The Best Oprah Books
Oprah is the OG celebrity book club. She started her book club back when she had her talk show, well before the Oprah network was even a thing. Oprah has well over a hundred books which can be very daunting. I made this list as a way to help you pick the best Oprah Club books.
She chooses very literary books that are not always new releases. The size and /or the subject matter of some of these books may seem daunting. Kirsten and I read and loved all the books on this list.
We wanted you to have a starting point from people who have actually read the books! You will not find thrillers or mysteries on this list. Oprah has chosen a few of those over the years, but most of the books on this list are literary fiction, literary historical fiction, and nonfiction. Even the magical realism picks have won the Nobel Prize and Pulitzer!
Oprah started her book club as a way to get people reading. The book club first started in 1996 and continued until her show ended in 2011. In 2012, Oprah started part two of her book club. You can see a complete list of the Oprah Book Cub Books here.
The Best Oprah Books
Each colorful block below represents the best book in a subgenre of the best Oprah Book Club books. Click on the arrow to reveal my “best” pick in any category. You’ll also be able to use a page jump to see more books in that section.
Best Historical Literary Fiction Book
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver – Click here to read the review and see more books in this category
Best Literary Fiction Book
She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb – Click here to read the review and see more books in this category
Best Magical Realism Book
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez- Click here to read the review and see more books in this category
Best Nonfiction Book
Night by Elie Weisel – Click here to read the review and see more books in this category
Best Romance Book
Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts- Click here to read the review and see more books in this category
*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.
Historical Literary Fiction
Demon Cooperhead
Author: Barbara Kingsolver
Year: 2022
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: November 2022 Oprah Book Club Pick
Winner of the Pulitzer Price, Winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Demon Copperhead is set in southern Appalachia. Demon is born to a teenage single mother in a trailer. Demon is sent to foster care where he is introduced to drugs and alcohol at a very young age. Quickly, Demon must learn to survive in a world that doesn’t care what happens to him. It is a heartwrenching story about learning to survive despite the odds stacked against you. This is a classic retelling of David Copperfield.
Trigger Warnings
Drug Use, Addiction
Why Jackie loves it
If you bought Demon Copperhead, you have contributed to Higher Ground, a women’s recovery residence. I loved this book and yet, it tore my heart out. The writing and the story are beautiful, but I would not recommend this to anyone who doesn’t have the time to appreciate it and the emotional stability to handle this poignant book.
Find this book in: Best Oprah’s Book Club Books / Fiction & Non-Fiction Books About Addiction / Classic Book Retellings
A Fine Balance
Author: Rohinton Mistry
Year: 1995
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: November 2001 Oprah Book Club Pick
Age Range: 18+
Plot
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.
Trigger Warnings
Suicide, Violence
Why Jackie loves it
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.
Find this book in: Books that will Emotionally Wreck You / Long Books / Family Sagas / Books About Poverty / Books Set in the 70s / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books
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
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+
Plot
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.
Why Kirsten like it
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 / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books / Fiction Books About Women in Politics
The Poisonwood Bible
Author: Barbara Kingsolver
Year: 1998
Genre: Historical Fiction
More info: June 2000 Oprah Book Club Pick
Age Range: 18+
Plot
This novel is about one family’s three decades in the Congo. 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.
Trigger Warnings
Child Death, Racism
Why Jackie loves it
This is another book from Oprah’s original book club that has stayed with me over the years. Oprah chooses books that are emotional and well-written, and this family saga is no exception.
Find this book in: Family Saga / Novels About Africa / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books
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+
Plot
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.
Trigger Warnings
Rape, slavery, incest
Why Kirsten loves it
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: The Best Celebrity Book Clubs / Nonlinear Narrative Novels / Books by Female BIPOC Authors / Best Books of 2021 / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books
Literary Fiction
She’s Come Undone
Author: Wally Lamb
Year: 1992
Genre: Fiction
More info: December 1996 Oprah Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
This emotional, character-driven novel covers the female protagonist’s journey through adolescence into womanhood. It’s a heavy story examining her eating disorder, her subsequent stay at an inpatient facility, her suicide attempt, and more. It’s a wonderful, moving story.
Trigger Warnings
Eating Disorder, Rape
Why Jackie loves it
I often do not like books in which the female main character is written by a man. Wally Lamb does this with ease in this funny and poignant coming-of-age story.
Find this book in: Book About Mental Illness / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books
Behold the Dreamers
Author: Imbolo Mbue
Year: 2016
Genre: Fiction
More info: June 2017 Oprah’s Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
Honestly, I love this story about immigration, Wall Street, and the American dream. Jende and Nedi’s story about their move from Cameroon and how it affects their marriage and their morals was compulsively readable. It starts in 2007 when Jende takes a job as a chauffeur for a wealthy Lehman Brothers executive, and then Nedi gets employed at the family’s summer home in the Hamptons. Just as the Jende and Nedi are starting to settle in, the downfall of Lehman Brothers upends their lives.
Trigger Warnings
Drug Use, Alcoholism
Why Kirsten loves it
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 so I took the plunge. WHAT TOOK ME SO LONG? I couldn’t put it down. Don’t wait as long as I did to read this amazing novel.
Find this book in: Novels About Africa / Contemporary Fiction Novels / Books Set in New York / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books
I Know This Much is True
Author: Wally Lamb
Year: 1998
Genre: Fiction
More info: June 1998 Oprah Book Club Pick
Age Range: 16+
Plot
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.
Trigger Warnings
Suicide, Rape, Domestic abuse
Why Jackie loves it
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 do not doubt that it has.
Find this book in: Long Books / Books About Mental Illness / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books
American Dirt
Author: Jeanine Cummins
Year: 2020
Genre: Fiction
More info: January 2020 Oprah’s Book Club Pick
Age Range: 16+
Plot
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 — 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 band-aid 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 led to the massacre.
Trigger Warnings
Murder, Rape
Why Kirsten loves it
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.
Find this book in: Books About Immigration / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books
Magical Realism
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Year: 1967
Genre: Magical Realism
More info: January 2004 Oprah Book Club Pick
Age Range: 14+
Plot
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.
Why Kirsten loves it
I love this family saga. The writing is brilliant and so is the symbolism. This is not an easy read but it is worth every minute.
Find this book in: Kirsten’s Favorites / Magical Realism Books / Classic Books / Amnesia Books / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books / Best Books in Translation
The Underground Railroad
Author: Colson Whitehead
Year: 2016
Genre: Literary Historical Fiction
More info: August 2016 Oprah Book Club Pick, Pulitzer Prize winner, New York Times Bestseller
Age Range: 16+
Plot
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.
Trigger Warnings
Slavery
Why Jackie loves it
I loved this book, and it was one of the first reviews we did on the blog. I love how this book examined the underground railroad with a touch of magical realism. If you are looking for thought-provoking books, look no further.
Find this book in: Thought-provoking Books / Best Historical Fiction Books / Magical Realism Books / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books
Nonfiction
Night
Author: Elie Wiesel
Year: 1958
Genre: Memoir
More info: January 2006 Oprah Book Club Pick
Age Range: 16+
Plot
This is a must-read non-fiction book about the Holocaust by the Nobel Peace Prize winner. It is a short but compelling book that will change you and your view of the Holocaust. It’s Elie Wiesel’s account of what happened to him when he was a prisoner at the Nazi death camps.
Trigger Warnings
Death, Antisemitism, Genocide
Why Kirsten loves it
Weisel’s harrowing story can be difficult to read at times, but it is truly essential reading. I read this story as a girl and I continue to think about it all the time. It is probably the most impactful Holocaust autobiography I have ever read.
Why Jackie loves it
I have a personal story about this book. My husband’s grandmother grew up in the same town as Elie Wiesel. 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).
Find this book in: Books About the Holocaust / Best Celebrity Book Club Books / Books that will Emotionally Wreck You / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books / Best Books in Translation
Becoming
Author: Michele Obama
Year: 2018
Genre: Nonfiction
More info: November 2018 Oprah’s Book Club Pick
Age Range: 15+
Plot
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.
Why Kirsten loves it
This is one of my favorite non-fiction books about women in politics. As nonfiction books go, this one is a must.
Why Jackie loves it
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 / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books
Hidden Valley Road: Inside the Mind of an American Family
Author: Robert Kolker
Year: 2020
Genre: Nonfiction
More info: June 2020 Oprah’s Book Club Pick
#1 New York Times Bestseller
Age Range: 15+
Plot
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.
Trigger Warnings
Suicide, Mental illness, Sexual Assult
Why Kirsten loves it
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.
Why Jackie loves it
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 / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books
Finding Me
Author: Viola Davis
Year: 2022
Genre: Memoir
More info: April 2022 Oprah’s Book Club Pick
Age Range: 16+
Plot
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.
Trigger Warnings
Racism
Why Kirsten loves it
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.
Find this book in: Best Audiobooks of 2022 / Book About Poverty / Books by Female BIPOC Authors / Best Nonfiction Books / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books
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+
Plot
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.
Why Kirsten loves it
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 / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books / Best Beach Reads 2025
Romance
Where the Heart is
Author: Billie Letts
Year: 1995
Genre: Romance
More info: December 1998 Oprah Book Club Pick
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 16+
Plot
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.
Trigger Warnings
Child Abuse, Rape
Why Kirsten loves it
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.
Find this book in: Novels About Weather / Best Oprah’s Book Club Books
Expert Tip
Are you not sure where to start with the Oprah Book Club? These are some tips to help you find a book you will love
- Give yourself time. These are not quick reads. Give yourself the time to read the details and absorb the book
- Read Kirsten and my reviews of the books. See which summaries catch your eye.
- Find your favorite genre and pick a book from that list.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best Oprah Books?
There are well over a hundred books on Oprah’s Book Club list so it was really hard to narrow it down to just a few. These are award-winning books that are worth the read!
1. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
2. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
3. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
4. Night by Elie Weisel
Related Content
Epilogue
How many of the books from this list have you read? What are the best Oprah books you have read? If there is a book not on this list, please let me know so I can add it to my TBR!
