Its the swinging 60s and the nation is mesmerized by sophie straw, a former blackpool beauty queen turned primetime sitcom star. Buy funny girl by hornby, nick from amazons fiction books store. Funny girl by nick hornby 352pp, viking, telegraph offer price. Gentle, funny, compassionate book reading funny girl was like meeting an old friend and being reminded all over again why you liked them so much in the first place.
An amazon best book of the month for february 2015. Funny girl the latest novel from nick hornby, the millioncopy bestselling author of about a boy make them laugh, and theyre yours forever. Funny girl the muchanticipated new novel by nick hornby, the millioncopy bestselling author of about a boy. Really want to read more nick hornby, funny girl was good too.
Funny girl is told through the voice of an omniscient narrator. Nov 05, 2014 funny girl by nick hornby 352pp, viking, telegraph offer price. A wise, affecting novel from the beloved, awardwinning author of funny girl, high fidelity, and about a boy. Set in 1960s london, funny girlis a livelyaccount ofthe adventures of the intrepid young sophie straw as she navigates her transformation fromprovincial ingenue to television starlet amid a constellation of delightful characters. Nick hornby set out to reimagine british comedy history, by writing the history of the fictional barbara and jim tv series, and likewise a. Nick hornbys new novel, funny girl, mocks and dismantles two retrograde beliefs common in 1960s london. With its focus away from contemporary times, this might not be vintage hornby, but is a memorable evocation, nevertheless, of the swinging sixties in britain. Funny girl by nick hornby penguin random house audio. Nick hornby make them laugh and theyre yours forever. As a quickwitted, unpretentious, highspirited, funny, curvy, clever, beautiful blonde page 257, sophie might strike some readers as almost too good to be true. A long way down by nick hornby reading guidebook club. Journalist and bestselling novelist nick hornby is best known for his portraits of dysfunctional peter pans clueless postmodern males in various stages of arrested development who discover, often to their chagrin, that growing up is a process involving far more than the passage of time. Its 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. Nick hornby was born in 1957, and is the author of the novels slam, high fidelity, about a boy, how to be good and a long way down he is also the author of fever pitch, a book on his life as a devoted supporter of arsenal football club, and has edited the collection of short stories speaking with the angel he has also written a book about his favourite songs, 31 songs, and his reading.
Funny girl may be read as hornby s latest defence of popular entertainment against highculture elitism. Set in 1960s london, funny girl is a lively account of the adventures of the intrepid young sophie straw as she navigates her transformation from provincial ingnue to television starlet amid a constellation of delightful characters. Funny girl, by nick hornby, chronicles the fictional tale of a young, rags to riches, girl, who longs to become the next lucille ball during the 1960s in london. Struggling through a book out of a sense of duty, he argued, is reinforcing the. Screenwriting edit hornby has also developed a career as a screenwriter, and has said that he enjoys the challenge of working in film as opposed to writing novels. Sign in or create your guardian account to join the discussion. His latest novels are slam 2007, juliet, naked 2009 and funny girl 2014. Set in 1960s london, funny girl is a livelyaccount ofthe adventures of the intrepid young sophie straw as she navigates her transformation fromprovincial ingenue to television starlet amid a constellation of delightful characters.
Feb 22, 2015 nick hornbys ingenue pursues her dream of fame in 1960s london. Nick hornby s charming, light yet thoughtful tale of the creative team behind a fictional bbc sitcom in the 1960s takes the. Nick hornby is an expert storyteller who reveals the nuances of his characters. Nov 06, 2014 funny girl the muchanticipated new novel by nick hornby, the millioncopy bestselling author of about a boy. In funny girl, nick hornby uses the story of a reluctant beauty queen from blackpool as the hook for a rambunctious cultural history of british television comedy 50 years ago. The biggest facebook fan page for nick hornby follow nick hornby directly at. Nick hornby takes on the ghastly, selfinflated intellectual snobs who have dogged british broadcasting, theatre and literature for decades and demolishes them.
From the bestselling author ofhigh fidelity, about a boy, anda long way downcomes a highly anticipated new novel. Nick hornbys charming, light yet thoughtful tale of the creative team behind a fictional bbc sitcom in the 1960s takes the. About a boy by nick hornby bythe honest bookclubmarch 25, 2016. Art and life are intertwined in a novel about tv sitcoms set during the cultural sea change of the 1960s.
But you can add hornbys funny girl, barbara parker, a 21yearold blonde bombshell and lucille ball devotee who ditches her anointment as miss blackpool for a shot at a london acting career, to. Spectator i loved this hymn to the 1960s, their infinite creative possibilities. Nick hornby, british novelist, screenwriter, and essayist known for his sharply comedic, popculturedrenched depictions of dissatisfied adulthood as well as for his music and literary criticism. So does page after page of perfectly timed and delivered humor, the subtle and understated kind, that starts with the first line. How might it read differently if it had been told in the first personsay, if it had been told by sophie.
Barbara parker is miss blackpool of 1964, but she doesnt want to be a beauty queen. Behind the scenes of her smashhit show, sophie is falling madly in love with. See all books authored by nick hornby, including high fidelity, and juliet, naked, and more on. Book club questions for funny girl by nick hornby whsmith blog. Watch the animated teaser and listen to penguin uks extended audio interview with nick.
Hornbys most recent novel, funny girl, about a sixties beauty queen determined to make her mark upon television comedy, was released in late 2014. He has written screenplay adaptions of lynn barbers an education, nominated for an academy award, cheryl strayeds wild and colm. Set in 1960s london, funny girl is a lively account of the adventures of the intrepid young sophie straw. From the bestselling author of high fidelity, about a boy, and a long way down comes a highly anticipated new novel set in 1960s london, funny girl is a lively account of the adventures of the intrepid young sophie straw as she navigates her transformation from provincial ingenue to television starlet amid a constellation of delightful characters. Funny girl is the sixth fulllength novel by british author, nick hornby. Nick hornby is an expert storyteller who reveals the nuances of his characters lives, and in the process, allows readers to understand a world unlike their own. As a quickwitted, unpretentious, highspirited, funny, curvy, clever, beautiful blonde page 257, sophie might.
Hornby s most recent novel, funny girl, about a sixties beauty queen determined to make her mark upon television comedy, was released in late 2014. As befits a novel about a popular sitcom, this novel packs in lots of laughs, but its also got more heft than mr. May 07, 2015 book club questions for funny girl by nick hornby part of the richard and judy summer 2015 bookclub. Its american and a bit different from the film, but still fun. His book the complete polysyllabic spree 2006 is an account of his reading and a. The boston globe hornbys fluency in scriptlike breeziness and crisp banter makes funny girl a pleasurable read. Nick hornby books list of books by author nick hornby. From the bestselling author of high fidelity, about a boy, and a long way down comes a highly anticipated new novel set in 1960s london, funny girl is a lively account of the adventures of the intrepid young sophie straw as she navigates her. Shes just become the reigning pageant winner of blackpool england. As the story opens, barbara parker is a small town beauty queen. What a fabulous, spirited, inyourface defence of popular entertainment this book is. With funny girl, hornby tries out a historical setting for the first time. Do you have any thoughts, questions or discussions about funny girl by nick hornby. On the surface, this funny girl is about a working class english girl who.
Funny girl chapter 26 discussion question, 2, 8, oct 02, 2017 12. Funny girl by nick hornby yes, you read that right. From her girlhood days in workingclass blackpool, barbara parker idolizes lucille ball and dreams of emulating her. His notable books included the novels high fidelity and about a boy and the autobiographical fever pitch. Funny girl by nick hornby meet your next favorite book. Funny girl makes his case for him eloquently and entertainingly both hugely enjoyable and deceptively artful. Jan 23, 2015 nick hornby, author of the book funny girl. And this is the premise from which nick hornby built funny girl and the character of sophie straw once, barbara from blackpool. Insightful and humorous, nick hornbys latest does what he does. Funny girl is a 2014 novel by the british writer nick hornby. Insightful and humorous, nick hornby s latest does what he does best.
On the surface, this funny girl is about a working class english girl who comes of age as a tv star in the. Set, for the most part, in the midtolate 1960s, hornbys latest novel gives. Nick hornby mines the hearts and psyches of four lost souls who connect just when theyve reached the end of the line. Funny girl funny girl the muchanticipated new novel by nick hornby, the millioncopy bestselling author of about a boy make them laugh, and theyre yours forever. Funny girl by nick hornby booksamillion online book store. Forster award by the american academy of arts and letters. A brilliant novel from the bestselling author of high fidelity, about a boy, and a long way down. Nick hornby has 75 books on goodreads with 974982 ratings. No, nick hornbys latest is not a retelling of the story made famous by the old barbara streisand movie called funny girl but the allusion to pop culture of the 1960s in this delightful novel is not coincidental. Funny girl nicky hornby, 2014 penguin group usa 464 pp. Set in 1960s london, funny girl is a lively account of the adventures of the intrepid young sophie straw as she navigates her transformation from provincial ingenue to television starlet amid a constellation of delightful characters. Set, for the most part, in the midtolate 1960s, hornbys latest novel gives the reader an intimate look at the making of a tv comedy series. Why do you think nick hornby chose to narrate the book this way. Insightful and humorous, nick hornbys funny girl does what he does best.
Hornby s fluency in scriptlike breeziness and crisp banter makes funny girl a pleasurable read. With wit, optimism and gentle compassion, nick hornby summons up the zeitgeist of britain in the 1960s and 70s through the medium of tv comedy on the bbc. Set in 1960s london, funny girl is a lively account of the adventures of the intrepid young sophie straw as she navigates her transformation from provincial ing nue to television starlet amid a constellation of delightful characters. Book club questions for funny girl by nick hornby part of the richard and judy summer 2015 bookclub.
Further suggestions might be found on the articles talk page. Nov 06, 2014 funny girl is the sixth fulllength novel by british author, nick hornby. Nick hornby is the author of seven internationally bestselling novels funny girl, high fidelity, about a boy, how to be good, a long way down, slam and juliet, naked and several works of nonfiction including fever pitch, songbook and ten years in the tub. Sophie is a comic genius and a bombshell to boot she might just have it all. Insightful and humorous, nick hornbys latest does what he does best. A thrilling debut novel about how far well go to protect. Funny girl in libraries worldcat catalog this article about a european novel is a stub.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Nick hornby set out to reimagine british comedy history, by writing the history of the fictional barbara and jim tv series, and likewise a lucille ballesque british tv star in sophie straw. Book club books book lists new books good books book clubs books you should read books to read nick hornby book girl funny girl a novel ebook by nick. As befits a novel about a popular sitcom, this novel packs in lots of laughs, but its also got. Nick hornby set out to reimagine british comedy history, by writing the history of the fictional funny girl tv series, and likewise a lucille ballesque british tv star in sophie straw.