Its interesting what she has chosen recently: books like The Road, Pillars of the Earth, Night, the Faulkner book are about as different from her usual fare as you can get. I don't think they are odd - I do think she is branching out and assumes her readers will too. I do not know what her criteria is, it would be interesting to find out.

Looking at the list below, there are several books here that I have read long before Oprah anoited them. I do think there is some kind of message, a type that was an Oprah book - I am not sure if thats the case now. But before, you could assume some sort of victimization or a dysfunction in the family that must be overcome or endured. I tire of these quickly - so don't tend to pay much attention to her. But like I said, she's been branching out and certainly getting my attention. Not sure if her readers will branch out with her.

Here is a link that might be useful: Oprahs book list

I'm wondering if her book club followers have slacked off in their enthusiasm. At another site, members have complained bitterly about her recent selections, often saying "WTF" -- their phraseology, not mine.

My sister-in-law who used to be an avid reader of Oprah's dysfunction club says the latest selections are baffling to her. I liked very few of the lay-on-the-misery-with-a-trowel books, so didn't bother with following Oprah's picks, but SIL talked me into reading Love in the Time of Cholera along with her. I couldn't get through it, and I should've known it because I disliked One Hundred Years of Solitude when I read it years ago. SIL held on longer than I, but she eventually gave up, too.

I think I'll stick with the suggestions of this group over Miss Oprah.

I remember a few years ago, she announced that she was switching from contemporary authors and suggesting a dose of the classics-the first one she chose for this "book club" was East of Eden, wasn't it? Then she was so interested in the "autobiography" about drug use- A Million Little Pieces that she left classics-but after that debacle, she has mostly stuck with traditional "classics," but they all still seem to be disfunctional. Would it kill her to read something cheerful?

Would it kill her to read something cheerful?

Exactly! That's why I don't read her book club picks. I like her, I just can't deal with the books full of dysfunction and darkness.

Oh yes-if the "O" is on the cover, I don't even pick it up.
there are piles of them at the "big box" store on the remander table. So I guess I'm not alone.

I don't need cheerful books - to me that implies books with happy characters and fairy tale endings. Those don't interest me. But there is a difference between a well written and interesting novel with conflict and resolution, and the junk that she selects like Fall on your Knees. Pick something interesting, there are so many good books out there - which again is probably why she is branching out. But I suspect she'd lose half her readers.

FWIW I loved One Hundred Years and Cholera, but then I enjoy Latin American authors and their tendency towards magic realism. Its definitely not everyone taste.

It's so nice to know others share my opinion. :)

My "bookie" friends and I have had this conversation many times, in fact, again yesterday.

Some of us "thought it was just me" and didn't want to appear to be dolts even though we all have a wide range of reading interests.

Only 4 of our 15 have read some of her books.

They always seemed too sad or a little far out for me.

Oprah's choices now cover such a wide range of books that I think it's a bit unfair to automatically say they are all odd and unlikeable.

I've read most of the books on her list, and many before she announced them as Oprah picks. Some I've loved (East of Eden, The Good Earth, Middlesex), some I haven't (Vinegar Hill, We Were The Mulvaney's). Several I have no desire to read because it's a topic or genre that doesn't interest me. It's just such a broad spectrum of books now that you can't really lump them all together, and say they are all bad or all good.

Kelly

Can someone tell me please, how Oprah's book club works and what the format of the show is? I don't think we get it on UK TV.
Does she just talk about favourite books or does she invite a group of people to discuss them with her? Do you know how she chooses them? Presumably once a book has been been given her seal of approval the sales must soar.

I'm not too up on it as I miss some of her shows and I, like so many others here, took her accolades for a book as a reason to steer clear of it. However, she stopped "the club" for awhile and is now touting books occasionally rather than monthly. It seems to have made some better choices.

Format... usually she chose the book and invited those who read it to email her with reactions of any kind... then several were chosen to have a dinner with her and the author to discuss the book.

However, for Pillars of the Earth she had a luncheon interview with Ken Follett and none of the readers involved. With this one The Awakening" (or something like that) she has had people sign up for a "class" on the internet and she and the author will be having "the largest classroom in the world" to discuss the book. I think anyone who wants to participate may do so.

One thing about it, if Oprah picks YOUR book, you automatically go to #1 on the best-seller list!

Veer-

did you mean you don't get the Oprah show or just the book club?

deborah, here in the UK Oprah has only been shown on 'digital' TV and not for several years.
We have an afternoon TV 'chatshow' Richard and Judy (husband and wife team) who do a regular book club which causes superior folk some turning up of noses. ;-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Richard & Judy Book Club Selection 2008