Do you read or avoid books recommended by Oprah Winfrey?

Nate the great · 12-24-2008, 11:15 PM

As you may know, talk show host Oprah Winfrey has a book club. She is widely credited with the ability to convince her audience to buy any book she recommends. She's even the likely cause of the Kindle being sold out over Christmas.

There is also a group of readers who specifically avoid any book she recommends. Me, for instance. I thought it would be interesting to find out what everyone thinks: whether you have a positive, negative, or ambivalent response to her.

soilwork · 12-24-2008, 11:24 PM

I guess you can add another option such as 'I read books interesting to me regardless of whether Oprah recommended or not'

Dave Berk · 12-24-2008, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soilwork

I guess you can add another option such as 'I read books interesting to me regardless of whether Oprah recommended or not'

You have my vote

.

Nate the great · 12-24-2008, 11:32 PM

poll option added

Kris777 · 12-24-2008, 11:48 PM

It is interesting if she recommended Sony reader sony will be discontinued before Xmas too?

delphidb96 · 12-25-2008, 01:33 AM

Really! All anyone has to do is state that Oprah categorically recommends a book - I'm hurling my cookies within minutes of hearing that statement. In my not so humble opinion, Oprah Whine-ful has single-handedly set back the cause of reading by 1,000 years.

Derek

Jellby · 12-25-2008, 04:12 AM

I voted for "Who is Oprah Winfrey?", although I must confess I more or less know who she is, I've been hearing her mentioned in TV shows and commedies for some years, but you must understand that here in Spain she's not relevant at all

nohmi2 · 12-25-2008, 04:17 AM

What on earth convinced Oprah that she had great taste in books mystifies me.
Whatever the price of a book was before it debuts on Oprah's show, it's a safe bet that it will increase after she has gushed about it.
I should imagine that there are a lot of authors who give a little prayer for "O Pray" to give it an airing.

JSWolf · 12-25-2008, 05:05 AM

I do tend to avoid books Oprah has recommended. There are too many other books to read anyway. So it's no loss to not read what she says is good.

HarryT · 12-25-2008, 05:14 AM

I am unfamiliar with the lady (other than the knowledge that she is an American "chat show" hostess), but I would say that if she gets a lot of people to read books who would otherwise not have done so, that can only be a good thing, regardless of her taste in books.

JSWolf · 12-25-2008, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I am unfamiliar with the lady (other than the knowledge that she is an American "chat show" hostess), but I would say that if she gets a lot of people to read books who would otherwise not have done so, that can only be a good thing, regardless of her taste in books.

Most of the people (lemmings) who read what she recommends already read. What's happening is that they are then reading what she recommends which is not always (IMHO) worth reading.

lilac_jive · 12-25-2008, 09:39 AM

I really can't do it. Actually I tend to steer clear of anything with some kind of "Such and Such Recommends" unless it sounds interesting. But considering I have so much to read, I doubt I'm missing much.

rhadin · 12-25-2008, 10:56 AM

I don't pay any attention to Oprah -- in fact, I've never seen her show (of course, her show would be very low on my list to consume the hour of TV a year I watch) -- but I view her recommendations like I view the recommendations of the book reviewers whose columns I read: if the book appears to be interesting, I'll read it; otherwise, I ignore it. In Oprah's case I can't say that I have ever read any of the "modern" novels she has recommended. I rarely read nonfiction, with the exception of SciFi/Fantasy and some of the "classics"; most of my reading is nonfiction.

Here is something to think about -- at least those of us who read nonfiction and are in our downside of the life cycle: Why read to expand our knowledge when soon it won't make any difference what we know or don't know?

ShortNCuddlyAm · 12-25-2008, 11:08 AM

I voted for "Who is Oprah?" - I know of her, sort of - I know she's an American chat show host, and I suppose the UK equivilent would be Richard and Judy (who are also chat show hosts and run a book club). I picked that option rather than the "I read books interesting to me regardless of whether Oprah recommended or not" because, to me, that would imply I at least pay some attention to what she recommends, and I can honestly say I haven't got the foggiests. Same with Richard and Judy - although I was horrifed once in WH Smiths to find out I had spent enough, according to the till display, to get myself a free Richard and Judy - pointed this out to the very fed up seeming shop assistant and had him doubled up with laughter. We both knew it meant book, of course, but the idea of getting a free chat show hosting couple was rather absurd.

ficbot · 12-25-2008, 11:14 AM

I don't understand people categorically avoiding these books just because she recommends them. Some of these books were written long before Oprah got to them. I remember two Canadian authors (Anne-Marie McDonald and Rohinton Mistry) who were quite popular already here in Canada for years before Oprah found them. To say 'I avoid Toni Morrison because Oprah recommended her' is silly---Toni Morrison is a Nobel prize winner and was famous long before Oprah got to her, just as Anne-Marie McDonald was read in university literature classes in Canada for a good couple years before Oprah read her book.

View Poll Results: Do you read or avoid books recommended by Oprah Winfrey?
I avoid the book specifically based on her recommendation.	38	24.36%
I read the book specifically based on her recommendation.	3	1.92%
Who is Oprah Winfrey?	19	12.18%
I read books interesting to me regardless of whether Oprah recommended or not	96	61.54%
Voters: 156. You may not vote on this poll

12-24-2008, 11:15 PM	#1
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	Do you read or avoid books recommended by Oprah Winfrey? As you may know, talk show host Oprah Winfrey has a book club. She is widely credited with the ability to convince her audience to buy any book she recommends. She's even the likely cause of the Kindle being sold out over Christmas. There is also a group of readers who specifically avoid any book she recommends. Me, for instance. I thought it would be interesting to find out what everyone thinks: whether you have a positive, negative, or ambivalent response to her.

12-25-2008, 01:33 AM	#6
delphidb96 Wizard Posts: 2,999 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Citrus Heights, California Device: TWO Kindle 2s, one each Bookeen Cybook Gen3, Sony PRS-500, Axim X51V	I'd rather gnaw off my leg-with the use of anesthesia! Really! All anyone has to do is state that Oprah categorically recommends a book - I'm hurling my cookies within minutes of hearing that statement. In my not so humble opinion, Oprah Whine-ful has single-handedly set back the cause of reading by 1,000 years. Derek

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12-24-2008, 11:24 PM	#2
soilwork useR! Posts: 299 Karma: 651 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NY Device: Onyx Boox Max 2, Kobo Libra H2O, iRiver Story HD	I guess you can add another option such as 'I read books interesting to me regardless of whether Oprah recommended or not'

12-24-2008, 11:32 PM	#4
Nate the great Sir Penguin of Edinburgh Posts: 12,375 Karma: 23555235 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: DC Metro area Device: Shake a stick plus 1	poll option added

12-24-2008, 11:48 PM	#5
Kris777 Banned Posts: 1,767 Karma: 2520493 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Nexus 7, jetBook-Lite, jetBook mini, Toshiba Thrive, JETBOOK COLOR	It is interesting if she recommended Sony reader sony will be discontinued before Xmas too?

12-25-2008, 04:12 AM	#7
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,515 Karma: 18512745 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	I voted for "Who is Oprah Winfrey?", although I must confess I more or less know who she is, I've been hearing her mentioned in TV shows and commedies for some years, but you must understand that here in Spain she's not relevant at all

12-25-2008, 04:17 AM	#8
nohmi2 Pensively observing. Posts: 1,758 Karma: 12675456 Join Date: Jun 2008 Device: Varied.	What on earth convinced Oprah that she had great taste in books mystifies me. Whatever the price of a book was before it debuts on Oprah's show, it's a safe bet that it will increase after she has gushed about it. I should imagine that there are a lot of authors who give a little prayer for "O Pray" to give it an airing.

12-25-2008, 05:05 AM	#9
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I do tend to avoid books Oprah has recommended. There are too many other books to read anyway. So it's no loss to not read what she says is good.

12-25-2008, 05:14 AM	#10
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I am unfamiliar with the lady (other than the knowledge that she is an American "chat show" hostess), but I would say that if she gets a lot of people to read books who would otherwise not have done so, that can only be a good thing, regardless of her taste in books.

12-25-2008, 09:39 AM	#12
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	I really can't do it. Actually I tend to steer clear of anything with some kind of "Such and Such Recommends" unless it sounds interesting. But considering I have so much to read, I doubt I'm missing much.

12-25-2008, 10:56 AM	#13
rhadin Literacy = Understanding Posts: 4,833 Karma: 59674358 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: The World of Books Device: Nook, Nook Tablet	I don't pay any attention to Oprah -- in fact, I've never seen her show (of course, her show would be very low on my list to consume the hour of TV a year I watch) -- but I view her recommendations like I view the recommendations of the book reviewers whose columns I read: if the book appears to be interesting, I'll read it; otherwise, I ignore it. In Oprah's case I can't say that I have ever read any of the "modern" novels she has recommended. I rarely read nonfiction, with the exception of SciFi/Fantasy and some of the "classics"; most of my reading is nonfiction. Here is something to think about -- at least those of us who read nonfiction and are in our downside of the life cycle: Why read to expand our knowledge when soon it won't make any difference what we know or don't know?

12-25-2008, 11:08 AM	#14
ShortNCuddlyAm WWHALD Posts: 7,879 Karma: 337114 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mitcham, Surrey, UK Device: iPad. Selling my silver 505 here	I voted for "Who is Oprah?" - I know of her, sort of - I know she's an American chat show host, and I suppose the UK equivilent would be Richard and Judy (who are also chat show hosts and run a book club). I picked that option rather than the "I read books interesting to me regardless of whether Oprah recommended or not" because, to me, that would imply I at least pay some attention to what she recommends, and I can honestly say I haven't got the foggiests. Same with Richard and Judy - although I was horrifed once in WH Smiths to find out I had spent enough, according to the till display, to get myself a free Richard and Judy - pointed this out to the very fed up seeming shop assistant and had him doubled up with laughter. We both knew it meant book, of course, but the idea of getting a free chat show hosting couple was rather absurd.

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12-25-2008, 11:14 AM	#15
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	I don't understand people categorically avoiding these books just because she recommends them. Some of these books were written long before Oprah got to them. I remember two Canadian authors (Anne-Marie McDonald and Rohinton Mistry) who were quite popular already here in Canada for years before Oprah found them. To say 'I avoid Toni Morrison because Oprah recommended her' is silly---Toni Morrison is a Nobel prize winner and was famous long before Oprah got to her, just as Anne-Marie McDonald was read in university literature classes in Canada for a good couple years before Oprah read her book.