Oprah: A Biography combines three years of research, more than 2,700 studied interviews conducted by Oprah and over 850 author interviews of subjects close to Oprah in 544 pages. Random House first announced the project in December 2006 and Kitty Kelley's long anticipated book will be released April 13, 2010.
Who is Kitty Kelley?
Kitty Kelley, age 68, has extensive experience interviewing subjects and writing biographies, many unauthorized. Her first unauthorized biography was Jackie Oh!, released in 1978. The book about the life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis quickly hit the New York Times Bestseller List. In 1998, Kelley released The Royals, a biography of the royal family of England. She has also penned biographies about the Bush Dynasty, Nancy Reagan, Frank Sinatra and Elizabeth Taylor.
While Kelley describes a biography as "an intimate portrait of someone's life", her subjects, and their fans, have not always agreed that an outsider should paint that portrait. Kelley received death threats after her release of Nancy Reagan: The Unauthorized Biography. Body guards were stationed at book signings to protect the author. Frank Sinatra initiated a two million dollar lawsuit to stop the publication of Kelley's His Way: An Unauthorized Book of Frank Sinatra in 1986. He later withdrew the suit.
As Kelley prepares to promote her newest book, she faces boycotts from various celebrities and talk show hosts. While she was welcomed to the set of The Today Show to speak with Matt Lauer, Barbara Walters, Larry King and David Letterman are among the many who have declined to allow Kitty Kelley time on their programs to promote the biography.
Books About Oprah Winfrey
Of course this is not the first book published with Oprah as the main subject. In 2008, Ilene Cooper wrote, Up Close: Oprah Winfrey . Other books among the seemingly growing list featuring the powerful icon include The World According to Oprah: An Unauthorized Portrait in Her Own Words,by Ken Lawrence (2005) and Oprah Winfrey, A Biography , by Helen S. Garson.
Winfrey herself has co-authored several books including a 1994 release with Rosie Daley called, In The Kitchen with Rosie: Oprah's Favorite Recipes and The Uncommon Wisdom of Oprah Winfrey: A Portrait in Her Own Words with Bill Andler. She's written two books with fitness expert Bob Greene, A Journal of Daily Renewal: The Comparison to Make the Connection and Make the Connection: Ten Steps to a Better Body and a Better Life.
Oprah's organization continues to give the same statement that has been given for months when asked about Kitty Kelley's, Oprah: A Biography, "Oprah hasn't participated in or read Kitty Kelley's book, so she is unable to comment". As always, it is up to the readers to decide the value and validity of this latest unauthorized Kitty Kelley biography.
The hardback book will be available through Amazon ($15) and other major retailers on April 13, 2010. It will also be available for the Kindle® for $13.50.
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