Here’s the latest I can share about Maria Semple based on recent reporting:
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Oprah’s Book Club pick: Maria Semple’s Go Gentle was named Oprah Winfrey’s latest Oprah’s Book Club pick in April 2026, bringing renewed attention to her work and signaling a broader public conversation around her new novel. This marks continued visibility for Semple after her prior bestsellers like Where’d You Go, Bernadette and Today Will Be Different.[1][2][4]
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Public communications and reception: Semple publicly expressed excitement and gratitude about the Oprah call, describing it as a dream come true and noting the surreal moment of hearing from Oprah herself. Her move into Go Gentle follows a string of acclaimed novels and prior film/TV adaptations of her work.[2][4][1]
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Background and career context: Semple has a long-running career as a novelist and screenwriter, with successful titles and notable television credits. Her latest novel Go Gentle is described as a comic, city-set piece about a Stoic philosopher navigating personal and relational upheavals.[4][2]
If you’d like, I can pull more details on Go Gentle (themes, reception, and upcoming events) or provide a quick timeline of Semple’s major works. I can also search for additional sources or interviews from 2026 to round out the picture.
Sources
*Where’d You Go, Bernadette*, which spent a year on *The New York Times* best-sellers list and won the American Library Association’s Alex Award. She began her career as a screenwriter for such successful television shows as *Beverly Hills, 90210*; *Saturday Night Live*; and *Ellen*. She was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for her work on the series *Mad About You*, and for a Writers Guild of America Award for her work on *Arrested Development*. Her latest novel is *Today Will Be Different*.
humanities.case.eduAuthor Maria Semple's list of books and series in order, with the latest releases, covers, descriptions and availability.
www.fantasticfiction.comOprah Winfrey has chosen Maria Semple's comic novel “Go Gentle” for her book club. The story follows a Stoic philosopher and single mother facing challenges to her way of life. Winfrey praised the book for its wit and wisdom, saying it offers a wild ride with insights into Stoicism and relationships. Semple, known for bestsellers like “Today Will Be Different,” released her new book this week. Her interview with Winfrey is available on the “Oprah Book Club Podcast” via YouTube. Semple...
www.ajc.comExplore the complete filmography of Maria Semple on Rotten Tomatoes! Discover every movie and TV show they have been credited in.
www.rottentomatoes.comJulia Roberts as Eleanor Flood! December 15, 2016 Read about it here. More fun audio/visual. December 7, 2016 Fresh Air, PBS, Live Talks LA, here, here, and here. 2016 year end lists starting to come in. November 23, 2016 TWBD scores Washington Post, New York Times, Amazon, Glamour, Popsugar, Bustle, Kirkus, Globe and Mail, NPR, ... Read more
staging.mariasemple.comAuthor of Where'd You Go, Bernadette, This One Is Mine, and Today Will Be Different
www.goodreads.comBittersweet, hilarious, wholly original, whip smart, witty, dazzling, razor-sharp, loopy, wacky and eccentric, darkly comic, achingly funny and deeply touching are some of the many superlatives used to describe the fiction of Maria Semple.
www.barclayagency.comKnown for: Where'd You Go, Bernadette, Mad About You, I Heart Huckabees
www.imdb.com