Embrace uplit with Rick O'Shea's top books to boost your mood
Rick O'Shea. Photograph Moya Nolan
Books have been the saviour of many people’s sanity during the last year. However, for every bibliophile who has decided lockdown is the perfect time to finally tackle or , there are many others looking for something with a little less intellectual heft.
The pandemic has played havoc with our moods and attention spans with the result that many readers are seeking gentler, lighter, more uplifting books. The trend isn’t a new one. The term ‘up-lit’ has been in circulation in publishing circles for a few years now, with many pointing to the phenomenally successful novel by Gail Honeyman — about the travails of a lonely and eccentric young woman — as the spark that lit the flame. Up-lit followed on the heels of ‘grip-lit’, encompassing thrillers such as and .
