Nick Hornby
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2008-06-22T07:11:49Z
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/* Career */
{{otheruses4|Nick Hornby, the English writer|the artist of the same name|Nick Hornby (artist)}}
{{Infobox Writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox Writer/doc]] -->
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| name = Nick Hornby
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| birthdate = {{Birth date and age|1957|4|17}}
| birthplace = [[Redhill, Surrey]], [[England]]
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| occupation = Writer, Editor
| nationality = [[England|English]]
| period = [[1992]]-present
| genre = [[Fiction]], [[Non-fiction]]
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'''Nick Hornby''' (born [[17 April]] [[1957]] in [[Redhill, Surrey]], England) is an [[England|English]] [[novelist]] and [[essayist]]. He was brought up in [[Maidenhead]] and was educated at Maidenhead Grammar School and Jesus College, Cambridge. He is best known for the novels ''[[High Fidelity (novel)|High Fidelity]]'', ''[[About a Boy]]'' and for the [[football (soccer)|football]] memoir ''[[Fever Pitch]]''. His work frequently touches upon music, sports, and the both aimless and obsessive natures of his protagonists. He is regarded as a pioneer of the [[lad lit]] genre.
==Career==
Hornby's first published book, [[1992|1992's]] ''[[Fever Pitch]]'', is an autobiographical story detailing his fanatical support for the [[Arsenal Football Club]]. As a result, Hornby received the [[William Hill Sports Book of the Year|William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award]]. In 1997 the memoir was adapted for [[Fever Pitch (1997 film)|film in the UK]] and in 2005 an [[Fever Pitch (2005 film)|American remake]] was released, following [[Jimmy Fallon|Jimmy Fallon's]] obsession with the [[Boston Red Sox]]. With the book's success, Hornby began to publish articles in the ''[[The Sunday Times (UK)|Sunday Times]]'', ''Time Out'' and the ''[[Times Literary Supplement]]'', in addition to his music reviews for the ''[[The New Yorker|New Yorker]]''. ''[[High Fidelity (novel)|High Fidelity]]''—his second book and first novel—was published in 1995. The novel, about a neurotic record collector and his failed relationships, was adapted into a [[2000]] [[High Fidelity (film)|film]] starring [[John Cusack]], and a [[Broadway musical]] in 2006.
His third novel, ''[[About a Boy]]'', published in 1998, is about two "boys" -- Marcus, an awkward yet endearing adolescent from a single parent family, and the free floating, mid-30s Will Freeman who overcomes his own immaturity and self-centeredness through his growing relationship with Marcus. [[Hugh Grant]] and [[Nicholas Hoult]] starred in the [[2002]] movie version. In 1999 Hornby received the [[E. M. Forster Award]] of the [[American Academy of Arts and Letters]].
The novel ''[[How to Be Good]]'' was published in 2001. The female protagonist in the novel explores contemporary morals, marriage and parenthood. It won the [[WH Smith Award for Fiction]] in 2002. A part of the money he earned with his next book ''[[Speaking with the Angel]]'' in 2002 was donated to [[TreeHouse (charity)|TreeHouse]], a charity for children with [[autism]], the disorder that affects Hornby's own son. He was editor of the book, which contained twelve short stories written by his friends. He also contributed to the collection with the story "NippleJesus."<ref>[http://www.failbetter.com/09/HornbyInterview.htm Nick Hornby Interview] at failbetter.com</ref> In 2003 Hornby wrote a collection of essays on selected popular songs and the emotional resonance they carry, called ''[[Songbook (Nick Hornby book)|Songbook]]'' (known in the UK as ''31 Songs''). Also in 2003, Hornby was awarded the London Award 2003, an award that was selected by fellow writers.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3305129.stm Hornby wins London literary award], BBC News</ref>
Hornby has also written essays on various aspects of popular culture, and in particular he has become known for his writing on pop music and [[mix tape]] enthusiasts. He also began writing a book review column, "Stuff I've Been Reading," for the monthly magazine [[The Believer (magazine)|The Believer]]; several of these articles are collected in ''[[The Polysyllabic Spree]]'' (2004) and ''[[Housekeeping vs. The Dirt]]'' (2006).
Hornby's novel ''[[A Long Way Down]]'' was published in 2005. It was on the shortlist for the [[Whitbread Novel Award]]. Hornby has also edited two sports-related anthologies: ''My Favourite Year'' and ''The Picador Book of Sports Writing''.
Hornby's newest book, entitled ''Slam'', was released on [[October 16]], [[2007]], is his first novel for young adults and was recognized by the [[Young Adult Library Services Association]] as a 2008 Best Book for Young Adults. The protagonist of ''Slam'' is a 15-year-old skateboarder named Sam whose life changes drastically when his girlfriend gets pregnant.
==Adaptations==
===Film===
Several of Hornby's books have made the jump from page to screen. Hornby wrote the screenplay for the first, a 1997 British adaptation of ''[[Fever Pitch (1997 film)|Fever Pitch]]'', starring [[Colin Firth]]. It was followed in 2000 by ''[[High Fidelity (film)|High Fidelity]]'', starring [[John Cusack]]; this adaptation was notable in that the action was shifted from [[London]] to [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]]. After this success, ''[[About a Boy (film)|About a Boy]]'' was quickly picked up, and released in 2002, starring [[Hugh Grant]]. An [[Americanization|Americanized]] ''[[Fever Pitch (2005 film)|Fever Pitch]]'', in which [[Jimmy Fallon]] plays a hopelessly addicted [[Boston Red Sox]] fan who tries to reconcile his love of the game with that of his girlfriend ([[Drew Barrymore]]), was released in 2005. It appears likely that ''A Long Way Down'' will also be adapted; [[Johnny Depp]] purchased film rights to the book before it was published.
===Stage===
''High Fidelity'' was also the basis for a [[2006]] [[High Fidelity (musical)|musical]], which shifted the action to [[Brooklyn]]; its book is by [[David Lindsay-Abaire]], with lyrics by [[Amanda Green]] and music by [[Tom Kitt]]. The production ran for a month in [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]], then moved to [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]], closing after 18 previews and 14 regular performances.
===Music===
The importance of music in Hornby's novels, and in his life, is evidenced by his long-standing and fruitful collaborations with the rock band [[Marah (band)|Marah]], fronted by Dave and Serge Bielanko. Hornby has even toured in the USA and Europe with the band, joining them on stage to read his own essays about particular moments and performers in his own musical history which have had a particular meaning for him. The band typically follows each of Hornby's essays, about subjects including [[Bob Marley]], [[Rory Gallagher]] and [[The Clash]], by playing a song by each of those artists.
Hornby and Marah (whose small but intensely dedicated band of fans also includes [[Stephen King]] and [[Bruce Springsteen]]) have worked together on this project over time, and together put on a show of all the essays and songs, concluding with his essay about Marah themselves, and followed by a full concert of the band's own songs{{Fact|date=September 2007}}.
One of the main characters in Hornby's ''A Long Way Down'', a down on his luck rock singer delivering pizzas in north London and considering suicide on the last day of 1999, is widely supposed to have been inspired by Serge Bielanko's own experiences in London.
Hornby's music criticism (most notably for ''The New Yorker'' and in his own ''Songbook'') has been widely criticised by writers such as Kevin Dettmar (in his book ''Is Rock Dead''), Curtis White (in an essay at www.centreforbookculture.org, titled "Kid Adorno"<ref>[http://www.dalkeyarchive.com/article/show/84)] archived here</ref>, Barry Faulk and Simon Reynolds for its embrace of rock traditionalism and conservative take on post-rock and other experimental musics (exemplified in Hornby's negative review of the Radiohead album ''Kid A'': "Beyond the Pale," ''New Yorker'', 30 October 2000).
==Bibliography==
===Novels===
*([[1995]]) ''[[High Fidelity (novel)|High Fidelity]]''
*([[1998]]) ''[[About a Boy]]''
*([[2001]]) ''[[How to Be Good]]''
*([[2005]]) ''[[A Long Way Down]]''
*([[2007]]) ''[[Slam (novel)|Slam]]''
===Non-fiction===
* ([[1992]]) ''[[Fever Pitch]]'' ISBN 0-14-029344-2
* ([[2003]]) ''[[31 Songs]]'' ISBN 0-14-101340-0 (Also published as ''Songbook'' in the US, ISBN 1-57-322356-5)
* ([[2004]]) ''[[The Polysyllabic Spree]]'' ISBN 1-932416-24-2
* ([[2006]]) ''[[Housekeeping vs. Dirt|Housekeeping vs. the Dirt]]'' ISBN 1-932416-59-5
===Anthologies edited===
* ([[1993]]) ''[[My Favourite Year: A Collection of Football Writing]]'' ISBN 0-7538-1441-2
* ([[1996]]) ''[[The Picador Book of Sportswriting]]'' ISBN 0-330-33133-7
* ([[2000]]) ''[[Speaking with the Angel]]'' (2000) ISBN 0-14-029678-6
* ([[2005]]) ''[[Otherwise Pandemonium]]'' ISBN 0-14-102251-5
==Film Adaptations==
* 1997 ''[[Fever Pitch (1997 film)|Fever Pitch]]'' — directed by [[David Evans]]; screenplay by Nick Hornby
* 2000 ''[[High Fidelity (film)|High Fidelity]]'' — directed by [[Stephen Frears]]
* 2002 ''[[About a Boy (film)|About a Boy]]'' — directed by [[Chris Weitz|Chris]] and [[Paul Weitz (filmmaker)|Paul Weitz]]
* 2005 ''[[Fever Pitch (2005 movie)|Fever Pitch]]'' — directed by [[Farrelly brothers|Bob]] and [[Farrelly brothers|Peter Farrelly]]
* 2008 ''[[An Education]]'' — directed by [[Lone Scherfig]], screenplay Hornby
==Trivia==
Hornby is an alumnus of [[Jesus College, Cambridge]], where there is a room named after him.
Hornby's sister is married to [[Robert Harris (novelist)]]. <ref>Hornby, Nick (2006). ''The Polysyllabic Spree''. Viking. ISBN-13: 978-0-670-91666-5.</ref>
Nick Hornby is also related to small time SideFace guitarist Ollie Wildeman.
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==Further reading==
* "Inarticulate Expression of Love" [radio transcript]. 2008. In ''Talking to Kinky and Karlheinz - 170 musicians get vocal on The Music Show'' ed. Anni Heino, 186-193. Sydney: ABC Books. ISBN 9780733320088.
*{{cite news| last =O’Brien | first =C.| coauthors =| title =About a teenager| work =Men| pages =| language =| publisher =The Times| date =[[2001-10-01]]| url =http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/men/article2561972.ece| accessdate =2007-10-03}}
==External links==
* [http://www.penguin.co.uk/static/cs/uk/0/minisites/nickhornby/ UK Official site] from publisher [[Penguin Books]]
* [http://www.nicksbooks.com/ US Official site] from publisher [[Penguin Books]]
* {{imdb name|id=0394984|name=Nick Hornby}}
* [http://www.maximumfun.org/blog/2007/11/podcast-nick-hornby.html 2007 audio interview with Hornby] on Public Radio International program [[The Sound of Young America]]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/1951276.stm BBC News 2002: Movie hype helps Hornby]
*[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4704582 Interview with Hornby] on [[National Public Radio|NPR]]'s ''[[Fresh Air]]'' ([[June 15]] [[2005]])
* [http://www.failbetter.com/09/HornbyInterview.php 2003 Q&A with author]
*[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1143506 Interview with Hornby] on [[National Public Radio|NPR]]'s ''[[Fresh Air]]'' ([[September 26]] [[1995]])
* {{contemporary writers|id=51}}
* [http://marahvideos.blogspot.com/2007/04/marah-w-nick-hornby-at-dingwalls-in.html Video: Nick Hornby w/ Marah - London 4/06/06]
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{{succession box|title=[[William Hill Sports Book of the Year|William Hill Sports Book of the Year winner]]|before= [[Thomas Hauser]] |after=[[Stephen Jones (Rugby player)|Stephen Jones]] |years=1992}}
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[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Alumni of Jesus College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:English memoirists]]
[[Category:English novelists]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Literature]]
[[Category:People from London]]
[[Category:People from Maidenhead]]
[[Category:People from Surrey]]
[[Category:McSweeney's]]
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