Oprah’s Intention for the Week: Finding Family & New Book Club Pick

Oprah Winfrey has selected Tayari Jones’s novel, Kin, as her first book club pick of 2026. The announcement was made Sunday as part of a weekly intention shared exclusively with Oprah Daily Insiders.

Jones is also the author of An American Marriage, which was a previous selection for Winfrey’s book club, her 78th pick. Winfrey described Jones as possessing “a gift for finding the sacred in everyday choices and the grace in even the most flawed characters.”

Kin explores the complexities of “chosen family,” following two childhood friends whose lives take divergent paths. One character pursues a life of privilege through education, while the other seeks reconnection with a mother who abandoned her years prior. According to Winfrey, Jones wrote the novel to demonstrate that biological ties do not inherently hold more value than the relationships people intentionally cultivate.

Winfrey encouraged readers to reflect on those who have consistently offered support and connection, even without formal recognition. She suggested a small gesture of appreciation – a phone call, text message, or note – to acknowledge these individuals as family. She invited Oprah Daily Insiders to share their reflections and participate in a conversation within the Oprah Insider Community.

Winfrey’s book club, launched in 1996, has been credited with significantly impacting book sales and fostering a global community of readers. She oversees Harpo Productions and serves as chairman and CEO of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, in addition to founding O, The Oprah Magazine and OprahDaily.com. Winfrey received the Medal of Freedom in 2013 and the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2018, becoming the first African American woman to be so honored.