Oprah admits to 'not looking for Latinx writers' as American Dirt controversy continues

Winfrey’s book club to air two-part panel on novel accused of cultural appropriation this week – but critics say she failed to address their concerns

Oprah Winfrey has admitted that she is “guilty of not looking for Latinx writers” in a forthcoming episode of her influential book club, after her choice of Jeanine Cummins’s controversial novel American Dirt was widely criticised.

In the two-part show, which will be broadcast on Apple TV+ from Thursday, Winfrey defends her choice of the novel because it made her feel personally connected to immigrants’ stories, reported the Associated Press (AP), which attended the taping last month. But she acknowledged the widespread criticism of American Dirt, the story of a woman and her son fleeing Mexico for the US that has been slammed for stereotypical portrayals of Mexico and Mexicans.

Related: Publisher cancels Jeanine Cummins tour for American Dirt over safety fears

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