- ISBN13: 9781599952390
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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 wei… More >>
Living Oprah: My One-Year Experiment to Walk the Walk of the Queen of Talk
I first heard about this on the “Today” show and thought the author’s blog would be funny. When I read it, I realized two things: (1) the author takes herself and her “social experiment” VERY seriously and (2) she is someone who may have listened to Oprah’s words but missed the message and learned nothing about Oprah as a person. She refused to accept a Kindle which Oprah offered her because Oprah enjoys giving but feels no shame in profiting off of Oprah’s name with this book which shows little talent and insight. I think almost anyone else who watches Oprah could write a more insightful book about their experience.
Rating: 1 / 5
This gimmicky memoir is exactly like the title proclaims as thirtyish Robin Okrant lived one year in accordance with Oprah’s advice. Ms. Okrant obviously admires Oprah, but also scorned that anyone even Oprah could adhere to her advice over a period of time. Testing her hypothesis, she tries keeping score along way and criticizing Oprah when she deemed sit worthy such as the talk show host’s obsession over female looks. Although the memoir has many tedious entries as Ms. Okrant chose honesty over entertainment. Still this critique leads to a fascinating odyssey in which the author concludes to live real life to the fullest and forget this best life as described by anyone except you and your loved ones, and not proscribed by an outsider even a famous successful TV guru. Not for everyone as this modern day search for the Holy Grail, “My One-Year Experiment to Walk the Walk of the Queen of Talk”, seems a bit beyond even reality TV, yet many of the “Oprahized” entries are insightful and fascinating albeit expensive.
Harriet Klausner
Rating: 4 / 5
I loved reading Living Oprah cover to cover. I couldn’t wait to read the next month to find out what advice Robyn had to follow and how it impacted the way she acted, thought, and felt. I could relate to the fact that she questioned everything she did, ate, and wore…her message is apt in this world where fad and fashion rule the way we evaluate others and ourselves. Why, she asks, do we look to others for advice and why are we victims of both internal and external critique when it does not help, only hinders, finding our true worth and fulfillment. Robyn’s experiment was smart and REALLY funny at times. All women would not only benefit, but also enjoy seeing themselves through Robyn’s portrayal of media’s impact on women.
Rating: 5 / 5
Get this book- it’s hilarious! I laughed out loud several times…even on the subway! I loved peeking in on Okrant’s one year journey through the treacherous jungle of advice, recommendations and judgment at the hands of Oprah and how it impacted her sense of self and wellbeing. By Robyn living through the experience, I realized how just how powerful those influences are in our day to day lives. And not just from Oprah but by the media in general. It shines a deliciously ironical light on “living your best life.” Loved it!
Bottom line- this book is honest, engrossing and totally fun to read. I’m sending copies to my friends!
Rating: 5 / 5
What an amazing idea! I followed Living Oprah’s blog looooong before the book was published, and fell in love with Robyn’s wit, insight, humor, intelligence, and ability to stay objective as she turned her life upside-down in what began as a simple (yeah, right!) social experiment.
The book is a completely honest look at what it means to let go of your own power in decision-making, and rather unquestioningly follow the dictates (advice? guidelines? Nah, much of it boils down to dictates!) of someone who has been made powerful by fame and media. It should be noted that there is very little judgement about Oprah herself (in fact, there’s clear admiration for Oprah’s self-made empire); rather, opinions are naturally formed based on how one’s life (i.e., time, money, energy, thinking, etc.) becomes managed due to the significant input of “another.”
Again, Robyn’s writing is smart, witty, and feels so familiar: We can all identify with her questioning her self-worth because of not “measuring up,” and likewise we can celebrate ourselves when we’ve found something that really makes us feel better, stronger, happier. She’s the quick-witted, smart friend we all like to hang with, and she opens herself up and makes herself available to all of us.
This was an ingenious project for someone to come up with and take on; the result is an enlightening book! Can’t wait to see what Robyn writes next.
Rating: 5 / 5