'I decided that I wanted to write a little book of essays about songs I loved ... Songs are what I listen to, almost to the exclusion of everything else.'
In his first non-fiction work since Fever Pitch, Nick Hornby writes about 31 songs that either have some great significance in his life - or are just songs that he loves. He discusses, among other things, guitar solos and losing your virginity to a Rod Stewart song and singers whose teeth whistle and the sort of music you hear in Body Shop.
'The soundtrack to his life ... a revealing insight into one of Britain's most popular writers' Evening Standard
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"And mostly all I have to say about these songs is that I love them, and want to sing along to them, and force other people to listen to them, and get cross when these other people don't like them as much as I do," writes Hornby. More than his humble disclaimer, he captures "the narcotic need" for repeat plays of Nelly Furtado's "I'm Like a Bird," and testifies that "you can hear God" in Rufus Wainwright's coy reinterpretation of his father Loudon's "One Man Guy" ("given a neat little twist by Wainwright Junior's sexual orientation..."). Especially poignant is his reaction to "A Minor Incident," a Badly Drawn Boy song written for the soundtrack of the film version of Hornby's book About a Boy. While Hornby was writing the book, his young son was diagnosed with autism--a fact that adds greater resonance to the seemingly unrelated song he hears much later: "I write a book that isn't about my kid, and then someone writes a beautiful song based on an episode in my book that turns out to mean something much more personal to me than my book ever did." Meandering asides and observations like this linger in your mind (just like a fantastic song) long after you've flipped past the final page.
The 11-song CD that accompanies the book is a great touch, but it's too bad it doesn't contain all of the featured songs--most likely the unfortunate result of licensing difficulties. Overall, Hornby's pitch-perfect prose, the quirky illustrations from Canadian artist Marcel Dzama, and a good cause--proceeds benefit TreeHouse, a U.K. charity for children with autism, and 826 Valencia, the nonprofit Bay Area learning center--add up to make Songbook a hit. Solid gold. --Brad Thomas Parsons
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. A collection of Nick Hornby's popular music articles from the New Yorker, reissued to go alongside his essays on reading, The Complete Polysyllabic Spree'I decided that I wanted to write a little book of essays about songs I loved . Songs are what I listen to, almost to the exclusion of everything else.'In his first non-fiction work since Fever Pitch, Nick Hornby writes about 31 songs that either have some great significance in his life - or are just songs that he loves. He discusses, among other things, guitar solos and losing your virginity to a Rod Stewart song and singers whose teeth whistle and the sort of music you hear in Body Shop.'The soundtrack to his life . a revealing insight into one of Britain's most popular writers' Evening Standard Featuring Nick Hornby, this book includes about 31 songs written by that either have some great significance in his life - or are just songs that he loves. He discusses, among other things, guitar solos and losing your virginity to a Rod Stewart song and singers whose teeth whistle and the sort of music you hear in Body Shop. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780241969793
Book Description paperback. Condition: New. Language: ENG. Seller Inventory # 9780241969793
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. 256 pages. 7.76x5.04x0.79 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # __0241969794
Book Description Paperback / softback. Condition: New. New copy - Usually dispatched within 4 working days. Featuring Nick Hornby, this book includes about 31 songs written by that either have some great significance in his life - or are just songs that he loves. He discusses, among other things, guitar solos and losing your virginity to a Rod Stewart song and singers whose teeth whistle and the sort of music you hear in Body Shop. Seller Inventory # B9780241969793
Book Description Condition: New. Featuring Nick Hornby, this book includes about 31 songs written by that either have some great significance in his life - or are just songs that he loves. He discusses, among other things, guitar solos and losing your virginity to a Rod Stewart song and singers whose teeth whistle and the sort of music you hear in Body Shop. Num Pages: 256 pages, illustrations. BIC Classification: AVGP. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 200 x 142 x 16. Weight in Grams: 184. . 2014. Re-issue. Paperback. . . . . Seller Inventory # V9780241969793
Book Description Condition: New. Featuring Nick Hornby, this book includes about 31 songs written by that either have some great significance in his life - or are just songs that he loves. He discusses, among other things, guitar solos and losing your virginity to a Rod Stewart song and singers whose teeth whistle and the sort of music you hear in Body Shop. Num Pages: 256 pages, illustrations. BIC Classification: AVGP. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 200 x 142 x 16. Weight in Grams: 184. . 2014. Re-issue. Paperback. . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland. Seller Inventory # V9780241969793