Latest news with #BridgeOfSighs
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Oprah Winfrey congratulates author Richard Russo, who doesn't recognize her voice
"And I missed your name," Russo said several minutes into their conversation. Oprah Winfrey's famous voice failed her recently. When she called Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Russo to share the good news that his 2007 book Bridge of Sighs had been selected for Oprah's Book Club this month, Russo didn't recognize who was on the line. The club's official Instagram shared a video Wednesday of the media mogul giving Russo the kind of call that authors dream of, the kind that catapults a title onto the best-sellers list overnight. Of course, Russo's book was already a bestseller when it was released, but that didn't seem to have anything to do with why he hadn't recognized her. And he seemed to be appreciative of her kind words, even if he didn't realize that the caller is one of the more powerful people in publishing. Russo somehow missed the part early on in their exchange when she said it was "Oprah Winfrey calling." "I'm calling to tell you that I've loved your work since Empire Falls," she said of the 2001 novel that won the Pulitzer. "I just recently came across Bridge of Sighs. And I loved it so much! So anyway, we're gonna choose it for Book Club this summer. I would be delighted to have a conversation with you about it." The former talk show host explained that there would be an event in which they discussed the book — which she's described as a story of "romance" and "epic family drama" — as well. Russo, who's written more than a dozen books, appeared to be as happy as if anyone else had said this to him. "Well, that's wonderful!" he answered. "Anytime anyone compliments me on that book, since it doesn't happen very often, I'm always delighted to hear it." Five more minutes went by, according to her official Instagram the end of the conversation, Russo thanked the person he was speaking with and said, "And I missed your name." "It's Oprah," the Emmy winner answered. "Oprah Winfrey." He understood then. "Oprah?" Russo said before chuckling. "I'm so embarrassed." She was asking aloud if she hadn't said her name — she did — and then she told him not to be embarrassed. Russo was able to collect himself: "I will really look forward to this." Watch Russo's eventual conversation about the book with Oprah above. Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Reader's guide for "Bridge of Sighs," new Oprah book club pick
Oprah Winfrey joins "CBS Mornings" with author Richard Russo to discuss her latest selection, "Bridge of Sighs." Dive into "Bridge of Sighs,"with this reader's guide. Reader's Guide Questions 1. Bridge of Sighs alternates two narratives: Lucy's first-person memoir and the story of Robert Noonan. What are the advantages of this structure? How does it affect the way the plot unfolds? Does it influence your impressions of the main characters? 2. How does Lucy's description of Thomaston create an immediate sense of time and place [pp. 10–13]? What details did you find particularly evocative? What does Lucy's tone, as well as the way he presents various facts about Thomaston and its history, reveal about his perceptiveness and his intelligence? 3. Lucy says, "I've always known that there's more going on inside me than finds its way into the world, but this is probably true of everyone. Who doesn't regret that he isn't more fully understood?" [p. 14]. To what extent does this feeling lie at the heart of his decision to write his book? Does it play a central role in memoir-writing in general? What else does Lucy hope to accomplish by recalling his past? 4. The horrific prank the neighborhood boys play on Lucy triggers the first of many "spells" he will have throughout his life [pp. 25–36]. What is the significance of his spells? What do they reveal about the emotional attachments, anxieties, and doubts that define him both as a child and as an adult? 5. Lucy makes many references to the pursuit of the American Dream and its implications within his own family and in society in general [pp. 62–66, 93–94, 110–111, for example]. In what ways did American attitudes in the postwar years embody both the best parts of our national character and its darker undercurrents? What incidents in the novel illuminate the uneasiness and enmity that results from the class, racial, and economic divisions in Thomaston? Do Lucy's beliefs, judgments, and achievements (as a businessman and as a happily married husband and father) color his reconstruction of these events? 6. Unlike Lucy's story, Noonan's story is told in the third person. Is the change of voice a literary device, a way of adding variety to the novel, or does it serve another purpose? In what ways does it help to convey the basic difference between Lucy and Noonan and the way they see themselves and their place in the world? Compare the tone and language Russo uses in creating Lucy's voice with the style he uses in his portraits of Noonan. What aspects of Noonan's character and personality come to life in his conversations with his art dealer and his mistress [pp. 41–61]; his reactions to Lucy's missives [pp. 158–162] and to Mr. Berg's class in high school [pp. 375–380]; and, ultimately, his thoughts and behavior on arriving in New York [pp. 608–618]? 7. Lucy and Bobby [pp. 156–157 and pp. 170–171, respectively] attempt to explain why their lives—and Sarah's—have turned out the way they have. Do you agree with Lucy that "to see a life back to front, as everyone begins to do in middle age, is to strip it of its mystery and wrap it in inevitability, drama's enemy"? To what extent does Bobby share this view? Why does Bobby see himself as being in control of his life in a way that neither Sarah nor Lucy is? Is this a result of his background and the circumstances that forced him to prepare himself for a second act? 8. Tessa is the practical, steady member of the Lynch family. In what ways does her behavior reflect her own choices, needs, and desires, and in what ways are these determined by the time and place in which she lives? What qualities make her stand out, not only in Lucy's eyes, but also within the community as a whole? 9. Does Lucy's identification with his father distort his image of his mother and his understanding of her strengths and her weaknesses? Beyond her immediate anger, what drives her to tell Lucy, "I never wanted you to not love your father. . . . I wanted you to love me. . . . Did it ever occur to you, even once during all those years, that you might have taken my side? That I might have needed a friend?" [p. 263]? Is this a valid criticism, or is Tessa herself responsible, either inadvertently or intentionally, for the differences between Lucy's relationships with each parent? 10. Sarah comes from an unconventional family, especially in the context of Thomaston. Is her ability to deal with the eccentricities of her parents and the summer/winter living arrangements they established unusual? In what ways does she not only adapt to but also benefit from the very things that set her apart? Is her attraction to the Lynches in part a reaction to her dysfunctional family? 11. Are Mr. Berg's obsessions—with perpetuating his image as a rebel, with the "great" book he is writing, and with his failed marriage—sympathetically drawn? What is the significance of the fact that he is Jewish? What biases, both good and bad, do the people of Thomaston (including Lucy) have about Jews and what impact does this have on Berg and his reputation within the community? 12. What role does her mother play in Sarah's sense of self? What are the implications of her views on marriage [pp. 394–395]? Do they influence Sarah's feelings about her own marriage and that of her in-laws? Why is Sarah drawn back to the home she shared with her mother when she faces a crisis in her relationship with Lucy [pp. 564–607]? What does she learn by revisiting the past? 13. What traits do Tessa and Sarah share? In what ways do their marriages mirror one another? Do you think either—or both—foolishly gave up their own dreams and desires, sacrificing a life of adventure and sexual passion for the love and security of a "good" man? Behind their apparent contentment, are there indications that they regret the choices they made? 14. The Bridge of Sighs in Venice connects the Doge's Palace to an adjacent prison, and, as Lucy relates, "Crossing this bridge, the convicts—at least the ones without money or influence—came to understand that all hope was lost" [p. 387]. How does the historical function of the bridge, as well as the myths surrounding it, relate to characters' lives? Why has Russo chosen it as the title of the novel? 15. Richard Russo has written about small towns throughout his career. What are some similarities between Bridge of Sighs and previous novels like Empire Falls and Nobody's Fool? In what ways does Bridge of Sighs enhance and expand the portrait of America that is so central to Russo's writing? Exclusive discounts from CBS Mornings Deals Oprah Winfrey picks Richard Russo's "Bridge of Sighs" as her newest Book Club selection Zoo in Denmark asks for unwanted pets to feed its predators Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Read a free excerpt of Oprah's book club pick, "Bridge of Sighs"
Oprah Winfrey joins "CBS Mornings" with author Richard Russo to discuss her latest selection, "Bridge of Sighs." Read an excerpt from the first chapter. Read a free excerpt Chapter 1- Berman Court by on Scribd (function() { var scribd = = "text/javascript"; = true; = " var s = s); })(); From BRIDGE OF SIGHS © 2007 by Richard Russo. Excerpted by permission of Vintage, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Why more colon cancer cases are being detected early Sen. Tammy Duckworth pushes for answers over airplane evacuation safety Former bartender says suspected Montana gunman's mental health "was not in a safe space" Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Reader's guide for "Bridge of Sighs," Oprah's book club pick revealed in August
Oprah Winfrey joins "CBS Mornings" with author Richard Russo to discuss her latest selection, "Bridge of Sighs," a novel about friendship, race, and small-town life. Dive into "Bridge of Sighs,"with this reader's guide. 1. Bridge of Sighs alternates two narratives: Lucy's first-person memoir and the story of Robert Noonan. What are the advantages of this structure? How does it affect the way the plot unfolds? Does it influence your impressions of the main characters? 2. How does Lucy's description of Thomaston create an immediate sense of time and place [pp. 10–13]? What details did you find particularly evocative? What does Lucy's tone, as well as the way he presents various facts about Thomaston and its history, reveal about his perceptiveness and his intelligence? 3. Lucy says, "I've always known that there's more going on inside me than finds its way into the world, but this is probably true of everyone. Who doesn't regret that he isn't more fully understood?" [p. 14]. To what extent does this feeling lie at the heart of his decision to write his book? Does it play a central role in memoir-writing in general? What else does Lucy hope to accomplish by recalling his past? 4. The horrific prank the neighborhood boys play on Lucy triggers the first of many "spells" he will have throughout his life [pp. 25–36]. What is the significance of his spells? What do they reveal about the emotional attachments, anxieties, and doubts that define him both as a child and as an adult? 5. Lucy makes many references to the pursuit of the American Dream and its implications within his own family and in society in general [pp. 62–66, 93–94, 110–111, for example]. In what ways did American attitudes in the postwar years embody both the best parts of our national character and its darker undercurrents? What incidents in the novel illuminate the uneasiness and enmity that results from the class, racial, and economic divisions in Thomaston? Do Lucy's beliefs, judgments, and achievements (as a businessman and as a happily married husband and father) color his reconstruction of these events? 6. Unlike Lucy's story, Noonan's story is told in the third person. Is the change of voice a literary device, a way of adding variety to the novel, or does it serve another purpose? In what ways does it help to convey the basic difference between Lucy and Noonan and the way they see themselves and their place in the world? Compare the tone and language Russo uses in creating Lucy's voice with the style he uses in his portraits of Noonan. What aspects of Noonan's character and personality come to life in his conversations with his art dealer and his mistress [pp. 41–61]; his reactions to Lucy's missives [pp. 158–162] and to Mr. Berg's class in high school [pp. 375–380]; and, ultimately, his thoughts and behavior on arriving in New York [pp. 608–618]? 7. Lucy and Bobby [pp. 156–157 and pp. 170–171, respectively] attempt to explain why their lives—and Sarah's—have turned out the way they have. Do you agree with Lucy that "to see a life back to front, as everyone begins to do in middle age, is to strip it of its mystery and wrap it in inevitability, drama's enemy"? To what extent does Bobby share this view? Why does Bobby see himself as being in control of his life in a way that neither Sarah nor Lucy is? Is this a result of his background and the circumstances that forced him to prepare himself for a second act? 8. Tessa is the practical, steady member of the Lynch family. In what ways does her behavior reflect her own choices, needs, and desires, and in what ways are these determined by the time and place in which she lives? What qualities make her stand out, not only in Lucy's eyes, but also within the community as a whole? 9. Does Lucy's identification with his father distort his image of his mother and his understanding of her strengths and her weaknesses? Beyond her immediate anger, what drives her to tell Lucy, "I never wanted you to not love your father. . . . I wanted you to love me. . . . Did it ever occur to you, even once during all those years, that you might have taken my side? That I might have needed a friend?" [p. 263]? Is this a valid criticism, or is Tessa herself responsible, either inadvertently or intentionally, for the differences between Lucy's relationships with each parent? 10. Sarah comes from an unconventional family, especially in the context of Thomaston. Is her ability to deal with the eccentricities of her parents and the summer/winter living arrangements they established unusual? In what ways does she not only adapt to but also benefit from the very things that set her apart? Is her attraction to the Lynches in part a reaction to her dysfunctional family? 11. Are Mr. Berg's obsessions—with perpetuating his image as a rebel, with the "great" book he is writing, and with his failed marriage—sympathetically drawn? What is the significance of the fact that he is Jewish? What biases, both good and bad, do the people of Thomaston (including Lucy) have about Jews and what impact does this have on Berg and his reputation within the community? 12. What role does her mother play in Sarah's sense of self? What are the implications of her views on marriage [pp. 394–395]? Do they influence Sarah's feelings about her own marriage and that of her in-laws? Why is Sarah drawn back to the home she shared with her mother when she faces a crisis in her relationship with Lucy [pp. 564–607]? What does she learn by revisiting the past? 13. What traits do Tessa and Sarah share? In what ways do their marriages mirror one another? Do you think either—or both—foolishly gave up their own dreams and desires, sacrificing a life of adventure and sexual passion for the love and security of a "good" man? Behind their apparent contentment, are there indications that they regret the choices they made? 14. The Bridge of Sighs in Venice connects the Doge's Palace to an adjacent prison, and, as Lucy relates, "Crossing this bridge, the convicts—at least the ones without money or influence—came to understand that all hope was lost" [p. 387]. How does the historical function of the bridge, as well as the myths surrounding it, relate to characters' lives? Why has Russo chosen it as the title of the novel? 15. Richard Russo has written about small towns throughout his career. What are some similarities between Bridge of Sighs and previous novels like Empire Falls and Nobody's Fool? In what ways does Bridge of Sighs enhance and expand the portrait of America that is so central to Russo's writing?
Washington Post
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Oprah Winfrey picks Richard Russo's 'Bridge of Sighs' for her book club
NEW YORK — Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Richard Russo i s the latest author to be welcomed into the inner circle of Oprah Winfrey book club picks. Winfrey announced Tuesday that she had selected Russo's 'Bridge of Sighs,' a 2007 novel centered in a rural New York community. Russo has set much of his work in small, Northeastern towns, including 'Nobody's Fool,' later adapted into a movie of the same name that starred Paul Newman ; and 'Empire Falls,' winner of the Pulitzer in 2002 and the basis for an Emmy-winning HBO series that featured Newman and his wife, Joanne Woodward. Winfrey often chooses new books for her club, but has at times looked to older releases, from Toni Morrison's 'The Bluest Eye' to John Steinbeck's 'East of Eden.' 'It is, of course, a profound honor to be chosen for Oprah's Book Club,' Russo said in a statement. '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' as a 'classic summer read,' with 'romance, unrequited love, life-long friendships, and of course — epic family drama.' '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,' she added.
