The Oprah Podcast
The Oprah Podcast

Why 'Theo of Golden' Has Touched Millions of Readers with Allen Levi and Oprah

July 21, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Allen Levi never set out to write a bestseller. He was a former attorney, judge, and traveling musician who walked into a coffee shop in Columbus, Georgia, saw 92 pencil portraits on the wall by his friend Dr. Gary Pound, and bought four of them. He took them home and began wondering what story each face told. That idle curiosity turned into a self-published novel, Theo of Golden, which went on to top the New York Times bestseller list with no deadline, no editor, no publisher, and no marketing campaign. In conversation with Oprah Winfrey, Levi explains how the book came to be, why its quiet acts of attention have resonated with millions, and what he learned about love, goodness, and the human condition along the way.

The mechanics of creative generosity

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:00) **The Book's Meteoric Rise** - Oprah introduces the phenomenon of *Theo of Golden*, a self-published debut that became a word-of-mouth smash and topped the New York Times bestseller list.
  • 2 (01:51) **Author Allen Levi's Surprising Journey** - Allen Levi, a former attorney, judge, and traveling musician, joins Oprah to share his disbelief at the book's success and his background.
  • 3 (03:20) **The Unexpected Origin of the Story** - Levi reveals the book was never meant to be published and was born from a coffee shop's portraits.
  • 4 (05:46) **Writing Without a Map** - Levi describes his process of writing long-form fiction for the first time, with no deadline, editor, or expectation.
  • 5 (07:05) **The Self-Publishing Hustle** - Levi details how he and his niece, Erin, figured out self-publishing with no marketing experience.
  • 6 (08:53) **The Call That Changed Everything** - Levi shares the surreal moment he learned he was a #1 New York Times bestselling author.
  • 7 (09:42) **The Core: Creative Generosity and Being Seen** - The conversation delves into the book's central theme: the power of truly seeing another person.

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Guests on this episode

Show Notes

BUY THE BOOK!

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi 


What began as a quietly self-published novel, Theo of Golden by Allen Levi, has become a literary phenomenon. First introduced in 2023 with no agent or marketing campaign the book built a devoted grassroots following through word of mouth. It eventually gained national attention, secured a bonafide publisher and become a #1 New York Times bestseller. In this conversation Oprah discusses with Allen Levi the tender, life-affirming story about a mysterious old man who arrives in the small town of Golden who transforms lives by gifting portraits to the locals and helping them feel seen. Allen reflects on what it means to live a life of love, to find hope and beauty in everyday life and to recognize the goodness in all of us. Fans of the novel, whose lives have been moved by this book, including country singer-songwriter Walker Hayes, record producer Claude Kelly and designer and TV host Tamara Day join the conversation.  


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https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381

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