25 Years Ago This October, Oprah Winfrey Escalated A Literary Feud For The Books – The List

Authors may want to be part of Oprah’s Book Club, but they sure don’t want to get on Oprah Winfrey’s bad side. Oprah launched her now-legendary book club in 1996. Five years later, novelist Jonathan Franzen made a comment that launched a rather unexpected feud between the book club leader and some of the authors it featured.

Oprah has always claimed to be the one who chooses the books featured in her book club. As a result, it’s typically a special honor for authors. In 2001, however, Oprah selected Franzen’s “The Corrections.” While on tour promoting the book, Franzen made a surprising comment. According to him, he wasn’t sure he even wanted to appear on her talk show and discuss being the 42nd novelist chosen for her book club. “She’s picked some good books, but she’s picked enough schmaltzy, one-dimensional ones that I cringe, myself,” he said, per Salon. Franzen admitted, “I think she’s really smart and she’s really fighting the good fight,” but this didn’t make up for what he’d said about Oprah’s book club picks. 

She revoked the invitation to her show “because he is seemingly uncomfortable and conflicted about being chosen as a book club selection,” she said in a statement (via The Guardian). “It is never my intention to make anyone uncomfortable or cause anyone conflict.”

Jonathan Franzen’s candid take on Oprah’s Book Club was certainly surprising, and it’s safe to assume he was surprised by her reaction. “I said things that ended up hurting Oprah Winfrey’s feelings and far too late it was pointed out to me that this was happening,” he told the New York Times. “I feel bad for a number of reasons, because I really don’t like to hurt people, and I feel bad because the person being hurt is actually a really good person for American writing and reading.” 

“The Corrections” went on to win the National Book Award, and Franzen gave Oprah a shoutout “for her enthusiasm and advocacy on behalf” of the book itself, according to The Guardian. 

Since then, Oprah walked away from her talk show; “The Oprah Winfrey Show” ended in 2011 after 25 seasons. Before the series came to a close, however, she made a surprising move. In 2010, Franzen’s book “Freedom” was named Oprah’s book club pick — and yes, she had him on her show. What could have easily been the most awkward talk show interview ever ended up being more of a peace offering. “It’s an honor to have you here,” Oprah told Franzen. He replied, “It’s an honor to be here,” per Vanity Fair. And thus, the final chapter of a book club feud for the ages closed with a surprisingly happy ending.