drowning Ruth: A Novel

Christina Schwarz's psychological thriller set after World War I, where a woman's shocking death sparks complex narratives about family loyalty, secrets, and the burdens of heritage on a secluded Wisconsin lake.

The Pilot's Wife

Anita Shreve's novel unravels the mystery of a pilot's sudden death, as his widow discovers shocking secrets about her husband's life after his plane crashes, shaking the foundation of her trust and marriage.

Say You're One of Them

Uwem Akpan's collection of stories offers a heart-wrenching look into the lives of children across Africa, dealing with harrowing circumstances like poverty, conflict, and child trafficking.

Paradise

Toni Morrison's novel set in an all-Black town in Oklahoma explores the tensions that arise when a nearby convent shelters women who challenge the town's rigid ideals, culminating in violence and a profound examination of identity and faith.

Anna Karenina

Leo Tolstoy's masterpiece traces the tragic love affair between Anna Karenina and Count Vronsky, set against the backdrop of nineteenth-century Russian society, exploring themes of passion, loyalty, and societal norms.

Also recommended by:
Sam Altman Ernest Hemingway

A Fine Balance

Rohinton Mistry's epic novel, set in India during the state of emergency in the 1970s, weaves together the lives of four disparate characters as they struggle to maintain their personal balance in the face of common adversity.

Daughter of Fortune: A Novel

Isabel Allende's historical novel follows Eliza Sommers from her upbringing in Valparaíso, Chile, to her adventures in California during the Gold Rush, as she searches for love and her own identity.

Freedom: A Novel

Jonathan Franzen explores the story of the Berglund family, capturing the struggles and paradoxes of American life as they navigate personal freedoms, responsibilities, and the environmental and political issues shaping their times.

Also recommended by:
Natalie Portman

Finding Me

Viola Davis's memoir offers an inspiring and profound exploration of her journey from a challenging childhood in poverty to achieving immense success as an actress, while confronting issues of race, self-acceptance, and resilience along the way.

Will

This memoir by Will Smith, written with Mark Manson, offers an insightful look into the life and mind of one of entertainment's most dynamic figures, revealing his profound journey to self-discovery, against a background of fame and complexity.

The Deep End of the Ocean

Jacquelyn Mitchard's novel centers on the heart-wrenching disappearance of a three-year-old boy and the impact of his loss and unexpected return on his family, exploring themes of motherhood, trauma, and reconciliation.

The Good Earth

Pearl S. Buck's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel portrays the life of a humble farmer and his family in early 20th century China, exploring themes of wealth, struggle, and attachment to the land.

Also recommended by:
Winston Churchill

A Virtuous Woman

Kaye Gibbons's novel alternates between the perspectives of a married couple, Ruby and Blinking Jack, exploring their deep and complex love that spans the divides of their social class and personal histories in the American South.

I Know This Much Is True: A Novel

Wally Lamb's intense narrative follows Dominick Birdsey as he grapples with the challenges of his schizophrenic twin brother, Thomas, and their family's dark secrets, in a story about identity and redemption.

Cane River

Lalita Tademy's novel is a multigenerational family saga based on the author's own ancestry, tracing the lives of four generations of African American women from slavery through the early 20th century in Louisiana.

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

Cheryl Strayed's memoir recounts her emotional and transformative journey hiking over a thousand miles on the Pacific Crest Trail alone, following personal tragedies that had brought her life to a breaking point.

The Corrections

Jonathan Franzen's novel examines the complexities and dysfunctions of an American family, as the aging parents and three grown children face personal crises that reflect broader societal issues.

The Seat of the Soul

Gary Zukav's spiritual book delves into the connection between the soul and the universe, proposing that developing the soul can lead to emotional and spiritual growth, aligning one's actions with their deeper intentions.

The Twelve Tribes of Hattie

Ayana Mathis's novel spans decades in the life of Hattie Shepherd and her twelve children, capturing the profound struggles and resilience of a family starting during the Great Migration.

Song of Solomon

Toni Morrison's richly symbolic novel explores themes of identity and heritage, as its protagonist embarks on a journey to understand his family's roots.

Also recommended by:
Barack Obama

She's Come Undone

Wally Lamb's novel follows the emotional journey of Dolores Price, a woman battling her own demons and dysfunction from adolescence through adulthood, seeking redemption and self-acceptance.

Night

Elie Wiesel's profound memoir of his experiences in Nazi concentration camps during the Holocaust, exploring the depths of human cruelty and his struggle with faith in the face of unimaginable horror.

House of Sand and Fog

Andre Dubus III's novel features a gripping battle over a house in California between a former Iranian colonel who buys it at auction and the evicted woman who will stop at nothing to get it back, leading to a tragic conflict.

As I Lay Dying

In this novel by William Faulkner, the Bundren family embarks on a mission to honor a dying wish to be buried in her hometown, detailing the journey through the perspectives of family members in a profound exploration of their motives and interrelationships.

Also recommended by:
Woody Harrelson

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Breath, Eyes, Memory

Edwidge Danticat's novel tells the story of a young Haitian girl who moves to New York to live with her mother, uncovering painful family secrets while grappling with her heritage and identity.

Love Warrior

Glennon Doyle's memoir recounts her journey of self-discovery after confronting her husband's infidelity, focusing on healing, the strength found in vulnerability, and the redefinition of what it means to be a woman and a wife.

The Book of Ruth

Jane Hamilton's novel tells the story of Ruth, a young woman in a small Illinois town, who navigates a life filled with hardship and tragedy, marked by her complex relationships with her family.

Mother of Pearl

Melinda Haynes' novel set in 1950s Mississippi explores the complex connections and secrets among a diverse group of residents, including a white woman struggling with her identity, a Black teenager seeking connection, and a mysterious newcomer with a troubled past.

Ruby: A Novel

Cynthia Bond's novel delves into the tragic and haunting story of Ruby Bell, a woman who returns to her small Texas hometown and confronts the impact of racial and sexual violence, exploring themes of love, redemption, and resilience.

A Tale of Two Cities

Charles Dickens' historical novel set before and during the French Revolution contrasts the lives of the poor and the aristocrats, epitomized by the cities of London and Paris, and culminates in a narrative of sacrifice and redemption.

Also recommended by:
Natalie Portman

While I Was Gone

Sue Miller's novel delves into the life of Jo Becker, a veterinarian who confronts her unresolved past when an old acquaintance re-enters her life, revealing the complexities of memory and the costs of a seemingly idyllic life.

The Road

Cormac McCarthy's stark and haunting novel follows a father and his young son as they journey through a post-apocalyptic landscape, struggling for survival in a world devoid of civilization.

Also recommended by:
Lex Fridman

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: A Novel

David Wroblewski's novel is a modern retelling of "Hamlet" set in rural Wisconsin, centering on a mute boy who communicates best with his dogs, grappling with family betrayal and seeking justice for his father's death.

Where the Heart Is: A Novel

Billie Letts's heartwarming novel follows seventeen-year-old Novalee Nation, who is abandoned by her boyfriend at a Walmart in Oklahoma and finds a new life and community among the quirky locals.

There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyonce

Morgan Parker's collection of poetry uses political and feminist themes to explore contemporary black American womanhood through vibrant and satirical verse.

Stones from the River

Ursula Hegi's novel traces the life of Trudi Montag, a librarian in a small German town during the Nazi era, who is a Zwerg (dwarf); the story explores how Trudi uses her condition and her position to collect the town's stories and secrets, observing the tragic impacts of World War II on her community.

The Four Agreements

Don Miguel Ruiz presents a practical guide to personal freedom, offering a code of conduct based on ancient Toltec wisdom that advocates simplicity and integrity in life.

The Underground Railroad

Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel reimagines the historical Underground Railroad as a literal train beneath the soil, following escaped slave Cora's perilous journey toward freedom from the antebellum South.

Also recommended by:
Adam Savage

Light in August

Another of Faulkner's masterpieces, this novel explores themes of identity and racial conflict in the American South, told through the interconnected stories of several residents of Jefferson, Mississippi.

Also recommended by:
Woody Harrelson

Tara Road

Maeve Binchy's novel explores the lives of two women—one in Ireland, one in America—who decide to swap houses for the summer, leading to unexpected friendships and deep personal transformations as they step into each other's lives.

Here on Earth

Alice Hoffman's novel, often described as a modern retelling of "Wuthering Heights," follows the intense and troubled romance of March Murray, who returns to her small Massachusetts town and rekindles a destructive love affair with her childhood sweetheart.

Behold the Dreamers: A Novel

Imbolo Mbue's novel captures the experiences of a Cameroonian immigrant family in New York City as they strive for a better life, set against the backdrop of the 2008 financial crisis and its impact on their employers and their own dreams.

The Invention of Wings

Sue Monk Kidd's historical novel is inspired by the real-life abolitionist sisters Sarah and Angelina Grimké, following the intertwined stories of Sarah and Handful, an enslaved girl in her household, as they strive for freedom and equality.

Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience

Brené Brown guides readers through 87 emotions and experiences that define what it means to be human, encouraging deeper self-understanding and connection with others.

The Poisonwood Bible

Barbara Kingsolver's novel follows the Price family who move from the U.S. to the Belgian Congo in 1959, where their missionary zeal is juxtaposed against political upheaval, and the narrative unfolds from the perspectives of the minister's wife and four daughters.

Also recommended by:
Hillary Clinton

Songs in Ordinary Time

Mary McGarry Morris's novel set in a small Vermont town in 1960, where a struggling single mother and her children become entangled with a charismatic but dangerous stranger, explores the complexities of family and the human capacity for self-deception and hope.

The Bluest Eye

Toni Morrison's debut novel critically examines issues of race, class, and beauty in America, telling the tragic story of a young African American girl named Pecola who grows up during the Great Depression, yearning for the blue eyes she equates with beauty and acceptance.

Love in the Time of Cholera

Gabriel García Márquez's enduring love story, set in the late 19th century Caribbean, chronicles the lives of Florentino Ariza and Fermina Daza, and explores the theme of love as a disease through their romantic entanglements and lifelong courtship.

A Million Little Pieces

James Frey's controversial book, originally marketed as a memoir, details the intense and painful journey of a young man's struggle with addiction and his challenging path to recovery.

Olive, Again: A Novel

In this sequel to "Olive Kitteridge," Elizabeth Strout continues the life story of the blunt, complex Olive as she grapples with changes in her Maine community and navigates the challenges of aging and new relationships.

Vinegar Hill: A Novel

A. Manette Ansay's novel explores the oppressive life of a woman living with her husband and children at her in-laws' house in a small town, examining themes of family secrets and personal liberation.

Gap Creek : The Story of a Marriage

Robert Morgan tells the story of a young couple in their first year of marriage in the late 19th century Appalachian South, facing the harsh realities of nature, family, and rural life with enduring strength.

The Water Dancer: A Novel

Ta-Nehisi Coates's debut novel follows a young slave with a mysterious gift that becomes the key to his escape and involvement in the Underground Railroad, set against the backdrop of a magical reimagining of the antebellum South.

East of Eden

John Steinbeck's sweeping saga of the Trask and Hamilton families in the Salinas Valley of California, exploring themes of sin and redemption with biblical parallels, particularly the rivalry of brothers, mirroring the story of Cain and Abel.

Also recommended by:
Jordan Peterson

Midwives: A Novel

Chris Bohjalian's suspenseful story revolves around a midwife on trial for manslaughter after a home childbirth goes tragically wrong, raising ethical questions about her profession and the legal implications of her actions.

The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography

Sidney Poitier shares the life lessons he learned on his path from a poor child in the Bahamas to becoming the first Black actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, exploring themes of identity, integrity, and spirituality.

The Best Way to Play: Little Bill Books for Beginning Readers

Bill Cosby's children's book, part of the "Little Bill" series for young readers, emphasizes the importance of imagination and teamwork through the story of Little Bill and his friends creating their own fun and games.

The Reader

Bernhard Schlink's novel is a profound exploration of guilt, betrayal, and the complexities of love through the story of a teenage boy's affair with an older woman who harbors a dark secret related to her past in post-war Germany.

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