Living Oprah

My One-Year Experiment to Walk the Walk of the Queen of Talk

By: Robyn Okrant

Narrated by: Joshua Ferris

What happens when a thirty-five-year-old average American woman spends one year following every piece of Oprah Winfrey's advice on how to "live your best life"? Robyn Okrant devoted 2008 to adhering to all of Oprah's suggestions and guidance delivered via her television show, her Web site, and her magazine. LIVING OPRAH is a month-by-month account of that year.
Some of the challenges included enrollment in Oprah's Best Life Challenge for physical fitness and weight control, living vegan, and participating in Oprah's Book Club. After 365 days of LIVING OPRAH, Okrant reflects on the rewards won and lessons learned as well as the tolls exacted by the experiment.

Engaging, Light Entertainment

The narrator / author does a nice job of not taking herself too seriously when reporting on an experiment she engaged upon a few years back. The last chapter though seemed all over the place and hard to follow. Then there's an interview tacked on that doesn't provide anything new, just the same rehash of the story you've just listened to. I would have preferred a postlogue of a "year out" reflection back. But overall, if you think you'd be interested in the topic, the narration is engaging and an easy listen.

Wanted to like it, couldn't

I'm a casual, cynical and snarky sometimes fan of Oprah- sometimes put her show on as background noise. I thought this book would be right up my alley, but it turns out that the author is too snarky for even my taste. I really, really, really had the best intentions of liking the author/ narrator, but just couldn't make that connection. Novel doesn't really go anywhere- but I confess, I bailed 2 1/2 hours into it. Not sure if there was a redeeming ending. 2 1/2 hours of b*tching and complaining, nothing exciting or inspiring, no real developing plot. If you hated Julie and Julia like I did, you'll probably hate this. Wish I could get my $$ back.