Winfrey announces new book club pick and launches ‘The Oprah Podcast’

NEW YORK (AP) — Oprah Winfrey has a new book club pick and a new platform to talk books and other topics of the day.

On Tuesday, Winfrey launched “The Oprah Podcast,” a weekly series airing on her YouTube channel that will feature book club authors and guests ranging from “global newsmakers” to “cultural changemakers.” Upcoming podcasts will feature author-chef Ina Garten and Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. surgeon general, among others.

Winfrey began “The Oprah Podcast” with Irish author Claire Keegan, whose prize-winning historical novel “Small Things Like These” is her latest book club selection. “Small Things Like These,” published in 2021, was adapted into a film starring Cillian Murphy that came out this year.

“To know that Oprah Winfrey took pleasure in reading my book is the most exquisite compliment, which will last my lifetime,” Keegan said in a statement. “To be told that she has also recommended it for others to read and has chosen this novel for her book club is a tremendous honor. May her wonderful book club encourage people into reading for years and years to come.”

Winfrey’s interview with Keegan and other book club choices will be presented in partnership with Starbucks. Conversations will be filmed in various Starbucks cafes, starting with one in the Empire State Building, and the books will be paired with a Starbucks beverage. Winfrey previously worked with Starbucks in the 1990s for a project to raise literacy funds and in 2014 on Teavana Oprah Chai Tea, which raised millions for youth education organizations.

“Connecting with people about what matters to us in this moment, so we can all continue to reach our highest, truest potential is what I’m most interested in offering at this time in my life,” Winfrey said in a statement. “As one of my greatest pride and joys this past 30 years has been introducing books to new audiences, I am delighted to partner with Starbucks as we craft this new podcast. It is the perfect opportunity to bring together readers around things we both love: books, coffee and conversation.”