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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.
In an effort to read some less depressing books, my book group chose Nick Hornby's A Long Way Down for our latest selection. I've always considered myself a Nick Hornby fan. High Fidelity, great book. About a Boy, great movie, I assume the book is even better. Aren't they always? So A Long Way Down seemed like a sure thing. Not even the plot summary deterred us. It's about four profoundly unlikeable people who meet at the top of a 15-story building on New Year's Eve. Guess why they're on top of a tall building? Why, so they can jump off! But guess what - not only do they not jump, they all go out for breakfast, form a little club, make up a story about seeing an Angel (not David Boreanaz, the only thing that might have redeemed the storyline), get a little press exposure, then take a group vacation on the Canary Islands. Puh-leeze.
The book got a great review from the New York Times Book Review. Maybe the reviewer just didn't want to be blacklisted from the next Hornby movie premiere. Time Magazine describes the novel as "The Breakfast Club rewritten by Beckett," which is actually quite accurate but in no way sounds like a good book. The real question: will I read the last 100 pages?? And will I ever pick up another Nick Hornby book? Here's hoping that we pick a great book next, because we've had our share of duds. My money's on Holly's Inbox!
Note: All book cover images are from Follett Titlewave. Thank you, Follett!
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.
