Posted on March 5, 2020 at 9:59 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Oprah Winfrey addresses the American Dirt controversy head-on in a show that will air on Apple TV+ tomorrow.

After Winfrey chose the novel for her book club, she became part of the debate over what critics say is an inaccurate depiction of Mexico and Mexican immigrants, as well as how publishers ignore similar books by from Latinx authors.

Jeanine Cummins, who wrote American Dirt, appears with Winfrey and three critics of the novel on the show: Esther Cepeda, a Washington Post syndicated columnist; Julissa Arce, an activist, commentator, and author of the bestselling My (Underground) American Dream; and Reyna Grande, whose books include the bestselling memoir The Distance Between Us.

During the conversation, Winfrey admits to not having looked for Latinx authors — something she vowed to change — and to have been shaken by calls for her to drop American Dirt from her book club.

That said, she told the AP later that she didn’t consider doing so.

“If I dropped the book because of pressure and not because I felt something was wrong, then anybody is subject to being rescinded, silenced, erased,” she said.

You can read more of the conversation and debate among Winfrey and the writers in the AP’s full article.

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