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smusie's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fun read--for each month you get a list of the books the author bought and another of the books he actually read. Lots of great justification for buying books that you may never read. A genius named Gabriel Zaid wrote that "the truly cultured are capable of owning thousands of unread books without losing their composure or their desire for more." Couldn't have said it better myself. Anyway, the book is a quick light read, and proceeds go to charity. Also, Chekhov's criteria for civilized people, listed at the end of the book, should be widely disseminated.
missbookiverse's review against another edition
3.0
Dieses Buch ist eigentlich nur eine Sammlung von Kolumnen, die Mister Hornby für die Zeitung Believer verfasst hat. Als ich mich damit angefreundet hatte (so Aneinanderreihungen von Kolumnen, die man sonst nur ein mal im Monat liest, finde ich ja irgendwie blöd), war ich eigentlich auch schon gut im Lesen drin.
Nick Hornby hat jeden Monat sein Leseverhalten dokumentiert und kommentiert. Zu Beginn jeder Kolumne listet er seine gekauften und tatsächlich gelesenen Bücher auf. All das könnte sicher echt spaßig sein - wenn ich doch nur wenigstens 1/3 der aufgezählten Bücher auch gelesen hätte. Um die Wahrheit zu sagen, habe ich von den meisten noch nicht mal was gehört. Das ist zwar nicht immer wichtig, weil Mister Hornby zu seinen erwähnten Büchern auch das Nötige erklärt, aber spannend macht es das ganze leider nicht.
Dafür musste ich wirklich oft lachen! Nick Hornby hat einen tollen Humor und weiß diesen ab und an sehr gut in ebenso lustige Worte zu fassen.
In kurz: Wenn ich alle gennanten Bücher gelesen hätte oder Nick Hornby seine Kolumnen über meine gelesenen Bücher schreiben würde, hätte mir dieses Buch einen Höllentrip voll Spaß gebracht.
Nick Hornby hat jeden Monat sein Leseverhalten dokumentiert und kommentiert. Zu Beginn jeder Kolumne listet er seine gekauften und tatsächlich gelesenen Bücher auf. All das könnte sicher echt spaßig sein - wenn ich doch nur wenigstens 1/3 der aufgezählten Bücher auch gelesen hätte. Um die Wahrheit zu sagen, habe ich von den meisten noch nicht mal was gehört. Das ist zwar nicht immer wichtig, weil Mister Hornby zu seinen erwähnten Büchern auch das Nötige erklärt, aber spannend macht es das ganze leider nicht.
Dafür musste ich wirklich oft lachen! Nick Hornby hat einen tollen Humor und weiß diesen ab und an sehr gut in ebenso lustige Worte zu fassen.
In kurz: Wenn ich alle gennanten Bücher gelesen hätte oder Nick Hornby seine Kolumnen über meine gelesenen Bücher schreiben würde, hätte mir dieses Buch einen Höllentrip voll Spaß gebracht.
tea_tales_tomes's review against another edition
1.0
Nick Hornby's writing is all over the place and it was certainly not an easy read. I'm not sure if that is simply because he was trying be colloquial...? I did get some good ideas for books to include on my own bookshelf hence the star.
cbendixe's review against another edition
4.0
This is a compilation of Hornby's book columns from The Believer, most of which are almost love letters about reading and the joys of literature. Hornby also has a book-buying habit that I can identify with, so that's a plus.
Here's one of my favorite passages, when he explains his experiences reading two acclaimed books; one is a British futuristic novel called How I Live Now, and the other is a 1907 memoir called Father and Son. Here is how he felt about both of them:
"Father and Son is an acknowledged classic, so I hadn't expected it to be lovable, or modern, nor had I expected it to speak to me. How I Live Now, by contrast, felt as if it was talking to everyone but me--I was watching from the wings as its author addressed the multitudes. Maybe that's why you have to give books time to live before you decide that they're never going to die. You have to wait and see whether anyone in that multitude is really listening."
Yes! Give books time to live! And hopefully you are ready to read them at the right time.
Here's one of my favorite passages, when he explains his experiences reading two acclaimed books; one is a British futuristic novel called How I Live Now, and the other is a 1907 memoir called Father and Son. Here is how he felt about both of them:
"Father and Son is an acknowledged classic, so I hadn't expected it to be lovable, or modern, nor had I expected it to speak to me. How I Live Now, by contrast, felt as if it was talking to everyone but me--I was watching from the wings as its author addressed the multitudes. Maybe that's why you have to give books time to live before you decide that they're never going to die. You have to wait and see whether anyone in that multitude is really listening."
Yes! Give books time to live! And hopefully you are ready to read them at the right time.
sandin954's review against another edition
3.0
Collection of columns for a magazine that compiles the books that Hornby purchases vs. those he actually reads each month. Like any good bibliophile the acquisitions usually outnumber the finished books.
heidiimmes's review against another edition
4.0
I love Nick Hornby. I love when he talks about the books he's read (unless his comments inspire me to also buy those books--I do not need to grow my to-buy list). I love when he admits to buying books he doesn't plan to actually read (I'm guilty of the same). Looking forward to Shakespeare Wrote for Money and Housekeeping vs. the Dirt.
matthewwester's review against another edition
5.0
I hope he keeps publishing collections of his Believer articles, they are brilliant. He writes about the books he read each month but also about the books he couldn't read, the books he trudged through, and the experience of being a reader. If you enjoy reading books, check this one out. Every entry is also chock full of Hornby wit, self-deprecating humor, and intelligence.
scarletohhara's review against another edition
5.0
I loved Hornby's narration - very casual and conversation-toned. I also enjoyed reading his experiences with books and the book recos he gave. And I secretly hope that someone will offer me a monthly article too, like his 'Stuff I've been reading'