Nick Hornby

​"Nothing happens in the books... I'm creating a person who's a lot like the person who's reading the books."

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Nick Hornby 's insight into the psyche of the Men and Women of England is ingrained into his blood. Born in surrey, attended Cambridge University and now works in Highbury and Islington, North London whilst looking after 3 sons, one autistic and the other 2 in primary school. Hornby has experienced many different perspectives of life in England and its evident that he conveys his different experiences in his writing.



I have chosen Nick Hornby for my electronic portfolio because I feel I can relate to his books and writing very well. This is because his choice of topics in his writing are areas that I will and have seen or experienced. I felt being a Londoner myself I would be able to pick up especially well on the concept and ideas Hornby was trying to convey.



Nick Hornby is the author of 6 novels: High Fidelity, About a boy, How to be Good, A long way down, Slam and Juliet, Naked; three works of non-fiction: Fever Pitch, 31 songs and The complete polysyllabic spree. Hornby has also written the screenplay for two films: Fever Pitch and An Education.

Hornby has been Shortlisted for ​the Whitbread award with A long way down, Shortlisted for the National books critics circle award with 31 songs and has won the William Hill sports book  of the year award.


Here is a short summary of each of Hornby's best work:

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About a boy is romantic comedy which captures the essence of relationship between children and adults and also the relationship between middle aged men and women. Will Freeman is a 36 year old man who is on the edge of a mid-life crisis, his life consists of clubbing, driving in his expensive sports car and sex. Will meets Marcus who is the only child of divorced parents, he lives with his mum who is having a crisis over men. Will and Marcus' lives, by coincidence of there own lifestyle, meet and a adventure into bonding, love and comedy unfold. 





















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High fidelity is written about the life of Rob Fleming who works at " Championship vinyl" record store with his two best friends/employees. His day to day life consists of going through vintage records and listing Robs most memorable breakups. Most memorable breakups is high on the agenda for conversations especially after Rob breaks up with his long term girlfriend Laura who he thought was the one. Eventually, Rob's re-examination of his failed relationships and the death of Laura's father bring the two back together. Their relationship is cemented by the launch of a new purposefulness to Rob's life in the revival of his disc jockey career.





















Fever Pitch starts in 1968, it is a very important year in the life of the narrator. He is eleven years old and his parents have separated. He hasn’t got a very close relationship with his dad, whom he visits every week. So his father thinks that the situation would get better if he and his son went to a football game of Arsenal. But this is a mistake. Instead of getting a closer relationship with his father, the narrator becomes obsessed with football.