Oprah’s Book Club List: The Best Books Ranked for 2024 (+PDF)

Oprah's Books Club List: The Best Books Ranked (PDF)

** Oprah’s Book Club List Updated – 6/14/24**

In 1996, Oprah started choosing her first book club book. Since then, she has chosen over 100 books and opened the door for other celebrities to start their own book clubs. We have Oprah’s Book Club list ranked from our favorites to those we did not enjoy.

But, no matter how we feel about Oprah’s choices, each book has been read by Oprah and chosen specifically. These often become bestsellers because well, she is Oprah. Her book club picks are always deeply emotional and well-written.

For more celebrity book club picks, check out this post.

*Oprah book club 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.

Latest Book Club Pick // 5 Star Picks // 4 Star Picks // 3.5 Star Picks // 3 Star Picks // 2 Star Picks // Frequently Asked Questions // Complete Lists

What is the Latest Oprah Book Club Pick?

from here to the great unknown

The newest Oprah’s book club pick is From Here to the Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough.

The October 2024 Oprah’s Book Club Pick

from here to the great unknown

Author: Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough

Genre: Nonfiction

Year: 2024

More info: October 2024 Oprah Book Club Pick

Age: 16+

Lisa Marie Presley’s memoir, lovingly finished by her daughter Riley upon her death, tells her story for the first time. Born to one of the most famous musicians in the world, she explores growing up at Graceland, her marriage to Michael Jackson, and what it was like living in the Hollywood scene.

I was utterly enthralled by the audiobook version of this book. Julia Roberts narrates Lisa Marie’s words, Riley narrates her own voice, and there are recordings Lisa Marie made scattered throughout as well.

Since Lisa Marie passed before finishing this project, Riley’s words are woven throughout — finishing stories, giving context, and bringing her perspective to her mother’s version of events. Riley showed her mother so much grace and love while acknowledging how unique and difficult Lisa Marie’s life was.

Find this book in: Celebrity Memoirs / Giftable Books

Oprah Book Club

Oprah’s Book Club Reading List

Download the complete Oprah Book Club list below and subscribe to our newsletter here for exclusive access to more reading lists and printables!

Oprah Book Club List Ranked

Hidden Valley Road and more of Oprah's book club list

5 Star Picks From The Oprah Book Club List: The Best Oprah Books

Hello Beautiful

Author: Ann Napolitano

Year: 2023

Genre: Literary Fiction

More info: March 2023 Oprah Book Club Pick

Age Range: 16+

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.

Suicide attempt, Mental illness

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

THe Love Songs of W.E.B. Dubois

Author: Honorèe Fanonne Jeffers

Year: 2021

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: August 2021 Oprah’s Book Club Pick
National Book Critics Circle AwardWinner, 2021

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 18+

Wow. This is one of the best books I’ve listened to this year, and yes, I recommend it on audio for a few reasons.

First, the different narrators help tell this dual-timeline contemporary fiction. Through one narrator, we learn about Ailey’s life as an African American woman in the 20th century. The other narrator tells the story of the female ancestors of Ailey’s going all the way back to her Indigenous, black, and white relatives from two centuries earlier.

Through Ailey and her ancestors, the weight of what it means to be a black woman in America means. The sacrifices, injustices, struggles, and harassment endured by Ailey and her kin in the present day and the past are explored with a depth so real, I forgot it was a fictional story at times.

The second reason this book is great on audio? It’s LONG. It clocks in at over 800 pages or almost 30 hours of audiobook time. The narrators sucked me in and those 30 hrs flew by.

Rape, slavery, incest

I will say, this book made me consider my White Privilege in a way no non-fiction book could have. It’s a heavy story, but very worth the read and a great book for book clubs. The audiobook was fantastic and the 30 hours of story sucked me in.

Find this book in: Oprah’s Book Club List / The Best Celebrity Book Clubs / Nonlinear Narrative Novels / Books by Female BIPOC Authors

hidden valley road

Author: Robert Kolker

Year: 2020

Genre: Nonfiction

More info: June 2020 Oprah’s Book Club Pick
#1 New York Times Bestseller

Age Range: 15+

Stop everything and add Hidden Valley Road to your TBR now!! All I can say is wow! This favorite is one of the best books on Mental Illness and an absolutely fascinating non-fiction book.

This is the amazing story of Don and Mimi Galvin whose family paved the way for schizophrenia research over the past 50 years. Of their 12 children- 10 sons and 2 daughters, 6 of the boys have schizophrenia.

The struggles of this family to survive through the age of lobotomies and institutionalization provide a look into the history of this disorder. It’s unbelievable to think how far we’ve come and yet, we are not even close to understanding this disease.

Suicide, Mental illness, Sexual Assult

I think it’s unbelievable to think how far we’ve come and yet, we are not even close to understanding this disease. I could not put this book down.

I found this book to be absolutely fascinating and heartbreaking at the same time. It is still shocking to me how much we do not understand about the human mind and how much stigma there is with mental illness.

Find this book in: Books on Mental Illness / 20 Best Books of 2020 / The Ultimate List of the Best Non-Fiction Books / Best Books for Book Clubs to Read

becoming

Author: Michele Obama

Year: 2018

Genre: Nonfiction

More info: November 2018 Oprah’s Book Club Pick

Age Range: 15+

I am so happy that I finally read this book. Michelle Obama is a brilliant woman who has such an incredible story to tell.  I was intrigued by her life and her upbringing.

I listened to this book and was so happy to hear the story read by Obama herself. Obama is a brilliant woman and it was a pleasure to hear her story told in her voice. There is something about her voice that is so calming and soothing.

This is one of my favorite non-fiction books about women in politics. As nonfiction books go, this one is a must.

I also listened to this one and I think the audio version is a must. I loved hearing this book read by the former first lady!

Find this book in: Ultimate List of Best NonFiction / Feel Good Nonfiction Books / Books about Women in Politics / Books by BIPOC Female Authors

The Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

August 2016 Oprah’s Book Club Pick

I loved this book and it was one of the first reviews we ever did on the blog. I love the way this book examined the underground railroad with a touch of magical realism. If you are looking for thought-provoking books, look no further.

The story is about Cora and Caesar, two run-away slaves in the South who run away to the underground railroad which, in this book, is an actual railroad.

Each stop along the way is reminiscent of a different place in history and it is interlaced with actual ads placed for runaway slaves. This book is profound and beautiful and a must-read.

A FINE BALANCE

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

November 2001 Oprah Book Club Pick

A Fine Balance is an epic and heartbreaking family saga of life in India. It’s a story of love and friendship in an unnamed city in 1975.

Lovers come together and are ripped apart in this memorable book about poverty and its impact. I read this book years before it was an Oprah Book Club pick but it is not a book that is easy to forget. It is heart-wrenching in every way and a literary feat. If you are looking for books that will emotionally wreck you, this one is not to be missed.

One Hundred Years of Solitude and other Oprah Book Club List Books ranked.

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

January 2004 Oprah Book Club Pick

This multi-generational family saga is about the Buendiá family and their hometown, the magical Maconda. It’s a comedy, a tragedy, and it looks at the rise and fall of the town’s founding family.

For the record, I read this book BEFORE Oprah picked it! We spent a semester learning about this family saga in high school. Each person was assigned a symbol to report on throughout the book each week.

Mine was goldfish -part of the symbolism of amnesia and the duality between amnesia and nostalgia. Yep. I still remember the lesson. Maybe the teaching contributed, but this remains one of my favorite books ever.

Find this book in Kirsten’s Favorites / Magical Realism Books / Classic Books

Night

Night by Elie Weisel

January 2006 Oprah Book Club Pick

I have a personal story about this book.  My husband’s grandmother grew up in the same town as Elie Weisel.  She knew both him and his wife.  This was the first thing that she told me when I met her (My husband’s name is also Elie but this is purely coincidental). 

This is a must-read non-fiction book about the Holocaust written by the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.  It is a short but very powerful book that will emotionally wreck you.

I know this much is true

I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb

June 1998 Oprah Book Club Pick

I read this book more than 20 years ago and I still feel emotional about this book. I have not re-read it to see if it has withstood the test of time but I have no doubt that it has.

This is a story of identical twin brothers one of whom is a paranoid schizophrenic. When he shockingly mutilates himself, his brother must become his caretaker. It is powerful and heartbreaking.

4 Star Books from Oprah’s Book Club List

Finding me by Viola Davis

Finding Me by Viola Davis

April 2022 Oprah’s Book Club Pick

Viola Davis’s life story had me entranced as I learned what she needed to overcome during her childhood, college, and her early career to become the powerhouse she is today.

Her thoughts on life in Hollywood were enlightening. Her deep love for her family and her roots shone through. And her story made it very clear that she takes nothing for granted.

Viola worked damn hard to be successful and she deserves every accolade she’s received and more. Her narration even earned her an Audie Awards 2023 nomination.

American Dirt

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummings

January 2020 Oprah’s Book Club Pick

The story starts with Lydia and her 8-year-old son Luca as they hide from the cartel who are massacring their entire extended family. The opening is heart pounding and the jolt it gives to your heart never lets up. ⁣

Lydia and Luca then have to make the perilous journey North as migrants. What they go through as they try to outrun the cartel is devastating, thought-provoking, and scary. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I never knew that a scene about putting a bandaid on a blister could be so suspenseful.⁣ I don’t want to tell any details because this story is about the unfolding of real-time events and the backstory that lead to the massacre.

My heart did not stop pounding the entire time I read this book.  I know that there is a lot of controversy surrounding this book.  However, I read this book for what it was- a work of fiction rather than non-fiction.

Behold the dreamers

Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue

June 2017 Oprah’s Book Club Pick

This contemporary fiction story was recommended to me so often in the past few years that I was worried it wouldn’t live up to the hype. My library hold finally came due and I finally took the plunge. WHAT TOOK ME SO LONG?

Honestly, I love this story about immigration, Wall Street, and the American dream. At a time when election coverage is ramping up, this book seems so relevant and is a great book club book. Jeni and Nedi’s story about their move from Cameroon and how it affects their marriage and their morals was compulsively readable. I couldn’t put it down. Don’t wait as long as I did to read this amazing African novel.

Where the Heart is

Where the Heart is by Billie Letts

December 1998 Oprah Book Club Pick

This book was all the rage in my youth, especially when the movie adaptation came out starring Natalie Portman. It’s about a pregnant young woman who is abandoned by her boyfriend in the middle of nowhere. She ends up having a baby in the Walmart she’s been living in and is welcomed by the whole town.

I read this when I was still a teenager, yet I remember connecting with Novalee over her struggles and fight to protect her daughter. Truly a wonderful story about how your family might just be the community you live in.

And you can check out our list of Best Books for Book Clubs with 52 amazing picks.

the invention of wings

Author: Sue Monk Kidd

Year: 2014

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: January 2014 Oprah’s Book Club Pick

Age Range: 18+

I picked this book up in Charleston when I was there for a visit in October of 2018. I wanted to pick up a book about the city. When I found out that our hotel was next to the Grimke sister’s home, I knew this was the book for me.

This book tells the story of Sarah Grimke, one of the first female abolitionists, and the enslaved Handful. Starting in Charleston on a plantation and ending in Philadelphia in the pre-civil war era, the story explores the life of Sarah, the daughter of a slaveholder, as she fights for the rights of women and enslaved people.

I found the story compelling – the political portion of Sarah’s work was particularly appealing. Sue Monk Kidd is a fantastic writer and the story flowed in such a wonderful way.

While I learned many valuable lessons, it did give me pause that the story was written by a white woman. I would recommend All We Were Promised by Ashton Lattimore if you are looking for an additional account of the problems facing enslaved people at this time.

Find this book in: Biographical Fiction Novels / Oprah’s Book Club / Fiction Books About Women in Politics

3.5 star Books from Oprah’s Book Club List

bewilderment

Bewilderment by Richard Powers

September 2021 Oprah Book Club Pick

This book is a sci-fi fantasy-like book that explores brain treatments to correct behaviors in a child with suspected Autism.

Robin is a sweet child who feels deeply and can have big mood swings, but when a treatment if offered to help him sync his brain to that of his dead mother’s, he jumps at the change.

As the experiment gains momentum and Robin’s behavior changes, his dad Theo is left wondering about the potential consequences.

This story explores the parent-child bond, the growing climate crisis, and autism in a way that will have you thinking about it for months to come.

Fall on your knees and other Oprah Book Club List Books ranked.

Fall on Your Knees by Anne-Marie MacDonald 

January 2002 Oprah Book Club Pick

I read this book when its as first published in 2002. Needless to say, I needed to remind myself of some of the plot details but, the emotions in this book remain.

This book is a multigenerational saga that deals with the effect of trauma. This book will bring you to your knees.

poisonwood bible

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

June 2000 Oprah Book Club Pick

This is another book from Oprah’s original book club that has stayed with me over the years. This is the story of one family’s three decades in the Congo.

Oprah chooses books that are emotional and well-written and this family saga is no exception. Nathan Price is an evangelical Baptist who takes his family on a mission to the Belgian Congo in 1959. The novel takes place during the Congo’s fight for independence. This epic family saga is told by Nathan’s Wife and four daughters. If you are looking for the best novels about Africa, this one will not disappoint.

Shes come undone

She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb

December 1996 Oprah Book Club Pick

I often do not like books in which the email main character is written by a man. Wally Lamb does this with ease in this funny and poignant coming-of-age story.

This story covers her eating disorder, her subsequent stay at an in-patient facility, her suicide attempt and more. It’s a wonderful, moving story.

Oprah’s Book Club List: 3 Star Books

An American Marriage and other Oprah Book Club List Books ranked.

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

February 2018 Oprah’s Book Club Pick

I can see why there are so many people that loved this book. I liked it but from the very beginning, there were so many things that made me anxious while reading this book. Some were for the right reasons (I knew he would be wrongly convicted) and some were for the wrong reasons like the cavalier way Roy talked about his marriage.

The book is well-written and delves into the complexities of love, marriage, and relationships.

Wild and other Oprah Book Club List Books ranked.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

I read this book and enjoyed it but there was something about the book that did not seem authentic. I loved the idea of the book and I actually really liked the movie. There was something about the book that made it “good” but not great for me.

2 Star Books From Oprah’s Book Club List

East of Eden and other Oprah Book Club List Books ranked.


East of Eden by John Steinbeck

I know that this book is a great American Classic. But, that does not change my opinion of this book. It is one of the few books I have started to read that I did not finish.

The writing is amazing. It is John Steinbeck but, I could not get into this book. No matter how many times I tried to read this book, I could never fully immerse myself in the story.

Oprah’s Book Club List 2.0 Books We Still Need to Read

Original Oprah’s Book Club List Books We Still Need to Read

What is your favorite novel from the Oprah Book Club list? Which of Oprah’s book club picks are you adding to your TBR?

Frequently Asked Questions About Oprah’s Book Club

What is the Oprah Book Club?

Since it’s inception, Oprah’s Book Club has been a juggernaut success, catapulting authors to the top of the New York Times Best Seller list. Each book club selection is known to have incredible, discussion-worthy topics.

When did Oprah’s Book Club start?

In its original iteration, Oprah’s Book Club began in 1996 and ran until 2010, when her talk show ended. It relaunched in 2012 on her social platforms.

Oprah Book Club: Complete List by Year

Oprah Book Club List 1996

Oprah Book Club List 1997

Oprah Book Club List 1998

Oprah Book Club List 1999

Oprah Book Club List 2000

Oprah Book Club List 2001

Oprah Book Club List 2002

Oprah Book Club List 2003

Oprah Book Club List 2004

Oprah Book Club List 2005

Oprah Book Club List 2006

Oprah Book Club List 2007

Oprah Book Club List 2008

Oprah Book Club List 2009

Oprah Book Club List 2010

Oprah Book Club List 2012

Oprah Book Club List 2014

Oprah Book Club List 2015

Oprah Book Club List 2016

Oprah Book Club List 2017

Oprah Book Club List 2018

Oprah Book Club List 2019

Oprah Book Club List 2020

Oprah Book Club List 2021

Oprah Book Club List 2022

Oprah Book Club List 2023

Oprah Book Club List 2024

Oprah Book Club

Oprah’s Book Club Reading List

Download the complete Oprah Book Club list below and subscribe to our newsletter here for exclusive access to more reading lists and printables!

For more celebrity book clubs ranked, take a look at this post!

Good Morning America Book Club List: Best Books Ranked for 2024 (+PDF)

For more books like this, check out this post.

GMA Book Club
Read with Jenna

2024 Read with Jenna Book Club List: The Best Books Ranked (+PDF)

Looking for more celebrity book clubs? Check out this one.

The Complete Reese Witherspoon Book Club List & Best Books Ranked for 2024 (+PDF)

For more celebrity book club picks like this, check out the Reese list!

Reese Witherspoon Books Club

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