It's a woman's prerogative to change her mind. And who would argue with Oprah anyway?

After forgoing contemporary works for the classics in her successful book club, Oprah has done an about-face. Last week, she announced her newest pick would be a book by an author who is very much alive.

The anointed new title: A Million Little Pieces, by James Frey.

"I wanted to open the door and broaden the field," she told The New York Times of her change of heart. "That allows me the opportunity to do what I like to do most, which is sit and talk to authors about their work. It's kind of hard to do that when they're dead."

Anyone who's already read Frey's memoir might remark that he very well should have been dead by now. When the book opens, he's in dire shape: "My front four teeth are gone," he writes, "I have a hole in my cheek, my nose is broken and my eyes are swollen nearly shut."

The book tells the story of his horrific struggle to conquer alcoholism - a topic that seems a natural for Oprah's TV-as-therapy, spill-your-guts format. It's the first nonfiction book to make Oprah's list. It's selection comes after her receipt of a letter signed by a host of writers begging her to reconsider contemporary work, after she had turned to classics, such as East of Eden and The Good Earth. Without her book club, they said, sales were suffering.

Frey will have no complaints in that department. After Oprah's announcement, his book shot to No. 1 on Amazon.com. - cause to celebrate, no doubt.

Which brings up the idea of drinks all around: Shirley Temples, anyone?