Task #13: An Oprah Book Club selection

[Jen]

I listened to The Underground Railroad. It was great on audio.

[Sara G.]

Night by Elie Wiesel is one I've been wanting to read for a long, long time.

[Elizabeth]

I'm most likely going to do one of the Toni Morrison picks since I need to read more of her stuff (and haven't read Sula or Song of Solomon despite having picked up copies of both at Goodwill). That said, there's a couple others I may get to first. Haven't decided fully yet. There are so many good things to choose from that I haven't read yet, it's a little overwhelming.

[Theresa]

Has anyone looked at the New York Public Library's suggestions for this prompt? (https://www.nypl.org/blog/2017/12/29/...) I don't think any of them are actual Oprah's Book Club selections.

[Erika]

Theresa wrote: "Has anyone looked at the New York Public Library's suggestions for this prompt? (https://www.nypl.org/blog/2017/12/29/...) I don't think any of them are actual Oprah's Book Club select..."

Yeah I wasn't able to find any of them on the official printable list (which is searchable since it's a PDF)

[Theresa]

Erika wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Has anyone looked at the New York Public Library's suggestions for this prompt? (https://www.nypl.org/blog/2017/12/29/...) I don't think any of them are actual Oprah's ..."

Thank you for confirming. I also used the "complete list" PDF as my source & thought I must be going crazy. :)

[Bonnie G.]

Theresa wrote: "Erika wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Has anyone looked at the New York Public Library's suggestions for this prompt? (https://www.nypl.org/blog/2017/12/29/...) I don't think any of them are a..."

Ditto, that was so weird.

[Rainey]

Bonnie wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Erika wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Has anyone looked at the New York Public Library's suggestions for this prompt? (https://www.nypl.org/blog/2017/12/29/...) I don't think a..."

Agree. These were recommended reading by the Oprah website but not bookclub book picks.

Wonder how they blew it. Maybe someone too young to know what the actual book club was curated this one lol

[Rainey]

I did an online chat with the NY Public Library to let them know that they had it wrong. They were going to let readers advisory know it was wrong to get it updated.

Update: The site has been updated accordingly.

[Christopher]

Looking at Oprah's Book Club list, I saw the A Tale of Two Cities / Great Expectations combo book. I don't have this book, but I do have A Tale of Two Cities. Would this count?

[Rainey]

Christopher wrote: "Looking at Oprah's Book Club list, I saw the A Tale of Two Cities / Great Expectations combo book. I don't have this book, but I do have A Tale of Two Cities. Would this ..."

Yes. Her bookclub did both books so you are fine

[Theresa]

Rainey wrote: "I did an online chat with the NY Public Library to let them know that they had it wrong. They were going to let readers advisory know it was wrong to get it updated.

Update: The site has been upda..."

That's awesome! Thank you!

[Chris]

I'd been looking for an excuse to read Freedom by Jonathan Franzen for about five years. Everyone in the book is horrible to each other, and there's nothing outstandingly redeeming about the story. I'm genuinely curious as to how this became an Oprah Book Club selection.

[Mandie]

It'll either be The Deep End of the Ocean or Tara Road for me.

[Erin]

And they're almost always at the library!

[Beth]

I read The Underground Railroad for this one. It was a pretty good read.

[Dominique]

I haven't seen anyone giving The Reader any love so I guess it will have to be me.
I had no idea what to expect when I listened to it a few years ago, just sort of chose it at random at the library. Loved it. Here's to spontaneous reading! It's a rather quick read (or listen as the case may be) with a lot of morally ambiguous questions for the reader to mull over. I also highly recommend the audiobook read by Campbell Scott (that voice, mmm!)

[Amanda]

There is one from the 90s that I've had on my tbr list for a while, so now must be the time! Fall on Your Knees

[Bonnie G.]

Amanda wrote: "There is one from the 90s that I've had on my tbr list for a while, so now must be the time! Fall on Your Knees"

I really loved this book. It was a surprise read for me, I found it at a library book sale and it was blurbed by Alice Munroe (whose writing I love) and I was so glad I picked it up.

[Shanika]

Dominique I didnt read the book, but I enjoyed the movie!

[willaful]

If anyone wants something on the lighter side, try Open House by Elizabeth Berg.

I've been contemplating rereading Cry the Beloved Country, which I read when I was a teen and found very compelling.

[Amanda]

I really loved this book. It was a surprise read for me, I found it at a library book sale and it was blurbed by Alice Munroe (whose writing I love) and I was so glad I picked it up.

Thanks for the confirmation, I think I'm definitely going with this one (Fall on Your Knees). I want to read more 90s lit anyway!

[Tori]

Currently reading Ruby by Cynthia Bond and am gobsmacked. An amazing pick if you are still wondering what to go for.

Somewhere between magical realism, historical fiction, and just straight up tragedy. I am only about 100 pages in but my life is pretty much on hold until the end!

[Kristin]

Planning on The Heart of a Woman, which I think can double dip for a celebrity memoir. I've somehow never read anything by Angelou.

[Rainey]

A new Oprah Book Club Pick has been announced -An American Marriage

[Bonnie G.]

Rainey wrote: "A new Oprah Book Club Pick has been announced -An American Marriage"

Ahh! I have the ARC sitting on my shelf! Thanks.

[Candace]

Rainey wrote: "A new Oprah Book Club Pick has been announced -An American Marriage" And this is exactly what I'm reading, because none of the other books were really speaking to me.

[Rainey]

Candace wrote: "Rainey wrote: "A new Oprah Book Club Pick has been announced -An American Marriage" And this is exactly what I'm reading, because none of the other books were really speaking to me."

It sounds really interesting.

[[deleted user]]

I'm slightly concerned because this post on the Book Riot website seems to acknowledge only books from the first iteration of the book club, when it was part of the TV show, and not the books picked after it relaunched as part of the magazine and website. The two I'm considering, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail and The Underground Railroad, are both from the second version of the book club. I hope this is an oversight?

https://bookriot.com/2018/02/04/read-...

[Rainey]

I cant see why you cant do books from the online club. That will be my choice - the new one An American Marriage.

[Rainey]

Maggie wrote: "I'm slightly concerned because this post on the Book Riot website seems to acknowledge only books from the first iteration of the book club, when it was part of the TV show, and not the books picke..."

I sent bookriot an email and they confirmed that her online bookclub counts as well.

[Michelle]

I really kind of hate "personal journey" books. Are there any of these that have more of plot than a journey?

[Rainey]

Michelle wrote: "I really kind of hate "personal journey" books. Are there any of these that have more of plot than a journey?"

What about her new one An American Marriage?

[Rainey]

Message #27 -Posted by Rachel from bookriot further up the thread

The complete list is here: https://static.oprah.com/images/o2/20...

[Bonnie G.]

Michelle wrote: "I really kind of hate "personal journey" books. Are there any of these that have more of plot than a journey?"

There are not really very many personal journey books on the list, but maybe you define that differently than I. I don't read those books, and though I am apparently the only person on earth who has seen only one episode of Oprah (as part of a training) it turns out I have read many of the Oprah Book Club books. Off the top of my head I would recommend House of Sand and Fog, The Corrections, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, The Sound and the Fury, Middlesex, East of Eden, The Road

[Michelle]

Thank you Rainey and Bonnie! Hopefully one of those will sound interesting to me.

[Inez]

Just to add to what the others have said, I've just started A Fine Balance for this challenge which is definitely a plot driven novel. Really enjoying it so far and it has a really good review score on Goodreads.

[Carolina]

Rainey wrote: "Maggie wrote: "I'm slightly concerned because this post on the Book Riot website seems to acknowledge only books from the first iteration of the book club, when it was part of the TV show, and not ..."

Does that mean that any book mentioned on the website is suitable?
If so I think I'll read The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

[Rainey]

Carolina wrote: "Rainey wrote: "Maggie wrote: "I'm slightly concerned because this post on the Book Riot website seems to acknowledge only books from the first iteration of the book club, when it was part of the TV..Does that mean that any book mentioned on the website is suitable?
If so I think I'll read The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. ."

No The Hate You give would not count.

Its only books that are Oprah book club picks - It was clarified - see message #27 - link to all the books that are Oprah book club picks below:

https://static.oprah.com/images/o2/20...

[Rainey]

Kristi wrote: "Was The Hate U Give an Oprah Book Club selection? I see it was on the "O, The Oprah Magazine" best of 2017 list... Does that count? It's been on my TBR for quite a while now."

It wouldn't count. Only book club picks (both old book club or online book club - not recommended books from the Oprah web site count.

this is the list:

https://static.oprah.com/images/o2/20...

[Riah]

I read Behold the Dreamers and thought it was ok. I wish the story didn't center on the husband/white family dynamic quite as much and that the wife and their African community had gotten more time.

[Teresa]

I read Tara Road. It was good.

[Ann]

Today I finished by Barbara Kingsolver.

[Ann]

Naitasia wrote: "Has anyone successfully found a book from Oprah's Book Club that can cover more than one category in the Read Harder Challenge?"

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver fits this and the book of colonial or postcolonial literature (#9) tasks in the Read Harder Challenge.

[Bonnie G.]

Just starting An American Marriage and so far so good!

[Sonia]

I just downloaded the audio version of Behold the Dreamers to listen to for this task.

[Erophilie]

I'm not feeling up to anything too serious for this task, and a lot of the selections seem super depressing.
I've already read Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail and both Gabriel Garcia Marquez picks, and I've repeatedly abandoned The Road.
Any (light hearted) suggestions? All help appreciated.

[Rainey]

Erophilie wrote: "I'm not feeling up to anything too serious for this task, and a lot of the selections seem super depressing.
I've already read Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail an..."

I hear you on the depressing book selections. I stopped reading them for the longest time because of that.

This is one of my favourites: She's Come Undone.

Anna Karenina (the audio version with Maggie Gyllenhaal has great reviews),

A Million Little Pieces - The author lied/exaggerated about some of the details in the book but if you read it like fiction it is very well done.

The Pillars of the Earth also good but really really long and has 2 other really really long books in the series.

Also her new pick An American Marriage doesn't look to be depressing.

[Lauconn]

Erophilie wrote: "I'm not feeling up to anything too serious for this task, and a lot of the selections seem super depressing.
I've already read Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail an..."

Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende isn't super depressing (although I wouldn't call it light-hearted, exactly), and is really wonderful. I've heard good things about Love Warrior, although it's not really my jam, so I can't give first-hand info.

[Bonnie G.]

Rainey wrote: "Erophilie wrote: "I'm not feeling up to anything too serious for this task, and a lot of the selections seem super depressing.
I've already read [book:Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest ..."

Good suggestions Rainey! I really liked both She's Come Undone and An American Marriage. I would add Middlesex, The Heart of a Woman, Great Expectations, What Looks Like Crazy on and Ordinary Day, and Freedom