Currently reading
Excelling at Chess
The Art and Craft of Feature Writing: Based on The Wall Street Journal Guide
Endearing, but not as visceral as earlier Hornby efforts
Not quite on a par with Hornby’s best. Funny Girl was endearing and easy to read, but it was a little too cute — a little too tame.
It lacked the kind of visceral detail that lent authenticity to the interior lives of characters in Hornby's prior novels. The gay screenwriters provided a glimpse of this rich interior life, but Sophie Straw -- Hornby's central character -- comes across as a bit of a Mary Sue.
For example, the novel lacked even a single demonstration why Sophie was viewed as a comic genius.
An endearing story, but not really a memorable one -- at least not on a par with Hornby's High Fidelity, How to be Good and others. (I wonder if Hornby’s foray into screenwriting isn't affecting the interior lives of his literary characters).