Nick Hornby Hates The Smiths

L

Librarian on Fire

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Well its's not much really. In Nick Hornby's latest novel "How To Be Good" (which isn't by the way), the character David and his friend go into a diatribe of people they hate. Amongst the lengthy list, is the Smiths.

I don't really like Hornby. He's vastly overrated. I'm sure that the only males who read his books are those who have been given copies to them by girlfriends and partners in some vain hope that they'll start reading. Will Self is a much better London writer.

The book will problably get made into a movie starring Hugh Grant (again).

LoF
 
Then I hate him

I've read his "About a Boy", which is pitifully written though moving at times.
He's a bit unmasculine if you ask me. Morrissey is light years above him as a writer.

> Well its's not much really. In Nick Hornby's latest novel "How To Be
> Good" (which isn't by the way), the character David and his friend go
> into a diatribe of people they hate. Amongst the lengthy list, is the
> Smiths.

> I don't really like Hornby. He's vastly overrated. I'm sure that the only
> males who read his books are those who have been given copies to them by
> girlfriends and partners in some vain hope that they'll start reading.
> Will Self is a much better London writer.

> The book will problably get made into a movie starring Hugh Grant (again).

> LoF
 
> The book will problably get made into a movie starring Hugh Grant (again).

Or worse: it'll get scooped up by an American producer and get the Hollywood treatment, changing the setting from dreary London to sunny LA.

*shudder*

Still, I happened to really like "High Fidelity" - a book which was actually recommended to me by a guy (in complete contrast with 23's assumption that it's usually something guys are introduced to by their girlfriends). I also liked "About a Boy," though not as much. Scarily enough, I really identified with the main character in "High Fidelity," even though I'm a girl. Also, it really gave me some insight into how guys think. Well...just a little bit.
 
Will Self is the superior writer by far. Why he isn't named among the very best writers in England and every other nation is a continuing scandal.

Perhaps it's because he's one of Martin Amis' cleverest creations.
 
Nick Hornby is a PRICK

Have you ever saw a picture of Hornby?He looks like a child molester.

He most likey likes Elton John and other shite music like Simply Red.

I think he is a plastic Arsenal fan.Why wasnt he at Anfield in 1989 or when ever it was Arsenal won the league if he was such a big f***ing fan.

I hope his fingers fall off!!

> Well its's not much really. In Nick Hornby's latest novel "How To Be
> Good" (which isn't by the way), the character David and his friend go
> into a diatribe of people they hate. Amongst the lengthy list, is the
> Smiths.

> I don't really like Hornby. He's vastly overrated. I'm sure that the only
> males who read his books are those who have been given copies to them by
> girlfriends and partners in some vain hope that they'll start reading.
> Will Self is a much better London writer.

> The book will problably get made into a movie starring Hugh Grant (again).

> LoF
 
Re: Nick Hornby

I remember getting most of the way through High Fidelity and loving it... then came to a page where he was visiting someone's flat and looked thru their record collection.... then he went into some bizarre diss on people who like Kate Bush.

Well, it's people who DON'T like Kate Bush I've always found rather odd.

I bet Hornby likes the old Stiff material (remember the Lene Lovich poster in the movie?) and The Ramones... pretty average middle aged man in a biker jacket tastes, I reckon.

> Have you ever saw a picture of Hornby?He looks like a child molester.

> He most likey likes Elton John and other shite music like Simply Red.

> I think he is a plastic Arsenal fan.Why wasnt he at Anfield in 1989 or
> when ever it was Arsenal won the league if he was such a big f***ing fan.

> I hope his fingers fall off!!
 
Re: Nick Hornby

I reckon he is a big stranglers fan

> I remember getting most of the way through High Fidelity and loving it...
> then came to a page where he was visiting someone's flat and looked thru
> their record collection.... then he went into some bizarre diss on people
> who like Kate Bush.

> Well, it's people who DON'T like Kate Bush I've always found rather odd.

> I bet Hornby likes the old Stiff material (remember the Lene Lovich poster
> in the movie?) and The Ramones... pretty average middle aged man in a
> biker jacket tastes, I reckon.
 
I wouldn't really assume that because the character in the book doesn't like people who like The Smiths that Nick Horby doesn't. As I recall (ok i read it twice) So as I know there are several references to The Smiths in High Fidelity and none that would lead me to believe he doesn't like them.

I agree that his stories are a little cheesy but that's why i like them :p About a boy was pretty funny but I guess High fidelity is the book I'd picture more guys reading , I'm looking foward to the film although Hugh grant is an asshole, which means he's pretty much perfect to play "will" Now i want to read how to be good but i'm too cheap tp buy it hardback :-/
 
Re: Nick Hornby

> I bet Hornby likes the old Stiff material (remember the Lene Lovich poster
> in the movie?) and The Ramones... pretty average middle aged man in a
> biker jacket tastes, I reckon.

Hey, but EVERYONE likes the Ramones!

He did some music reviews for the New Yorker a couple years ago. I can't remember, but I seem to recall he liked Lynard Skynard. And he wrote a big piece about how Radiohead's "The BEnds" was great, but after "Ok Computer" they became a band only teenagers with too much time on their hands could
get into, and he wished they'd go back to writing more accessible pop songs.
 
Re: Nick Hornby

> Hey, but EVERYONE likes the Ramones!

> He did some music reviews for the New Yorker a couple years ago. I can't
> remember, but I seem to recall he liked Lynard Skynard. And he wrote a big
> piece about how Radiohead's "The BEnds" was great, but after
> "Ok Computer" they became a band only teenagers with too much
> time on their hands could
> get into, and he wished they'd go back to writing more accessible pop
> songs.

Oh yeah, and he wrote a glowing review of the last Aimee Mann album.
I remember because I bought the album based on that review and
was bored to death by it, throwing it into the garbage. (I liked
Mann's "I'm With Stupid," but that last one was for the birds.)
 
> Well its's not much really. In Nick Hornby's latest novel "How To Be
> Good" (which isn't by the way), the character David and his friend go
> into a diatribe of people they hate. Amongst the lengthy list, is the
> Smiths.

I haven't read that novel (the title makes it sound lame as hell!) but
just because a character he wrote hates The Smiths doesn't mean he does.
And recall that in High Fidelity, the protagonist lists the greatest
songs ever recorded and "LAst Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me"
made the top 10.

> I don't really like Hornby. He's vastly overrated. I'm sure that the only
> males who read his books are those who have been given copies to them by
> girlfriends and partners in some vain hope that they'll start reading.
> Will Self is a much better London writer.

I think he's okay. I've only read High Fidelity and About A Boy,
and they are rather fun. Nothing great, but there's so much contemporary fiction that is not fun at all, and so tedious, I appreciated those two
as easy, humorous, refreshing reads. I do find him to be a bit of a square though.

> The book will problably get made into a movie starring Hugh Grant (again).

UGh...

I don't know much about London writers, but I'll put IReland's
PAtrick McCabe against any mothereffer in contemporary fiction today.
 

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