Oprah Winfrey: The Real Story - Softcover

Mair, George

2.84

55 ratings by Goodreads

9780806580173: Oprah Winfrey: The Real Story

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0806580178 ISBN 13: 9780806580173

Publisher: Citadel Pr, 1998

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A black woman in a business dominated by white males, Oprah has made it to the top with determination and talent. Her story is here revised and updated to meet continuing high interest and to cover the recent beef against Oprah by Texas cattlemen. of photos.

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From Publishers Weekly:

Mair got lucky: his unauthorized cut-and-paste biography is being published in time to satisfy the massive curiosity aroused by cancellation of the megastar's autobiography. Veteran show-biz chronicler Mair (Inside HBO) does his best to fill the gap, and Oprah's story practically tells itself. Bounced between parents and cities, abused by relatives, Oprah was a rebellious teenager who, as a young woman, found her niche in the new-format TV talk show. Mair follows her conscientiously from Nashville to Baltimore to Chicago, from WJZ-TV to WLS-TV to her own Harpo Productions. She appears with Joan Rivers and agrees on-screen to a dieting contest; filming The Color Purple is a thrilling experience; The Women of Brewster Place is her first independent TV production; and the tall, elegant Stedman Graham comes into her life, unawed, according to Mair, by Oprah's riches and success. The problem with the book is apparent: one can repeat how dynamic and charming Oprah is ad infinitum, but Mair doesn't capture what makes her different. Ardent collectors of Oprah trivia will want to scan this account then compile the questions they hope will be answered in the star's own book-once she comes to terms with being as uninhibited on paper as she is on-screen. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal:

After Winfrey's 11th-hour withdrawal of her autobiography last year, her fans may hope that this "unauthorized" version will be full of personal revelations. Unfortunately, this effort presents just the basic-and already known-facts of Winfrey's life: her childhood in rural Mississippi, the molestations she endured at the hands of relatives and friends, her driving need to make something of herself, her career as a youthful newscaster, and her talk show successes. Most of the material has been taken from already published sources and interviews, resulting in a shallow and lightweight treatment. Information on the history of television talk shows and a discussion of the King World distribution empire pad the book. The only item that might be new to Winfrey's devotees is the extreme conservatism of her boyfriend, Steadman Graham. The style is tabloid and the information repetitive; Winfrey and her fans deserve better. For the real story, wait for Winfrey to write her own book. Not recommended.
Rosellen Brewer, MOBAC Lib. System, Monterey, Cal.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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