Helpful Score: 5
How he does it, we may never know... but Nick Hornby has crawled far into the recesses of the female mind and from it produced a winning novel of love, life, and the inevitable conflict brought to us by our own responsibilities. Our anti-heroin grabs hold of the most sympathetic parts of us and rips them to shreds, only to piece them back together again with precision and a smile. I finished it and started it over immediately.
Helpful Score: 5
Laugh out loud funny - I hardly want to part with this book!
Helpful Score: 3
An interesting and entertaining parable; how good is "good?" What happens to your "goodness" (if you are a relatively "good" person) when your spouse has an epiphane and becomes "saintly?"
Helpful Score: 3
How much is too much to have when others have less? This story is a fascinating and funny account of what would happen if your spouse suddenly wanted to do good in the world - in a big way.
Turns your ideas of everyday life upside down.
Turns your ideas of everyday life upside down.
Helpful Score: 3
A bit different than Hornby's other novels. Still just as funny and witty, this one struggles with an ethical dilemma of what to do when your life partner suddenly decides to start acting like an angel.
Helpful Score: 1
Lots of laughs, irony, satire, and easy identification with the heroine. Not sure I liked the ending, but how do you end such a funny/sad story? I'm going to try more Hornby.
Helpful Score: 1
A true Hornby novel, witty and emotionally-charged all the way. It will make you think, make you laugh and maybe make you read it all in one sitting.
Helpful Score: 1
Humorous look at a British family in middle-aged peril.
Helpful Score: 1
I thought this book was wonderful! Keeps you interested from the beginning, I loved the characters and didn't want to put it down.
Helpful Score: 1
If you've read Nick Hornby before, you are familiar with his hilarious style. This book is funny and interesting and ironic. I just loved it.
Helpful Score: 1
Interesting. A bit uncomfortable at some points but still enjoyable.
Helpful Score: 1
Before I read How to Be Good, I listened to the audio version from the library and enjoyed it so much I wanted to own the book. I loved it. Hornby is funny and never lets his characters off the hook for their shortcomings. And in taking on the idea of "being good," he finds both the goodness and the self-serving aspects of it. Ultimately he shows the immensity of need and the frequent unattractiveness of the needy.
I recommend it highly.
I recommend it highly.
Helpful Score: 1
"When I look at my sins (and if I think they are sins, then they are sins), I can see the appeal of born-again Christianity. I suspect that it's not the Christianity that is so alluring; it's the rebirth. Because who wouldn't wish to start all over again?"
Just finished this book a couple nights ago, and I must say, I was highly impressed. This was my first by Nick Hornby, and I was really drawn in by his writing style - the main character is witty and dry, yet heartfelt and honest. I began to see more of myself in her than I wanted to. I truly enjoyed this book, and it's in my nature to want to add it to my permanent collection and hoard it for myself, but I would feel guilty not passing it on.
Just finished this book a couple nights ago, and I must say, I was highly impressed. This was my first by Nick Hornby, and I was really drawn in by his writing style - the main character is witty and dry, yet heartfelt and honest. I began to see more of myself in her than I wanted to. I truly enjoyed this book, and it's in my nature to want to add it to my permanent collection and hoard it for myself, but I would feel guilty not passing it on.
Helpful Score: 1
I found this novel to be both witty and hilarious - what great characters the author concocted!
Helpful Score: 1
I liked this book. It dealt with a heavy moral question in a light hearted and interesting way. If you like Nick Hornby you will like this. Although it is not his best book it is a good read.
Helpful Score: 1
I can always count on Nick Hornby to make me laugh, even snort out loud. I love his descriptions whether they be of family conflict or a houseplant. How to be Good isn't my favorite Nick Hornby, but I enjoyed it more as the story progressed; it's impossible to read about this family's obsessions without reflecting a little on your own. Katie and David are married with 2 children, Tom and Molly. They live in North London, where Katie is a doctor at a clinic and David raises the kids and writes a column as The Angriest Man in Holloway. Their marriage has disintegrated as has their ability to communicate, she's having an affair and as the story begins tells her husband she wants a divorce.
The story takes amazingly hilarious turns as David befriends a strange spiritual advisor with healing powers that put Katie's medical degree (till then her primary source of pride) to shame. The guru ends up moving in, Katie moves out (but doesn't tell her children), and David loses his cruel sense of humor and along with that his livelihood.
The story takes amazingly hilarious turns as David befriends a strange spiritual advisor with healing powers that put Katie's medical degree (till then her primary source of pride) to shame. The guru ends up moving in, Katie moves out (but doesn't tell her children), and David loses his cruel sense of humor and along with that his livelihood.
Helpful Score: 1
Quirky and fun tale that debates the true meaning of "being good."
A great book about relationships and frustrations.
Loved About a Boy, thought I might others by this author. It was interesting. A completely unique story but a little odd.
A book about a woman who, due to her husband's sudden spiritual enlightenment, is forced to learn how to be good...
I had a rocky time getting into this one. But once it settled in to the Brit's humor (sorry folks), I had a great time! The dialogue here is soooooo good it just carries you and the premise of the story is, well, so absurd it's almost believable. Can't wait to read another Nick Hornby!
I just finished reading this and have mixed feelings about it. While the humor of the world's angriest man becoming a kinder, gentler soul over night was not lost on me, the story of his wife's unhappiness and willingness to settle combined with the overall mood of hopelessness left me feeling empty. I've enjoyed Hornby's other books, but this one didn't do it for me.
Decent read, witty and funny.
fantastic book. This book and "fever pitch" are Nick Hornby's very best.
You will love this funny and clever story of love, life and redemption.
Not his best, but if you like Hornby, you'll enjoy it.
Hornby is the man I turn to when I just don't "get" men...so I was dying to see how he could pull of writing in the female voice. The comedy ensues...you will not be disappointed.
Definitely worth reading, but not my favorite book ever. The concept of what is good, and how it can be achieved, are intersting.
Very funny and at the same time dark and sad. That is true Nick Hornby style.
I did not like the main characters in this book.
Starts off with an entirely accurate description of an average unhappily married couple and diverts into a strange change in the husband which isn't the change the the wife expected to deal with.
Nick Hornby always comes up with interesting books. I didnt like this one as much as his others but it was still fun.
Cute book, about a woman whose husband has a sudden conversion to Help the World.
A bit depressing, but also funny and a quick read.
Really odd; somewhat fluff-headed narrative on considering divorce by a woman who earns the money while her husband writes, including a column as The Angriest Man in xxx - and what becomes of the family when he suddenly becomes a Good Person.
This is a great book club book. Lots to talk about.
I don't love everything by this author, but I do like this one..
I didn't find this book to be "A Hoot" as promised on the cover. More along the lines of a disfunctional family gone crazy.
An interesting attempt by a man to write from a woman's perspective. By the author of the amazing High Fidelity!
Hilarious! He is such a funny man
I like Nick Hornby but this really wasn't very good
This book had a lot of funny moments, but wasn't my favorite Nick Hornby selection.
A different story. Just an ok read.
Hornby also wrote "High Fidelity," which was made into a movie a few years back.
This is not my favorite Hornby, but this is an autographed copy.
