Literary trendsetter Oprah Winfrey opened her book club discussion of “An Ex-Mas Feast” by Uwem Akpan with web video, a brief, intimate chat about the opening story in Akpan’s short story collection.
As senior editor Ron Hogan correctly predicted, Winfrey picked “Say You’re One of Them” for her club earlier this month. The short story collection allows the unique chance to break the content into bite-sized discussion pieces. Readers are invited to upload their own video responses as well.
Here’s an excerpt from the video: “By the time I finished this story, every time I see a prostitute on the street–no matter where it is, whether it’s Vegas or Africa– I will never feel the same the same. I will always look at the prostitute from now on, and wonder, ‘What’s her backstory?'”