This week, Oprah Winfrey announced Nathan Hill’s “Wellness” as her 102nd Oprah’s Book Club pick. Although Hill’s debut novel, “The Nix” was a bestseller, his latest work joins an elite group of books handpicked by the Queen of Talk herself to share with fans.
Launched in September 1996, Oprah’s Book Club instantly got fans rereading classics like “Song of Solomon” and “A Tale of Two Cities” and introduced them to talented first-time novelists like Imbolo Mbue and Leila Mottley. Basically, she did what none of my high school English teachers could ever do.
Although Oprah’s Book Club has featured a variety of writers, we thought this would be the perfect time to look back at some of the amazing Black authors whose works have been spotlighted over the years. These are our favorite Oprah’s Book Club picks by Black authors.
“What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day” by Pearl Cleage
Pearl Cleage’s 1997 debut “What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day” was a New York Times bestseller and a 1998 Oprah’s Book Club pick. The story follows Ava Johnson, who returns home to her small Michigan hometown after years of living her best life in Atlanta.
“Song of Solomon” by Toni Morrison
Oprah chose Toni Morrison’s “Song of Solomon” for her Book Club readers back in 1996. The 1977 classic novel follows “Milkman” Dead, a Black man on a sacred journey to reconnect with his past.
“Becoming” by Michelle Obama
“Becoming” is the bestselling memoir from former First Lady Michelle Obama and one of my personal favorite Book Club picks. In the book, Mrs. Obama writes about her journey from her middle-class upbringing on Chicago’s South Side to taking her place in history as the country’s first Black First Lady.
“The Heart of a Woman” by Maya Angelou
“The Heart of a Woman,” is Maya Angelou’s fascinating story of leaving California with her young son for New York City to live and work among a community of Black artists in Harlem. In this touching memoir, she brilliantly weaves fascinating stories of encounters with the likes of Billie Holiday and Malcolm X while trying to raise a young Black man as a single mother.
“An American Marriage” by Tayari Jones
“An American Marriage” tells the story of newlyweds Celestial and Roy, whose relationship is tested when Roy is arrested and sentenced to twelve years for a crime he didn’t commit. Former President Barack Obama called it, “A moving portrayal of the effects of a wrongful conviction on a young African-American couple.”
“The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois” by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers
“The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois” is a beautiful work of historical fiction and a 2021 Oprah’s Book Club selection. The story follows Ailey, a Black woman who, after growing up visiting her mom’s family in a small town in Georgia, searches for the truth about her ancestors.
“Finding Me” by Viola Davis
So much more than Viola Davis’ personal account of her journey to becoming an EGOT, “Finding Me” lets readers in on the process she’s gone through to heal from the trauma she experienced after years of being teased and bullied by classmates for the color of her skin.
“Sula” by Toni Morrison
In “Sula,” Toni Morrison delivers a touching story of two childhood friends who carry a painful secret that threatens their relationship as adults.
“Nightcrawling” by Leila Mottley
At 19 years old, Leila Motley was the youngest author to have her work featured as an Oprah’s Book Club pick. And once you read her debut novel, “Nightcrawling,” you’ll understand why. The book follows Kiara, a teenager who is struggling to get by in East Oakland, CA. Without family, she stumbles into nightcrawling to pay the bills.
“The Measure of a Man” by Sidney Poitier
“The Measure of a Man” is the bestselling memoir by legendary actor and activist Sidney Poitier. Called a “spiritual autobiography,” Poitier writes beautifully about how his childhood in the Bahamas influenced his sense of right and wrong and ultimately led him to become the beloved husband, father and actor we will always remember.
“The Water Dancer: A Novel” by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Ta-Nehisi Coates’ first novel, “The Water Dancer,” tells the story of Hiram Walker, a young man born into slavery on a plantation in Virginia with a mysterious power that one day saves his life.
“The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison
Toni Morrison’s debut novel “The Bluest Eye” is the heartbreaking story of Pecola Breedlove, an 11-year-old Black girl who prays for her eyes to turn blue so that she will be beautiful in a world with standards of beauty that don’t include her.
“The Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead
Colson Whitehead’s “The Underground Railroad” was a Pulitzer Prize winner and a 2016 Oprah’s Book Club selection. This gripping novel follows Cora, a teenage slave who escapes a cotton plantation in Georgia.
“Behold the Dreamers” by Imbolo Mbue
“Behold the Dreamers” follows Jende Jonga, a Cameroonian immigrant who brings his wife and young son to Harlem in 2007 in search of a better life. When he finds a job as a driver for an executive at Lehman Brothers, things begin to fall into place. But when the global financial crisis causes Lehman Brothers to collapse, Jende finds his future in jeopardy.
“Cane River” by Lalita Tademy
Lalita Tademy’s “Cane River” is a powerful story of four generations of strong Black women on a journey from slavery to freedom in Creole Louisiana.
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