Oprah Winfrey promises to create a "deeper, substantive discussion" over her controversial Oprah's Book Club pick

Los Angeles Times

Oprah admitted in an Instagram video she didn't realize Jeanine Cummins’ novel American Dirt would be controversial when she read an early version of it last summer "before it was an official book." American Dirt has been accused of relying on Mexican stereotypes to deliver a novel about immigration with mainstream appeal. “It was a visceral experience for me — a migrant story being told from a mother’s perspective about the lengths that she would go to to protect her child to get to freedom in America," Oprah said. "I was deeply moved. It had me riveted from the very first sentence, and I could hardly wait, really, to share it with all of you.” But Oprah added: "Now, it has become clear to me, from the outpouring — may I say — of very passionate opinions, that this selection has struck an emotional chord and created a need for a deeper, more substantive discussion. When I first started to hear your comments opposing the selection, I was asking the question in earnest: ‘What is offensive?’ I’ve spent the past few days listening to members of the Latinx community to get a greater understanding of their concerns, and I hear them. I do.”