Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Gail Winfrey is an American media executive, actress, talk show host, television producer, and philanthropist.

A poignant memoir about a young girl growing up with the absence of her incarcerated father and her journey to finding her own identity amidst poverty, puberty, and assault. Ashley C. Ford explores the complexities of familial love, and how our origins shape who we are in this powerful coming-of-age story.

I saw so much of my own story in this beautifully written book by Ashley, who—like me—also had to overcome a challenging childhood growing up as a poor, Black girl. Her remarkable memoir about finding love, finding freedom, and finding herself will move you. – source

Follow the journey of Hiram Walker, born into slavery and gifted with a mysterious power he can't remember, as he escapes his plantation home and embarks on a thrilling quest to reunite his family. From grand southern plantations to northern utopic movements, Hiram's journey exposes the horrors of slavery and the bravery of those fighting to end it.

I have not felt this way about a book since Beloved. I knew early on the book was going to cut me up. I ended up with my soul pierced. – source

This powerful novel follows Lydia, a bookstore owner in Acapulco, Mexico, as she is forced to flee with her son after her journalist husband publishes an explosive article about the leader of a drug cartel. The two become migrants, riding trains to reach the United States and leave the violence of the drug cartels behind. Along the way, they join countless others also seeking a better life. A gripping, emotional tale of survival and the search for home.

Like so many of us, I’ve read newspaper articles and watched television news stories and seen movies about the plight of families looking for a better life, but this story changed the way I see what it means to be a migrant in a whole new way. – source

Unlock your inner potential and discover inner peace with The Untethered Soul - a #1 New York Times bestseller. Author and spiritual teacher Michael A. Singer takes readers on a transformative journey that explores the source of thoughts and emotions, and provides simple yet profound solutions for releasing limiting beliefs. Through meditation and mindfulness, Singer shows how to live in the present moment and release painful memories that keep us from achieving happiness and self-realization. This book offers a life-changing perspective for anyone looking to let go of mental and emotional limitations, and is now available in a special hardcover gift edition.

I was having a birthday party last year, and a friend handed me this. I was so riveted that I asked the author, who almost never gives interviews, to talk with me on OWN. Here's one of my favorite observations in this essential work: "To attain true inner freedom, you must be able to objectively watch your problems instead of being lost in them. Once you've made the commitment to free yourself of that scared person inside, you will notice that there is a clear decision point at which your growth takes place. – source