Today, Hartford Books Examiner talks the Big O and her literary lexicon…
As reported by the AP, Winfrey is expected to announce her latest Book Club selection during a live broadcast on September 17—exactly 14 years after naming Jacquelyn Mitchard’s The Deep End of the Ocean as her inaugural pick. This year marks the final season of The Oprah Winfrey Show, leaving the future of the Book Club in limbo.
Speculation as to just what book Winfrey will choose has run rampant, with opinions divided between the following: that the “Queen of all Media” will either choose a new and largely undiscovered work or a vintage title that she can save from relative obscurity. Whatever the decision, it will be the 64th selection to make the cut since the club’s debut in 1996.
Initially, the club featured several books per year, allowing viewers to read and discuss selections on a near monthly basis. More recently, Winfrey has scaled back the activity level to a handful of selections annually, even taking a year-long hiatus in 2002. The titles chosen have ranged from contemporary to classic, with many benefiting from what has been called “the Oprah effect”—dramatically increased sales (often by several million copies) and instant bestseller status.
The most recent selection was Say You’re One Of Them, a short story collection by Uwem Akpan, in 2009.
You can view a complete list of Oprah’s Book Club selections here.
Hartford Books Examiner wants to know: What would your choice be? And do you think that Winfrey should continue her literary legacy after her quarter-century old show signs off? Discuss in the comments section below…
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