Wednesday, March 28, 2007

A Long Way Down” by Nick Hornby

The BBC Meeting Mon 26 March was beautifully hosted by Scott, thanks so much Scott from the BBC members. Hope the red wine came out alright!

This month’s read was the funny, sad, and humane “A Long Way Down” by Nick Hornby. This novel asks some of the big questions about life, death and strangers. A Long Way Down is written in a highly accessible and contemporary way. Despite its serious theme, the mixing of suicide with comedy results in a struggle by the reader to engage in the characters’ internal lives or to hear their real voices, which relegates this novel to the populist genre. However its intergenerational mix, humor, and fairly accurate reflection of contemporary mores, does make it a satisfying read that makes a genuine contribution, which is likely to continue to be read and enjoyed.

Leanne 8
Mark 6.5
Dennis 9
Scott 6
Kevin 7
Henri 7
Nat 7
Helen 7.5
Andrew 8

Average 7.33

The next BBC will be held at Helen's, on 23 April, and the book is "The Thunderbolt Kid" by Bill Bryson