The Oprah Winfrey Show: Reflections on an American Legacy [Hardcover]

Deborah Davis (Author)

Book Description

Release date: November 15, 2011

The Oprah Winfrey Show came to an end on May 25, 2011, after 25 years on television. Arguably the most influential television personality of all time, Ms. Winfrey and her show have had an impact on American culture that cannot be overstated. This beautifully illustrated book will explore and celebrate the legacy of the show using essays and tributes from a stellar group of contributors including Maya Angelou, Bono, Ellen DeGeneres, Nelson Mandela, Toni Morrison, Julia Roberts, Maria Shriver, Gloria Steinem, John Travolta, and more. The book will feature photographs from the Harpo archive, spanning the 25 years the show has been on the air, including the farewell season.
 
Essays within the book will be dedicated to different themes (e.g., personal growth, social action, and literature) and will explore how the show has touched people’s lives and impacted the conversation around those issues. The essays will be followed by narrative text, which will guide the reader through the history of the show’s involvement with each topic and will include stories about the events, people, and organizations that have acted as touchstones or provided insights along the way. Accompanying the essays and narrative text will be images from the show, behind-the-scenes photographs, as well as signature portraits of the contributing celebrities taken by noted photographers.

The book will allow Oprah Winfrey Show fans to understand the broad cultural impact of the show, while revisiting favorite guests, episodes, and stories.

Praise for Oprah Winfrey Show: Reflections on an American Legacy:

“A lavish and loving tribute to the television personality, icon, and philanthropist makes a powerful case for Oprah’s centrality and influence on American culture. . . . The book shines when it . . . gives us, in its gorgeous photographs, behind-the-scenes glimpses of the empty studio, the primping process (with no fewer than three makeup artists), and the vast army of producers and writers behind Oprah’s magic.” 

“A big, glossy paean to the queen of talk . . . A chance to relive the first twenty-five years of ‘aha’ moments.” —USA Today

“[A] sumptuous tribute to the talk-show icon.” —Washington Post (A Best Book of 2011)

 

“This is a perfect gift for any Oprah fan or anyone just looking for inspiration.” —Dallas Morning News

—Publishers Weekly

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Deborah Davis is the author of Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X (Tarcher/Putnam, 2003), Party of the Century: The Fabulous Story of Truman Capote and His Black and White Ball (Wiley, 2006), The Secret Lives of Frames: 100 Years of Art and Artistry (Filipacchi Publishing, 2007), Gilded: How Newport Became the Richest Resort in America (Wiley, 2009), and the upcoming Guest of Honor: Booker T. Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, and the White House Dinner that Shocked a Nation, which will be published in Fall 2011 by Atria/S&S. She lives in Montclair, New Jersey.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Abrams (November 15, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1419700596
• ISBN-13: 978-1419700590
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 1.2 x 13.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #173,597 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #4 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( W ) > Winfrey, Oprah

More About the Author

Deborah Davis is the author of six narrative non-fiction books, including the upcoming The Oprah Winfrey Show: Reflections on an American Legacy, the authorized history of twenty-five years of the landmark television show and its legendary host (Abrams, 2011) and Guest of Honor: Booker T. Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, and the White House Dinner that Shocked a Nation, which tells the story of the remarkable event that ignited a racial storm, divided the country, and threatened to topple two of America's greatest men (Atria/S&S). Her other works include Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X (Tarcher/Putnam, 2003), the story behind the legendary John Singer Sargent painting that propelled the artist to international renown but condemned his subject to a life of public ridicule; Party of the Century: The Fabulous Story of Truman Capote and His Black and White Ball (Wiley, 2006), which transports readers to the Oz-like splendor of New York in 1966, where Capote, at the pinnacle of his fame, threw himself the party to end all parties; The Secret Lives of Frames: 100 Years of Art and Artistry (Filipacchi Publishing, 2007), a history of the picture frame, the beautiful, hardworking, and frequently overlooked Cinderella of the art world; and Gilded: How Newport Became the Richest Resort in America (Wiley, 2009), a colorful history of the fabled city from its first colonists to its new millennium millionaires. She has also written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Magazine Antiques, and Art and Antiques. Prior to becoming an author, she was a story editor and story analyst for several major film companies, including Warner Bros. Miramax, and Disney. Davis lives with her husband in Montclair, New Jersey and is the mother of two children.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Such a beautiful book with beautfiful writing and beautiful photos! November 29, 2011

By Sarah860

Format:Hardcover

This is such a beautiful book!! This book would certainly be an excellent gift for anyone who loves (and misses!) the Oprah Winfrey Show! This is one of the books that you would display on your living room table.

Since I am currently unemployed, I decided to take this book out from my local library. I "pre-reserved" this book and boy, do I wish I could keep this book!! The photography in this book is absolutely top-notch! When looking at all of the images, I feel like I'm there!

The book flows so well. Deborah Davis, the author, writes so eloquently and concisely. Davis is clearly a very talented writer. Throughout the book, I just wanted to keep on reading!

Basically, the book is a 238 page essay about the Oprah Winfrey Show. Scattered among the narrative about the show are GORGEOUS photos and touching essays about Oprah's legacy. Essays are written by Gloria Steinem, Maria Shriver, John Travolta, Diane Von Furstenberg, Julia Roberts, Stanley Crouch, Ellen DeGeneres, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Nicholas Kristof, "Bono, Nelson Mandela, Mark Nepo, Marianne Williamson, Phil McGraw, Bob Greene, Dr. Oz, Toni Morrison, Elie Wiesel, Phil Donahue, Roger Ebert, and Sidney Poitier.

The "essay" is divided into these sections:
-The Making of a Legacy
-Introduction
-A Forum for Women
-Star Power
-Embracing Equality
-Giving Back
-Soul Searching
-In Good Health
-Here's to Books
-Moving the Needle
-The Farewell Season
-The End of an Era

I really grasped Oprah's legacy and influence. She transformed America in so many ways. From encouraging reading through her book club to promoting equality and tolerance for all, Oprah's influence is HUGE.

I did not learn a lot from the book as I have watched the show every day for years (I'm 25 now had have not missed an episode since high school!). However, I did learn some new things about Oprah. I learned how Oprah first met Maria Shriver and Bob Greene (Oprah was in the office next to Maria Shriver at WJZ-TV and she first met Bob Greene at a health spa, where he was working at the time).

This is definitely a feel good book that just empowers you. So many "life lessons" from Oprah are referenced throughout the book. The lesson that is referenced the most in the book is, "You are responsible for the energy that you create for yourself and you're responsible for the energy that you bring to others." Other life lessons referenced in the book include:
-Always listen to your intuition. If something seems wrong, it probably is. Sanford Strong, who served twenty years with the San Diego Police Department, says to never allow an attacker to take you to a second location.
-There is an emotional component of weight loss, which is just as important as healthy eating and exercise.

Overall, this is a wonderful book! The book allowed me to relive some of my favorite Oprah moments and reminded me of life's most important lessons.

Five stars. Hands down.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Davis' THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW: Reflections on an American Legacy Is A Must December 1, 2011

By C. A. Webb TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

As someone who has always been a fan of the achievements of Oprah Winfrey and the way her show has literally changed the way people live, this book was a great gift and account of the legacy that the show and the creator have left for all of us. What Deborah Davis has done is not just remind us of the highlights that have come from the groundbreaking television show but the behind-the-scenes stories that we might not have known by just watching television.

Thought the Oprah Winfrey Show is off the air there is no way that Oprah Winfrey and the impact she made five days a week will be forgotten. By going through this book and seeing not just her evolution but remembering the changes we have all had in our lives, I think will be instrumental as we move ahead and keep learning to live with purpose.

THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW: Reflections on an American Legacy is not just for lovers of all things Oprah. It is for anyone who wants proof that change is possible and our best life is still yet ahead of us.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Have for any Oprah Fan!!! December 5, 2011

By Peaches

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book is about the height and length of two books. It takes two hands to read, but it is worth the effort for any Oprah fan or even a fan of beautiful photography. I can't comment enough about the grandeur and awe-inspiring splendor of the book - it's huge and comforting photos of people we've all come to know and love, the memories garnered up when seeing Oprah at her finest on the stage of the Oprah Show. I have never read a book this stunning.

The book is, of course, about Oprah Winfrey, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and about some of the things that she's tried to teach and have definitely learned throughout her tenure as a talk show host. There are also testimonials as to what Oprah has meant to people and cultures over the past 25 years. For example, there is a statement made by the great Henry Louis Gates Jr. which tells of how he first heard of Oprah and why she is so important in his life personally. He gave the experience of when Oprah visited the PBS stage to have her ancestry researched in "African American Lives." It was a remarkable page of information, and Mr. Gates Jr. stood tall as a beautifully artistic portrait on the next page almost watching you as you read with the proverbial `family' tree behind him.

This book is an experience! A must have for any Oprah fan!!!