insiderblmHome entertainment has been catapulted into a new dimension during the pandemic. Previously more often a byword for self-indulgence, it has become an essential activity to shut out the stresses of a global health crisis.
And while many people have turned to pastimes such as cooking, gardening or painting (alongside the obligatory boxsets) there are those who will have found escapism in books.
UK bookshops have nonetheless struggled, along with the rest of the high street, as their shutters came down.
Yet, there’s an ember of hope in that book sales have remained largely on a par with 2019 rather than crumble, according to market analyst Nielsen. And innovation has flourished with some independent book shops now pushing their online presence and offering the kind of personal service Amazon and the supermarkets can’t match.
A spokesman from Nielsen acknowledges “there are still uncertain times ahead” but believes “people are still eager to buy books – either as gifts or for personal consumption”.
So with this in mind, let’s look at some of the books we might enjoy next year (bearing in mind that what follows is just a snapshot).
