Last night I appeared on the Oprah Book Club webcast for Uwem Akpan’s SAY YOU’RE ONE OF THEM. This book of stories about life in a war-torn Africa, ironically enough, helped me understand deeper parts of myself. The emotional landscape of these stories are breathtaking and reading the book was like a journey. Having been an Oprah Book Club fan from the beginning (way back in 1996 with The Deep End of the Ocean by Jacquelyn Mitchard), it was thrilling to be a part of this worldwide event. I was able to climb deep inside the book, understand the author’s intentions when creating certain characters and developing specific events and hear about other people’s reaction to the book. This was an amazing experience that I will never forget. I can’t wait to find out what the next Book Club selection will be!

Publishing’s surest hitmaker announced that her latest book club pick is Uwem Akpan’s (YOO’-ehm AK’-panz) debut collection “Say You’re One Of Them.”

Winfrey’s choice practically guarantees hundreds of thousands of sales, numbers generally unthinkable for short stories beyond works by Ernest Hemingway, John Cheever and other giants of the art form.

Akpan is a native of Nigeria and an ordained Jesuit priest who in 2006 received a master’s degree in creative writing from the University of Michigan.

His work is set in Nigeria, Rwanda and other African countries and often centers on children in distress.

In 2005, The New Yorker featured him in its debut fiction issue.

-Associated Press

I would LOVE to hear what everyone out there is thinking about Oprah’s pick. Feel free to leave a comment. Will you be reading this selection?