I'm a very avid reader, and it kills me when I love a book, recommend it to all of my friends, then find out that Oprah has done the same. It makes me look bad and like a poser and it totally makes me question my own tastes. If anything, it's a deterrent to reading those books.

stefa I feel the same way. I hate walking around with a book that has her sticker on it!

I've only had one book with the Oprah sticker, because I bought it at Target rather than B&N or Borders, where I usually book shop.

I peeled that little sucker off as soon as I could. I hate ANY stickers on my books.

I don't really care either way. I tend not to be into the same things she is so it's not usually a problem. But I will say that if I was an author I wouldn't mind it haha

Her endorsements don't influence my picks at all; in fact, I sometimes second guess myself if I've chosen one that is on her list. She does make some interesting choices at times.

I hate the Oprah sticker, too. I read a ton, and I don't want people thinking I read something because Oprah recommended it. However, some of her picks aren't that bad; Middlesex, for example, is a great book.

I'm not much for endorsements at all. I love that deserving authors and reading in general is publicized and discussed but I hate the whole Oprah hype. I also dislike the "movie" version of books with the cast on the cover.

I think she has great taste in books, and I def take it into account when perusing new books to read. That being said, when Middlesex was chosen, I felt like my tiny little secret was being told to the world. Regardless, it's a great read!

I don't watch Oprah, nor do I pay any attention to her, so I never know which books she recommends. So it's happened a couple of times where I've ordered a book online, and it arrives with that damned sticker.

I remove the sticker ASAP. I hate the idea of being one of millions of people who will do anything Oprah says.

No. Her taste is overated. Besides she probably doesn't even read the books with her sticker. She probably has people to do that for her.

I hate that sticker and I really dislike her book club. When her selections happen to be good, they're bogged down by the not great stuff she's picked and immediately made commercial. Jonathan Franzen had the right idea (The Corrections, incidentally, is one of the best modern books I've ever read) by hesitating on whether to accept her offer or not, causing it to be withdrawn. I was so mad when she picked The Road because, like dannysf said, it was like she was spilling my secret to the world. Grrr.

in my opinion, a good book is a good book and it doesn't matter who recommends it. I don't choose books just because Oprah recommends them, in fact, I hardly read the books she does recommend, but I won't say i won't read them just because she recommended them. Read the cover and a little on the inside to make your choice.

I tend to become suspicious of books Oprah recommends, she's not someone I think of as deep. Calculating maybe.

I kind of prefer to be able to read something without people thinking it's because Oprah recommended it. It's sucks Middlesex was included because I already wanted to read that and now people will think it's because Oprah said people should read it. I prefer to read something either because I myself wanted to read it or someone I'm a fan of mentions some book and I look it up, but it doesn't have a sticker with their name on it.

I too, hate Oprah's book club. Most of the time, I will refuse to read something (despite other rave reviews) that she has recommended just on principle. 98% of the time, I don't agree with her taste in the least. She is NOT a literary critic, she's a television personality.

That being said, I have read "The Pillars of the Earth." I read it before it was in the book club, and if you're into historical fiction, it's very good. Ken Follett is a great author and I'm glad he's getting more press for this book.

I think it's funny that so many people are so mad about this. What's wrong with telling people when you like a book? What's wrong with encouraging people to read? If my friend tells me about a book she liked should I refuse to read it because she's not a literary critic? That's just silly. I like some of her books and don't like others. I bet people in the book industry aren't complaining.

Besides, I'm a librarian and in my opinion ANYTHING that encourages people to read is good.

And if you're so embarrassed by a sticker, isn't that a little silly too? Who cares?

I hate her self-important b.s. It would make me NOT want to read a book if she recommended it. And I pray the books I love are never recommended by her.

If anything, it deters me from buying the book!

I hate any and all stickers on my books, plus I'm not a fan of Oprah.

I'm far, far less likely to read something if I know it's part of her book club list. I've read a few, and they were depressing as hell. The Rapture of Canaan was not only depressing, but bizarre. Ick.

Wow I love Oprah and while I don't go out of my way to get her book club selections it definitely makes me look at a book twice when I'm browsing. Anna Karenina was one of her picks, she's got good taste.

I can't stand Oprah, and mostly try to ignore her, as difficult as that is in our society. Therefore, I hate reading anything with the sticker, not because I want to rebel against her choice but because seeing that damn sticker makes it really hard to pretend she doesn't exist.

Oprah's opinion is just another review. The only book I've ever read that I LOVED and Oprah also loved was White Oleander. Her opinion is no different than asking friends and reading reviews on Amazon; it's just another way to try to gauge whether I will enjoy the read or not. I would be more concerned with trying NOT to look like an Oprah Book Club follower than actually being one. Seriously--who puts that much thought into what others think?

wow, so people actually don't read certain books because oprah picked them for her book club? lame guys, very lame. that being said it really doesn't make much of a difference to me, i look for new books to read based on lots of different recommendations. a lot of her books lately haven't really appealled to me, but way back in the day i did buy one of her recommended books and it ended up being one of my all time favs (the poisonwood bible.)

Why do so many people care what others think about the book they are reading?

Dbtabm, I totally agree with you. There aren't nearly enough people who read and if Oprah can get them to pick up a book like Middlesex (which is a pretty intense read), I say more power to her and to them. I just don't get all the negativity.

And I don't know about the rest of you, but when I read Middlesex (before it was an Oprah pick, btw) I told everyone I knew that they should read it! I don't keep good books a secret, I like to spread the joy.

So lighten up, everyone, and go read a book!

I would never be a hater just because Oprah recommended a book! I don't usually read her picks at all but I did read A New Earth and it has helped my life tremendously! So many children and adults don't read at all so if ANYONE is encouraging more reading I think it's AWESOME!

I usually read books before they are her picks, I think she is reading my mind. I love to read and before I started taking a class, I was a book a week. Yeah, I read. I think she has great taste. Now it is taking me forever to get through a book now. Sighs.

Oprah is entirely irrelevant to my choices in life.

Also, I *hate* stickers on my books -- drives me batty.

No! I hate the stickers and although she has had a few decent selections, I don't always agree with her selections and/or the direction she has taken her book club. I had hoped that she would have included many more beautifully written selections by writers such as Sherman Alexie, Sandra Cisneros, Louise Erdrich, Helena Maria Viramontes, Alice Munro, and Jose Saramago to name a few. She could have used her book club as an opportunity to highlight segments of life that continue to remain invisible to the vast majority of people.

I don't discount Oprah because there are many books that she has promoted that I've read and loved long before they were part of her book club. I feel like many of her recent selections (several exceptions, i.e., MiddleSex, The Grapes of Wrath, etc.) aren't quality and/or well written literature and the subject matter is pedestrian.

I am biased, I studied literature and love reading a well-written and well-told story. My book choices are always a bit eclectic.

I agree vickibug. I read Middlesex about 4 years ago and since then I've told pretty much everyone I know to read it. I love this book to bits.

I don't really care whether it's on Oprah's book list or not. I just find books I started reading Pillars of the Earth right before she picked it, and I read Middlesex years and years ago, and loved it, same as Madchen.

So whether or not I'll read a book isn't changed by some sticker on the front.

I recently raved about a book (A Thousand Splendid Suns) and my friend's husband mocked "Is that an Oprah book?"

I have read lots of "Oprah books" and I think I have enjoyed each and every one (that I have read). She does have great taste in books!

Why was I embarrassed when my friend's husband thought I was the type to read "Oprah books?"

I end up happening to read Oprah book club books, without realized that they were her pick. Middlesex was really good. and I LOVED Eat, Pray, Love. Plus on her website, she has reading guides and interviews with the authors that are a nice addition to a book that you enjoyed.

I'm an Oprah fan but I don't have to get her approval to enjoy a book. A good book is just a good book. But sometimes she does pick very good ones.

i read pillars of the earth before she recommended it. it's an amazing book - and his "sequel" world without end is even better. i bought the book east of eden by john steinbeck because oprah recommended it- i don't think i would've ever thought about getting it until i saw her recommendation. it's one of my favorite books of all time. i've read it five times. i think she has great taste in novels, but that doesn't mean i'm going to run out and get every book she says to. but it certainly doesn't discourage me to see an oprah sticker on the book.

I don't like buying a book that she has recommended, even if it was one that I was interested in for years. I don't want people to think that I'm one of THOSE people that just does whatever Oprah tells them to do. It's a shame that hundreds of thousands of people would never go out of their way to read the great literary classics, unless Oprah puts her mark on it first.

ugh - i hate when i see that little sticker on a book - i know that it helps in book sales and what not but she really doesn't seem like the person to tell me which books are valueable and that i should read.

It would make me NOT want to read a book if she recommended it, however most of the books she "recommends" I have at that point already read them. Makes me wonder about where she gets her insights. I do not think she picks them herself.

I've read about 10 of the books on the book list. Some of them I read before Oprah recommended them, some after, and I dont regret reading any of them. I'll read whatever looks interesting to me, no matter who's recommending it.

yeah dont care who recommends book. i think i may have read east of eden based on her rec but i am not sure it was a while ago. as a general practice though, i look to other sources for recommended reads. and then there are always those books that you missed reading years ago that you want to read.

Does the 20 something generation dislike Oprah? I am in my 30's and most everybody in this age bracket seems to adore her, but I'm wondering if the younger ladies are tired of her. That being said I don't like Oprah's book selections and I don't like everything I see on her show anymore, either.

I am 34 and i cannot stand Oprah. If i see a book with that sticker I avoid it, because I have read alot of them already and her taste sucks.

I am not lame, and I will not lighten up. I don't like Oprah, and I don't like any of the books I've read off her list. So read what you want, and don't insult me for having different taste than you. kthxbai.

I like Oprah okay, but her big fans bug the crap out of me. I don't know why, they just do. There is something so dorky about them, like the human equivalent of a fanny pack. Sorry if that offends anyone, it's just one girls perception. Anyway, I can't say I've ever been tempted by her book club choices, but it wouldn't stop me from reading them if I were.

Oprah is usually hit or miss with me. Middlesex, East of Eden and A Million Little Pieces (controversy and all) are amazing and it's nice that she's able to share these finds with the world.
However, I feel that the bulk of the books I've read that she's recommended have very weak or whiny female leads, or women who are in bad situations and don't do much to help themselves. I end up getting really frustrated with books like that. And totally not into the fanfare surrounding the book and author of Eat, Pray, Love...

I don't like Oprah's picks. I like to make my own decisions on what to read.

I think it's pretty silly to avoid a book based on the fact that Oprah recommended it, but I also think it's silly to read a book ONLY because Oprah said it's good. That being said, I understand how dannysf feels when one of his "secrets" gets "told" - I feel that way about a lot of things, but that's just me being a mini snob.