Season 1
14 episodes · 2019
1Ta-Nehisi Coates: The Water Dancer
Oprah and Ta-Nehisi discuss the 10-year process of writing his #1 best-selling debut novel and the cultural conversation it has provoked. Plus, Ta-Nehisi visits Monticello, which inspired his book's setting.
2Elizabeth Strout: Olive, Again
Elizabeth tells Oprah how her celebrated protagonist reappeared and why she finds the everydayness of life to be extraordinary.
3Jeanine Cummins: American Dirt (1)
Jeanine and Oprah are joined by authors Reyna Grande, Julissa Arce, and Esther Cepeda for a raw, revealing conversation about the novel.
4Jeanine Cummins: American Dirt (2)
Latinx people who saw themselves reflected in the book share insights into real-life migrant experiences.
5Robert Kolker: Hidden Valley Road
Oprah has in-depth discussions with author Kolker and surviving members of the Galvin family about living this extraordinary true story.
6James McBride: Deacon King Kong
Oprah and McBride discuss how his novel speaks to the current moment, his focus on the Black experience, and the inspiration for his characters.
7Isabel Wilkerson: Caste
Calling the book ”a must-read for all of humanity,” Oprah asks Wilkerson what compelled her to write it and why we need a new language for race.
8Marilynne Robinson: Gilead
Oprah talks to Robinson about her Pulitzer Prize-winning second novel, finding the character of John Ames, and how faith shapes her writing.
9Marilynne Robinson: Home
Robinson explains what inspired her to revisit the story of Gilead from different points of view and why she chose to address the subject of race.
10Marilynne Robinson: Lila
Oprah and Robinson discuss finding new layers in established characters, what America looks like at its best, and how loneliness can be a privilege.
11Marilynne Robinson: Jack
Discussing the fourth Gilead novel, Robinson opens up about its interracial romance, her writing process, and the possibility of more stories.
12Nathan Harris: The Sweetness of Water
Oprah sits down with Harris to discuss his debut novel's inspiration, his writing process, and how a biracial upbringing shaped his point of view.
13Honorée Fanonne Jeffers: The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois
The acclaimed poet opens up to Oprah about the inspiration for her epic debut novel and what she hopes to impart about the Black experience.
14Richard Powers: Bewildermentfinale
Oprah and Powers talk about his first novel since a Pulitzer Prize win, finding empathy through our differences, and his hopes for our planet.
