In a special announcement on CBS Mornings, Oprah Winfrey revealed her latest book club pick: The River Is Waiting by bestselling author Wally Lamb. The deeply emotional novel marks the third time Lamb has earned a coveted spot in Oprah’s Book Club, following his earlier hits She’s Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True.
“Wally is such a profoundly outstanding magician of words,” Winfrey said during the reveal. “I started thinking, even in the first chapter, of real-life stories I’ve covered for years on The Oprah Show.”
The novel centers on Corby Ledbetter, a young, overwhelmed stay-at-home father of twins whose life unravels after a tragic mistake shatters his family. The story follows Ledbetter through the trauma of incarceration, exploring both cruelty and compassion behind bars, and his long path toward the possibility of forgiveness.
Winfrey admitted she was surprised by Lamb’s choice to focus on a male protagonist—especially given his longtime work with incarcerated women, whom he’s taught to write their own stories for over two decades.
“I would have thought you’d have the woman go to prison instead of him,” Winfrey said. “So much of the emotional depth feels rooted in your experience with those women.”
Lamb said that contrast was intentional. “I wanted to explore how men’s prisons differ from women’s,” he said, adding that he conducted extensive research, even down to the slang used by inmates.
The acclaimed author also revealed he never outlines his novels, letting the characters guide the story instead. “Some days writing is great, some days it’s not,” Lamb said. “But I always feel I owe it to the characters to show up and figure out what’s next.”
Winfrey warned readers not to spoil the novel’s ending by flipping ahead. “Do not go to the last page!” she said, laughing.
Ultimately, Lamb hopes readers walk away with a message of resilience. “Addiction is a black hole—but it’s one you can climb out of. Twelve-step programs really work,” he said.
