Will I give Nick Hornby another chance?

It's so thrilling when Booklist arrives in my mailbox every month. Booklist, which is published by the American Library Association, features hundreds of book reviews, a monthly spotlight topic (e.g., "Fall Reference Roundup", "Audiobook Showcase," etc. – are you dozing off yet??), and some of the most boring articles known to mankind. I love Booklist because it keeps me up to date on all the new books out there on the literary horizon. But it's so stodgy! Side note: Some synonyms for stodgy, which I looked it up to make sure I was using the word properly: lacking flair or imagination, laughably formal, pompous, or stuffy. Turns out I really had a handle on the definition of stodgy. But I digress.

This month's issue featured two surprises: a joke that actually made me laugh out loud and a starred review of the latest novel by Nick Hornby. First the joke:

–How many catalogers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
–None. Catalogers don't screw in lightbulbs, they screw in "Illumination—Sources of."

Get it? It's hilarious! I'm so surprised that librarians aren't totally known for their humor. Anyway, starred reviews are bestowed on books that are exceptionally great examples of their genre. Nick Hornby's latest offering, Juliet, Naked, received a starred review. And it has a cute, creative cover. What's a gal to do? I ranted about how much I disliked A Long Way Down, but Hornby's latest promises to be more High Fidelity and less something I would repeatedly fling across the room (The Shack, this means you, again). Nick Hornby should consider himself a fortunate man. With the helpful testimony of Booklist, he's been granted a librarian's pardon.