by Kitty Kelley
First published 2010
Oprah Winfrey has spent twenty-five years extracting secrets from celebrities and sharing her own struggles with sexual abuse, weight, and relationships on television's most influential talk show. She has opened her life to millions while building an media empire. But investigative biographer Kitty Kelley turns the tables on the queen of confessional television. Kelley interviews Oprah's family members and business associates, obtains court documents and financial records, and examines the punishing confidentiality agreements that protect Oprah's image. She separates the carefully constructed public persona from the private reality. Kelley argues that Oprah represents one of the most significant cultural figures of our time, but insists that even greatness deserves scrutiny. The result exposes both sides of a woman who has shaped American culture while guarding her own secrets. This unauthorized biography reveals the complete story behind the Oprah phenomenon.
Genres: biography, non-fiction, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: celebrity, rags-to-riches, secrets
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
525 pages · Paperback · Crown Archetype
Content warnings: abuse, sexual-assault