Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Richard Russo has been announced as the latest author to join Oprah Winfrey's prestigious book club.
As part of August’s book club, Ms Winfrey revealed on Tuesday that she had chosen Russo's 2007 novel, Bridge of Sighs, a story set in a rural New York community.
Richard Russo’s sixth novel tells the story of a small-town American man and his wife who are preparing to embark on a family vacation to Italy.
Russo is known for basing much of his work in small, Northeastern American towns, including Nobody's Fool, which was later adapted into a film starring Paul Newman.
His 2002 Pulitzer-winning novel, Empire Falls, also became an Emmy-winning HBO series featuring Newman and Joanne Woodward.
While Ms Winfrey typically selects new releases for her club, she has occasionally opted for older titles, such as Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye and John Steinbeck's East of Eden.
Russo said: “It is, of course, a profound honor to be chosen for Oprah’s Book Club.
“But to be chosen for a novel written two decades earlier? A book that will introduce a whole new generation of readers to my work? How special is that?”
A conversation between Winfrey and Russo, held recently at a Starbucks in Seattle, can be seen on Winfrey's YouTube channel and on other outlets where podcasts are aired.
Starbucks is the current partner for Winfrey's book club, which she founded in 1996.
On Tuesday, Winfrey issued a statement praising Bridge of Sighs, stating: “This book has everything you need for a classic summer read – romance, unrequited love, life-long friendships, and of course – epic family drama.”
She added: “If you’re a fan of Richard Russo or discovering him for the first time, here’s your opportunity to read one of America’s most beloved writers.”
