About a Boy (original 1998; edition 1998)

by Nick Hornby

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Fiction. Literature. Humor (Fiction.) HTML:A wise, hilarious novel from the beloved, award-winning author of Funny Girl, High Fidelity and A Long Way Down. Will Freeman may have discovered the key to dating success: If the simple fact that they were single mothers meant that gorgeous women �?? women who would not ordinarily look twice a Will �?? might not only be willing, but enthusiastic about dating him, then he was really onto something. Single mothers �?? bright, attractive, available women �?? thousands of them, were all over London. He just had to find them. SPAT: Single Parents �?? Alone Together. It was a brilliant plan. And Will wasn't going to let the fact that he didn't have a child himself hold him back. A fictional two-year-old named Ned wouldn't be the first thing he'd invented. And it seems to go quite well at first, until he meets an actual twelve-year-old named Marcus, who is more than Will bargained for... From the Trade Paperbac… (more)

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Member:	mkalech
Title:	About a Boy
Authors:	Nick Hornby
Info:	Gollancz (1998), Paperback
Collections:	Your library
Rating:
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About a Boy by Nick Hornby (1998)

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Showing 1-5 of 127 (next | show all)

A very clever novel, both tender and scabrous, with nearly perfectly drawn characters.

Mark_Feltskog | Dec 23, 2023 |

Is it awful to say I liked the movie better? I did. It was a good book. I like how Will and Marcus were woven together. As much as they didn't believe they had anything in common I thought they were so similiar. They dealt with a different set of problems but the core of who they were was the same. Both of them a little odd dealing with people that they didn't understand fully and who didn't understand them. Nick Hornby has an amazing way of dealing with depression and suicidal tendencies in an honest but still somehow allowing you to see an amost comical side to all of it. (

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MsTera | Oct 10, 2023 |

Sharing the thoughts of each "boy" in the story, Hornby summons believable characters who, with a less-deft touch, might otherwise go clunk for all the psychic weight each carries. Sharp, humorous, and unpredictable, the story of Will and Marcus and their mutually redemptive friendship hints that grace still moves among us. (

)

rebwaring | Aug 14, 2023 |

CW: Suicide, drugs, bullying.

*whispers* I enjoyed the movie more. (

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Mrs_Tapsell_Bookzone | Feb 14, 2023 |

Light and humorous, but with a deeper message. (

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oldblack | Sep 3, 2022 |

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thingScore 88

Meisterschaft des Trivialen

added by Indy133 | editliteraturkritik.de, Thomas Bollwerk (Mar 1, 1999)

A follow-up to High Fidelity, British writer Hornby's superb 1996 novel about pop-music obsession, About A Boy (the film rights to which have reportedly been sold for $3 million) is an acerbic, emotionally richer yet no less funny tale. Will (36, single, lonely, in search of a girlfriend and a life) meets Marcus (12, lonely, in search of happiness for himself and his suicidal mother). At first, befriending Marcus is merely an attempt to assuage a guilty conscience brought about by a life of leisure.

added by stephmo | editEntertainment Weekly, Ken Tucker (May 29, 1998)

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Is contained in

Nick Hornby: The Omnibus - Fever Pitch; High Fidelity; About A Boy by Nick Hornby

Nick Hornby Collection 6 Books Set Pack RRP: £ 52.94 (Nick Hornby High Fidelity, Nick Hornby about a Boy, Nick Hornby Fever Pitch, Nick Hornby a Long way down, Nick Hornby how to be Good, Nick Hornby Slam) (Nick Hornby Collection) by Nick Hornby

2 Titles By Nick Hornby: "About a Boy" & "How to Be Good." by Nick Hornby

Essential Nick Hornby Collection by Nick Hornby

Has the adaptation

About a Boy [2002 film] by Chris Weitz

About a Boy (adapted ∙ Penguin Readers Level 4) by Nick Hornby

▾Awards and Honors

Awards

Dublin Literary Award (Longlist – 2000)

Notable Lists

1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (Swedish)

Notable Books List (1999)

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Related movies

About a Boy (2002 | IMDb)

About a Boy (2003 | IMDb)

Epigraph

Dedication

Love and thanks to David Evans, Adrienne Maguire, Caroline Dawnay, Virginia Bovell, Abigail Morris, Wendy Carlton, Harry Ritchie and Amanda Posey.

In memory of Liz Knights.

First words

'Have you split up now?'

Quotations

It was terrible. Terrible! But driving really fast behind the ambulance was fantastic.

Last words

(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

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Original language

English UK

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▾Book descriptions

Fiction. Literature. Humor (Fiction.) HTML:A wise, hilarious novel from the beloved, award-winning author of Funny Girl, High Fidelity and A Long Way Down.

Will Freeman may have discovered the key to dating success: If the simple fact that they were single mothers meant that gorgeous women �?? women who would not ordinarily look twice a Will �?? might not only be willing, but enthusiastic about dating him, then he was really onto something. Single mothers �?? bright, attractive, available women �?? thousands of them, were all over London. He just had to find them.
SPAT: Single Parents �?? Alone Together. It was a brilliant plan. And Will wasn't going to let the fact that he didn't have a child himself hold him back. A fictional two-year-old named Ned wouldn't be the first thing he'd invented. And it seems to go quite well at first, until he meets an actual twelve-year-old named Marcus, who is more than Will bargained for...
From the Trade Paperbac

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