The Big "O"

4 Pulitzer Prize winners, 17 National Book Award finalists and winners; 3 MacArthur recipients; and 36 Guggenheim and 18 NEA fellows, as well as winners of American Book Awards, Southern Book Critics Circle Awards, PEN/Malamud and Whiting Prizes, an Orange Prize and a Newbery Medal signed an open letter today to Oprah Winfrey, asking her to re-instate her book club.

The letter to Oprah was originated by Word of Mouth, an association of women writers, and signed by its members and its many supporters across the country—including men.

Among the many distinguished writers who signed are: Francine Prose, AM Homes, Lily Tuck, Maureen Howard, Jennifer Egan, Roxana Robinson, Paula Sharp, Ann Beattie, James Alan McPherson, Louise Erdrich, Amy Hempl, Arthur Golden, Shirley Hazzard, Oscar Hijuelos, Gish Jen, Jhumpa Lahiri, Julia Glass, Caroline Leavitt, Sue Miller, Cynthia Ozick, ZZ Packer, and Jane Smiley.

(Plus the Happy Booker, as a card-carrying WOM member.)

The open letter will remain on the website for the next few weeks, inviting other writers to sign on and join the cause.

Read the letter here, at the new WOM website.

Comments

[hebdomeros]

Interesting tactic. If I remember right, the reason she gave for giving it up was that she couldn't find any contemporary novels she felt strong enough about to personally endorse. When she eventually brought it back, she opted for the classics. A better method might be introducing Ms. Winfrey to more contemporary books that she would like. Although she picked quality books, they were certainly books of a specific type and she just may not be fully aware of what's out there.

But then, her vanity would like the idea of her rescuing the literary publishing industry. I wish them luck with the effort. Anything that gets people reading is worthwhile.

[LadyLitBlitzin]

Hmm, yeah, that does seem highly suspect that she wouldn't be able to find anything out there worth recommending. Sounds like she didn't have enough researchers on the task or something... and I guess there's only so much she could personally read, truth be told. I know I have been averaging what, a book like every two months here lately.

It's nice to think that she has some sense of integrity though, and I wholeheartedly agree with the idea that anything that gets people reading is worthwhile.

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