...
Here we go………
‘High Fidelity’ is a novel about a male character named Rob Fleming. He is a thirty-something male with a flagging career as well as a crap love life.
He tells the story about his life, recounting experiences from his younger days to the present day. His story deals ... Read review
It has been said often enough that baby boomers are a television generation, butHigh ... more
Fidelityreminds that in a way they are the record-album generation as well. This hilarious novel is obsessed with music; Hornby's narrator is an early thirtysomething ...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
It has been said often enough that baby boomers are a television generation, but High ... more
Fidelity reminds that in a way they are the record-album generation as well. This hilarious novel is obsessed with music; Hornby's narrator is an early thirtysomethin...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
It has been said often enough that baby boomers are a television generation, but High ... more
Fidelity reminds that in a way they are the record-album generation as well. This hilarious novel is obsessed with music; Hornby's narrator is an early thirtysomethin...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
It has been said often enough that baby boomers are a television generation, butHigh ... more
Fidelityreminds that in a way they are the record-album generation as well. This hilarious novel is obsessed with music; Hornby's narrator is an early thirtysomething ...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Can you share your life with someone whose record collection is incompatible with your ... more
own? Can people have terrible taste and still be worth knowing? For Rob Fleming, aged 35, a pop addict and owner of a failing record shop, these are the questions that need an answer, and soon.
Rob is good on music: he owns a small record shop and has strong views on what's decent ... more
and what isn't. But he's much less good on relationships. In fact, he's not at all sure that he wants to commit himself to anyone. So it's hardly surprising that his girlfriend decides that enough is enough.
Advantages: Most people will relate to it Disadvantages: Sometimes a little confusing
As some of you may know by now, I'm not a book worm. I only read books if my girlfriend makes me. This is another one of her handouts. I enjoyed it enough to write about it here on Ciao, and of course recommend it to you all.
Here we go………
‘High Fidelity’ is a novel about a male character named Rob Fleming. He is a thirty-something male with a flagging career as well as a crap love life.
... ...his younger days to the present day. His story deals with questions asked by everybody about the meaning of life. The book is therefore very true to life and the character easy to relate to for male as well as female readers.
A major issue covered in this book is the social and cultural values. The book concentrates on one character and his life. A man who just wants to be happy. I find that he represents British people, and our society ... more
As some of you may know by now, I'm not a book worm. I only read books if my girlfriend makes me. This is another one of her handouts. I enjoyed it enough to write about it here on Ciao, and of course recommend it to you all.
Here we go………
‘High Fidelity’ is a novel about a male character named Rob Fleming. He is a thirty-something male with a flagging career as well as a crap love life.
He tells the story about his life, recounting experiences from his younger days to the present day. His story deals with questions asked by everybody about the meaning of life. The book is therefore very true to life and the character easy to relate to for male as well as female readers.
A major issue covered in this book is the social and cultural values. The book concentrates on one character and his life. A man who just wants to be happy. I find that he represents British people, and our society in the 21st Century. He has few friends, he is unsuccessful with women and he spends most of his life at work, in a job he doesn’t enjoy, or in the pub(just like me). This proves to be a good read, because it is the way a lot of people live, and therefore can relate to. ‘High Fidelity’ captures the feelings of loneliness and pointlessness that consume many people’s lives today.
The book is very enjoyable and thought provoking at some points, I found it especially fascinating, because Rob is presented as the male equivalent to Bridget Jones. This makes it different from a lot of books in the same genre, because it is written by a male author, and told by a male lead character. The fact that the book is told in first person narrative helps the reader to feel more involved with Rob.
The first part of the book is an analysis of Rob’s previous girlfriends, and why the relationships failed miserably. He’s feeling sorry for himself because his most recent girlfriend, Laura, has just left him. The rest of the book describes how Rob copes – or how he doesn’t – without her. Rob’s personality appears to be that of a lost young boy, who hasn’t matured yet. He is quite self-absorbed and when he talks to other people – especially his workmates, Barry and Dick, he seems quite rude, and not really a very nice person – though he thinks he is. Music plays a huge part in Rob’s life, and he works in a record shop called ‘Championship Vinyl’. He uses music to recover from times of emotional stress, and thinks he can replace relationships with it. Exactly what I do! (oh yes and alcohol)
The main themes throughout the novel are purpose in life, loneliness, relationships, commitment, love and adulthood. It is easy for most people to relate to all of these issues, and this makes the book all the more appealing. By the end of the book, Rob has greater understanding of what is important in life, and becomes more mature and self-aware as a result. The woman in his life, Laura, is the reason behind this.
I found the book relatively easy to read, as there was not a great deal of complicated language. However, at times, the text was confusing, because there was a lot of speech between characters, and it was easy to lose track of who was talking. Despite this, I got through it quickly, and found it straightforward and amusing. The style is often ironic, and the use of dry wit makes it even more humorous.
The insight Nick Hornby gives on the male psyche is priceless, and I feel he has captured the truth of our society in ‘High Fidelity’.
Advantages: Witty, well thought out, well written book Disadvantages: Ermmmmmmmmmmm stumped to think of one
“Look at all the things that can go wrong for men. There’s the nothing-happening-at all problem, the too-much-happening-too-soon problem, the dismal-droop-after-a-promising-beginning-problem, the failing-to-deliver-the-goods problem… and what do women have to worry about? A handful of cellulite? Join the club. A spot of I-wonder-how-I-rank? Ditto”
It’s a hard life being a man, even the fun things in life are full of problems for us (hey, I may not ... ...us experience these problems – unless you are a monk). Part of our problem I guess us that we don’t talk about real life situations and our problems, we just go to the pub and talk about football, fantasy women - whereas women will chat to one another about their lives, loves, jobs etc… (Well that’s what FHM tells us anyway). So I guess not a lot of people understand just what goes through our tiny (blotto-ed in my case) minds… Well thank God that ...
scruff 06.12.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of High Fidelity - Nick Hornby
Advantages: An easy read with some funny parts. Disadvantages: Not much of a plot, moves slowly.
Hmmmm. I can't quite make my mind up about this one. I finally finished it last night, which was a bit of a relief to be honest because I have 6 books to read in the 3 weeks before I go home for Christmas! This book consists of music and relationships, so you will probably know straightaway if you want to give it a go. I got my copy for 70p from a charity shop, but the RRP is £6.99. The book follows a guy called Rob, who owns a record shop and has ... ...worse, she has moved in with the man who lives upstairs. Laura and Rob used to listen to his bed squeaking as he "entertained guests". Robe feels like a failure, every relationship he has had turned out badly and his social life consists of going to gigs with his two work mates, Barry and Dick. His shop hardly makes any money and he passes his time making top ten lists. He should come to DooYoo, he'd make loads of miles! After going to the cinema ...
MissDirect 25.11.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of High Fidelity - Nick Hornby
Advantages: Very readable eminently quotable. Disadvantages: The lists...Oh Gosh those lists
...quotable novel of modern times. High Fidelity takes us into the life. Heart and mind of Sam a thirty-five year old ordinary bloke, with ordinary hang-ups and ordinary feelings. He grew up in an ordinary suburb and is in the middle of an ordinary break-up, and to be honest that’s about it…
Nothing much happens in this novel, but it does not happen in such a readable way. The brilliance of this book is the truth at the heart of it. It hits home so ... ...Opinion?
Need To Read. High Fidelity is the literary equivalent of the film "Singles" It's well observed, witty and left me feeling like I understood men a little more. The ending left me with that warm satisfied feeling but at the same time wanting to know what on earth happened next.
My Advice?
Get yourself a couple of cans of lager sit down then read it, read it, read it. I'm off to buy 'Fever Pitch'… ...
scorching 12.03.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of High Fidelity - Nick Hornby
Advantages: Great characterisation Disadvantages: No sub-plot
I've got to admit that I have a strange attraction to Hornby's books, not because they are particularly well-written and certainly not because they are about some super-original theme, but rather because for most of the time, whilst reading his books, we can relate closely with his characters that he obviously moulds so carefully. To me and many more, this is one of the joys of reading, seeing how different people react in situations that we ourselves ... ...that 'High Fidelity' is just like Hornby's other books.
The book, which is written in the first-person, begins with Rob Flemming (the main character and your average chip off the old block) explaining to us his all-time, top five most memorable split-ups. These include both high-school sweethearts and the more serious adult kind relationships. It's easy to notice that there's a certain constant in all (but one) of these and that is.....yes you've ...
jeffe 12.07.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of High Fidelity - Nick Hornby
Advantages: A superbly written amusing insight into the 30 something male mind Disadvantages: I wanted it to go on longer...
Okay, okay I confess I haven’t seen the film yet but if it comes anywhere close to matching up to the book it must be impressive indeed. This book is both insightful and amusing, and through first person narration develops some of the most believable characters I have ever read about. How does Nick Hornby succeed in doing this? He tells the truth, in almost every scene and in every character I could not help but to recognise similar situations ... ...found myself smiling or nodding in agreement to what I was reading.
Interestingly enough, or perhaps I should say surprisingly, there isn’t really much of a story. The narrator of the story is Rob Fleming, a 35-year-old Londoner, who owns a failing record store. What most characterises Rob is that he is a normal everyday guy, admittedly he has a far greater knowledge of music than most and a penchant for making Top 5 lists of things, but he ...
Mercury 26.01.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of High Fidelity - Nick Hornby
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Advantages: All three in one book Disadvantages: quite expensive
Fever Pitch is a book for people who love the game football and for those who are not o interested. Interweaving his personal and familial upheavals with the varied fortunes of Arsenal over two decades, NickHornby has produced an insight into what it is like to be a fan. Combining anecdote with a wider commentary on the state of the game, this work touches upon many issues, from pre-match entertainment to the availability of FA Cup tickets, hooliganism, the tragedies at Heysel and Hillsborough, non-League and school football, and Arsenal's reputation as a boring team. A great book and even better when its in a book together with about a boy and HighFidelity.
HighFidelity is a great book and its not one of those books which nothing happens until half way thought he book, it gets going straight away. When Laura dumps Rob (on ...
Advantages: Simply perfect - 3 great books in one Disadvantages: Its a big big book.
What more could anyone want than all three of NickHornby's books in one big volume?
I've been a fan of Hornby since a friend recommended I read HighFidelity (which I'll finally get to see on Saturday! Woo!)
Hornby's stylie is one that I am able to relate to. A very male style, but which women can also enjoy reading.(at least I've been told - I wouldn't know not being one)
Anyway, Hornby's books are always personal but with great stories. Fever Pitch is obviously the most personal as it is autobiographical, but About A Boy and HighFidelity have a musical background which is obviously similar to Hornby's own and which it is obvious he enjoys writing about.
All three books are great reads and to have them in one volume is no less than divine. ...
Advantages: Hornby is witty, a great writer and the stories are heart warming Disadvantages: women may be put off by fever pitch, has a 'blokey' style
NickHornby's books are all highly rated by me. It is hard to categorise his writing as for men or women because although HighFidelity, Fever Pitch and About A Boy (which is autobiographical) refer to men, they have a side which will appeal to women. Hornbys later release How To Be Good is definitely aimed more towards women and has a different approach so it is clear why these three books are being sold together. It is obviously just to make more money because all three books were published separately ages ago! In terms of how close to films stick to the book is slightly irrelevant to this review but I would suggest not seeing the film until you have read the books. I felt the characters in the film were much different to the image Hornby had created when I read the books.
HighFidelity is a great book with loads of references ...
Can you share your life with someone whose record collection is incompatible with your own? Can people have terrible taste and still be worth knowing? For Rob Fleming, aged 35, a pop addict and owner of a failing record shop, these are the questions that need an answer, and soon.
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