Songbook by Nick Hornby

Title: Songbook

Author: Nick Hornby

Publisher: Riverhead Books 2003

Genre: Essays

Pages: 240

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - Rory Gilmore; Popsugar - Seen on TV

Songs, songwriters, and why and how they get under our skin…

Songbook is Nick Hornby’s labor of love. A shrewd, funny, and completely unique collection of musings on pop music, why it’s good, what makes us listen and love it, and the ways in which it attaches itself to our lives—all with the beat of a perfectly mastered mix tape. 

I picked this one up to fulfill a few reading challenge slots. I have enjoyed many of Nick Hornby’s books, but this wasn’t a great one. I found many of the essays to be tedious and a little too esoteric. I think this is a case of mediocre white guy rearing it’s head. Not one I would recommend.

Next up on the TBR pile:

State of the Union by Nick Hornby

Title: State of the Union: A Marriage in Ten Parts

Author: Nick Hornby

Publisher: Riverhead Books 2019

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 132

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Tom and Louise meet in a pub before their couple's therapy appointment. Married for years, they thought they had a stable home life--until a recent incident pushed them to the brink.

Going to therapy seemed like the perfect solution. But over drinks before their appointment, they begin to wonder: what if marriage is like a computer? What if you take it apart to see what's in there, but then you're left with a million pieces?

Unfolding in the minutes before their weekly therapy sessions, the ten-chapter conversation that ensues is witty and moving, forcing them to look at their marriage--and, for the first time in a long time, at each other.

A random library shelf pick. I had heard of the television adaptation of the book and I always want to read the book before seeing the adaptation. This is a slim little novella featuring the scenes from a marriage was an interesting experience to read. We only get so much information from Tom and Louise. In fact most of the writing is dialogue. There’s very few descriptions throughout. I read this in one day, picking through each week’s entry. Overall, I really enjoyed this novella. Although there isn’t a big definite ending and I’m not sure it’s the happiest book. It’s very much in line with the mood of Hornby’s other works. I can’t wait to watch the television show.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby

Title: A Long Way Down

Author: Nick Honby

Publisher: Penguin 2006

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 325

Rating: 4/5 stars Movie: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; Monthly Key Word - Aug; 52 Books - W31; Books to Movies

Meet Martin, JJ, Jess, and Maureen. Four people who come together on New Year's Eve: a former TV talk show host, a musician, a teenage girl, and a mother. Three are British, one is American. They encounter one another on the roof of Topper's House, a London destination famous as the last stop for those ready to end their lives.

In four distinct and riveting first-person voices, Nick Hornby tells a story of four individuals confronting the limits of choice, circumstance, and their own mortality. This is a tale of connections made and missed, punishing regrets, and the grace of second chances.

This isn't High Fidelity.  That was my initial thought when finished with the book.  I started my Hornby journey with J's favorite and have found that this one just doesn't quite live up to it.  This volume is a good novel.  We get four interesting engaging characters.  The switches in point of view are done well.  Overall the storyline is okay.  It just doesn't have the depth of High Fidelity.  The overall voice of the book is not clear.  In fact, I wasn't really sure of the point of the book once I got to the end.  But I did enjoy reading it, so that's something.

Movie:

The movie fixed the main issue I had with the book: pacing.  The movie quickly moves off of the roof of Topper House and into the characters.  Very good decision.  Once there, we get each of the characters' voices in a the telling of the larger story.  I liked how they kept the voices, but didn't get stuck in each of the stories.  Instead, the voices just narrate four different parts of the story.  I thought the casting was very spot on, especially Jess.  Jess can be very grating in the book.  Imogen Poots toned her down a bit, but kept her inappropriate comments and impulsive nature.  Toni Colette was perfect as the dowdy Maureen.  I really believed her to be the meek mouse of the group.  The only thing about the movie that I wasn't sold on was the ending.  It was a bit too happy for me.  I like the more ambiguous ending of the book.  But that's it.  I really enjoyed the rest of the movie.

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

Title: High Fidelity

Author: Nick Hornby

Publisher: Riverhead Books 1995

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 323

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Mount TBR; New Authors; Monthly Motif -- January Around the World; Book to Movie; Rory Gilmore Challenge

Rob is a pop music junkie who runs his own semi-failing record store. His girlfriend, Laura, has just left him for the guy upstairs, and Rob is both miserable and relieved. After all, could he have spent his life with someone who has a bad record collection? Rob seeks refuge in the company of the offbeat clerks at his store, who endlessly review their top five films (Reservoir Dogs...); top five Elvis Costello songs ("Alison"...); top five episodes of Cheers (the one where Woody sang his stupid song to Kelly...). Rob tries dating a singer whose rendition of "Baby, I Love Your Way" makes him cry. But maybe it's just that he's always wanted to sleep with someone who has a record contract. Then he sees Laura again. And Rob begins to think (awful as it sounds) that life as an episode of thirtysomething, with all the kids and marriages and barbecues and k.d. lang CD's that this implies, might not be so bad.

This is one of J's favorite books.  He's been bugging me to read this for years now.  I finally got around to it.  And I really did like the book.  My favorite aspect is the writing style.  Hornby writes as though Rob (the main character) is sitting across from you in some pub telling you his story. There's an easy-ness to the writing that I just loved.  As to the characters, Rob reminded me so much of J.  I can see why he really likes this book.  It's almost part of his life story.  Laura is a bit of a flat character, but that's okay.  The story isn't about the romance between Rob and Laura.  The story is about Rob's life now and his dreams and aspirations.  I really enjoyed getting to know Rob and his quirky sense of life.

Movie:

The movie is one of the truest adaptations of a novel that I've ever seen.  I really really like this movie.  It retains the conversational style of the novel.  It retains the quirky characters -- great casting, especially Jack Black as Barry.  They make minor changes (like some of the bands mentioned).  They make one major change (London to Chicago).  But those changes don't bother me at all.  The changes don't make a negative impact on the story.  Great movie.  Great music.  Great characters.