Oprah's Book Club Is 30! Her Top 15 Picks (So Far), Ranked By Reviews

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It's hard to believe, but 2026 marks 30 years since Oprah Winfrey founded Oprah's Book Club. In a time before BookTok and e-readers, Winfrey's first ever book club pick was a timeless drama thriller, "The Deep End of the Ocean" by Jacquelyn Mitchard. That recommendation paved the way for the former talk show host and author to introduce readers to almost 125 books and build one of the most powerful literary clubs in the world. Oprah's Book Club is so popular and influential that more than 55 million Oprah's Edition versions of her picks were sold in the first 15 years (via Oprah Daily)! To celebrate the major milestone, Winfrey has celebrated with book giveaways, discussions, and throwback clips on social media to re-shine a light on some of her favorite picks. 

But she's not the only one reminiscing over three decades of gripping stories. We are too. We looked at every single recommendation over the past 30 years and ranked the top 15 based on Goodreads reviews and their user-given score out of 5.0 at the time writing. While every book on this list is worth adding to your TBR, the number one pick ought to be considered required reading. We think Oprah would agree.

"John of John" by Douglas Stuart was Oprah's Book Club's 123rd pick. At the time of writing, it's amassed a 4.26 average Goodreads score from over 39,800 ratings to secure its status as one of Oprah's Top Book Club's picks of 2026. The novel centers around John-Calum Macleod, a down-on-his-luck art school graduate who returns to his hometown without much to show for his time away. His conservative father and grandmother make it clear they don't exactly approve of his new lifestyle, but a major revelation changes everything and tests their bond.

"Douglas Stuart [...] brilliantly weaves a complex and compelling story that ultimately shows us the power of love in a world that is hostile, in a world that is judgmental," Oprah Winfrey said of the historical fiction book. Goodreads users were impressed too. "Raw, vibrant, emotional... A Masterpiece!" read one five-star review. "Gritty and dark but also immersive and gorgeous," read another.

Sue Monk Kidd's "The Invention of Wings" has been rated over 339,100 times at the time of writing and has a 4.26 average score (this book was placed higher than "John of John" because it's been rated more times). It's Oprah Winfrey's 73rd pick and is set in 19th century southern America when 11-year-old Sarah Grimké is gifted an equally young housemaid named Hetty 'Handful' Grimké. The historical fiction tale is loosely inspired by real events and follows Sarah and Hetty as they grow up together and face trials and tribulations.

"It is impossible to read this book and not come away thinking differently about our status as women and about all the unsung heroines who play a role in getting us to where we are," Oprah Winfrey said. Over on Goodreads, one complimentary review read, "I love books that make one think and feel and this book did both. Parts were inspiring, parts were devastating, disturbing."

Oprah's Book Club's 115th book was "The River Is Waiting" by Wally Lamb. It ranked highly amongst Oprah's Book Club's 2025 picks and has a 4.27 average score at the time of writing from more than 222,400 ratings. It's easy to see why, as the emotional tale covers many themes of grief and personal struggle. Protagonist Corby Ledbetter is a new dad who recently lost his job — and he knows he's losing his wife too. Desperate and struggling, Corby commits a crime that gets him locked up. While behind bars, he learns more about love and redemption than he ever did on the outside.

Oprah Winfrey stated of the touching historical fiction novel, "Wally Lamb takes us on incredible and transformative journey from the depths of despair to the healing power of being able to face the truth—and eventually find forgiveness." Another reader wrote in their Goodreads review, "This is a hard hitting and heartbreaking story. It's a heavy one to read," though gave the book five stars.

Jeanine Cummins' "American Dirt" was Oprah's Book Club's 83rd pick and, at the time of writing, has a 4.36 score from a massive more than 725,600 ratings. We meet Lydia and her family, who live in Mexico. But they're not relaxing on the sunny beaches, as they find themselves in serious danger after Lydia's journalist husband writes a damning article about a dangerous drug lord. And they're hell bent on revenge. The family attempts to seek refuge in the States as Lydia makes a startling realization about what she's running from and where she's running to.

"This story changed the way I see what it means to be a migrant in a whole new way," Oprah Winfrey said. On Goodreads, one user praised Cummins' writing, sharing, "The writing was exquisite and atmospheric – I was hanging on every word." Wrote another, "It is a compelling story that evoked emotions of fear and terror but also an appreciation of what a migrant must brave to triumph over crippling circumstances."

"A Fine Balance" by Rohinton Mistry, Oprah's Book Club's 46th recommendation, is set in the 1970s amid a state of emergency in India. Amid the uncertainty about the situation, four people with nothing in common are forced to live in the same apartment. The fictional tale examines what happens as the strangers spend more time in close quarters and start to bond — and maybe even start to love one another. At the time of writing, the novel has a 4.38 average Goodreads score from 165,100 ratings.

One Goodreads reviewer noted that although the book has gloomy tones, it still holds a sense of hope. "Excellent, but draining read with absolutely wonderful secondary characters added to the mix and a story I will not forget," wrote another reader, who was full of praise for the novel's ending. Speaking about the book when choosing it for her book club, Oprah Winfrey said, "I've never encountered pages that took me so far, and removed me from my own way of life and way of thinking..."

"Night" by Elie Wiesel is the most reviewed book on Goodreads on our ranking. The powerful memoir has amassed more than 1.4 million reviews and an equally impressive 4.38 average score at the time of writing. Originally written in Yiddish, then translated to French and English, the story is a harrowing account of the author's life after being taken to Auschwitz during World War II. The book inspired a short but poignant review from Winfrey, who simply said of her 59th Oprah's Book Club recommendation, "Required reading for all of humanity."

One Goodreads user would likely agree, as they wrote, "Written in a simple, unsentimental style (which makes the horrors described seem somehow more shocking), this is one of those important life-changing books that I believe everyone should read." Another reader shared in their five-star review of the Oprah's Book Club Pick that's a perfect fall read, "Harrowing and chilling but told with great compassion, his struggle for survival during the holocaust is almost too unbearable to contemplate."

At the time of writing, the true crime story "The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing" by Lara Love Hardin has amassed a 4.42 score from more than 151,000 ratings. It tells Hardin's real story after she was convicted of stealing her neighbors' credit cards to buy drugs. In prison, Lara fast learns a lot about prison politics and rises through the ranks to become queen bee — all while desperately seeking forgiveness from those she wronged. The book also follows the author after her stint inside as she turns her life around on the outside and becomes a succesful writer.

"This book is about redemption, about joy, about hope, about reclaiming yourself, and what you rightly deserve in life," Oprah Winfrey said while choosing her 104th book, which ranks amongst the best memoir picks from Oprah's Book Club. Another impressed reader shared on Goodreads, "Through her raw honesty and brave vulnerability, Hardin paints a vivid picture of her journey through the harrowing depths of substance abuse, the turmoil of recovery, and the discovery of inner strength and purpose."

Tina Knowles, mom to Beyoncé and Solange Knowles, tells her life story in "Matriarch: A Memoir," Oprah's Book Club's 113th pick. The notorious momager details everything from her young life to how she became a hugely successful businesswoman. We also get a glimpse at her private life, as she opens up about being a mom to two superstars and her divorce from Matthew Knowles. From over 11,500 ratings, the non-fiction release has a 4.43 average Goodreads score at the time of writing.

Oprah Winfrey was full of praise for the book, stating, "You're going to want to clear your schedule when you start this book as you will be totally riveted by the twists and the turns of this deeply personal and compelling story." In a five-star review, a Goodreads user wrote, "Reading Tina Knowles' story was like being invited into the living room of a woman whose strength and grace have quietly shaped one of the most influential families in culture today." A second wrote, "What a memoir of strength, beauty and femininity."

Another non-fiction book placing high on our ranking, Michelle Obama's hugely popular memoir "Becoming" has achieved a 4.43 score from a huge over 1.24 million ratings. In Oprah's Book Club's 80th pick, the former first lady gets candid about her life story, starting from her childhood in Chicago, to her education and first jobs, to what life in the White House was really like. She also dives into life after Barack Obama's presidency and her tireless efforts to make the world a better place.

"It was fascinatingly riveting, intriguing, inspirational, powerful, moving!" one five-star Goodreads review stated of the celebrity memoir you'll want to listen to on audiobook. Another reader wrote, "I love the matter-of-fact way she shares her feelings and experiences, revealing emotions and fears and moments of anger, as well as the moments of sheer joy." Oprah Winfrey was full of praise too, stating, "It's so vulnerable. ... It is Michelle Obama's personal story, of course, but I believe it's going to spark within you the desire to think about your own becoming."

"East of Eden" by John Steinbeck narrowly missed out on the top five, despite its impressive 4.46 rating from over 782,200 reviews. The fictional tale, Oprah Winfrey's 49th rec, tells the story of two brothers, Cal and Aaron, who are raised by their dad. It's a classic nature versus nurture thought provoker, as one brother grows up to live a successful life with the people he loves. But the other brother can't seem to shake the darkness that surrounds him, so things turn out very differently for him.

"A novel so rich and full of drama you won't be able to turn the pages fast enough!" Oprah Winfrey said, while another reader wrote in their Goodreads review, "It's rare that a book is both a thoughtful historical tale with strong themes, and a fast-paced, highly-readable romp through the lives of people who are smart, naive, calculating, lovable, mean, selfish and confused." Another commented on how they couldn't stop thinking about the story after finishing it, which explains why it was one of the classic books everyone was reading during summer 2026.

Barbara Kingsolver's "Demon Copperhead" has been rated more than 906,400 times for a high 4.46 rating, at the time of writing. Based loosely on Charles Dickens' "David Copperfield," — though set in present day — the fictional tale follows a man named Demon Copperhead who lives a seriously tough life from the day he's born. He grows up in care and poverty and finds himself entangled in the drug world. Yet he's still determined to make a better life for himself.

"['Demon Copperhead'] grabbed me from its opening lines. I so admire the way Barbara has taken the plight of a young boy and invited us on his journey through loss, the foster system, addiction and so much more," said Oprah Winfrey of her 98th pick. In a Goodreads review, one reader stated, "If you want a book that is going to suck you in and hold you rapt and take you on a roller coaster of emotions, 'Demon Copperhead' is the book for you." From these reviews, it's easy to see why "Demon Copperhead" ranked so highly when we rounded up Barbara Kingsolver's best books so far.

Oprah's Book Club's 92nd pick has a high 4.50 score at the time of writing from more than 44,200 ratings. "The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois" by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers details protagonist Ailey Pearl Garfield's story. Ailey is African-American and wants to succeed in life to honor the ancestors who paved the way for her. As she tries to find out who she is and where she comes from, she finds out harrowing details about her family and how her life in the U.S. came to be.

"I was so enraptured by the story of this modern Black family, and how author Honorée Fanonne Jeffers wove the larger fabric of historical trauma through the family's silence through generations," Oprah Winfrey said of the book that ranked amongst Oprah's Book Club's best picks of the 2020s. Others noted that although the story is long, it's worth a read. One Goodreads reviewer wrote, "This inspiring intergenerational novel is enlightening, illuminating and intelligent. It is a commitment well worth making."

"Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents" by Isabel Wilkerson, Oprah's Book Club's 86th pick, has a 4.52 Goodreads score from over 168,200 ratings at the time of writing. The non-fiction book, considered one of the best books over 500 pages by a female author, explores historical caste systems across the world, including in the U.S. It examines real-life experiences and looks back at the true effects rigid social stratification has had on society.

"It explains why we are where we are in terms of racial injustice and inequality and it show us how to rebuild a world in which all are truly equal and free," Oprah Winfrey said, adding, "A must-read for humanity." In a Facebook post, the author and TV personality doubled down, revealing the book was the inspiration behind "The Oprah's Book Club podcast." "'Caste' is the most important book I've ever selected for my book club," she wrote. On Goodreads, one user poignantly stated of the highly rated book, "It was eye-opening and mind-blowing at times, a reading experience that greatly appreciated."

Viola Davis' memoir, "Finding Me," just missed out on the top spot, but it's certainly riding high on Goodreads with a 4.53 score from 198,923 ratings at the time of writing. The non-fiction book, Oprah Winfrey's 95th pick, takes a reflective dive into the "The Help" actor's inspiring life, including her upbringing and career. It also shines a light on her struggles and fight to love herself and find her purpose.

"There are so many lessons to be learned from this breathtaking memoir about triumphing over adversity and trauma," Winfrey gushed. And she's far from the only one to sing the memoir's praises. "This was a beautiful, heart-wrenching book," wrote one Goodreads user. "I feel so honored to have read a story in which she was so open and vulnerable." A second Goodreads review read, "An honest, unflinching, and utterly brilliant account of how one of the best actors of our time became who she is today."

Sitting at the top spot on our ranking of Oprah's Book Club's top-rated pick is Anthony Ray Hinton and Lara Love Hardin's "The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row." The 79th recommendation has, at the time of writing, a massive 4.65 average Goodreads user-given rating from more than 88,100 ratings. The book is a harrowing account of Hinton's real-life story after he lived on death row for almost 30 years following a conviction for a crime he didn't commit. "You'll be swept away into this unbelievable, dramatic true story," Oprah Winfrey said. 

Several Goodreads users were just as blown away by Hinton's shocking story of injustice. "This is an extraordinary book that will break you and shake your confidence in the justice system," read one five-star review. "This is incredibly powerful. This is so heartbreaking and I was infuriated for so much of it," read another.

This list encompasses Oprah's Book Club picks prior to September 2026. We ranked each choice according to its Goodreads user-given average rating out of 5.0 at the time of writing, and also took into account what readers had to say via detailed Goodreads reviews. If two or more books had the exact same score, the book with the higher number of ratings got the higher position. Now you know what came out on top, check out the least popular Oprah's Book Club Picks to show the less popular recs some love too.