Hatrack River Writers Workshop: The Demise of Oprah's Book Club

This is topic The Demise of Oprah's Book Club in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by Liza (Member # 1123) on :

Oh No! American readers are set adrift! Oprah decided it was too difficult to find good books every month for all of us to read! What will we do?

I think she means she has run out of ultra-depressing books about women who have survived a variety of abusive situations in order to have a really unhappy life in the end.
Sarcasm aside, my question is this, and I have read and enjoyed many a "book club pick," don't get me wrong: Why are we Americans so impressed by the literary choices of a wealthy entertainer? I know Oprah has supposedly done great things by getting more Americans to read, but who the heck is she to say? And why did no one question the fact that every Oprah pick was basically the same depressing but well written story?
If anyone has a thought on this, I would love to hear it.
Liz

Posted by PaganQuaker (Member # 1205) on :

I've literally never watched Oprah's television show, but I have read several of the book club picks. I know this is a boring answer, but my sense of why this book club was so popular is that she picked some really outstanding books. As you point out, they were in a pretty narrow range, but how often do you come across a reliable referrer of really outstanding books?

Luc

Posted by srhowen (Member # 462) on :

Why do we buy shoes advertised by sports stars?

I think that says it right there. We are consumers and we want to be like the people we idolize. I don't watch TV--very little--no cable, no local even. Movies sometimes, but I do read alot. She picked some good books. Plain and simple. Even if they were about depressing situations and outcomes.

Shawn

Posted by Liza (Member # 1123) on :

As you point out, they were in a pretty narrow range, but how often do you come across a reliable referrer of really outstanding books?

My answer to this is, for one, the review section of a newspaper. There are many other sources.

I understand that we want to idolize our TV and movie stars, but I think she could have broadened her range a bit more, knowing this power she has. Perhaps she might have picked a fantasy novel, or a mystery. I don't know, it just got on my nerves when she said it was too hard to pick good books anymore.
Liz

Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :

I only ever read one Oprah Book Club Book...okay, I don't know if it was actually a Book Club book, but she endorsed it...and I didn't actually read it, since it was a "fitness" book...where was I?

Oh right, well I only read her intro and the author's comments about Oprah, because that was the only part I found interesting, but I didn't think it was depressing at all.