Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey (Orpah Gail Winfrey) was born on January 29th, 1954 and is currently 71 years old. Oprah Winfrey was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi, USA. Winfrey attended Tennessee State University where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Oprah Winfrey is a famous American talk show host, media owner, producer, and charity supporter. She is popularly known for
The Oprah Winfrey Show which aired from 1986 to 2011 and won several awards. Oprah has also been featured in movies like
The Butler, The Color Purple and
A Wrinkle in Time.
Winfrey’s 2014 book
What I Know for Sure tells of her experiences as a teenage mother, philanthropist, and TV show host. She offers real-life lessons for different stages of life that many readers can relate to. She also includes themes on debt, diet, faith, mental health, freedom, relationships, love, and much more through her own life story.
Additionally, Oprah also shares with us how tough her childhood was and how hard work contributed to the person she is today. Born out of wedlock, no one was ready for her arrival, and worse enough she wasn’t celebrated with a baby shower. Despite Oprah being born in secrecy, regret, and shame she garnered the courage to give herself love she never received. Oprah highlights the importance of having a supportive life in life.
She strongly believes that relying on other people for our happiness is one big mistake anyone can make. She also acknowledges that every single day is a day for growth. As she puts it: "There is one irrefutable law of the universe: We are each responsible for our own life."
Oprah also opens up on her struggles with weight and dieting and how she was able to eventually overcome come. She shares with the readers her deep belief in eating well. She also doesn’t shy away from sharing with us her painful experience of childhood sexual abuse which resulted in her getting pregnant at only 14 years. Her early pregnancy changed her life even though she initially hid the pregnancy and gave birth in 1968 her baby later died in the hospital a few weeks later.
A relative leaked the story of sexual abuse to the tabloids even though Oprah kept the sexual abuse a secret for years due to shame. At first, Oprah was scared but she was surprised that people didn’t treat her differently. That experience taught her one big lesson- even the hardest experiences can have a silver lining.
Oprah is also a strong believer that as long as people continue to separate themselves into “us and them” they will never grow. One of the most powerful lessons we get to learn from
What I Know for Sure is that “we suffer not because of what God does but because of what we do and not do.” It’s a highly recommended read of Oprah Winfrey’s fans or anyone looking for an inspiration book.
Oprah Winfrey: Awards & Accolades
Oprah Winfrey won the PEN/Faulkner Award, Literary Champion, in 2022.
Oprah Winfrey books have been nominated for multiple awards, What I Know for Sure was nominated for the Audie Award, Audiobook of the Year, in 2015 as well as the Audie Award - Best Narration by the Author in 2015. Food, Health and Happiness was nominated for the Goodreads Awards, Best Food and Cookbooks, in 2017. What Happened To You? was nominated for the Goodreads Awards, Best Nonfiction, in 2021. Build the Life You Want was nominated for the Goodreads Awards, Best Nonfiction, in 2023.
Oprah Winfrey: Lists & Other Mentions
- What Happened To You? was a New York Times: #1 Nonfiction Best Seller in 2021.
Related Authors
The most common authors followed by users who also follow Oprah Winfrey are:
- Fredrik Backman, author of the novel: A Man Called Ove.
- Stephen King, author of The Dark Tower Series.
- Agatha Christie, author of the novel: And Then There Were None / Ten Little Indians.
- Anthony Doerr, author of the novel: All the Light We Cannot See.
- David Grann, author of the novel: Killers of the Flower Moon.
Oprah Winfrey: F.A.Q
When was Oprah Winfrey Born? How old is Oprah Winfrey?
Oprah Winfrey was born on January 29th, 1954. Oprah Winfrey is currently 71 years old.
Where was Oprah Winfrey Born?
Oprah Winfrey was born in Kosciusko, Mississippi, USA and is American.
What awards has Oprah Winfrey won?
Oprah Winfrey has won the following awards: Literary Champion at the PEN/Faulkner Award (2022).
What was the first book Oprah Winfrey wrote?
The first book written by Oprah Winfrey was The Uncommon Wisdom of Oprah Winfrey, published in 1996.
What was the most recent book Oprah Winfrey wrote?
Her most recently released work was Build the Life You Want on September 12th, 2023.
Will there be any more books by Oprah Winfrey?
Oprah Winfrey does not have any upcoming books with a set publication date within the next few months at this time.
How many books has Oprah Winfrey written?
Oprah Winfrey has written 10 books. All of her books are Non-Fiction Books.