The latest from one of fav new(ish) writers

(22/10) Four people from very different backgrounds meet on the roof of “Topper’s Tower” to commit suicide on New Year’s Eve. They join forces in to an unlikely gang to assure their mutual safety and each travels some way towards their own personal redemption.

Despite the stereotypes and obvious culture clashes (from which most of the comedy comes) Hornby does tell us something important. Irrespective of how stressful/rubbish/unfulfilled ones life is...there is still hope...people do care...things can get better...there are many, many ways to be happy, even if it's not radical or following a dream. The book isn’t as self-help preachy as this suggests; Nick Hornby is too clever for that. He has made each character flawed (with the exception maybe of Maureen) and so we begin to like each because of their mistakes and weaknesses, not depsite them.

One little gripe; is it me, or is Hornby turning into Ben Elton?

Picked up at the Cambridge meet tonight. Thanks for another book BGM. ;-)

I've finally got round to reading this. Despite the subject matter not too grim yet neither did I feel Hornby was laughing about people whose lives have got so desperate they consider suicide. I couldn't decide whether it would be a good book to give to someone in that state or not as I found it sad yet hopeful in turns. The characters were believable and I liked the way as each told their story the style of writing changed with them - the American spoke with American spelling. An enjoyable book which I will look out for again as I'd like to recommend it to other people.

Meanwhile this copy is on it's way to molekilby who won it in a swap on bookobsessed.

Received yesterday. I do enjoy Nick Hornby and look forward to getting to this one. Thanks candy for sending it on to me.