Oprah Book Club List 2023
Oprah Winfrey started her first book club in 1996 as the OG celebrity book club. In the past 30 years, she has chosen over one hundred books, which makes it difficult to keep track of the books by year. This year, Oprah chose 5 books for her book club. This is the Oprah Book Club List 2023, with short descriptions of all the books and reviews of the books I have read.
I have been reading books from the Oprah Book Club for over 20 years. Her books are literary in nature and always great for discussion. When the book club first started, Oprah consistently chose 7-10 books a year. By 2002, her choices began to dwindle, with only one to four book picks a year for the next twenty years! Yes, twenty years. If you want to see all the books on the Oprah Book Club list, I have that for you!
While Oprah’s book Club version 2.0 technically started in 2012, after her show ended, the choices did not become more consistent until 2020. Each year, she chooses more books. This year, she chose five books for the book club.
I think it is important to have consistency in a book club. Whether you are choosing books monthly or quarterly, it is important that book club members know when to expect the next book.
*Post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you. Some books have been gifted. All opinions are our own.
Oprah Book Club List 2023
Bittersweet
Author: Susan Cain
Year: 2022
Genre: Nonfiction
More info: February 2023 Oprah Book Club Pick
Plot
In this self-help book, Susan Cain teaches us the importance of sorrow and longing in our societal fabric as the root cause for connection and creativity. Her theory believes that in order to not harm others, we need to embrace and understand the bittersweet moments in ourselves.
Hello Beautiful
Author: Ann Napolitano
Year: 2023
Genre: Literary Fiction
More info: March 2023 Oprah Book Club Pick
Age Range: 16+
Plot
I adored this family saga about the four Padavano sisters and the man that enters their family orbit. William Waters grew up in a house with indifferent parents, so he fell head over heels for Julia and then her family.
But William’s inner demons cause a rift between the sisters that shakes the family to its core and dramatically changes the dynamics between all the Padavanos. Told over decades, this story examines the ties that bind us to our family through the ebbs and flows of life.
Trigger Warnings
Suicide attempt, Mental illness
Why Kirsten loves it
As one of four children, this coming-of-age story really spoke to me. Napolitano does an incredible job of accurately depicting the individual sibling relationships with one another and the role each person plays within the larger family dynamic. It’s a tall order and a near-impossible challenge to nail the complexities of a big family, but Napolitano does it with aplomb.
Find this book in: Books About Sisters / Coming-of-age Books for Adults / Best Books of 2023 / Family Sagas / Best Books for Book Clubs to Read / Best Books About Siblings / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books / Oprah Book Club List 2023
The Covenant of Water
Author: Abraham Verghese
Year: 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: May 2023 Oprah Book Club Pick
Plot
Abraham Verghese is back with another epic novel set between 1900 and 1977 on the Malabar Coast of India and spanning three generations of one family, in which one person per generation drowns. Starting when a young girl, later known as Big Ammachi, is sent off to marry, and spanning her life as the family matriarch, her steadfastness in the face of loss and turmoil anchors the story.
Wellness
Author: Nathan Hill
Year: 2023
Genre: Fiction
More info: September 2023 Oprah Book Club Pick
Plot
Jack and Elizabeth met in college in the thriving underground art scene of Chicago and have now been married for two decades. Now, amid the chaos of parenting, stalled careers, and home renovations, they struggles to recognize their youthful selves in their adult selves. Separately, they must try to examine their lives and try to find a way back to one another.
Let Us Descend
Author: Jesmyn Ward
Year: 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: October 2023 Oprah Book Club Pick
Plot
Jesyn Ward takes her incredible writting style and tells a story of slavery from rice fields to slave markets to sugar plantations across the American south. Annis, born a slave and sold by her white father, is the main protaganist who relies on the narratives of her maternal line to give her the strengths she needs to persevere.
Expert Tip
Oprah’s book club is the most literary of all the book clubs and can seem intimidating. Here are some tips if you want to read an Oprah book club pick.
- Give yourself time to read the books without pressure to read them quickly. This way, you can really enjoy the plots and characters
- Jackie and I have not read all of the books on the Oprah Book Club List 2023. If you want to read a book you will love, check out my reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books are on the Oprah Book Club list 2023?
The Oprah Book Club list 2023 has five books.
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Epilogue
What is your favorite book from the Oprah Book Club list 2023?
