Uplift-erature: 5 Books to Read When You Need a Mood Boost
By Marjorie Garber
 
 

The Winter's Tale
By William Shakespeare

In this romance written late in Shakespeare's career, a king who believes his wife died as a result of his misguided jealousy is shown a "statue" of her 16 years later—and is given the opportunity to begin anew through the transforming power of love, art, and forgiveness.
 

 

Flush
By Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf's funny and moving biography of Elizabeth Barrett's cocker spaniel is a life story—and a love story—told from the dog's point of view. Flush, born and raised in England, accompanies his poet-mistress as she escapes the tyranny of her father's house and elopes to Italy with her husband, the poet Robert Browning.


Under Milk Wood
By Dylan Thomas

Originally a radio play, first produced in the dark days of World War II, Dylan Thomas's incantatory, poetic dialogue gives voice to the inhabitants of a small Welsh village, who sleep, speak, and retell their often comic, sometimes beautiful, always vivid dreams.

Charlotte's Web
By E.B. White

This story for readers of all ages features a pig named Wilbur who is rescued from slaughter through the ingenuity of his friend Charlotte the spider. When words like some pig, terrific, radiant, and humble mysteriously appear in the spider's web above his pen, Wilbur attracts widespread attention, wins a prize at the county fair, and is spared to live a comfortable life in the barnyard. A paean to the value of true friendship, good writing—and timely publicity.

Persuasion
By Jane Austen

The last completed novel by Jane Austen traces a narrative of autumnal happiness worth waiting for, as Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth learn that there can be a second chance at love—with the person you loved the first time around.

5 movies that stir the soul

Related Resources

From the May 2009 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine

Subscribe & Save up to 78%
Discover more ways YOU can live your best life in every issue. O, The Oprah Magazine