Just as J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series has altered the reading appetites
of millions of young people, Oprah's book club, since its inception in 1996,
has done more to put books — good books — into the hands of adult
readers than any marketing or educational campaign could even aspire to. Through
her book club, Oprah has not only brought recognized masters to a wider audience
(who else could put Nobel laureate Toni Morrison on national bestseller lists — three
times), she has also turned under-appreciated literary writers into nationally
recognized figures. Perhaps the success of Oprah's book club can be attributed
to her uncanny knack for choosing the right books: books that deal intelligently
and compassionately with the complex life situations her audience deals with
on a daily basis — and that provide a good story to boot.
