This was next on my TBR pile, so I figured I'd register it and pass it along when I'm done. I've enjoyed Nick Hornby's stuff thus far, so hopefully this one won't disappoint!

**Note: The cover is different from what is pictured above.**

The two Nick Hornby books most people are familiar with – High Fidelity and About a Boy – focus on the lives of two different thirtysomethings traveling the same meaningless path to nowhere. And, though I’m not 30 yet, I understand that I will be there soon enough, and quite possibly could pass Will Freeman and Rob Fleming on my way down said meaningless path.

Fever Pitch wasn't what I expected, based on those other two Hornby novels I've read. The book isn’t broken into chapters; instead, it is fittingly broken into soccer matches and dates -- "Arsenal v Wolves" means more to Hornby than "Chapter 2." Although I’m not familiar with soccer terminology or the teams mentioned in the book, (I have no interest in soccer. I’m not a soccer fan. I’ve never been to a soccer game. I’ve never even watched one on TV.) it didn’t matter. While Arsenal and soccer are Hornby's obsession, knowledge or interest in either one isn't necessary for readers to enjoy Fever Pitch's interesting study in mania and male behavior and enlightening history of Arsenal and how one young boy found his identity in a crap football team.

One of my favorite lines:

"The publishers of this book cannot reasonable expect me to write about this kind of neurosis and then ask me to miss a few games to help them publicise it. 'I'm mad, remember?' I will tell them. 'That's what this whole thing's about!' "

Passed to a coworker.