What I Know for Sure

by Oprah Winfrey

The inspirational wisdom of Oprah Winfrey, collected for the first time in a beautiful keepsake book

After film critic Gene Siskel asked her, 'What do you know for sure?' Oprah Winfrey began writing the 'What I Know For Sure' column in O, The Oprah Magazine. Saying that the question offered her a way to take 'stock of her life', Oprah has penned one column a month over the last fourteen years, years in which she retired The Oprah Winfrey Show (the highest-rated program of its kind in history), launched her own television network, became America's only black billionaire, was awarded an honorary degree from Harvard University and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, watched friends and colleagues come and go, lost beloved pets and adopted new ones, and celebrated milestone birthdays. Throughout it all, she's continued to offer her profound and inspiring words of wisdom in her 'What I Know For Sure' column in O, The Oprah Magazine.

Now, for the first time, these thoughtful gems have been revised, updated, and collected in What I Know For Sure, a beautiful book packed with insight and revelation from Oprah Winfrey. Organized by theme-joy, resilience, connection, gratitude, possibility, awe, clarity, and power-these essays offer a rare and powerful glimpse into the mind of one of the world's most extraordinary women. Candid, moving, exhilarating, uplifting, and dynamic, the words Oprah shares in What I Know For Sure shimmer with the sort of wisdom and truth that readers will turn to again and again.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Audiobook, Memoir, Biography, Personal Development, Inspirational

239 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 2, 2014

About the author

Oprah Gail Winfrey, also known mononymously as Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, broadcast from Chicago, which ran in national syndication for 25 years, from 1986 to 2011. Dubbed the "Queen of All Media", she was the richest African-American of the 20th century and was once the world's only black billionaire. By 2007, she was often ranked as the most influential woman in the world.
Winfrey was born into poverty in rural Mississippi to a single teenage mother and later raised in inner-city Milwaukee. She has stated that she was molested during her childhood and early teenage years and became pregnant at 14; her son was born prematurely and died in infancy. Winfrey was then sent to live with the man she calls her father, Vernon Winfrey, a barber in Nashville, Tennessee, and landed a job in radio while still in high school. By 19, she was a co-anchor for the local evening news. Winfrey's often emotional, extemporaneous delivery eventually led to her transfer to the daytime talk show arena, and after boosting a third-rated local Chicago talk show to first place, she launched her own production company.
Credited with creating a more intimate, confessional form of media communication, Winfrey popularized and revolutionized the tabloid talk show genre pioneered by Phil Donahue. By the mid-1990s, Winfrey had reinvented her show with a focus on literature, self-improvement, mindfulness, and spirituality. Though she has been criticized for unleashing a confession culture, promoting controversial self-help ideas, and having an emotion-centered approach, she has also been praised for overcoming adversity to become a benefactor to others. Winfrey also emerged as a political force in the 2008 presidential race, with her endorsement of Barack Obama estimated to have been worth about one million votes during the 2008 Democratic primaries. In the same year, she formed her own network, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). In 2013, Winfrey was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.
In 1994, she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame. Then in October, she finished the Marine Corps Marathon in less than four and a half hours. She has received honorary doctorate degrees from multiple universities. Winfrey has won many awards throughout her career, including 19 Daytime Emmy Awards (including the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Chairman's Award), two Primetime Emmy Awards (including the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award), a Tony Award, a Peabody Award, and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award awarded by the Academy Awards, in addition to two competitive Academy Award nominations. Winfrey was elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2021.

Reviews

[Danielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I guess I just don't get it. Pure pablum. Things that have been said, repeatedly and endlessly, by any number of people and in numerous books forever. There are a few things that are nice to contemplate but, again, they have all been said before and the vast majority of it is nothing but nebulous notions like, "You lead life, it doesn't lead you" and "Be your best self." I wonder if the quiet moments of perfection come as easily in a homeless shelter as on your own private retreat in Hawaii. I wonder if that perfect peach tastes as sweet to a child who knows it's the last thing they'll have to eat that weekend. I wonder if you are able to lead life when you can hardly stay awake after coming home from your third job or when you find it difficult to walk because you can't afford the medication that would ease your pain.

At the very least, I hope the proceeds from this are going to charity because for being a compilation and being very, very small, it sure is expensive. Oprah should have done better for the millions of people she knows will run out and spend their money on this book simply because it is from her. They deserve better...or at least something. This book is, ultimately, a whole lot of nothing.

[Petra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Oprah. That's coming from a person who isn't dazzled by celebrities. I grew up watching her talk show, and I'm not ashamed of admitting that I learned a lot from her. I love her positive outlook on life, her strength and her determination.It's summed up really nicely in this book;

My highest achievement: never shutting down my heart. Even in my darkest moments—through sexual abuse, a pregnancy at 14, lies and betrayals—I remained faithful, hopeful, and willing to see the best in people, regardless of whether they were showing me their worst. I continued to believe that no matter how hard the climb, there is always a way to let in a sliver of light to illuminate the path forward.

This book is a collection of 14 years worth of monthly columns in O magazine.
They are the things she knows for sure to be true in life.

Ask yourself what you know for sure and what you’ll find along the way will be fantastic, because what you’ll find will be yourself.

And although I don't agree with everything she says, it was still a very insightful read.
One of my favorite lines, is when she describes why she loves reading;

I love to live in another person's thoughts. I marvel at the bonds I feel with people who come alive on the page, regardless of how different their circumstances might be from mine

And at times you feel like she totally gets you;

Is there anything I love more than a good meal? Not much.

I read in one of the reviews that all of this has been said before. That is true,but it seems that we are so caught up in our daily lives, that we keep losing sight of what's really important in life, so we need a constant reminder.
Don't get me wrong, having a job IS really important, but so is stopping once in a while and looking around you so you won't miss the tiny "miracles" we look over every day.
I love how this book is written, in short chapters, in a conventional but powerful language. I would put in some other quotes, but to be honest the whole book is one big giant quote.

If you like Oprah, read it. If you need some positive reinforcement in your life read it. If you are exactly where you want to be in life read it too.
Even if you don't like or agree with everything she does or thinks, you'll still be touched.

[Nikki · Rating 2 out of 5]

So...I've lost some respect for Oprah. I'm sure I'm alone in this and that's okay.

This book started off as "meh" with me thinking "That's easy for Oprah to say", and then got good and valuable in the middle. I thought, "Dang, this is some good insight, I'll ignore the pretentiousness of the writing--the way she assumes because she's well-known and wealthy, her idle thoughts on the world will give the rest of us something to ponder." And then she showed how out of touch she is with the world at large, and it all fell apart.

Excuse me, Ms. Winfrey, do you honestly think MOST people who are in debt CHOOSE to be there? Many of us DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE. Do you understand that the dollar doesn't go very far anymore? That the price of an apple has increased? And okay, that's awesome you don't live your life in debt and never have, but then you launch into how you were shopping at Tiffany's and someone says "Buy both, you can afford it!" and you got excited that you didn't have to decide about choosing between two china patterns. Awesome. Have you given any thought to how shitty that sounds to your readers who have to choose between buying shoes for their kids and buying groceries? Who have to choose between paying $300 a month for prescriptions and healthy food for their children? I suppose I should abandon my home in a decent part of town and live in an high crime rate area because the rent is cheaper. That way I won't have to go into debt for the shoes or groceries or prescriptions. I can just live under the threat of my family being assulted, robbed, or killed instead.

I'm so happy for Oprah's success. I'm happy that she came from nothing and made something of herself. I'm happy that she's been rewarded for her tenacity with money. I would appreciate her more if she didn't put out tripe that is self-adulating and out of touch to the majority of people who admire her.

I'd been prepared to give this 4.5 stars until I hit the last eighth of the book (and I almost gave it 3 stars, but 2 stars means "it's okay" and so that's what I'll give this). I could've overlooked the twenty times she mentioned her house in Hawaii or the multiple times she was basically writing "Look what I did/Look what I can do!", but she really just murdered my goodwill toward this book and her thoughts on life and living at the end.

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook.....
narrated by Oprah Winfrey…

Oprah considers reading her greatest indulgent.

A few more tidbits....
Oprah values self care - spirituality - friendships- inspiring collaborative work - jammie lounge Sunday’s - justice - free will - home - private time - giving and doing her
best - shopping smart - great food - silence - mindfulness matters - gratitude - meditation - commitment to oneself - love - etc. etc. etc.

“While words often have the power to destroy….they also have the power to
heal”.

❤️📚🎧🌻🎶🏋️‍♀️✍️🐾💪💃🏃‍♀️👘👟🧢🍂🐚🌏🍑🥖🥗🍰🍷🎭⛱🌠🕯🛁☮️🍃🌈🍒☀️

Oprah’s voice, inspiration, and ginger/peach tea, kept me company today
while resting in the sauna, and soaking in the pool.

This 3 hour audiobook was a surprise warm-feeling-humanity-treat.
As I finished it the last sentence,
Paul came home, (karma reward?), with a small cup of handmade- *Fiorello’s* Espresso Gelato. (made in Marin).
The flavor was explosive!

Sincere thanks to Oprah... for the humanitarian gifts!
Her wisdom reminders about being all we can be.... certainly didn’t hurt me at all!

Thanks to my husband for being the incredible love in my life. 💕

[Reem Alkhalaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

في أحد المقابلات التلفزيونية سألها المذيع: أخبريني ما الشيء الذي تعرفينه على وجه اليقين؟
ليست المرة الأولى التي تخضع فيها للكثير من الأسئلة، ولم يحدث أن وجدت نفسها عاجزة عن الرد تماماً، ولكن كانت هذه المره استثنائية وبسببها ولد هذا الكتاب.


تطرقت أوبرا في هذا الكتاب للأمور التي تعرفها على وجه اليقين من خلال مواقف عاشتها، وأحداث تعرضت لها في حياتها وكانت سبباً في أدراكها للأمور وجعلها ما هي عليه اليوم.


كتاب خفيف وممتع في نفس الوقت، ستتعرف فيه أكثر على هذه الشخصية الملهمة، نقاط ضعفها وكيف حولتها لمصدر قوة، يندرج الكتاب ضمن كتب تنمية الذات والتي لا تجذبني أو تستهويني ولكن أسم أوبرا وينفري على الكتاب كان سبباً في اقتنائي له ولحسن حظي لم أخذل.

هذه صور لإقتباسات من الكتاب مما تيقنت به أوبرا بناء على طلب الإستاذة الرائعة نيرة 🌹







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3.5/5🌟

[Ammara Abid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful & inspiring.

"What I know for sure is that there is no strength without challenge, adversity, resistance, and often pain".

"Who could I have become if I had finally done the things I always wanted to do".

"The gift of deciding to face your mortality without turning away or flinching is the gift of recognizing that because you will die, you must live now".

[Mohamed · Rating 5 out of 5]

في البداية أحب أن أعترف أني غير متابع لعروض اوبرا وينفري ولا أخفيكم سراً أن انطباعي عنها كان غير جيد
لكن بقرائتي لكتابها هذا أحببت شخصيتها كثيرا
هذا الكتاب الذي يحتوي على فصول من سيرتها الذاتية
ذكرت فيها الحكم التى تعلمتها من تجاربها في الحياة و مسيرتها المهنية الطويلة

تعرفت على مدى عظمة هذه السيدة مدى بساطتها مدى صمودها في مواجهة الحياة
مدى صدقتها حتى في ذكر لحظات ضعفها و خوفها
ما تعرضت له من اغتصاب و حمل وهي في سن المراهقة
وما كان من لحظات ذل و قهر في علاقاتها الزوجية
وكيف خرجت من هذا كله بثبات و شجاعة لتصبح الشخص الذي تحب أن تكونه و تعيش الحياة ببساطتها و جمالها

كتاب ملهم بحق ... أنصح الجميع به

[BookOfCinz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-Read: January 17, 2020
When I say I re-read this book every year? Believe me. I absolutely love going back to Aunty Oprah's book for advice. I feel like every time I read this book something else jumps out at me that I can use for the entire year. I finally got this book in hardcopy so I can refer to it always. I highly recommend you read this book.

Re-Read: January 23, 2018
"What I know For Sure" is my comfort book. Whenever I feel like the world is spinning out of control I pick up this book and go to the solid advice of Oprah. Honestly, this book speaks to my soul which is why it is on my list of re-reads. Also, it is a great book to read at the start of the year.
It goes without saying, this is a must read.

Re-Read: January 26, 2017
Honestly, this books gets me every time. It offers sound, solid, well thought out advice that you can use at any stage of your life. It is a great reminder and help for the coming year and I will be putting a lot of these things into practice. Because, I want to be able to know 12 things for sure this year.


You ever read one of those books at a time in your life when you really needed to be reading those words? When everything in the book speaks to your being? When you are moved to tears because this book actually gets your life and what you are going through? When this book offers the key to where you want to be and how you will get there...That is how I felt while reading this book.

I felt like my entire world opened up while reading this book. While nothing "new" was really said, everything written resonated with me. But this all has to do with the place I am in my life and how I needed these words. So yes, thanks Oprah for being there when I really needed you, when it really counts....

I am going to go on a branch and say, this is a must read! It is the Alchemist, Four Agreements and A New Earth all rolled into one. This book is the kick in the ass that you need.

[Marnie (Enchanted Bibliophile) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend borrowed me a copy of this book; telling me I HAVE to read this; that it changed her thinking overnight.
So I obliged and read it. And man, it does change the way you think.
I will need my own copy, because this book will be highlighted and margin noted like none before.
It will be read and re-read ever so often.



I can't say I've ever been a fan of Oprah Winfrey. I'm not a TV person and though I know about her, I've never considered reading one of her book. This I realize now was a mistake.

What I Know for Sure is that if you need a bit of a lift in life read this book, you will find something in there that speak to you.

[Maha Moustafa · Rating 5 out of 5]

استمتعت جدًا بالكتاب كأني اشاهد اوبرا وهي تتحدث في حوار طويل.✨أسلوبه سهل للمبتدئين وبه الكثير من القصص الجديدة اللي لم أكن أعلمها عن حياتها.💜
من أجمل الأقتباسات التي لامست قلبي:
" One of the things I often ask God: please show me who I really am."

[Warda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know this is something I will be referring to constantly. My holy grail, my own personal bible. I mean, it's Oprah. There's so much she has experienced of the world and she shares her lessons through this wonderful book.

[AMEERA · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Anna P (whatIreallyRead) · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, Oprah does her thing. I mean, what do you imagine, when you picture a book written by Oprah? Well, this is exactly it.

With chapters called Joy, Resilience, Gratitude, Awe and stuff like that, it's a blend of self-help, memoir and inspirational/spiritual stories with short chapters and highly quotable phrases. She's in her element.

I'm pretty sure a book like this written by any other author would piss me off. But when Oprah does it, it feels good to read it. Oprah's writings feel so maternal and kind, they turn your skepticism right off, for no reason I can name. It feels like a hot cocoa on a rainy day, like a hug to the soul.

[zahra haji · Rating 4 out of 5]

أخبريني ما الشيء الذي تعرفينه على وجه اليقين ؟

سؤال طرح على أوبرا قبل 21 عاما .. ذلك السؤال كان السبب بتوقف تسلسل أفكارها رغم ما تتعرض له
من شتى الأسئلة و على مر السنين

كانت بحاجة للتفكير وللكثير من الوقت ليصبح ذلك السؤال مرافقا لها على مر السنوات
الكتب جميل وصادق لأبعد الحدود .. عرفني أكثر على شخصية أوبرا وما عانته في حياتها
أيام الفرح وأيام الحزن وكيف تغلبت على كل الأمور الصعبة التي واجهتها .. ومن الأفكار المهمة جدا
كيف أن كل لحظة بالحياة تستحق أن نعيشها ونقدرها وأن الامتنان وشكر الله على نعمه من عاداتها
...اليومية

الشيء الذي أعرفه على وجه اليقين هو أن كل يوم يجلب لك فرصة لتأخذ نفسا عميقا وتخلع حذاءك ◾️
وتخرج وترقص .. فرصة لأن تعيش وأنت غير مثقل بالندم ويغمرك شعور هائل بالبهجة والمرح
.. والضحك


أعرف على وجه اليقين أنني لا أريد أن أعيش حياة مغلقة ..غير مبالية بما أشعر وبما أراه. أريد أن ◾️
يصبح كل يوم بداية جديدة


الشيء الذي أعرفه على وجه اليقين هو أن كل شيء يحدث لسبب ما ◾️

أعرف على وجه اليقين أنك إذا خصصت وقتا تشعر فيه ولو بقدر بسيط من الامتنان كل يوم ..فستندهش ◾️
من النتائج


أعرف على وجه اليقين أن ما نركز عليه هو ما أصبحنا عليه ◾️

الشيء الذي أعرفه على وجه اليقين هو أن وراء كل كارثة يوجد دروس عظيمة يجب تعلمها ◾️

أعرف على وجه اليقين أن ما أفكر فيه ما أقوله وما أفعله ..كل شيء سيعود إلي والأمر نفسه ينطبق ◾️
عليك

[Zaira · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Oprah has some wonderful insights on life, love and everything in between (duh)
but it's undeniable that she speaks from a position of privilege and that not everyone is able to effect change in their lives the way she suggests.

[Liz Lazarus · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I Know For Sure is like spring-cleaning for the soul. I listened to the audio version of this book - it was an extra treat to hear Oprah read it. I found myself bookmarking so many of her valuable life lessons and will likely listen to it again.

[Aya Abassi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book at the airport while in England, I started reading it on my way back home. literary I could not put it down.

beautifully written, honest and pure description of different life events in Miss O life.
you can't but feel with the author through her life journey in this book.
I've always admired and loved Oprah Winfrey and I even fell more in love with her after reading this book.
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH THAT I TRANSLATED TO ARABIC WITHOUT LOOKING FOR IF IT WAS PUBLISHED BEFORE IN ARABIC OR NOT.
despite it being already translated , every book has different translation, and I believe that my translation was different, and more relatable due to the great love and admiration I have to Miss O.
SHE INSPIRED ME AS A TV PERSONALITY, A WOMEN, A WRITER AND A HUMAN BEING AND SHE STILL DOES EVERY DAY.
This is simply a must read book, a great gift , and a pleasure to read.
Truly recommend it .

[Anna Francois · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not an Oprah fan, yet I found this book to be thoroughly humanizing. A great work of literature? No, but it's not meant to be. It is a deep cleansing breathe.

[فادي · Rating 3 out of 5]

جميل الكتاب وإن كان يغلب عليه النَفَس الإيجابي التفاؤلي الذي لا أحبّه في كتب التطوير الذاتي، لكن شعرت بصدق كاتبته "أوبرا" خصوصاً أنها لم تجمّل سيرتها فيه، ولم تتوارى خلف جمل برّاقة لتظهر نفسها بمظهر المقاوم العنيد.
حكت فيه عن أرباحها كما حكت فيه عن خسائرها، سواء على المستوى النفسي أو المادي.
الكتاب عبارة عن 8 فصول ومقدمة، كل فصل عن "موضوع" معيّن مثل ( البهجة ) و ( المرونة ) و ( الامتنان ) و ( الترابط ) و ( الاندهاش ).

أكثر فصل أعجبني كلّه، ولو قرأتُه فقط من أول الكتاب لكفاني هو فصل ( الوضوح ).

[Mehrzad · Rating 3 out of 5]

هرگز یک قسمت از برنامه ی اُپرا را ندیدم، و حتی یک پاراگراف از مجله اش را نخواندم ، ولی شناخت و شنیدن نام او در برنامه های تلویزیونی گوناگون اجتناب ناپذیرست .

او ، اگر درست خاطرم باشد، ثروتمندترین زن جهان است، اما از صفر شروع کرده، سختی های فراوان کشیده و کاملاً خودساخته ست.

اما برسیم به کتابی که در دست داشتم؛ با اطمینان می دانم که...
ترجمه ی روانی داشت و تنها تعداد محدودی ایراد تایپی نامحسوس مشاهده شد.

این کتاب با یک سوال پرسیده شده از اّپرا در برنامه ای تلویزیونی شروع شد: بهم بگو، چه چیزی را به طور قطعی می دانی؟؟ پاسخ به این سوال منتهی شد به، به اشتراک گذاشته شدن خاطرات، تجربیات، مشقات و لحظه های "آها" اّپرا وینفری تا سن 60 سالگی. او از همه چیز می نویسد؛ لذت، انطاف پذیری، ارتباط، شکرگذاری، احتمال، اعجاز، شفافیت و قدرت. در هر بخش به مسائل سخت تخمل شده در زندگی خود می پردازد و راه غلبه به آن ها را نیز به ما نشان می دهد، چاقی، تجربه سو استفاده جنسی در کودکی، بارداری ناخواسته در سن 14 سالگی، تجربه ی تبعیض نژادی و تمام دوران سخت وی در برنامه های تلویزیونی.

تازگی، شاید بهتر است بگویم بعد از خواندن این کتاب، بیش از پیش علاقمند به مطالعه تجریبات شده ام.

و در پایان : سه و نیم ستاره .

//

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant read. Most of it I agreed with, some of it was hit and miss. Oprah did well to relate many of the stories back to herself but I had this feeling that it should have come with a warning that read "lessons for the upper-middle class female only". For instance, how is a lower class teenage boy going to take 20 minutes a day on his verandah overlooking Maui to 'connect with the oneness'?

Perhaps I am becoming cynical.

[Rosie Nguyễn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring, beautiful and easy to ready. Suitable for those who want to start their reading habit again. Simple yet truthful lessons. In the book I found the same values that I've been following, and the views and experiences which may seem a little bit strange to others are the ones that moved me deeply. For instance compassion is a way to find love, or you're the best mother, father, sibling, friend or lover of yourself.

Trời ơi đọc sách bản dịch thành ra không tìm được câu quote tiếng Anh chuẩn, nhưng ấn tượng nhất là 2 câu này: "Tình yêu đôi lứa không phải là thứ tình yêu duy nhất đáng để tìm kiếm." và "Bạn chính là người mẹ, người cha, người chị em, bạn bè, họ hàng và người tình tốt nhất mà bạn có thể có được trên đời". Quá hay và quá cần thiết cho mình lúc này, đang học cách yêu thương bản thân mình tốt nhất có thể.

[Maria Espadinha · Rating 4 out of 5]

O Alto Valor da Simplicidade


Para espanto de muitos, Oprah Winfrey, que certamente terá acesso a tudo ou quase tudo que o dinheiro pode comprar, reserva as suas 5 estrelas para a Simplicidade:

Um pôr do sol na companhia de amigos

Um passeio com os cães a rebolar livremente pela relva

Ler um livro à sombra da sua árvore predilecta

Andar descalça pela relva acabada de aparar

São apenas alguns dos momentos que mais aprecia no seu dia a dia...


Uma leitura que nos leva a reavaliar a Vida!


Nota: A correspondente edição portuguesa intitula-se "As coisas que a Vida me ensinou"

[Mairita (Marii grāmatplaukts) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tagad skaidri zinu: daļa no šīs grāmatas ir pašapmierināts bla bla bla, daļa garīgi filozofisks bla bla bla, bet ir arī vietas, kas aizķēra un sniedza apdomāšanās vērtas atziņas tieši uz tiem jautājumiem, kas mani pašlaik nomoka. Opra ir ļoti daudz sasniegusi un daudz devusi citiem (pēc viņas vārdiem spriežot, es nesekoju līdzi šai slavenībai), tādā ziņā cepuri nost viņas priekšā.
Plašāk: https://gramatas.wordpress.com/2018/1...

[Reem Ghabbany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so enjoyed this! I didn't want it to end! I loved reading these articles. it was so refreshing and inspiring.

[Lau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bueno, este libro me tapó la boca.
No tenía demasiadas esperanzas de encontrar algo interesante, principalmente porque pertenece a dos géneros que muy pocas veces me gustan –autobiografía y autoayuda– pero me encontré sonriendo, pensando mucho con lo que dice, marcando frases como loca y hasta planeando conseguirlo en castellano para regalárselo a mi mamá.
Epa.

Conocia a Oprah principalmente a traves de series u otros programas de televisión norteamericanos donde la nombraban –siempre como una voz de sabiduría– pero nunca habia visto lo que hacía, ni sabía realmente por qué consiguió tanto prestigio y, lo que es aun mas importante, amor y respeto.
Ahora se que Oprah es una mujer que ha vivido una vida realmente dura que una vez que empezó a ganar notoriedad decidió usar su cámara para ayudar y hacer caridad, ademas de difundir mensajes de bondad y aceptación. Lindo uso de la tele, para mi gusto.
En este libro nos cuenta en forma de autobiografía desordenada algunas de las tragedias que vivió y cómo fue saliendo adelante pese a todo. No se presenta como una super mujer que todo lo puede, sino que muestra un lado vulnerable y humano que la vuelve querible y hace que realmente pienses que es posible salir de los peores atolladeros.

What I know for sure  esta formado por muy breves capítulos que cubren de forma concisa, pero no por eso menos efectiva, distintos momentos de la vida de Oprah y el aprendizaje que fue haciendo, muchas veces a los golpes y tras repetir demasiado tiempo el mismo error.
Es un libro muy humano realmente. Ella no se sube al pedestal del gurú que viene a impartir su sabiduria o a convencerte de que sigas sus iluminadas enseñanzas, sino que nos habla en el tono casual de una amiga que nos da consejos basados en lo que aprendió a partir de su experiencia. Ya sólo eso la vuelve mucho mas accesible y cercana, y al menos para mi gusto, hizo que sea muchísimo más fácil (y que genuinamente quiera) escuchar lo que tiene para decir.
Quizas el estilo descontracturado que acompaña todo el libro se deba a que muchos de los mini capítulos están basados en articulos que escribió a lo largo de los años para su revista, y creo que es por ese tono semi casual que no se siente que un verdadero libro de autoayuda.

Éste es un libro muy positivo que hace énfasis en cosas positivas, aún cuando cuenta anécdotas tristes. Muestra con una luz de esperanza creible y razonable que es posible estar mejor. Me da la sensacion de que es un libro bienintencionado que básicamente te esta diciendo no te rindas. No busca engañarte con un mensaje de iluminación mística sino simplemente dice que, aunque cueste, se puede salir adelante. Y estoy completamente de acuerdo.
Hace mucho énfasis en bajar un cambio y no tomar decisiones precipitadas si algo no nos convence, pero al mismo tiempo impulsa a hacer esos cambios sanos que muchas veces nuestra vida necesita.
Pero lo que realmente me gustó es que ella no dice una fórmula mágica de cómo lograr una vida mejor, sino que invita a pensar, sincerarse y ver cómo se puede mejorar una situación poco deseable. Quizás parte de la clave, eso sí lo dice, es no dejar pasar las oportunidades de felicidad, tengan la forma que tengan, y en no dejar de apreciar esas pequeñas cosas que nos dan pequeñas alegrías.

¿Lo recomiendo? Definitivamente. No se exacto a qué tipo de gente, pero quizás si están sintiéndose perdidos o les parece que la vida los está golpeando demasiado puede que algunas de las cosas que Oprah sabe con seguiridad les pueda aportar un poco de esperanza.
Lo que sé con seguridad es que yo lo leí en el momento justo, lo devoré y me hizo sentir mejor conmigo misma después.
Me desconozco, este libro de autoayuda sí que me gustó.

«Delight in goodness, kindness, compassion, love and see what happens. I dare you.»


Reseña de Libros junto al mar

[Monika · Rating 3 out of 5]

UPDATE: I contemplated about Oprah's book after reading a review of it and I have come to realise that I can not relate to a lot of things she said. It was because of the initial feel-good feeling that I thought I liked it, but it is a mediocre book in terms of its self-help part. In fact, a lot of self-help books, I feel, must be the same and hence, I am steering myself clear from its path.
•••••
What can I say about What I Know For Sure by Oprah Winfrey when it is dripping with perfection from all of its nooks and crannies? But I will have to say something about it, in a good way obviously, because I want people to read it. I want everybody to read it if they can read.

This book was recommended to me by my teacher whom I adore and whatever she recommends, I read it religiously. Till now, not a single book that she has recommended has had the opportunity to disappoint me. So, even though I was sceptical about picking up this book, thinking that I do not need a self-help book, I did and my goodness, what an absolutely amazing book this is!

What I Know For Sure is Oprah's way of telling the world what her life has taught her and what she knows for certain at the end of every day. Maya Angelou has had the responsibility of grooming her and she is one of those women I look upto (I need to read her remaining autobiographies soon). Life teaches us lessons sooner or later, but instead of learning it the hard way, Winfrey's experiences found a way to my heart and I am glad that I did not have to bear the unfortunate dearth of numbers in my lived experiences to learn everything that I did from this book. It does not happen often but I am in a serious lack of words to express myself. I just want you to know that this is a book that you will not regret reading. It has the potential to make us a better person and stand bravely in front of the rapidly changing world.

[Karen_RunwrightReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This small book is a compendium of truths that Oprah has learned from her own experiences. There were many sections I want to save and reread but I think the last entry sums up everything she wrote about earlier. Happiness is never something you get from other people. You lead life; it doesn't lead you. Be loving to yourself and others and see that love reciprocated. Today I try to do well and be well with everyone I encounter. Everything will be returned to me and the same is true for you.
What I Know For Sure would make a great gift for a young person trying to figure out their way in the world.

[SaRa Hajj · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give 4 stars because I expected more from Oprah, but this is a GREAT one trust me!
Very simple, and plenty with inspiring and motivational quotes. You can Open any chapter randomly and read it easily in 5 minutes and you will feel great afterward.
What a wise and strong woman is she! And for sure all this strength and wisdom did not come out of the blue! She is a reader, she is spiritual, she knows how to discover her strengths and weaknesses, and she admits her mistakes and try never to repeat them and most importantly she knows what is the psychological reason behind her mistakes.
" I know for sure: Your journey begins with a choice to get up, step out, and live fully."

[Draganf · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nemam pojma zašto sam uzeo ovo da čitam. Definitivno moram poraditi na samokontroli pri izboru knjiga, moram početi praviti neke sistematične liste za čitanje, šta znam.

Ništa lično, Opra, tebi svaka čast, al baš opra pričom o hrani, dijetama, kilogramima i sreća-je-svuda-oko-nas stavom.