Nick Hornby's second bestselling novel is about sex, manliness and fatherhood. Will is thirty-six, comfortable and child-free. And he's discovered a brilliant new way of meeting women - through single-parent groups. Marcus is twelve and a little bitnerdish: he's got the kind of mother who made him listen to Joni Mitchell rather than Nirvana. Perhaps they can help each other out a little bit, and both can start to act their age.
About a Boy
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Will Lightman is a Peter Pan for the 1990s. At 36, the terminally hip North Londoner is unmarried, hyper-concerned with his coolness quotient and blithely living off his father's novelty song royalties. Will sees himself as entirely lacking in hidden depths--and he's proud of it! The only trouble is, his friends are succumbing to responsibilities and children and he's increasingly left out in the cold. How can someone brilliantly equipped for meaningless relationships ensure that he'll continue to meet beautiful Julie Christie-like women and ensure that they'll throw him over before things get too profound? A brief encounter with a single mother sets Will off on his new career, that of "serial nice guy." As far as he's concerned--and remember, concern isn't his strong suit--he's the perfect catch for the young mother on the go. After an interlude of sexual bliss, she'll realise that her child isn't ready for a man in their life and Will can ride off into the Highgate sunset, where more damsels apparently await. The only catch is that the best way to meet these women is at single-parent get-togethers. In one of Nick Hornby's many hilarious (and embarrassing) scenes, Will falls into some serious misrepresentation at SPAT ("Single Parents-- Alone Together"), passing himself off as a bereft single dad: "There was, he thought, an emotional truth here somewhere, and he could see now that his role-playing had a previously unsuspected artistic element to it. He was acting, yes, but in the noblest, most profound sense of the word."
What interferes with Will's career arc, of course, is reality--in the shape of a 12-year-old boy who is in many ways his polar opposite. For Marcus, cool isn't even a possibility, let alone an issue. For starters, he's a victim at his new school. Things at home are pretty awful, too, since his musical-therapist mother seems increasingly in need of therapy herself. All Marcus can do is cobble together information with a mixture of incomprehension, innocence, self-blame and unfettered clear sight. As fans of Fever Pitch and High Fidelity already know, Hornby's insight into laddishness magically combines the serious and the hilarious. About a Boy continues his singular examination of masculine wish-fulfilment and fear. This time, though, the author lets women and children onto the playing field, forcing his feckless hero to leap over an entirely new--and entirely welcome--set of emotional hurdles.
Review
“Nick Hornby’s ear for contemporary dialogue is so acute that it’s an added pleasure to hear rather than read his latest novel… Convincing and moving.”
Independent 16/5/98
“Nice dialogue and short episodes are great for audio”
Guardian 2/5/98
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"So, have you split up now?" Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I read this book in one evening and laughed so often that my upstairs neighbours must have wondered what was going on. The two main characters, Will and Marcus, are individually very funny, because they are both so abnormal for their ages -- Marcus too serious and Will too irresponsible -- and have such a quirky way of observing and thinking about things that most of us never really analyze. But when the two get together, their conversations are just wild! They have such different ideas and thought processes that half the time they're talking past each other and the other half they're learning from each other. And because the author takes you essentially inside their heads, you can observe how each of them changes over the course of the novel.
In my opinion, this is the ultimate feel-good book. It should be prescribed for anyone who is depressed. And I’m definitely going to look for anything else that Nick Hornby has written.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
After watching the film of 'About A boy' I decided to give the book a read, after finding the film extremely funny. I was not disapointed. Nick Hornby paints a very realistic image of life as a twelve year old who is 'different'. Marcus's attitude towards life is very interesting, and at times extremely amusing, esspecially his lack of understanding of sarcasm.
Will's character, though not quite as interesting as Marcus, is still readible. His outlook on life is quote original, and you find yourself wondering if he will change before the end of the book (which of course he does).
However, I did find that Marcus's relationship with Ellie, his friend from school seemed slightly unbelievable, and I quite frankly lost interest in their exscursion.
Nick Hornby shows 2 'boys' who both have a completely different outlook on life, who come together in unusual circumstances, and hilarity in-follows.
It's quite a quick read, but good for a lazy afternoon.
Will's character, though not quite as interesting as Marcus, is still readible. His outlook on life is quote original, and you find yourself wondering if he will change before the end of the book (which of course he does).
However, I did find that Marcus's relationship with Ellie, his friend from school seemed slightly unbelievable, and I quite frankly lost interest in their exscursion.
Nick Hornby shows 2 'boys' who both have a completely different outlook on life, who come together in unusual circumstances, and hilarity in-follows.
It's quite a quick read, but good for a lazy afternoon.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By DeeJay
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
First Nick Hornby I've read as I considered him a laddish writer - writing for men - apologizes Nick. Only drawback was knowing that Hugh Grant has film role of Will Freeman therefore I read with Hugh in mind, but as drawback go it was easy to live with! As in all good books you are drawn into these characters - much like Will himself. Had bits which I empathized with and bits which made me laugh out loud and subject my husband too. Cool book with depth (unlike Will).
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Norman Cheeseworthy
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
As a big fan of the film, and having seen it countless times, I thought it time to read the book (my first Nick Hornby novel). As is usually the case when reading a book after watching the film version, I already had a picture of the characters in my head, and was unable to shift them, altough this wasn't a bad thing, as I think the actors in the film were brilliantly cast. You can instantly see why this book was made into a film - its witty dialogue and simple, yet addictive storyline just screams out to be put on the big screen. The book expands on the characters much more than you see in the film, and also features many scenes and incidents which arn't included in the film version. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and would recommend it above the film (which is still brilliant).
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Nick Hornby is perhaps the premier writer of lad-lit, the male counterpart of chick-lit. And "About A Boy" is one of his best novels, with its sensitive looks not only at male fears, but at how they relate to women and children. It's a far smarter, wittier book than you'd think.
Will is a single thirtysomething, self-absorbed and consumed with his own coolness, unattachedness and ability to live off his dad's song royalties. After dating single mom Angie, he realizes how to instantly give his sex life and image a boost: date single mothers, beautiful and desperate. So he invents a nasty ex-wife and a toddler son, and begins going to SPAT (Single Parents, Alone Together).
But when he meets attractive Suzie, he also meets the boy she's babysitting -- Marcus, a troubled, intelligent preteen who is picked on at school. Marcus's home life isn't much better -- his depressed mother has just attempted suicide. Despite Will's commitment to noncommitment, he finds himself slipping into the role of father and friend for Marcus.
Single moms, precocious kids, immature lads -- none of these things are terribly original. It's Hornby's way of handling them that is really original. And the way he wrote "About A Boy" gives unusual life to what could have been a TV-movie-of-the-week/lame-sitcom plot, with cliched characters.
Instead, Hornby has created a surprisingly mature book, by showing a realistic portrayal of an immature man growing up whether he likes it or not. But Hornby's quietly insightful prose is a little less self-consciously cool than in "High Fidelity," and it's also more focused on human experiences. And no, not just Will picking up single mums.... Read more ›
Will is a single thirtysomething, self-absorbed and consumed with his own coolness, unattachedness and ability to live off his dad's song royalties. After dating single mom Angie, he realizes how to instantly give his sex life and image a boost: date single mothers, beautiful and desperate. So he invents a nasty ex-wife and a toddler son, and begins going to SPAT (Single Parents, Alone Together).
But when he meets attractive Suzie, he also meets the boy she's babysitting -- Marcus, a troubled, intelligent preteen who is picked on at school. Marcus's home life isn't much better -- his depressed mother has just attempted suicide. Despite Will's commitment to noncommitment, he finds himself slipping into the role of father and friend for Marcus.
Single moms, precocious kids, immature lads -- none of these things are terribly original. It's Hornby's way of handling them that is really original. And the way he wrote "About A Boy" gives unusual life to what could have been a TV-movie-of-the-week/lame-sitcom plot, with cliched characters.
Instead, Hornby has created a surprisingly mature book, by showing a realistic portrayal of an immature man growing up whether he likes it or not. But Hornby's quietly insightful prose is a little less self-consciously cool than in "High Fidelity," and it's also more focused on human experiences. And no, not just Will picking up single mums.... Read more ›
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Mrs. Flinn
Format:Paperback
The novel "About a Boy", written by Nick Hornby is about the special relationship between Marcus, a 12-years-old boy an Will, a 36-years-old adult. They are completely different but they help each other in their problematic situation of life. Marcus doesn't want to be alone with his mother, because he has no frieds an he has a depressed mother. Will thinks that he has to live alone, he doesnßt want to have a family or friends. At the end, they are happy because Marcus shows Will that it isn't better if he is alone. So, Marcus become friends an Will become a new girlfriend.
It's a gripping, modern and realistic story about am everyday situation for a lot of people in the world. It shows you, that no man "is an isle".
I think that it's interesting and written in a funny way but if you are a naive person, you shouldn't buy it because you need a little bit of imagination...
It's a gripping, modern and realistic story about am everyday situation for a lot of people in the world. It shows you, that no man "is an isle".
I think that it's interesting and written in a funny way but if you are a naive person, you shouldn't buy it because you need a little bit of imagination...
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
good read
Easy read. I enjoyed the film on which the book was based (also named About a boy), and enjoyed the book even more.
Published 9 days ago by Ms. A. Lyons
5.0 out of 5 stars
A lovely heartwarming read
An amazing book very similar to the film most of the way through. An un-put-downable book. A lovely heartwarming read.
Published 21 days ago by Mrs J K Brady
3.0 out of 5 stars
Why a set text?
I bought this as I tutor school students, and one was studying this text for GCSE. Reading the book was no hardship but why it was chosen as a set text, I have no idea. Read more
Published 29 days ago by Caroline Dudley
3.0 out of 5 stars
not as expected
The images shows the one i needed to replace the one that i lost but when it arrived it did not look like this at all. The images need to be more accurate. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Daniel
5.0 out of 5 stars
English Exam
I needed this book for my English literature exam. After searching this seemed like the best option, until the estimed deliver was 2 weeks! Read more
Published 1 month ago by Lucy Moorhouse
5.0 out of 5 stars
Better than the film.
I really enjoyed reading this book, laugh out loud and well written. It was simular to the film but with some much better changes.
Published 3 months ago by Becky
2.0 out of 5 stars
A let down
I sit here wondering how many stars to give this book. I've been through the one star and two star reviews and agreed with what they had to say. Read more
Published 6 months ago by S. Shamma
5.0 out of 5 stars
As good as the film
Another book I read after watching the film, and although I pictured the film while reading it, instead of allowing my imagination to do the thinking, it was a really great read.
Published 6 months ago by Linda Reddall
4.0 out of 5 stars
About a Boy
An interesting book which I'm glad I read before seeing the DVD. Thought provoking and a bit sad really, I though he was going to end up with the boys mum from the outset. Read more
Published 7 months ago by BarbieBell
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hornby at his best
As the author of Bad At Being Bad I admire the Godfather of 'Lad Lit' novels. This is Hornby at his best; a novel that is superbly written and paced, being both funny and moving... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mark Barber
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