30 Years of Oprah’s Book Club: The Authors Behind the Stories We Love

BUY THE BOOK! Hungered by Amanda Rizkalla: ⁠https://amzn.to/4hIE21vThe 125th Oprah’s Book Club selection is the stunning debut novel Hungered by author Amanda Rizkalla. Written from the perspective of 12-year-old Sofia, Hungered gives a unique look inside the world of a family who is unhoused. Amanda shares how her personal experience of losing their housing and living in a car with her family as a child inspired her to write this poignant and beautiful story. Oprah and Amanda have a thoughtful discussion about how - despite the daily struggle to survive - the fictional Sofia and her family are still able to experience joy, humor and compassion. We hear from several readers including a young woman who says that Amanda’s novel resonated with her because she also experienced being unhoused as a child.00:00:00 - Welcome Amanda Rizkalla, author of “Hungered”00:02:10 - Amanda shares why she wrote the book00:05:00 - The plot of Hungered00:06:40 - Understanding being unhoused00:12:40 - Growing up mixed race00:18:15 - Amanda on choosing the mother’s career00:22:20 - Theme of not belonging00:26:15 - Amanda’s writing process00:28:40 - The ending of the book#oprahsbookclubFollow Oprah Winfrey on Social:⁠https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/oprahpodcast/⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/oprah/?hl=en⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/

BUY THE BOOK!Start with Why by Simon Sinek https://amzn.to/4xQ0ETDSimon Sinek’s landmark New York Times bestseller Start with Why transformed how leaders, entrepreneurs and employees think - inspiring them to shift their focus from what they do to why they do it. Simon brought this revolutionary concept to life with his Ted Talk, "How Great Leaders Inspire Action" which instantly went viral - and now ranks as the fourth most-watched Ted talk of all time with more than 90 million views. In this conversation, Oprah and Simon talk about how to feel more energized, optimistic and engaged in your work and life - especially at times of high anxiety and uncertainty. Simon answers questions from several viewers including a woman who is considering leaving her 9-5 job to become an entrepreneur, one who is still looking for her dream job at age 49 and another who is terrified about losing her identity as she faces retirement. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone who may be feeling a little lost and looking for clarity, direction and optimism. 00:00:00 - Welcome Simon Sinek, author of “Start with Why” 00:05:15 - The golden circle 00:09:15 - Asking for help00:10:30 - Why vs. intention 00:13:30 - The thread of your life 00:17:40 - The age of the Influencer 00:20:10 - Optimism meaning00:27:10 - Introverts and extroverts00:28:40 - Blocking out doubt when chasing your why00:32:30 - Jobs are not safe00:34:50 - Find your guiding question00:41:40 - Is a "dream job" a goal?00:48:39 - The friend test 00:54:00 - The importance of relationships 00:55:20 - The key to finding your why00:57:00 - A well-lived lifeFollow Oprah Winfrey on Social:https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/

BUY THE BOOKS!The Oprah Book Club storefronthttps://amzn.to/4j5y1xWTo celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Oprah’s Book Club - Oprah is joined by four multiple-award winning, best-selling authors including: Viola Davis, Barbara Kingsolver, Abraham Verghese and Ocean Vuong. In her backyard under the oak trees Oprah and these masterful storytellers have a thoughtful conversation about the craft of writing, their processes and the significance the reader brings to their work. Among their works they discuss these Oprah's Book club picks: Finding Me, Demon Copperhead, The Poisonwood Bible, The Emperor of Gladness and The Covenant of Water.00:00:00 - Welcome authors Barbara Kingsolver, Abraham Verghese, Viola Davis and Ocean Vuong00:04:30 - Finding characters 00:06:50 - Becoming a writer 00:09:00 - How Viola became a writer 00:12:48 - Viola reading her memoir 00:17:20 - What writers are noticing about right now 00:22:30 - What does being a bestseller mean00:28:00 - Greatest compliments about their work00:39:50 - The magic of writing 00:43:00 - When is a sentence done?00:47:30 - Finding your title 00:52:00 - Is writing personal therapy?Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social:https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/Listen to the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLIhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381

BUY THE BOOK!'Give Me a Year' by Shonda Scotthttps://amzn.to/4xGhu7iWhen is the last time you tried something new? Entrepreneur and author Shonda Scott, whose book Give Me a Year: 12 New Things to Embrace Change and Live Your Best Life chronicles how she stepped outside her comfort zone, embraced change and challenged herself to try something new every month for a full year. Shonda shares how those experiences helped her find joy, overcome fear and keep moving forward even when life took some unexpected turns. Then, Oprah meets writer Jason McBride whose viral article “How to Create a Life You Love: No Magical Thinking Required” struck a chord with its message that building a fulfilling life isn’t about having the perfect job, relationship or circumstances it’s about taking responsibility for the life you’re creating. They talk about what it really means to stop living by someone else’s blueprint, learn from things that don't go as planned and create a life we actually love.Chapters:00:00:00 - Welcome Shonda Scott, author of ‘Give Me a Year’00:03:20 - Why she wrote the book00:08:00 - Write it down and vision birds00:09:48 - Overcoming fears00:11:20 - Pull up a seat to the table00:12:40 - Imposter syndrome00:16:30 - How to show up for ourselves00:22:00 - Put yourself at the top of your list00:24:30 - Shonda’s top 3 things00:27:44 - Small changes to create big ones00:29:00 - Welcome Jason McBride00:32:00 - The three things you can control in your life00:34:30 - Failure is part of the processFollow Oprah Winfrey on Social:https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/oprahpodcast/https://www.instagram.com/oprah/?hl=enhttps://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/Listen to the full podcast:https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLIhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381

BUY THE BOOK!How to Work With Complicated People by Ryan Leakhttps://amzn.to/4y8aXDBNew York Times bestselling author Ryan Leak joins Oprah at her tea house for a practical conversation about navigating difficult workplace relationships. Drawing from his book How to Work with Complicated People Ryan shares why the people we work with, more than the work itself, often determine how fulfilled we feel on the job. He breaks down four strategies for working through challenging dynamics, introduces the idea of an “expectations detox” and offers a powerful reminder: we’re all complicated to someone else. This conversation isn’t about fixing other people, it’s about growing ourselves through greater self-awareness, understanding, and emotional maturity. Oprah and Ryan are also joined by listeners with real workplace dilemmas, tackling questions about bridging generational divides, leading with empathy while still meeting goals and setting healthy boundaries with colleagues who seem beyond complicated. It’s a practical and relatable conversation filled with tools to help anyone build stronger relationships at work and beyond.00:00:00 - Welcome Ryan Leak, author of “How to Work with Complicated People”00:04:50 - People problems at work00:07:00 -We never think we’re the problem00:07:58 - 4 ways people deal with complicated people 00:11:30 - Importance of partnership 00:12:20 - Expectations detox 00:14:50 - Our unrealistic expectations00:15:38 - What should we do in the moment 00:18:20 - Be the adult in the room00:21:00 - Generational differences00:24:00 - Questions to ask00:27:50 - How to communicate better 00:29:20 - How to set the tone as a leader00:33:00 - You choose your reaction 00:34:28 - Why half of Americans quit 00:39:10 - When is it not possible00:43:00 - How to grow yourself 00:44:40 - One word Ryan lives by Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social:https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/oprahpodcast/https://www.instagram.com/oprah/?hl=enhttps://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/Listen to the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLIhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381

BUY THE BOOK!Inner Excellence by Jim Murphyhttps://amzn.to/4rhK0ulPerformance coach and bestselling author Jim Murphy’s book Inner Excellence took the world by storm and rocketed to #1 after NFL wide receiver A.J. Brown was spotted reading it during a playoff game. Seemingly overnight the book became a New York Times bestseller, resonating far beyond the world of sports. Drawing from the powerful lessons in Inner Excellence Jim shares the mental tools you can cultivate to help manage your mind, unlock your potential and expand what's possible in your life. He also discusses his transformative new book, The Best Possible Life, revealing how you can cultivate greater peace, purpose and fulfillment.00:00:00 - Welcome Jim Murphy, author of Inner Excellence00:04:40 - Jim’s path to inner excellence00:07:40 - The pursuit of joy 00:11:40 - How to manage our minds 00:13:20 - 5 questions to clear a mental block00:15:30 - 2 paths in life 00:18:40 - Post sports identity00:21:30 - The definition of Zoe 00:24:10 - Jim’s advice to those on the journey 00:27:00 - How to figure out what matters 00:30:30 - How to detach from the outcome of your goals 00:35:50 - Power of intention 00:39:55 - We are all human 00:41:20 - Keeping our ego in check 00:47:55 - The pursuit of success  Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social:https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/Listen to the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLIhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381

BUY THE BOOKS!The Oprah Book Club storefronthttps://amzn.to/4j5y1xWIn this special bonus episode Oprah celebrates the 30th anniversary of Oprah’s Book Club and reflects on how her lifelong love of reading became a cultural phenomenon. Oprah revisits some of her most treasured conversations with the writers she calls her “rock stars” and celebrates three decades of connecting readers with great books. We hear her conversations with Toni Morrison, Ocean Vuong, Wally Lamb, Anthony Ray Hinton, Abraham Verghese, Maya Angelou, Elizabeth Strout, Tayari Jones, Barbara Kingsolver, Cormac McCarthy, Colson Whitehead, Elie Wiesel, Nathan Harris, and Oscar winner Sidney Poitier.Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social:InstagramFacebookListen to the full podcast: SpotifyApple Podcasts#oprahsbookclub

BUY THE BOOK!The Healing Power of Resistance by Dr. Tara Narulahttps://amzn.to/4h1TDu1Heart disease is the number one killer of women in America. One of the country’s leading cardiologists is ABC News chief medical correspondent Dr. Tara Narula who, earlier this year, released her New York Times bestselling book The Healing Power of Resilience: A New Prescription for Health and Well-Being. Oprah and Dr. Narula discuss the hidden warning signs of heart disease and how you can take better care of your cardiovascular health. Dr. Narula also explains how your connection to faith, purpose and hope can help you live a more meaningful life and beat the odds of heart disease. We also hear from a young woman in her thirties currently living with heart failure, another woman who used GLP-1s with great results towards her cardiovascular health and a patient who says Dr. Narula saved her life.00:00:00 Welcome Dr. Narula, author of “The Healing Power of Resilience"00:05:20 - Stats of women’s heart health 00:11:20 - Cardiovascular disease is happening to women younger and younger00:16:30 - Stress, women and heart health00:24:10 - 60% of Black women live with cardiovascular disease 00:25:50 - social determinants of health 00:29:15 - Heart benefits of GLP-1s00:32:20 - Menopause and heart health 00:37:00 - High blood pressure and heart health 00:39:20 - Faith, purpose and your health 00:42:40 - Life’s essential 8 checklist Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social:https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/Listen to the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLIhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381

The Lindsay Clancy case has captured the nation’s attention, causing heated debate in the national conversation. On January 24, 2023 Lindsay Clancy strangled her three children in her basement and then attempted suicide by jumping from a second-story window in her house. The resulting injuries left her paralyzed from the waist down. After 21 days of testimony from more than 80 witnesses, the jury was not able to reach a unanimous decision. Lindsay Clancy’s defense team has argued that she is not guilty by reason of insanity as she was experiencing postpartum psychosis, while the prosecution argued she committed premeditated first degree murder. Oprah is in Massachusetts for a wide-ranging conversation about the case with an audience including an exclusive interview with Meg Hamp, a nurse who worked alongside Lindsay for 7 years and testified at her trial - plus medical experts, legal scholars and women who have personally experienced postpartum psychosis. Their stories give us a rare, first-hand insight into what it is to experience this challenging mental health issue. Oprah will also talk with social critics who will share their opinions and she will hear speculation on many sides of the case. Oprah has hosted conversations on postpartum depression and psychosis for 40 years with the intention of providing a platform for a mature discussion.This podcast episode contains discussions of murder, suicide, and mental illness that may be upsetting to some listeners. Listener discretion is advised. Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social:https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/Listen to the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI

Today—September 8, 1986—marks the 40th anniversary of one of the most momentous days in Oprah's life and career. Forty years ago today the very first nationally syndicated episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show aired launching what would become a 25 year cultural phenomenon and pioneering television. In this special anniversary episode Oprah reflects on her extraordinary journey—from her early days as a news anchor in Nashville and Baltimore to her first audition tape and the lessons she learned hosting AM Chicago, the show that brought her to the Windy City. She also reveals the enduring early lessons that shaped her life's purpose and continue to guide her work today as well as how she lives each day in gratitude for what she considers a God-given opportunity. 00:00:00 Oprah on the beginning of The Oprah Winfrey Show00:04:00 Oprah and Barbara Walters00:09:00 Oprah’s audition and Dennis Swanson00:18:30 - Oprah’s journal entry before her first national show 00:20:00 - Oprah's first show00:30:00 - Oprah’s last show 00:35:50 - Don Johnson’s surprise Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social:https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/Listen to the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLIhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381