Oprah Winfrey

95 Oprah Winfrey Recommended Books

Oprah Winfrey is a media mogul, actress, producer, and philanthropist. She has been credited with creating a more intimate and confessional form of media communication. She has inspired millions with her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and has been a strong advocate for education and social justice. Her work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Cecil B.

95 Books recommended by Oprah Winfrey

The Twelve Tribes of Hattie

The Twelve Tribes of Hattie

Author :Ayana Mathis

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"So astonishing, it left me speechless." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

As I Lay Dying

As I Lay Dying

The Corrected Text

Author :William Faulkner

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

A Million Little Pieces

A Million Little Pieces

Author :James Frey

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

The Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad

A Novel

Author :Colson Whitehead

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"Every now and then a book comes along that reaches the marrow of your bones, settles in, and stays forever. This is one." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Deacon King Kong

Deacon King Kong

A Novel

Author :James McBride

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"Reminds us that when we come together as a community in compassion and empathy, our love triumphs." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Paradise

Paradise

Author :Toni Morrison

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"Worth waiting for." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

The Treasure Hunt

The Treasure Hunt

Author :Bill Cosby

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

Drowning Ruth

Drowning Ruth

A Novel

Author :Christina Schwarz

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"It will drive you crazy with suspense. I loved it, loved it, loved it; I stayed up all night reading it." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

The Sun Does Shine

The Sun Does Shine

How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row

Author :Anthony Ray Hinton

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"Reads like an epic novel. And it is all true!" - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Fall On Your Knees

Fall On Your Knees

Author :Ann-Marie MacDonald

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"What a wild ride. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Mother of Pearl

Mother of Pearl

Author :Melinda Haynes

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"That, my dear, is called reading." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Middlesex

Middlesex

A Novel

Author :Jeffrey Eugenides

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"I promise it will grab you from the first sentence." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

The Corrections

The Corrections

A Novel

Author :Jonathan Franzen

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"A grandly entertaining novel for the new century." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

A Tale of Two Cities

A Tale of Two Cities

Author :Charles Dickens

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"Such a beautiful book. I love this book." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

While I Was Gone

While I Was Gone

Author :Sue Miller

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

Where the Heart Is

Where the Heart Is

Author :Billie Letts

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

Songs in Ordinary Time

Songs in Ordinary Time

A Novel

Author :Mary McGarry Morris

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

East of Eden

East of Eden

Author :John Steinbeck

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"So rich and full of drama you won't be able to turn the pages fast enough!" - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

The Book of Ruth

The Book of Ruth

Author :Jane Hamilton

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

Behold the Dreamers

Behold the Dreamers

A Novel

Author :Imbolo Mbue

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"About race and class, the economy, culture, immigration and the danger of the us-versus-them mentality." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Here on Earth

Here on Earth

Author :Alice Hoffman

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

If at Birth You Don't Succeed

If at Birth You Don't Succeed

My Adventures with Disaster and Destiny

Author :Zach Anner

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"[The author] makes you want to be a better person, with his humor and his heart and everything he's had to deal with from the time he was born." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Caste

Caste

The Origins of Our Discontents

Author :Isabel Wilkerson

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"Shows us how to rebuild a world in which all are truly equal and free." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

American Dirt

American Dirt

Author :Jeanine Cummins

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"Changed the way I see what it means to be a migrant in a whole new way." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Stones from the River

Stones from the River

Burgdorf Cycle Book 1

Author :Ursula Hegi

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

Sula

Sula

Author :Toni Morrison

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"There would have been no Oprah's Book Club if this woman had chosen not to share her love of words with the world." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

A Fine Balance

A Fine Balance

Author :Rohinton Mistry

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"I've never encountered pages that took me so far, and removed me from my own way of life and way of thinking the way [this book] did." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Cry, the Beloved Country

Cry, the Beloved Country

Author :Alan Paton

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"Captures the very essence of South Africa in transition from a rural, tribal nation of spiritual heritage to a modern country of big cities, violence and upheaval." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

The Deep End of the Ocean

The Deep End of the Ocean

A Novel

Author :Jacquelyn Mitchard

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"An intense tale that really is a mother's worst nightmare." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter

Author :Carson McCullers

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"The book I love so much—recommended to me by Julia [Roberts]." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Jewel

Jewel

Author :Bret Lott

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

Wild

Wild

From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

Author :Cheryl Strayed

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"About the difference between deciding to do something and really having to do it." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Light in August

Light in August

Author :William Faulkner

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

The Heart of a Woman

The Heart of a Woman

Author :Maya Angelou

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

We Were the Mulvaneys

We Were the Mulvaneys

Author :Joyce Carol Oates

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"I read this book over a year ago, but this family still haunts me." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

The Good Earth

The Good Earth

House Of Earth, Book 1

Author :Pearl S. Buck

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"[The author's words] evoke the simple beauty of the characters and the harsh mystery of China's ancient culture." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Olive, Again

Olive, Again

A Novel

Author :Elizabeth Strout

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"I fell in love with Olive not despite her flaws, but because of them." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

A Map of the World

A Map of the World

A Novel

Author :Jane Hamilton

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

Black and Blue

Black and Blue

A Novel

Author :Anna Quindlen

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

The Meanest Thing To Say

The Meanest Thing To Say

Author :Bill Cosby

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

Becoming

Becoming

Author :Michelle Obama

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"I want the whole world to read this book." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Lean In

Lean In

Women, Work, and the Will to Lead

Author :Sheryl Sandberg

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"Honest and brave... The new manifesto for women in the workplace." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

A New Earth

A New Earth

Awakening to Your Life's Purpose

Author :Eckhart Tolle

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"One of the most important books of our time." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Night

Night

Author :Elie Wiesel

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"Required reading for all of humanity." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

One Hundred Years of Solitude

One Hundred Years of Solitude

Author :Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"As steamy, dense and sensual as the jungle that surrounds the surreal town of Macondo!" - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Daughter of Fortune

Daughter of Fortune

Daughter Of Fortune, Book 1

Author :Isabel Allende

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

An American Marriage

An American Marriage

A Novel

Author :Tayari Jones

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"The perfect book to read along with a friend or family member." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

The Untethered Soul

The Untethered Soul

The Journey Beyond Yourself

Author :Michael A. Singer

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"One of my new favorite books." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Strength in Stillness

Strength in Stillness

The Power of Transcendental Meditation

Author :Bob Roth

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"I am one-thousand percent better when I do it. Meditation Bob: He’s got it!" - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

The Poisonwood Bible

The Poisonwood Bible

A Novel

Author :Barbara Kingsolver

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

The Reader

The Reader

Author :Bernhard Schlink

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

Love in the Time of Cholera

Love in the Time of Cholera

Author :Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"One of the greatest love stories I have ever read." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

The Water Dancer

The Water Dancer

A Novel

Author :Ta-Nehisi Coates

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"I knew early on the book was going to cut me up. I ended up with my soul pierced." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

A Virtuous Woman

A Virtuous Woman

A Novel

Author :Kaye Gibbons

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

The Sound and the Fury

The Sound and the Fury

Author :William Faulkner

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

Ellen Foster

Ellen Foster

Author :Kaye Gibbons

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

Tara Road

Tara Road

A Novel

Author :Maeve Binchy

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

Midwives

Midwives

A Novel

Author :Chris Bohjalian

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

The Road

The Road

Author :Cormac McCarthy

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"Unlike any book I have chosen." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

She's Come Undone

She's Come Undone

Author :Wally Lamb

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

Say You're One of Them

Say You're One of Them

Author :Uwem Akpan

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"Masterfully both captures the innocence and the horror of the unimaginable events these children witness." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Song of Solomon

Song of Solomon

Author :Toni Morrison

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"Fills me with admiration and awe." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Love Warrior

Love Warrior

A Memoir

Author :Glennon Doyle

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"I read it as a testament to the power of vulnerability." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Great Expectations

Great Expectations

Author :Charles Dickens

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"You get something new every time." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

The Measure of a Man

The Measure of a Man

A Spiritual Autobiography

Author :Sidney Poitier

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"A beautifully crafted book, written like poetry." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Cane River

Cane River

Author :Lalita Tademy

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"[Opens] the door for a lot of people who want to trace their own roots or look at what their heritage, what that legacy has meant for them." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

White Oleander

White Oleander

Author :Janet Fitch

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"Page after page, I fell in love with a story that deeply moved me." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

The Best Way to Play

The Best Way to Play

Author :Bill Cosby

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

I Know This Much Is True

I Know This Much Is True

A Novel

Author :Wally Lamb

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"It’s not just a book, it’s a life experience." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Breath, Eyes, Memory

Breath, Eyes, Memory

Author :Edwidge Danticat

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

The Pillars of the Earth

The Pillars of the Earth

Kingsbridge, Book 1

Author :Ken Follett

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"Nobody who reads it—looks at a church or a cathedral the same." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

The Bluest Eye

The Bluest Eye

Author :Toni Morrison

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"One of the things [the author is] able to do in this book is [to let] people know that they are not alone." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Vinegar Hill

Vinegar Hill

Author :A. Manette Ansay

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

A Lesson Before Dying

A Lesson Before Dying

Author :Ernest J. Gaines

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

The Invention of Wings

The Invention of Wings

A Novel

Author :Sue Monk Kidd

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"It is impossible to read this book and not come away thinking differently about our status as women." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Back Roads

Back Roads

Author :Tawni O'Dell

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"Raw." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Gap Creek

Gap Creek

A Novel

Author :Robert Morgan

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

What Looks Like Crazy On an Ordinary Day

What Looks Like Crazy On an Ordinary Day

Idlewild Book 1

Author :Pearl Cleage

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

Icy Sparks

Icy Sparks

Author :Gwyn Hyman Rubio

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

A Novel

Author :David Wroblewski

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"I think that this is right up there with the greatest American novels ever written." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

The Pilot's Wife

The Pilot's Wife

A Novel

Author :Anita Shreve

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

Stolen Lives

Stolen Lives

Twenty Years in a Desert Jail

Author :Malika Oufkir

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"People read [this book] and they are changed by it—enlightened by it—opened up by it." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird, Book 1

Author :Harper Lee

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"I remember starting it and just devouring it, not being able to get enough of it, because I fell in love with Scout." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

River, Cross My Heart

River, Cross My Heart

A Novel

Author :Breena Clarke

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

Hidden Valley Road

Hidden Valley Road

Inside the Mind of an American Family

Author :Robert Kolker

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"A riveting true story of an American family that reads like a medical detective journey." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Freedom

Freedom

A Novel

Author :Jonathan Franzen

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"It’s got everything—sex and love, even rock n’ roll, and everything you want in a book." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Open House

Open House

A Novel

Author :Elizabeth Berg

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

Ruby

Ruby

A Novel

Author :Cynthia Bond

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

"I have never been more excited about a find." - Oprah Winfrey [Source]

Rapture of Canaan

Rapture of Canaan

Author :Sheri Reynolds

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

House of Sand and Fog

House of Sand and Fog

A Novel

Author :Andre Dubus III

Oprah Winfrey- Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey recommended this book in "Oprah's Book Club." [Source]

FAQs

Q1: What books have been recommended by Oprah Winfrey?

Oprah Winfrey has recommended a wide variety of books over the years, but some of the more well-known titles include The Color Purple by Alice Walker, Wild by Cheryl Strayed, Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, and The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead.

Oprah is a voracious reader and has a long career in media and entertainment. She often shares her recommendations with her fans via social media and her magazine, O Magazine. Additionally, she may hear about books from other authors, booksellers, or find them on bestseller lists.

Oprah loves books that tell powerful stories and that evoke strong emotions. She often has a preference for books that reflect her own values and beliefs. Additionally, she tends to recommend books that explore themes of resilience, redemption, perseverance, and joy.

Oprah has consistently recommended books by Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, Zadie Smith, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Louise Erdrich. Additionally, she has a strong affinity for books of poetry and short stories.

Yes! Oprah has two other resources for book recommendations—Oprah's Book Club and Oprah's Reading List. Through her online book club, she has selected more than 80 titles since 1996 and maintains an extensive archive of recommendations for her fans. Oprah’s Reading List also offers custom recommendations and exclusive interviews with authors.