Oprah Winfrey’s Dad Tells All

By: Shannon Gossage

Winfrey now says that she was "shocked" when she found out that her father is writing a book called Things Unspoken about her. She also said that she was also shocked to find out about the book from a tabloid and not from her father. She reportedly said, "One of my assistants said, ‘The Daily News is calling. They say they heard your father is writing a book about you.’" Winfrey said, "I said, ‘That’s impossible. I can assure them it’s not true.’ But then my sister said, ‘I think you should call your father.’ I called him and it turned out he is writing a book. The worst part of it was him saying, ‘I meant to tell you I’ve been working on it.’" Winfrey, 53, said, "I was upset. I won’t say ‘devastated,’ but I was stunned." She went on to say, "The last person in the world to be doing a book about me is Vernon Winfrey. The last person."

Winfrey has said that she and her father have a good relationship. The last time they actually saw each other was during a trip to Africa a few months ago. Winfrey did say of her father, "We talk, we talk, we talk." It has been reported that at 14-years old, a pregnant Winfrey went to live with her father in Nashville. Her baby died a few weeks after he was born and Winfrey credits Vernon with getting her through the difficult time. She said that she is thankful to him for teaching her discipline and impressing upon her just how important education is. He said that she was "an unruly child" and was "out of hand."

This is not the only book reportedly being written about Winfrey. Biographer Kitty Kelley has reported been working on a book about Winfrey’s life as well. Winfrey said, I’m not cooperating with it, but if she wants to write a book, fine. This is America. I’m not discouraging it or encouraging it." She reportedly added, "And you know I can encourage." As for her father, Winfrey reportedly said, "I would have preferred to have known my father was working on this. It would have been a nice gesture, a courtesy."