Oprah Winfrey picks Ann Packer’s ‘Some Bright Nowhere’ for book club

By HILLEL ITALIE
AP National Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Ann Packer’s “Some Bright Nowhere,” her first novel in a decade, is Oprah Winfrey’s latest book club pick.

Published on Tuesday, “Some Bright Nowhere” is the story of a long-married couple and the questions they confront when the wife becomes terminally ill and makes a dying wish that two close friends care for her instead of her husband.

“This beautifully written story is going to get you thinking about some things that really matter,” Winfrey said in a statement. “The story leaves you questioning the obligations of marriage and the difference between male and female friendships, and one of the most significant of questions: How do you want to spend your last days?”

Packer, 66, is best known for her highly praised novel, “The Dive from Clausen’s Pier,” which came out in 2002. She has also published the novels “Songs Without Words” and “The Children’s Crusade” and the short fiction collection “Mendocino and Other Stories.” Like other authors selected by Winfrey, Packer learned she had been chosen through an unexpected telephone call.

“I don’t think I’ve ever said ‘Oh my God’ so many times in so few minutes,” Packer said in a statement.

Tuesday’s announcement continues Winfrey’s partnership with Starbucks. She and Packer spoke recently at a Starbucks in New York City, and their conversation is airing on Winfrey’s YouTube channel and other podcast outlets.