How to Join and Get the Most Out of Oprah's Book Club 2.0
Want to join a book club?
randib
How It All Began
The Oprah Winfrey Show first aired in 1986. She started out as a tabloid talk show host and quickly became one of the most influential women in the world and the greatest black philanthropist in American history. When Oprah recommends something, people listen!
In 1996, Oprah started a book club. It was a mixed list of books, including both classics and new writers. Her booklist was used in libraries, schools, and book clubs. It introduced many new authors and rekindled new interest in old stories. In 2005, there was even a book written about her book club entitled Reading with Oprah: The Book Club that Changed America by Kathleen Rooney. It talks about her Book Club's positive influence.
Oprah's Book Club 2.0
Oprah's Book Club ended in 2011, and in June 2012, Oprah's Book Club 2.0 was founded, moving the Book Club into the digital world. One of Oprah's goals with this Book Club was to see if she still had "The Oprah Effect."
After taking Cheryl Strayed's Wild from number 7 on the NY Times Non-fiction Bestsellers list to number 1 for seven consecutive weeks, it was concluded that she still had "it."
This is a screenshot of what it looks like when you follow the highlighted link to Oprah's notes. There is another link to take you right back to the page you were on
randib
How to Join
It is very easy to join and doesn't have any membership fees. In fact, the only cost you may incur is if you purchase the books, which are not mandatory.
To join Oprah's Book Club 2,0, go to this link. When you get there, you will find a fun, interactive website that covers a myriad of topics. You can sign up to receive newsletters on several different topics, or you can opt out of newsletters. Once there, you will find the appropriate link. When Oprah features a book, she doesn't just give you a title:
- She introduces and interviews the author.
- She researches and reviews the book.
- She provides links to obtain the book.
- She integrates the book, author, and subject in all areas of her website.
- She provides an e-book special edition, complete with her notes and annotations.
- She provides a study guide with your e-book purchase.
- She also provides her study guide and notes for those who do not purchase the e-reader.
My Personal Involvement
Although I have been receiving many of the Oprah.com newsletters, my only involvement with the book club has been to read some of the reviews and articles about them. While I would normally jump at the chance to devour the list, I have been fairly busy. Today, with a little nudge from HubPages, I decided to join. With my usual careless abandon, I immediately signed up and went straight to Google Play to purchase the latest book.
Wait a minute ... I have never heard about this book. The title sounds intriguing, and Oprah recommends it, so it must be good, right?
Back to the drawing board (or the Oprah.com landing page!) Before purchasing the book, I decided to check a few things out. I decided to read a review and get a sneak peek of the book before buying it. I also decided to compare the cost and value. Getting ahead of myself, I prepared a table only to find that you can buy the Oprah's Book Club 2.0 digital edition in many different places for many different e-readers, all at the same price. If you don't have an e-reader, you can buy the book and get the study guide and Oprah's notes at her site.
How does Oprah's Book Club 2.0 Work?
When you decide to join the book club, you can sign up for the newsletter. I suggest that you also sign up for some other newsletters while you're at it. Besides providing good and interesting information, there are also articles that will tie into the book you are reading.
If you decide to purchase the current book, you can go to most e-book sites. Just make sure that it has the Oprah 2.0 seal on it, or you won't receive the notes and study guide. Once you are a member, you can tweet about it, visit the Facebook page or read the various articles on the Oprah's Book Club 2.0 website.
Pros and Cons of an Online Book Club
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
You can read the book at your own pace | There is not always a deadline, therefore not enough motivation to finish reading it. |
Unless you are in a "realtime" chat room, you can post comments anytime. | It is unconventional |
It is unconventional. | You may not have the opportunity to meet your book club partners in person. |
You can "meet" and interact with people from anywhere in the world. | You may not be able to have an actual conversation with others about the story. |
There is instant gratification. | If you want to read along with Oprah and see her highlights and viewpoints, you will need to purchase all of the books rather than check them out of the library. |
You will be introduced to many new books. |
My Take-Away
I do not want to be hasty in my assessment as I only just joined the club. I do want to say that there has been some instant gratification as well as one kind of big snafu. I chose to purchase my book from Kobo because I have the app on my Chromebook. Unfortunately, I was unable to access the highlights. When I tried it on my phone, it worked fine. I am also happy to report that it is working well on my desktop. I am disappointed that it isn't working on my Chromebook but will check further to see if I can change the format. All in all, I think I will enjoy being a member of this Book Club. I will continue to go to my monthly, local Book Club and look forward to the times that my two Book Club book choices will collide!
"The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read."~Abraham Lincoln
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Questions & Answers
Question: How do I submit my book for consideration to Oprah's book club?
Answer: You don't submit books to Oprah's book club. She recommends already published books.
Question: How can I get my new book recognized?
Answer: Your best bet would be to talk to publishers. Good luck!
Question: How do I get Oprah’s feedback on my book?
Answer: Oprah provides feedback on published books. If your book is not yet published, I recommend that you find one who can represent you. Good luck
Comments
Randi Benlulu (author) from Mesa, AZ on September 15, 2019:
Thank you for your comments! I hope you enjoy the book club! It has been a great resource for me!
Marcellea Annetta Dorsey on September 14, 2019:
I think this is what I have been looking for
Phyllis Ann Adams on September 07, 2019:
I’ve wanted to join for a very long time
Randi Benlulu (author) from Mesa, AZ on June 10, 2019:
Yolanda, You can start at www.oprah.com. they will guide you from there!
Yolanda on June 08, 2019:
I am interested in joining oprah book club.
Randi Benlulu (author) from Mesa, AZ on January 25, 2019:
Christa,
You can go online to Oprah.com. You can sign up there!
Thank you for reading!
Christa pellicci on January 25, 2019:
I like to join the bookclub
Randi Benlulu (author) from Mesa, AZ on January 20, 2019:
Hi Charlotte,