Oprah Winfrey: The definitive story of her struggle and success - George Mair

Oprah Winfrey is America’s wealthiest and most famous black woman, but her present-day success is at odds with her humble beginnings.

Born illegitimate and virtually abandoned as a child, Oprah grew up in a tiny ghetto apartment where, having been sexually abused, she embarked on wild and promiscuous teenage years. Yet, burning with ambition and determination, she landed her first job with a radio station while she was still in high school, won several beauty contests and, by the age of nineteen, was hired by a television station.

This book details Oprah’s contemplation of suicide, her teenage miscarriages, the trauma of her public battle with dieting, the anguish of her indecision over marriage and the previously unpublicized ultra-right-wing connections of her long-time boyfriend. The Definitive Story also looks at the success of the talk show, its social implications, and uncovers the scandal of behind-the-scenes deals to plant ‘satisfied customers’ in the audience.

Prize-winning journalist George Mair has interviewed Oprah’s friends, family, colleagues and critics to present this extraordinary account of her struggles and success.