Reese's Book Club's First-Ever Pick Became An Instant Favorite

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Since 2017, Reese's Book Club — an initiative championed by Oscar-winning actor Reese Witherspoon — has been helping book-lovers sort through endless new releases each year by highlighting the best of the bunch. Shining a light on titles that have gone on to become super-successful, including "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens and R.F. Kuang's "Yellowface," the online community has become a trusted source for scouting wonderful new books. And that track record has remained strong since day one. Back in May 2017, Reese's Book Club picked its first-ever book of the month, "Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine" by Scottish author Gail Honeyman, and it instantly won over Witherspoon's growing community.

This tome tells the story of a reclusive woman called Eleanor Oliphant whose life is characterized by routine and a lack of social skills. Following many years of mundane loneliness, she and colleague Raymond do a good deed for an elderly man, which sets off a chain of events that change the trajectory of Eleanor's lonely life — and force her to confront her own demons. It might not be the kind of Reese's Book Club pick that would make a great beach read, but it is a story full of heart and mirrors that reflect truths back at the reader.

"Great Book Alert!!" the "Legally Blonde" star said of the novel on the club's website. "Beautifully written and INCREDIBLY funny, this book is about the importance of friendship and human connection. I fell in LOVE with Eleanor, an eccentric and regimented loner whose life beautifully unfolds after a chance encounter with a stranger; I think you will fall in love too!" A scan of online reviews shows that Witherspoon isn't alone in that sentiment; other book reviewers have praised the novel's warmth, humor, and accurate depictions of loneliness. 

Like other books given a boost by Reese's Book Club, "Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine" has achieved major success — likely more than Gail Honeyman dared to imagine as she wrote the book while simultaneously working full time. It may not be the best Reese's Book Club pick of all time, according to readers, but the novel has received the outstanding average rating of 4.23 on Goodreads, having been rated over a million times. "Eleanor Oliphant is one of the heroines of literature that I am sure I will remember always," gushed one user, who gave the book 5 stars. "Thank you, Eleanor Oliphant," wrote another. "Thank you for picking me up out of my reading slump. Thank you for being so funny, so sad, so smart, so blunt. Thank you for being a literary character that will live forever in the hearts of (most) anyone that reads you." Both glowing reviews came in 2018, after the book appeared in Reese's Book Club, where it has been tagged for themes like "pass the tissues," "prickly characters," and "strong finish."

It's not just high ratings that point to the success of "Eleanor Oliphant." More than 2.5 million copies have been sold to date. Though it's difficult to estimate what average sales figures look like, one common statistic is that the average book will sell just 3,000 copies ever. Comparatively, "Eleanor Oliphant" has done extremely well, so it's no surprise that the story is set to be adapted for the big screen with Reese Witherspoon attached to produce. Most of the details about the upcoming adaptation are still under wraps, including possible cast members and a release date, but we do know that Harry Bradbeer (of the "Enola Holmes" movies) has been hired to direct and Georgia Pritchett (a writer on "Succession") has signed on as the scriptwriter. 

"Eleanor Oliphant" shows that Reese's Book Club clearly kicked off with a bang, and it isn't alone in that regard. Oprah's Book Club also began with an unforgettable page-turner!