Book Haven discussion
Dead Discussions
>
The Oprah Effect
date
newest »
newest »
I watch the Oprah show. I almost never - possibly just never - read her book club books. I've tried once or twice. We don't have similar tastes, even in serious books.She tried to stop picking books at one point. Her fans beat on her until she started again. Yes, she can take a book that had fallen through the cracks and make it a best seller overnight. People with similar tastes will go out and buy that book. People like me will probably try one or two.
I don't see anything evil about that. One of the reasons I came to this web site was to find books based on other people's suggestions.
Oh no Starling I was teasing =D. People have called Oprah a "religion" b/c she has so many fans. Its crazy. I tried reading 1 book b/c I saw it on her show, then on sale. I didn't like it so I don't go out of my way reading her picks either. Though I am reading/liking A New Earth Awakening to Your Life's Purpose b/c I saw it on her show.
I like her shows and the messages in them.
I
I've never been particularly interested in the books she chooses, but I think she can be pretty self-righteous on that show.
Oh, I agree about the self-righteous stuff, but I take it all with a grain of salt. I'm also old enough to remember her backing off on the really ugly stuff that a lot of talk show hosts were doing 10-15 years ago. She did some of that too, someone died as a result of someone else's show, and she backed out of that whole thing. Decided that if she couldn't stay on the air without that, it was OK. I give her points for that.There are times when I want to take the "experts" she "surrounds" herself with and shake them, however, and some of that time it is because why isn't she DOING what they suggest, and some of the time it is because SHE IS DOING what they suggest.
Couldn't get into A New Earth, myself. Don't know if it is me or the book.
I have some books she's recommended and I've bought some based on her recommendation as well as the popularity of the book. She certainly has a guru quality about her.
Mod
Yeah, I haven't watched Oprah since about 5th grade. I think I've read a book or two that was on her book club list but that was because it was something I was already planning on reading. I really don't need the Oprah book club sticker emblazoned on the cover of my books. Let's all rebel against her! ;oP
I can't say I'm fond of Opera...some of the books she recommends are pretty good but other then that I don't care for her to much. But I don't try the books just because she says it's good.Just one of those people I don't have a reason for being irritated by. I love her holiday shows though.
in some respects it can seem unfair at the amount of attention she can garner for a single book or author merely by mentioning the name on her show. And it's crazy - people jump on the bandwagon without a second thought. I'm sure there are tons of other more deserving books out there that just haven't had that chance. Having said that, she *seems* to be extremely well-read (see http://www.infloox.com/person?id=6486...) from the classics to modern titles. However, I really wonder how many of the books that appear on her show are just fed to her by producers or other corporate ppl, and how many she has genuinely picked up in a bookstore and loved before giving it so much praise on-air.
Yeah. I wondered that. If she really reads these or if she gushes over the books b/c the people are sometimes on her show. I know I have time to read at my leisure and I think to myself, "Does Oprah really have time to do this for every book?" Hehe. Otherwise I haven't questioned her motives about why she has certain topics. Of all other talk shows I like Oprah overall.
at least I got ONE good book recommendation from her show - actually it wasn't even her show, it was from her website. But I digress... the book I'm talking about was "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. Earlier, I sort of had it pegged as a sappy, woeful, "feel sorry for yourself" type of book, but after all the hype and recommendations from others, I finally gave it a try. Glad I did too, because it turned out to be really insightful and inspirational!
Yesterday she had an author on the show and she was holding his book. It had post-it flags hanging off the edge. I think she does a LOT of reading. And I think she is one of those readers who marks books up and flags them if she is going to interview.She, after all, started out as a journalist. She was put into a morning talk show basically with the intent of killing her career.
Kenjii wrote: "Do you read the Oprah Book Club? Do you watch her "favorites" show and think "yeah! that is a great product!" Do you cry when watching her show? Is she the Anti-Christ?I read the first couple of Oprah's book club selections when she started the club. They were not my cup of tea. I don't really watch her anymore, but one of the reasons I stopped watching her is because I noticed a personal agenda developing that did not make me comfortable. I do not think she is the Anti-Christ, but I think she has fallen for her own power to lead.
I have only watched her later shows. I don't know what to think about her as far as a comparison from then and now other than to say she's made a success of herself like I have never seen for a lot of other talk show hosts.
I've been watching Oprah for awhile. I really like her shows because a lot of times they can be very informative. If I see something of interest I'm bound to do my own research on it. I agree though that there is a bit of a cult status with her show, which I don't particularly agree with. Just because she has "experts" on her show doesn't mean people should automatically follow their advice. As for her bookclub I'm glad that she has gotten people into reading even if they're doing it to be like Oprah. Sometimes picking up one book can lead to another.
I have tried one or two of her book club books and I couldn't get into them.
I don't follow Oprah's recommendations for anything. I have read (I think) three books that have been her bookclub selections. I did not read them because of that ... at least one I read before she chose it (I Know This Much Is True), the second I read because it was by the same author (She's Come Undone), which I did not like at all. The third I read because my mother saw it as an Oprah Book Club choice and wanted it, but I didn't enjoy it at all.
I've read a few Oprah book, mostly by coincidence. It's also good to remember that with current books she never seems to choose current books without an agreement with the author to appear, which is great, but it might also limit her choices. (It also makes a get like Cormac McCarthy's The Road an extremely remarkable selection.)
Whatever you think of Oprah's power (good, evil, indifferent) anyone who has her platform and exposes people to Tolstoy, Cormac McCarthy, and Toni Morrison, who might never read them isn't all bad.
Personally I think her selection have been a mixed bag -- like all book groups --- cause Tolstoy's totally the weak link the chain there.
Kidding.
While I commend her book club for getting great numbers of people to read some really great books sometimes I think it dissuades those who already loved to read from picking up the same book. I always avoid buying editions of books that say anything about Oprah's book club because I don't want people thinking, one I can't pick out a good book for myself I need Oprah's help and two that the only reason I'm reading it is because it's on her list.
Lisa Anne, oh dear! Personally I don't see the difference between picking up a book that Oprah suggested and picking up a book that Lisa Anne suggested. One of the reasons I'm on GoodReads is that I've found a whole bunch of new books to read and new authors to look at that I would never have found on my own.
Starling wrote: "Lisa Anne, oh dear! Personally I don't see the difference between picking up a book that Oprah suggested and picking up a book that Lisa Anne suggested. One of the reasons I'm on GoodReads is tha..."
Haha, true. I guess I feel that Oprah's is more than a suggestion though and it's a following the masses kind of thing sometimes. I've met so many people who take pride in never having picked up an Oprah Book Club pick, which is a shame because I don't always agree with the woman, but there have been some great books on the list.
I agree with Lisa Anne. I have never read an Oprah book for pretty much the same reasons!
I will say though that my kindergarten teacher was in the audience for the xmas giveaway episode and she was definitely a woman who deserved it. :)
Book Haven
Books mentioned in this topic
She’s Come Undone (other topics)I Know This Much Is True (other topics)
A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose (other topics)
Two things brought about this topic for me. Seeing an article about the power Oprah as a brand is and watching her show and seeing grown men tear up on her stage. Thoughts?