Oprah

A Biography

De: Kitty Kelley

Narrado por: Kitty Kelley

For the past twenty-five years, no one has been better at revealing secrets than Oprah Winfrey. On what is arguably the most influ¬ential show in television history, she has gotten her guests—often the biggest celebrities in the world—to bare their love lives, explore their painful pasts, admit their transgressions, reveal their pleasures, and explore their demons. In turn, Oprah has repeatedly allowed her audience to share in her own life story, opening up about the sexual abuse in her past and discussing her romantic relationships, her weight problems, her spiritual beliefs, her charitable donations, and her strongly held views on the state of the world.

After a quarter of a century of the Oprah-ization of America, can there be any more secrets left to reveal?

Yes. Because Oprah has met her match.

Kitty Kelley has, over the same period of time, fear¬lessly and relentlessly investigated and written about the world’s most revered icons: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Reagan, England’s Royal Family, and the Bush dynasty. In her #1 bestselling biographies, she has exposed truths and exploded myths to uncover the real human beings that exist behind their manufac¬tured facades.

Turning her reportorial sights on Oprah, Kelley has now given us an unvarnished look at the stories Oprah’s told and the life she’s led. Kelley has talked to Oprah’s closest family members and business associates. She has obtained court records, birth certificates, financial and tax records, and even copies of Oprah’s legendary (and punishing) confidentiality agreements. She has probed every aspect of Oprah Winfrey’s life, and it is as if she’s written the most extraordinary segment of The Oprah Winfrey Show ever filmed—one in which Oprah herself is finally and fully revealed.

There is a case to be made, and it is certainly made in this book, that Oprah Winfrey is an important, and even great, figure of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. But there is also a case to be made that even greatness needs to be examined and put under a microscope. Fact must be separated from myth, truth from hype. Kitty Kelley has made that separation, showing both sides of Oprah as they have never been shown before. In doing so she has written a psychologically perceptive and meticulously researched book that will surprise and thrill everyone who reads it.

Entertaining and surprisingly balanced

This is high pop pulp, well executed. If you accept the book at this level, as a guilty pleasure, this is an lengthy and mostly entertaining read about late-20th Century society in America and one of its top media stars. Given Oprah's tight circle and heavy use of nondisclosure terms in contracts with everyone who works for her, Kelley's thoroughness is impressive. (Kelley's forward offers a persuasive defense for the unauthorized biography as an important genre, which is worth a read by itself.) The book is a long unvarnished portrait of the gutsy poor girl whose immense drive and talent propelled her to worldwide fame and a billion-dollar fortune. Kelley narrates the book herself, delivering an extra level of catty admiration in the audio edition that makes this an entertaining listen.

WOW! The Big O

What a great book, the true side of Oprah! I do remember reading and hearing Oprah say many of the things that reviewed in the book, however it is easy to she that like all Actors Oprah is on stage playing to her audience, A big thank you to her aunt/cousin that came forward, her aunt/cousin is a hoot!

excellent read

This is a well written book avout a lovely person. She had to put a lot of research into it.

Absolutely loved it

I have no problem with the narration, but following feedback of others- suggest speed it up by .1 -I thought the reporting was excellent, fair and balanced, and just dishy enough. Without an Oprah interview or Oprah permission, Kitty Kelly seamlessly weaves in her own words from thousands of interviews. Brilliantly structured. And really gave
me insight into this massive personality.

Scathing but good!

Kitty Kelley has again accomplished another Scathing story. I could not put this book down! Many of the transcripts are from episodes that I remember and was shocked to hear how many of her stories have changed over the years.

What a sad portrait of this woman who is famous for touching the lives of so many women has lost touch with reality with the real world because of her fame and fortune.