Nick Hornby strana 5 z 5

Each week, Tom and Louise meet for a quick drink in the pub before they go to meet their marriage counsellor. Married for years and with two children, a recent incident has exposed the fault lines in their relationship in a way that Tom, for one, does not wish to think about. In the ten minutes in the pub they talk about the agenda for the session, what they talked about last week, what they will definitely not talk about with the counsellor, and how much better off they are than the couple whose counselling slot immediately precedes their own. Over the ten weeks that follow Tom and Louise begin to wonder: what if marriage is like a computer? When you take it apart to see how it works you might just be left with a million pieces you can't put back together . . .

Will Freeman wants an easy life with no responsibilities. But then he meets Marcus an unusual twelve year old boy with serious problems. About a Boy is a modern classic a very funny story about a very serious subject: love. It's also a popular movie starring Hugh Grant.

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 rather than an interest) 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 throws him out. 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.

Nick Hornby returns to his roots - music and messy relationships - in this funny and touching new novel which thoughtfully and sympathetically looks at how lives can be wasted but how they are never beyond redemption. Annie lives in a dull town on England

Stuff I've Been Reading by Nick Hornby - the bestselling novelist's rich, witty and inspiring reading diary. 'Read what you enjoy, not what bores you,' Nick Hornby tells us. And in this new collection of his columns from the Believer magazine (taking off where The Complete Polysyllabic Spree finished), he shows us how it's done. Or at least, how he does it: whether plunging into a biography of Dickens whilst his children are destroying something in the room next door or devouring a whole series of children's books whilst on holiday. Hornby is the intelligent, committed but sceptical reader we'd all like to be. Admiring Ian McEwen's On Chesil Beach, he points out a surprising anachronism. Reading Cormac McCarthy's The Road, he wonders why 'unflinching' is a term of praise among critics. And who but Nick Hornby could successfully juxtapose a discussion of a book on the Band with one on the Stasi? These accounts of one reader's experience of buying and reading, and sometimes not reading, books differ from all other reviews or critical appreciations - they take into account the role that books actually play in the lives of readers. This book, which is classic Hornby, confirms the novelist's status as one of the world's most exciting curators of culture. It will be loved by fans of About a Boy and High Fidelity, as well as readers of Will Self, Zadie Smith, Stewart Lee and Charlie Brooker. Nick Hornby has captivated readers and achieved widespread critical acclaim for his comic, well-observed novels About a Boy, High Fidelity, How to be Good, A Long Way Down (shortlisted for the Whitbread Award), Slam and Juliet, Naked. His four additional works of non-fiction, Fever Pitch, 31 Songs (shortlisted for the National Book Critics Circle Award), The Complete Polysyllabic Spree and Pray are also available from Penguin.

1968-ban a tizenegy éves Nick életében először volt egy Arsenal-meccsen; az apja vitte el, aki épp elköltözött otthonról, s Nicket - aki az anyjával és a húgával élt együtt - azonnal lenyűgözte a környezet átható férfiassága. A dohányfüst, a káromkodás, a gyűlölet és a szenvedély ... Folytatás ›› különös elegye... Ez az élmény jó időre megpecsételte a kis Nick Hornby életét: ott akart lenni minden meccsen, megszállottan tudni akart mindent a csapatáról, a kedvenc játékosairól, s a futball és a szurkolás határozta meg kapcsolatait, majd alakította később a szerelmeit is... A Fociláz-at 1992-ben, amikor először megjelent, minden idők legjobb focikönyveként reklámozták az angolok, s talán nem is tévedtek: a könyv ma már a futballirodalom klasszikusa (sőt a "futballirodalom" nagyrészt a Nick Hornbyt utánzó írókból áll); sportkommentátorok és kommentelő szurkolók állandó hivatkozási pontja; s bár maga a foci azóta jócskán megváltozott, a Hornby által leírt érzésekben, szenvedélyekben ma is minden igazi, megszállott szurkoló magára ismer. Ahogy akkoriban írta egy kritikus, Hornby ezzel a könyvével "az első szezonjában bejátszotta magát az angol válogatottba", és azóta is ott van, sőt olykor - mondjuk, a Pop, csajok, satöbbi és az Egy fiúról című regényeivel - már a világválogatottban is szerepelt. Olyan szerelmesen s ugyanakkor okosan, szellemesen, ahogyan ő a Fociláz-ban, soha senki nem írt még a futballról: nagy meccsekről, nagy játékosokról s mindarról a szennyről is, amely sajnálatos kísérőjelensége az emberiség legnépszerűbb játékának. Olvasson bele: Részlet a könyvből A(z) Fociláz (Könyv) szerzője Nick Hornby.

Funny Girl - the much-anticipated new novel by Nick Hornby, the million-copy bestselling author of About a Boy. Make them laugh, and they're yours forever... It's the swinging 60s and the nation is mesmerized by unlikely comedy star Sophie Straw, the former Blackpool beauty queen who just wants to make people laugh, like her heroine Lucille Ball. Behind the scenes, the cast and crew are having the time of their lives. But when the script begins to get a bit too close to home, and life starts imitating art, they all face a choice. The writers, Tony and Bill, comedy obsessives, each harbour a secret. The Oxbridge-educated director, Dennis, loves his job but hates his marriage. The male star Clive, feels he's destined for better things. And Sophie Straw, who's changed her name and abandoned her old life, must decide whether to keep going, or change the channel. Nick Hornby's new novel is about popular culture, youth and old age, fame, class and teamwork. It offers a wonderfully captivating portrait of youthful exuberance and creativity, and of a period when both were suddenly allowed to flourish. Fans of Hornby will love this book, as will readers of David Nicholls, Mark Haddon and William Boyd. Nick Hornby is the author of five bestselling novels (High Fidelity, About a Boy, How To Be Good, A Long Way Down and Juliet, Naked), a novel for young adults, Slam, and four works of acclaimed non-fiction: Fever Pitch, 31 Songs, The Complete Polysyllabic Spree and Stuff I've Been Reading. A Long Way Down, About a Boy, High Fidelity and Fever Pitch have all been made into major films. He also wrote the screenplay for the Oscar-nominated An Education, and is currently writing screenplays for Cheryl Strayed's Wild, starring Reese Witherspoon, and Colm Toibin's Brooklyn.

Lucy married just the sort of man you might expect: a university graduate who runs his own business. Unfortunately he turned out to have serious dependency issues. Joseph is shaking off the memory of his last date, a girl who ticked all the right boxes and also drove him up the wall. On an average Saturday morning in a butcher's shop in North London, Lucy and Joseph meet on opposite sides of the counter. She is a teacher and mother of two, with a past she is trying to forget; he is an aspiring DJ with a wide-open future that maybe needs to start becoming more focused. Lucy and Joseph are opposites in almost all ways. Can something life-changing grow from uncommon ground? Nick Hornby's brilliantly observed, tender and brutally funny new novel gets to the heart of what it means to fall headlong in love with the best possible person - someone who may not be just like you at all.

'I am in a car park in Leeds when I tell my husband I don't want to be married to him any more. . . ' London GP Katie Carr always thought she was a good person. With her husband David making a living as 'The Angriest Man in Holloway', she figured she could put up with anything. Until, that is, David meets DJ Goodnews and becomes a good person too. A far-too-good person who starts committing crimes of charity like taking in the homeless and giving their kids' toys away. Suddenly Katie's feeling very bad about herself, and thinking that if charity begins at home, then maybe it's time to move. . . This laugh-out-loud novel, from the bestselling author of About a Boy and High Fidelity, will have you gripped from start to finish and will appeal to fans of David Nicholls and Jonathan Coe, as well as readers in need of a moral compass everywhere.

Lucy married just the sort of man you might expect: a university graduate who runs his own business. Unfortunately he turned out to have serious dependency issues. Joseph is shaking off the memory of his last date, a girl who ticked all the right boxes and also drove him up the wall. On an average Saturday morning in a butcher's shop in North London, Lucy and Joseph meet on opposite sides of the counter. She is a teacher and mother of two, with a past she is trying to forget; he is an aspiring DJ with a wide-open future that maybe needs to start becoming more focused. Lucy and Joseph are opposites in almost all ways. Can something life-changing grow from uncommon ground? Nick Hornby's brilliantly observed, tender and brutally funny new novel gets to the heart of what it means to fall headlong in love with the best possible person - someone who may not be just like you at all.

What happens when a washed-up musician looks for another chance? And miles away, a restless woman looks for a change? In 1986, legendary musician Tucker Crowe disappeared from the public eye and for 20 years, his rabid fans have speculated his whereabouts. Annie lives in Gooleness, the north's answer to a question nobody asked, and has put fifteen years into a safe relationship with one such "Crowe-ologist", Duncan. And she wants her money back, please. Then Tucker releases new material. Duncan thinks it's genius, Annie does not, and when she dares to go public with her dislike, there are unexpected, life-changing consequences for all three . . . Juliet, Naked is a humblingly humorous novel about music, love, loneliness, and the struggle to live up to our own potential. If you like David Nicholls, David Sedaris and Jonathan Coe, you will love this book.

Věčně opálený Martin Sharp je zkrachovalý moderátor ranního televizního pořadu, jenž měl všechno, co si muž může přát – děti, ženu, báječný domov, skvělou práci –, a o všechno přišel. Sebevražda je pro Martina logickou a přiměřenou reakcí na život, který se nedá žít. Maureen nemá toho večera jinou možnost, protože Matty zůstal doma. Nikdy nebyl schopen běžných věcí, které děti dělávají – třeba chodit nebo mluvit –, a jeho milující matka Maureen se s tím již nedokáže vyrovnat. A tak se tato svědomitá katolička odhodlá spáchat „nejtěžší ze všech hříchů“.Také Jess je připravená skočit a absolvovat krátký let. Na střechu ji dohnaly zlomené srdce, osamělost, úzkost dospívání, sedm koktejlů a dva silné ležáky. Poslední je JJ – vysoký, elegantní Američan, jenž vypadá jako rocková hvězda a někdy si myslí, že jako rocková hvězda hraje na kytaru –, který klesá pod tíhou hromady svých problémů a přináší pizzu. Čtyři neznámí lidé, kteří byli ještě před chvílí přesvědčeni, že jsou sami a se vším skoncují, se rozdělí o pizzu a dají se do řeči – jen aby nakonec zjistili, že mají společného dokonce ještě méně, než se zprvu zdálo.Vtipný, smutný a hluboce dojemný román Nicka Hornbyho klade několik závažných otázek: o životě a smrti, o cizincích a přátelství, o lásce a bolesti a o tom, zda člověk díky skupince ztroskotanců a pizze opravdu může překonat dlouhou a temnou noc v duši.

Samovi, hlavnímu hrdinovi nového románu Nicka Hornbyho, je šestnáct, jezdí na skateboardu, běhá za děvčaty a vypráví svůj vlastní příběh o dospívání. Všechno jde jak po drátkách až do chvíle, kdy jedno z děvčat otěhotní a Sam po hlavě vpadne do světa dospělé zodpovědnosti. Sam se řítí vstříc vlastní budoucnosti a má jen nejasnou představu, jaká bude - nebo jaká by mohla být. V tomto mimořádně vtipném a hlubokém příběhu musí dospívající mladík, nečekaně konfrontovaný se záludnostmi otcovství, činit správná rozhodnutí, aby se špatné věci, které by se mohly přihodit, přece jenom nepřihodily.

Hornbyho literární mistrovství je zábavné, nenápadné, nevnucuje se. O to je však cennější. Ve svých knihách použil zdánlivě banální témata, aby vytvořil silné, citlivé, generačně platné a humorem jiskřící příběhy. Píše o dospívání malého, rozpolceného, znuděného kluka v mladého muže, o životě na dusném předměstí britské metropole, o sexu, o smrti. Řeší jizvy po prvních láskách. A všudepřítomná pop music o zlomených srdcích zanechává následky.

'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? Slam is a novel about a boy who has to grow up in big, big hurry. It is The Catcher in the Rye for the 21st century.

Will Freeman a világ leggondtalanabb embere: se felesége, se gyereke, de még állása sincsen - vígan éldegél minden idők legnépszerűbb karácsonyi dalának jogdíjaiból, melyet az apja írt valaha. Egyetlen bánata, hogy a nők azt szeretik, ha egy férfinak céljai vannak az életben, ki kell hát találnia valamit, ami a szemükben izgalmassá teszi. Egy egyedül álló apa igazán különleges, sőt hősies színben tűnhet fel előttük, így aztán Will úgy dönt, gyereke lesz. Persze nem igazából (még csak az kéne!); elvégre egy fiktív gyerek is elég ahhoz, hogy a nőknek imponáljon. Az egyedül álló szülők klubjában azonban -balszerencséjére- nemcsak egy frenetikus szőke nővel ismerkedik meg, hanem egy furcsa, tizenkét éves fiúval is. Ettől kezdve Will, a -szabad ember- már nem is annyira szabad - a különc Marcusnak ugyanis, akit az iskolában módszeresen kínoznak a többiek, az élete függ tőle, hogy valaki végre megtanítsa rá, hogyan kell gyereknek lenni. S ki más lenne erre alkalmasabb, mint Will Freeman, aki igazából sohasem nőtt fel, s ugyanaz tölti ki az életét ma is, mint ami egy kamasz fiúét: a rockzene, a foci, a csajok? Akárcsak a "Pop, csajok, satöbbi..."-ben, Hornby szellemesen, okosan, élvezetesen ír egyszerű és mégis különös emberek mindannyiunk számára ismerős érzelmeiről és élethelyzeteiről: barátságról, szerelemről, szenvedélyről, magányról, depresszióról. És a rockzene témája sem hiányzik a regényből: az események azon a napon vesznek különös fordulatot, amikor öngyilkosságot követ el Kurt Cobain, a Nirvana legendás énekese...