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Book Review: Nick Hornby: "Songbook"
I just read in one sitting the awesome new book by Nick Hornby called "Songbook". For those who are unfamiliar with
Nick's work, he wrote the novels "High Fidelity" and also "About a Boy", both of which were made into films
(and dang good films I might add). "Songbook", is different in that it is not a work of fiction, but rather a
series of essays about Nick's favorite songs. Each song gets 3-5 pages worth of thoughts ranging from hilarious to
heartbreaking.
I especially love the way the book starts out. In the first chapter (talking about a Teenage Fanclub song),
Hornby talks about how the book WON'T be talking about what he was doing as he heard these songs because that
would show that he didn't care about the music itself very much. If all the song is is a soundtrack or background
to some other important event, then the song itself becomes unimportant. I think that's a fascinating thought...
So many songs that stir emotions in me do so because of the place they take me to. I remember watching the video
for Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" on Molly Miller's couch in the 6th grade or driving home from Ohio listening to
Cliff Eberhart's "Your Face" on the stereo or Ellis Paul's "Conversation with a Ghost" as I topped 100 in my old
Mustang on Pellisippi parkway because for a few insane moments, I didn't care if I died, or the
Indigo Girls "Love will come to You" on the afternoon I decided I wasn't going to be intentionally alone anymore,
or that one magical time Mark put "New York State of Mind" on in the van as we crossed the bridge for the first
time into Manhattan...
But like Hornby says... those aren't my favorite songs. Those are some favorite moments to be sure, and they
had a soundtrack, but my favorite songs are something entirely different. My favorite songs actually connect
with me on a deeper level... they aren't tied to one place in time but rather are universal... are tied to all
place and all time. I suppose that's what we mean when we use the cliche of calling a song "timeless".
My enjoyment of the book isn't hurt
by the fact that we share exactly one of the same all time favorites. Ani Difranco's "you had time", which we
agree, is the most perfect breakup song ever written. In fact, it will never be topped. If you like the song,
Hornby's chapter on this song (coupled with an Aimee Mann song) is worth the price alone.
Other highlights are chapters on Springsteen's "Thunder Road", Zepplin, Dylan, Rufus Wainwright (interesting
thoughts on God revealing himself through harmony in music), and Nelly Furtado of all people.
It's an easy read... 150 pages or so which I was able to get through in under 2 hours. With a $20 price tag,
this would be offsetting, except for the fact that the book comes with a CD, featuring 11 of the songs
Hornby writes about. While I was familiar with a few of these (Difranco, Ben Folds Five's "Smoke"), the majority were
new to me, and some of them are absolute gems! The CD is easily worth $15.00 so when you look at it that way,
you're only paying $5 for the book!
Review by Greg Adkins
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