Book Review - High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

Synopsis:  Rob is a pop music junkie who runs his own semi-failing record store. His girlfriend, Laura, has just left him and he's both miserable and relieved. After all, he could have spent his life with someone who has a bad record collection. Rob seeks refuge in the company of Barry and Dick, the offbeat clerks at his store who endlessly review their top five films, top five Elvis Costello songs, and top five episodes of Cheers. Rob tries dating a singer called Marie. Maybe its just that he's always wanted to sleep with someone who has a record contract. But then he sees Laura again. And Rob begins to think that a life as an episode of Thirty-something might not be so bad.

First Line:  "My desert-island, all-time, top five most memorable split-ups in chronological order:

1. Alison Ashworth
2. Penny Hardwick
3. Jackie Allen
4. Charlie Nicholson
5. Sarah Kendrew

These were the ones that really hurt."

Random Quote:  "While we're waiting for Yvonne and Brian to purchase the entire contents of the Pick'n'Mix counter, I have a terrible, chilling, bone-shaking experience:  the most pathetic man in the world gives me a smile of recognition.  The Most Pathetic Man in the World has huge horn-rimmed spectacles and buckteeth; he's wearing a dirty fawn anorak and brown cord trousers which have been rubbed smooth at the knee; he, too, is being taken to see Howard's End by his parents, despite the fact that he's in his late twenties.  And he gives me this terrible little smile because he has spotted a kindred spirit."

Review:  I read this back when it first came out and remembered it fondly as being funny and smart and true in a completely unpretentious way.  Reading it again 15 years later (can you believe it's 15 years later?) I found it to be just as enjoyable.

Early '80s era cassette tape - Image via Wikipedia

Rob is a wonderfully written character who embodies all the foibles of every record and list obsessed man you've ever dated.  He's the guy with the most obscure stuff ever who catalogs his record collection by artist and then in chronological order.  He catalogs his CD collection that way, too, but vinyl is his purest love.

There are bits and pieces of this that feel a little dated - the onrush of technology may make some readers think, "Cassette tapes?"  Still and all the book mostly reads fresh and definitely still reads funny in a wonderfully whimsical and endearing way.

Reading Challenges:  2010 100+ Reading Challenge, Typically British Reading Challenge