In my room, I have two book shelves. Both book-cases are full to capacity, with books spilling over the sides, piled on top, leaking out and underneath. If you haven't figured out that I have a bit of a problem with reading by now, then to say I have issues would be putting it subtly. However, with all that to go through, there are some books that will never, ever leave the shelves, no matter how much weeding I do. “High Fidelity” by Nick Hornby is one of those books.“High Fidelity” is the story of Rob, full-time owner of Champion Vinyl Record Shop and part-time seeker of relationship justice. His partner, Laura, has just left him and Rob is wondering where it will leave him, what will happen next, and what his top five all-time desert island records should be.
This is a book that has a real charm about it. I read it awhile back and liked it then, but reading it again, for some reason I feel like I can readily identify with it more this time. Insecurity is a major theme here as is the politics that come with relationships and break-ups. This novel was an early one for Hornby, whose writing feels seasoned, like he had been already published several times over. There is a character for just about anyone to identify with; Rob with his self-loathing and insecurity, Laura, dissatisfied with the pace of life, even Barry, the jerk and music snob. Hornby weaves these characters into a mesmerizing story that never really gets dull even though setting and action are minimal . Music fans will appreciate the name-dropping of recording artists and the dedication of what makes a top five list, not to mention how to make the perfect mix-tape. In any case, I found myself using my breaks at work to read the next chapter when I usually just play some game on my ipod. That, in and of itself, is a major feat.
Most people will recognize this title from the movie based on it, starring John Cusack and Jack Black (in his break-out performance). If you've seen this one and knew it was a book first, good on you. As for me, I only discovered the book shortly after I'd seen the flick, but was pleasantly surprised with the screenplay's faithfulness to the original manuscript. I would be remiss not to suggest the novel before the film, but in this case, starting with either first is forgivable. The movie was wonderful, albeit with a few things changed, but managed to stay true to its source material.
I love Nick Hornby's writing style – it's so very sincere and genuine and really puts you right there with the story. It's hard to describe but it's like when you read a novel or see a film you all of sudden feel like the material is speaking directly towards you. As if the story is trying to make you realize something important about your own life and its characters are some sort of vessel for that.
If you consider yourself a bit of a connoisseur when it comes to your preferences in music or if you can appreciate the intricacies of what makes and breaks a relationship, I would recommend checking out “High Fidelity”.
We have one copy of this title, filed under “F HORNB” in the adult fiction section!
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