http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1932416242/ref=cm_ups_wishlist_title/026-4781015-5386041 coming in December. Don't know what it's about but will try to find more later.
From Powells'.com Publisher Comments: "Books are, let's face it, better than everything else," writes Nick Hornby in his "Stuff I've Been Reading" column in The Believer. "If we played cultural Fantasy Boxing League, and made books go 15 rounds in the ring against the best that any other art form had to offer, then books would win pretty much every time. Go on, try it. The Magic Flute v. Middlemarch? Middlemarch in six. The Last Supper v. Crime and Punishment? Fyodor on point And every now and again you'd get a shock, because that happens in sport, so Back to the Future III might land a lucky punch on Rabbit, Run; but I'm still backing literature 29 times out of 30." This book collects Hornby's popular columns in a single, artfully illustrated volume with selected passages from the novels, biographies, collections of poetry, and comics under discussion. Unforunately, not a novel from Nick...bummer.
I'm more than halfway through this collection of essays, "The Polysyllabic Spree." Extremely entertaining, if not the weightiest thing you'll read. But in case folks are still wavering on it, I highly recommend it.
I finished Spree during the break. Enjoyed it throughly and I was mildly upset that I finished it so quickly. Hornby does have a new novel coming out in 2005: http://books.guardian.co.uk/booksoftheyear2004/story/0,15602,1381556,00.html?gusrc=rss No idea on the US release date.
June-ish. I just finished it, and really enjoyed it. First person perspective from four characters, which I found a departure for him. But I'm going to refrain from massive amounts of comments so I don't spoil it for others.
Housekeeping v. The Dirt A follow-up to The Polysyllabic Spree, i.e. further collected Hornby columns from The Believer. I just picked it up yesterday and it is more of the same, and by that I mean good. Hmmm..... paid to read and write about books, football and music. Now what's the downside?
Am I the only person who finds him to be unbelievably trite? I have the hardest time finishing his books.
No, you are not -- I thought I was one of the eight soccer fans in the world that did not care for Fever pitch at all, it felt like I was doing mental calisthentics before the end of the book. I'll pass on his new book.
i've tried very hard to hold this against you, but, in the end, i think it just might be one of those endearing foibles we actually like people more for than feel contemptuous. after all, it is your loss, really.
It's probably my own fault for picking the wrong ones to start with. I read Fever Pitch - it wasn't bad, but not near as good as "everyone" made it out to be. Sure, there were some funny parts and some really real parts, but I still had a hard time getting through it. But I thought I'd give "everyone" another chance and I picked up How to Be Good. With this single book, I swore off Hornby forever. Again, there were some funny parts and some really real parts, but oh. my. god. this book was awful. I keep thinking I should give him one final chance... but there are too many things on my reading list and I can't seem to make myself fork over the cash for the high likelihood that I'm going to be disappointed. Again.
i liked HTBG, but it's one of those books that i can see others really not liking, just as i could never get into Cold Mountain. my intro to Fever Pitch coincided with my acquiring Fox Soccer Channel. i was a fan of your mortal enemy from the start, but Hornby embodies the tortured captive fanatic in FP, so the LA Rams fan in me rose up in response. the Hornby book that resonated most with me was High Fidelity. i have a modest record collection. i have made mix tapes for women. i am about a 6 on the self-absorbed wanker scale. ( please do me the great kindness not to question this score ) thus, i identified. but again, HF is not really a book written for or about women. perhaps About A Boy would work for you. maybe not, though. i finally finished Everything is Illuminated.
Actually, Hornby has a new novella called "Not a Star" that's published out of Dublin. It's available from the university library I have access to, but can't find it elsewhere. Looks like I'll be pestering my wife to pester her library for me.