Readings.com.au: Nick Hornby

Fever Pitch

A spanking 7-0 away win of a football book – inventive, honest, funny, heroic, charming' Jim White, Independent

'Whether you are interested in football or not, this is tears-running-down-your-face funny, read-bits-out-loud-to-complete-strangers funny, but also highly perceptive and honest about Hornby's obsession and the state of the game. Fever Pitch is not only the best football book ever written, it's the funniest book of the year' Nicholas Lezard, GQ

'Fever Pitch transcends the mundane and the sporty to say something about the way we live Steve Grant, Time Out

31 Songs

'Good fun, fresh vulnerable . . . fans of Hornby's novels will be happy' Andrew Motion, THE TIMES

'Smart, entertaining and moving. A manifesto on why pop is so glorious, beautiful and important' SUNDAY EXPRESS

Through thirty-one songs that he either loves or has loved, Nick Hornby tells us what music means to his life. These personal and passionate pieces – refreshingly free of pretension – are a celebration of the joy that certain songs have given him. Together with additional writings on music from his column in the New Yorker – seen in the UK for the first time – 31 Songs is for Hornby what many of us have always wanted: a soundtrack to accompany life.

'Funny, provocative, immensely readable. It is not simply about music . . . it is about Hornby, and us, and about being alive. His enthusiasm is such that he makes me want to be a better listener – and I can offer no better compliment. A triumph' Tim Lott, EVENING STANDARD

'Original, well written and wholly lacking in pretension . . . as good a book about pop music as I have read in many years and the most accomplished of Hornby's books so far' SPECTATOR

'Refreshing, candid, very moving. Reminds you why you loved music before you knew enough to explain your love away' UNCUT

About A Boy

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Lonely Avenue

Lonely Avenue is a collaboration between two eminent artists-American singer-songwriter Ben Folds and English novelist Nick Hornby. The album features music and vocals by Folds and lyrics by Hornby, with string arrangements by one of the most influential pop string arrangers of all time, Paul Buckmaster (David Bowie, Elton John, Leonard Cohen). The idea to create an album of Folds' unique pop songwriting sensibilities with Hornby's insightful prose was conceived during a dinner conversation between the two friends one night in 2009. After that, Hornby began regularly emailing lyrics to Folds, who then turned them into Lonely Avenue's 12 musical short stories. The songs touch on subject matter ranging from a mother with a child in the hospital over New Years Eve to the work of Doc Pomus, lyricist of countless '50s and '60s pop hits.

Working Day
Picture Window
Levi Johnston's Blues
Doc Pomus
Your Dogs
Practical Amanda
Claire's Ninth
Password
From Above
Saskia Hamilton
Belinda

Lonely Avenue (Deluxe Edition with Booklet)

The new Ben Folds/Nick Hornby project Lonely Avenue (Nonesuch Records), is a collaboration between two eminent artists-American singer-songwriter Ben Folds and English novelist Nick Hornby. The album features music and vocals by Folds and lyrics by Hornby, with string arrangements by one of the most influential pop string arrangers of all time, Paul Buckmaster (David Bowie, Elton John, Leonard Cohen). The idea to create an album of Folds' unique pop songwriting sensibilities with Hornby's insightful prose was conceived during a dinner conversation between the two friends one night in 2009. After that, Hornby began regularly emailing lyrics to Folds, who then turned them into Lonely Avenue's 12 musical short stories. Nick Hornby - the highly acclaimed writer - is best known for the novels High Fidelity, About a Boy, and for the football memoir Fever Pitch. Ben Folds found success as the leader of the critically acclaimed alternative group 'Ben Folds Five'. He has gone on to have a very successful solo career, recording three studio albums in addition to a pair of records documenting his renowned live performances and a remix record. The result is an 11-song set that's as playful as it is soul-stirring, and more than just a little bit magical.

Working Day
Picture Window
Levi Johnston's Blues
Doc Pomus
Your Dogs
Practical Amanda
Claire's Ninth
Password
From Above
Saskia Hamilton
Belinda

High Fidelity

Reading High Fidelity is like listening to a great single. You know it's wonderful from the minute it goes on, and soon as it's over you want to hear it again because it makes you feel young, and grown-up, and puts a stupid grin on your face all at the same time. If this book was a record, we would be calling it an instant classic. Because that's what it is' Suzanne Moore, Guardian

'Leaves you believing not only in the redemptive power of music but above all the redemptive power of love. Funny and wise, sweet and true Mick Brown, Independent

Juliet, Naked

Annie and Duncan are a mid-thirties couple who have reached a fork in the road, realising their shared interest in the reclusive musician Tucker Crowe (in Duncan's case, an obsession as well as an academic career) is not enough to hold them together any more. When Annie hates Tucker's 'new release', a terrible demo of his most famous album, it's the last straw - Duncan cheats on her and she promptly chucks him. Via an internet discussion forum, Annie's harsh opinion reaches Tucker himself, who couldn't agree more. He and Annie start an unlikely correspondence which teaches them both something about moving on from years of wasted time. Nick Hornby's compelling new novel, four years after A Long Way Down, is about the nature of creativity and obsession, and how two lonely people can gradually find each other.

How To Be Good

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Shakespeare Wrote For Money

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Juliet Naked (Abridged Audio CD)

Annie and Duncan are a mid-thirties couple who have reached a fork in the road, realising their shared interest in the reclusive musician Tucker Crowe (in Duncan's case, an obsession as well as an academic career) is not enough to hold them together any more. When Annie hates Tucker's 'new release', a terrible demo of his most famous album, it's the last straw - Duncan cheats on her and she promptly chucks him. Via an internet discussion forum, Annie's harsh opinion reaches Tucker himself, who couldn't agree more. He and Annie start an unlikely correspondence which teaches them both something about moving on from years of wasted time. Nick Hornby's compelling new novel, four years after A Long Way Down, is about the nature of creativity and obsession, and how two lonely people can gradually find each other.

My Favourite Year

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The United States Of McSweeney's: 10 Years Of Accidental Classics

Since 1998 McSweeney's Quarterly Concern has been emerging from various kitchens, attics and an old laundromat roughly four times a year – or definitely at least three. In those ten years, almost 100,000 stories have been submitted, usually in manila envelopes, mostly from unknown names living in unfamiliar corners. Approximately 400 of those stories were selected for publication. Eighteen of them appear here, wildly diverse in style and subject, from some of the finest writers of today and tomorrow. Several typos have been removed.

'The whole thing is driven by a slightly crazed exuberance which makes other literary magazines look like phone directories' - Mark Haddon

'Groundbreaking . . . the only place to be seen for would-be cult US novelists . . . a forum for innovation as well as established talent' - Observer

Slam (Audio CD)

Whoever invented skateboarding is a genius. There's only one skater, and his name's Tony Hawk. It doesn't matter if you don't know who he is, just trust me.

Not only is Hawk the world's best skater, he's also good to talk to. So I talk to Tony Hawk, and Tony Hawk talks back. Because just when it seemed like everything had come together for me, I had to go and screw it all up. It only took two seconds. But all of me knew.

One risk. One mistake and my life would never be the same. Hawk had a few things to say. And a few things to show me. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see your own future?

Juliet, Naked

The Polysyllabic Spree

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Slam

'There was this time when everything seemed to have come together. And so obviously it was time to go and screw it all up.'

Sam is sixteen and a skater. Just so there are no terrible misunderstandings: skating = skateboarding. There's no ice. Life is ticking along nicely for Sam: his mum's got rid of her rubbish boyfriend, he's thinking about college and he's met someone. Alicia.

Then a little accident happens. One with big consequences for someone just finding his way in life. Sam can't run (let alone skate) away from this one. He's a boy facing a man's problems and the question is - has he got what it takes to confront them?

Fever Pitch

A spanking 7-0 away win of a football book – inventive, honest, funny, heroic, charming' Jim White, Independent

'Fever Pitch transcends the mundane and the sporty to say something about the way we live Steve Grant, Time Out

Fever Pitch

For many people watching football is mere entertainment; to some it's more like a ritual; but to others, its highs and lows provide a narrative to life itself. For Nick Hornby's devotion to the game has provided one of the few constants in a life where the meaningful things – like growing up, leaving home and forming relationships– have rarely been as simple or as uncomplicated as his love for Arsenal.

High Fidelity

Nick Hornby's High Fidelity is the brilliant story of one man's journey of self-discovery. When Rob - a thirty-five-year old record shop owner and music obsessive - is dumped by Laura he indulges in some casual sex, a little light stalking and some extreme soul-searching in the form of contacting every ex-girlfriend who ever broke his heart. An instant classic, High Fidelity is a hilarious exploration of love, life, music and the modern male.

Long Way Down

New Year's Eve at North London's most popular suicide spot. And four strangers are about to discover that doing away with yourself isn't quite the private act they'd each expected.

Perma-tanned Martin Sharp's a disgraced breakfast TV presenter who had it all – the family, the pad, the great career – and wasted it away. Killing himself is Martin's logical response to an unliveable life.

Maureen has to do it tonight, because of Matty being in the home. He was never able to do any of the normal things kids do – like walk or talk – and his loving mum can't cope any more.

Half-crazed with heartbreak, loneliness, adolescent angst, seven Bacardi Breezers and two Special Brews, Jess's ready to jump, to fly off the roof.

Finally, there's JJ – tall, cool, American, looks like a rock-star – who's weighed down with a heap of problems, and pizza.

Four strangers, who moments before were convinced that they were alone and going to end it all that way, share out the pizza and begin to talk . . . only to find that they have even less in common than first suspected.

Thirty One Songs

Through thirty-one songs that he either loves or has loved, Nick Hornby tells us what music means to his life. These personal and passionate pieces are a celebration of the joy that certain songs have given him. Together with additional writings on music from his column in the New Yorker – seen in the UK for the first time – 31 Songs is for Hornby what many of us have always wanted: a soundtrack to accompany life.

Complete Polysyllabic Spree

In his monthly accounts of what he's read – along with what he may one day read – Nick Hornby brilliantly explores everything from the classic to the graphic novel, as well as poems, plays, sports books and other kinds of non-fiction. If he occasionally implores a biographer for brevity, or abandons a literary work in favour of an Arsenal match, then all is not lost. His writing, full of all the joy and surprise and despair that books bring him, reveals why we still read, even when there's football on TV, a pram in the hall or a good band playing at our local pub.

Housekeeping Vs The Dirt

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Speaking With The Angel

Hear someone who speaks entirely in the language of the Third Way, as imagined by Robert Harris. Listen to someone who has a small hostile creature in his room, as told by Roddy Doyle.

Ten voices, ten completely new stories, narrated by ten different characters. And all written by ten of the most exciting and popular writers around.

This sparkling collection has been put together by bestselling novelist Nick Hornby who also contributes an introduction about TreeHouse, the educational charity for autistic children. All royalties from the sales of Speaking with the Angel are going to TreeHouse.

About A Boy

Will is thirty-six acts like a teenager. He reads the right magazines, goes to the right clubs and knows which trainers to wear. He's also discovered a great way to score with women – at single parents' groups, full of available mothers, all waiting for Mr Nice. That's where he meets Marcus, the oldest twelve-year-old in the world. Marcus is a bit strange: he listens to Mozart, looks after his mum and he's never even owned a pair of trainers. Perhaps if Will can teach Marcus how to be a kid, Marcus will help Will grow up. . .

Slam

Whoever invented skateboarding is a genius. There's only one skater, and his name's Tony Hawk. It doesn't matter if you don't know who he is, just trust me. Not only is Hawk the world's best skater, he's also good to talk to. So I talk to Tony Hawk, and Tony Hawk talks back. Because just when it seemed like everything had come together for me, I had to go and screw it all up. It only took two seconds. But all of me knew. One risk. One mistake and my life would never be the same. Hawk had a few things to say. And a few things to show me. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see your own future?