I haven't read this yet. I plan to read it and release it locally.

I finished this about a week ago; it was good, I guess. Humorous, but much darker than Hornby's other stuff. And a lot more hopeless in terms of a message. In fact, the ultimate message was that we can't really do anything to change the world, which I don't think is true. We just can't do the ridiculous things that the husband in this book was trying to do. I would have hated to be the woman in this book. What a complete nightmare!

Mailed to fellow bookcrosser. Enjoy!

Received this in the mail today from fellow BookCrosser, moogytee. Thank you so much!

I have been wanting to try 'lad lit' and heard Hornby was pretty interesting. :)

I am going to read this book this weekend and hopefully find a nice home to RABCK it to next week. :)

Thanks again, moogytee! Look for something in the mail from me soon. :)

Here is a postcard view of where I live in Florida.

I finished this late last night. I do not know if I was relieved that I finished it or saddened that I couldn't continue to mentally slap Katie for being so stupid.

I thought Hornby wrote lad lit – written from a male point of view. So I was surprised to see this was from a female point of view. After reading the reviews in front of the book, I see that this was the first time he's done that.

The book is humorous, dark, and yet, head-shaking. There is also a type of philosophical parable about What is good? packed in the middle of it all. I can see where this would be a book where others would love, hate, or just plain scratch their heads on!

Personally, I wanted to shake some sense into Katie, her stupid husband, and her bratty kids. (Ha! Don't ask me what I wanted to do with Mr. GoodNews!) In order to spread "goodness", you must be happy yourself. Katie was never truly happy – even at the end of the book it was sort of a 'this is my life, I should be happy' revelation. It's the sincerity behind the goodness that makes it truly good. I don't think her character ever did learn how to be happy; therefore, her goodness was just influenced by those around her. It wasn’t genuine. It’s hard to change the world, if you’re heart isn’t in it.

Overall, an interesting read!

Thanks again for sending this my way, moogytee!

Setting this aside for cait017 - I see this on her Wish List and as soon as she sends me her information, it's headed her way.

UPDATE: April 28, 2004: Just got a PM with her address, will ship it out via Media Mail Friday, April 30, 2004.

HAPPY READING!

Thank you kz4ufo for gifting this to me! :) There's nothing better than an unexpected book in the mailbox. I hope to start this in a week or so once I'm finished with a hellish theology class...