After Frey fiasco, Oprah selects Poitier memoir for her book club

CHICAGO -- Oprah Winfrey turned to an old acquaintance and personal idol for her first new book-club choice since the James Frey scandal a year ago, announcing Friday that she had selected Sidney Poitier's "The Measure of a Man."

Poitier's "spiritual autobiography," published in 2000, combines memories of such plays and films as "A Raisin in the Sun" and "The Defiant Ones" with observations about the Academy Award-winning actor's childhood, his religious faith, his thoughts on racism and the influence of such world leaders as Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi.

"He writes really candidly and passionately about his childhood, his family, relationships and his extraordinary career," Winfrey said on her show. "It's a beautifully crafted book, written like poetry. Because just as he speaks so eloquently, he also writes that way, too."

Poitier did not appear on the televised show. But Winfrey said she will host "a once in a lifetime dinner party" with Poitier that will include members of her book club.

"The Measure of a Man" spent several weeks on The New York Times' list of best-sellers, and the audio edition, narrated by Poitier, won a Grammy Award for best spoken-word album. Poitier wrote a previous memoir, "This Life," released in 1980.

Right before Winfrey announced her selection, her 56th book club pick, "The Measure of a Man" ranked 288,958 on Amazon.com, a number that will likely change, and fast. Winfrey's picks almost inevitably top best-seller lists.

Mark Tauber, vice president and deputy publisher of HarperSanFrancisco, an imprint of HarperCollins, declined Friday to say how many books would be printed but did say he expects to sell hundreds of thousands of copies.

Tauber also said that unlike many celebrity memoirists, Poitier did not use a ghostwriter, although the actor did have editorial "help."

"I'm sure there'll be speculation about Winfrey picking yet another memoir," Tauber of HarperSanFrancisco said. "But Poitier's life is filled with so much integrity."

Winfrey has spoken with Poitier before. An interview appeared in her own "O" magazine in 2000, when the two discussed his life and career, a meeting which Winfrey acknowledged left her feeling like a star-struck fan.

"Poitier and I are sitting across from each other at the Bel-Air hotel in Los Angeles -- and I'm admiring that, at 73, this man still personifies grace, ease, strength and courage," Winfrey wrote at the time.

"He is a gentleman in every sense of the word. In my more than 25 years as an interviewer, I've talked to hundreds of people -- yet today, I'm giddy."

In 2005, Poitier made a surprise appearance on Winfrey's TV program, when she was marking her 20th anniversary on the air. Just before he came on stage, Winfrey had been telling her audience that after she had interviewed the actor, "I sobbed and cried because I felt I was not good enough for Sidney." Poitier, apparently, was also disappointed -- with himself -- and phoned Winfrey to say so.

"It was life-changing," Winfrey was recalling, moments before Poitier arrived. "I was like, 'Oh my God.' "

Poitier, who turns 80 on Feb. 20, became the first black performer to win the Oscar for best actor, cited in 1964 for "Lilies of the Field." His other films include "In the Heat of the Night," "To Sir, With Love" and "The Blackboard Jungle." In 2002, Poitier received an honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement.

He should be a welcome break from the travesty of Frey. Winfrey picked "A Million Little Pieces" in fall 2005, then The Smoking Gun Web site revealed in January 2006 that the memoir was largely fabricated. Winfrey initially defended Frey, then changed her mind, brought him back to the show and chewed him out.

Winfrey's next pick, Elie Wiesel's "Night," was announced on Jan. 16, 2006, soon after the Frey scandal broke but had already been decided upon weeks earlier. More than 1.5 million copies of Wiesel's Holocaust memoir were sold because of Winfrey's selection, according to publisher Farrar, Straus & Giroux.