Oprah Winfrey: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies)

Oprah Winfrey: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies)
by Helen S. Garson

Oprah Winfrey: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies)
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Book Summary Information

Author: Helen S. Garson
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-08-30
ISBN: 0313323399
Number of pages: 200
Publisher: Greenwood

Book Reviews of Oprah Winfrey: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies)

Book Review: Exciting Story
Summary: 4 Stars


I love Oprah and loved reading her biography. Her life story is exciting and inspiring and should be shared and read by people who wish to succeed against all odds.

Oprah Gail Winfrey was born in 1954. She is an Emmy Ward winning talk show host and magazine publisher. In 2003 Forbes magazine proclaimed her the first black woman billionaire in the world. She has appeared on Time magazine's 100 most influential people list more frequently than any other woman, and considered by many to be the most influential woman in the world.

Oprah is one of America's greatest philanthropists donating generously to charity. Not only is Oprah's personal charity giving unmatched by any other show business celebrity, but she has one of the most generous audiences in show business, raising money for various causes.

Oprah was on the first national broadcast of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in 1986. In the mid-1990s the shows adopted a more serious format; addressing issues that Winfrey thought were of importance to women, such as infidelity, child abuse and cosmetic surgery. She often interviews celebrities on issues that directly involve them in some way, such as cancer, charity work, or substance abuse. In addition, she interviews ordinary people who have done extraordinary things or been involved in important current issues.

In 1985, Winfrey co-starred in Steven Spielberg's epic adaptation of Alice Walker's award-winning novel "The Color Purple". She earned immediate acclaim as Sofia, the distraught housewife. The following year Winfrey was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, but she lost. She has also acted in other films. Winfrey publishes two magazines and she has co-authored five books.

Winfrey has never married, but it is widely assumed that she has lived with her partner Stedman Graham for almost twenty years. The relationship of Oprah and Stedman has been documented through the years with numerous romantic tabloid articles often accompanied by color spreads of the couple at home and on lavish vacations.

Summary of Oprah Winfrey: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies)

The name and the face of Oprah Winfrey are instantly recognizable to just about every person in the United States. To millions of people around the world, Oprah is the embodiment of American spirit and entrepreneurial success; hers is a rags-to-riches story come to life. While there is a near continual barrage of information in the media about this larger-than-life woman, this biography takes readers past all the hype and hyperbole and presents a candid, balanced portrait of the flesh-and-blood woman herself. This well- researched personal profile presents a realistic yet intimate portrait of Oprah that neither canonizes nor demonizes her. The dramatic events in her life, both the struggles and the successes, are detailed with factual accounts that guide readers through the complex, and sometimes controversial, course of Oprah's life from her childhood in Mississippi, to her current position of extraordinary success. This penetrating book chronicles for readers the significant people and events that have had the greatest impact on Oprah personally and professionally. The careful organization of this book, with eight well-developed chapters, also examines the myriad areas of Oprah's immeasurable impact on the people close to her and the public at large, from her literary and political influences, to her candor about her own ups and downs with mental and physical health issues. Each of these areas is well researched and narrated with an equanimity and lucidity that distinguishes this book from a tell-all approach.

While this concise biography is written with the student in mind, and provides an ideal research tool, the lively writing style makes it enjoyable reading for anyone interested in knowing more about a truly remarkable woman. As a resource for research, the timeline is a very helpful tool in highlighting the significant events and understanding them in their chronological context. Readers will benefit from the wealth of materials that were consulted for this project: articles from the mainstream press, scholarly studies, published and televised interviews, reference materials and Internet sources.

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