Like the movie knocked up, this is a story about an accidental pregnancy that nudges the male protagonist into adulthood. Nick hornby slam reading log chapter 1 summary the maincharacter, 15yearold sam, is introduced. Slam funny offers wry insights into the male psyche, making this book a good bet for hornby fans, no matter their age. So he starts to think about what might have happened or what he has done wrong. With about a boy and high fidelity, it was clear he had no idea how to end so he had everything work out phenomenally well like a bad sitcom. A conceit of the book is that sam maintains a dialogue. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Do the main characters change by the end of the book. I should probably start by telling you that i started reading slam in bed one night, meaning to read a chapter or two before turning off the lights, and next thing i knew it was 3am and i was done with the book.
In fact, he even has a poster of tony in his bedroom and talks to it sometimes. This is a podcast which is basically a trailer to nick hornbys novel slam. He likes skating his idol is tony hawk, his parents dont live together anymore and hes in love with a girl named alicia. There are no tidy endings here, but, as sam says, in real life, i suppose there are lots of twists and turns to come. Oct 06, 2007 nick hornby s slam successfully pitches for the younger reader, writes andrew anthony. There was this time when everything seemed to have come together. Having said that, this is still probably my least favourite nick hornby novel to date. A his bestselling adult novels include high fidelity and about a boy, both of which were made into highly successful movies. Slam is nick hornbys latest, and his first book written for or about teenagers.
Hornby remains a major donor to the charity and is still involved as a vice president. His screenplay for the film an education was nominated for an academy. He is also the author of songbook, a finalist for a national book critics circle award, shakespeare wrote for money, and the polysyllabic spree, as well as the editor of the shortstory collection. Nick hornby wrote it in a funny way and i like that. A troubled 16yearold skateboarder, sams mother, annie, gave birth to him when she was just 16. For 16yearold sam, life is about to get extremely complicated. A literary analysis of nick hornbys slam by pat radodo on prezi. At the end of our interview, he asked where i was from, and when i replied that i. Nick hornby was born in redhill, surrey, england on april 17, 1957. It may seem odd to say about a book on this theme, but with the authors touches of magical realism, humor, and warmhearted respect for his characters, this is a delightful read.
There are a lot potential disasters for your characters and theyre hanging on by the skin of their teeth. Hornby published his first book in 1992, a collection of essays about american writers such as tobias wolff and ann beattie, titled contemporary american fiction. This is a podcast which is basically a trailer to nick hornby s novel slam. Whether hornbys writing about football or popular music, he excels at 1 being very funny and 2 getting at the voice of, and giving voice to ordinary blokesguys, who dont have blemishfree lives or faces, for that matter. Throughout the first quarter of the story we see the main character, sam, being introduced to girlfriends, sex and responsibilities he thought he wouldnt have to deal with for a while. Hes definitely on the go, having enjoyed a sellout solo show at alexia goethe gallery in london, and landed a large commission for the deluxe andaz 5th avenue hotel in new york city that has just opened to the public. A conceit of the book is that sam maintains a dialogue with his hero, tony hawk, the skateboarding legend. Jun 29, 2015 sam jones is the main character and the narrator of the book. With slam, hornby has finally let a book end with confidence. Sam, a 15yearold boy, who loves skating, is the main character and the narrator of the book. Slam novel slam is a novel written by british author nick hornby, published in 2007.
Nick hornby is the author of the novels how to be good, high fidelity, about a boy, and a long way down, as well as the memoir fever pitch. Jul 28, 2009 slam is a novel written by british author nick hornby, published in 2007. Nick hornby talks about the domestic male, the booker prize and his average day. High fidelity is british novelist nick hornbys best known book, and. It has been said that it has a lot to do with the students not being prepared for what they are on verges of encountering. Slam is a hilarious comingofage novel by bestselling author nick hornby. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this nick hornby study guide and get instant access to. Apr 04, 2002 about a boy interview posted by nick hornby april 4, 2002 at 4. An audio book extract from the downloadable audiobook edition of nick hornby s moving and witty tale slam, read by nicholas hoult, star of the film about a boy, as well as channel 4s skins. Fever pitch, which won the william hill sports book of the year award in 1992.
The jacket copy says, nick hornby has made a career writing about men who act like boys. Nick on writing im always rather amazed when people talk about your books as being jolly accounts of popular culture. The main characters of the short story faith by nick hornby are sarah and paul. In a long way down, hornby was finally moving away from the sitcom ending to the openended ending, but he still was grasping for a resolution. Nick hornby is one of the most popular authors of modern ages. Nick hornbys first young adult novel is about a 16yearold who lives for his skateboard, until his girl gets pregnant. A literary analysis of nick hornbys slam by pat radodo on. Nick hornby writes about a sensitive subject with humour and a realistic approach. Sam just asks, and then thinks about what tony would do. Nick hornbys slam successfully pitches for the younger reader, writes andrew anthony.
And although the target audience is youth or at least it is it the youth fiction section of my local library i enjoyed this book. The difference is that the male in question is not an immature man pitifully hanging onto his boyhood, but a skateboardloving 15yearold youngster named samironically the fruit of a teen pregnancy himselfwho is in no way, shape or form ready for the responsibility. You can claim at 26 that youre too young for everything a proper job, a proper relationship, kids but it has. Popular english author nick hornby enters the young adult book market for the first time with slam 2007. That theme, as explained prior, is found in todays society as well as the novel slam by nick hornby. The new yorker calls bestselling author nick hornby athe maestro of the male confessional. In slam, hornby explores an adolescent who is whizzed into the future and into a new maturity by a responsibility that he may not be ready for, but that he knows he has to face. For sam, everything is derailed, and he feels slammed for pretty much the whole book. The book s main theme is teenage pregnancy and it is written from the perspective of a teenager, sam. The new york times bestseller and ala best book for young adults tackles some milliondollar questions. Set in the 1960s, nick hornbys new novel, funny girl, traces the rise of a sitcom star. About a boy interview posted by nick hornby april 4, 2002 at 4. He is 15, later 16 years old and lives with his mother anne jones in an appartement in london. English book report slam by nick hornby english literature essay.
We want to hear whatever this kid has got to say the whole scary, hilarious story hornby just makes it look easy. Nick hornby is the author of the novels a long way down, slam, how to be good, high fidelity, and about a boy, and the memoir fever pitch. He lives in an appartement in london with his mother. And for sam, our main man in nick hornbys 2007 slam, its no different. Overall, an excellent book ill be recommending to every woman i. He is the recipient of the american academy of arts and letters e.
It made me laugh because they are really soft about this issue. Sam jones is the main character and the narrator of the book. Nick hornby on his first novel in five years telegraph. Nick hornby interviewed by francis leach, november 1998, headspace interview. This english author was born on april 17th, 1957 in england. An audio book extract from the downloadable audiobook edition of nick hornbys moving and witty tale slam, read by nicholas hoult, star of the film about a boy, as well as channel 4s skins. Related questions and answers for characters in high fidelity.
He exaggerated some things and he made the character sam as a very strange but also funny character. He writes about things he is passionate about such as music, soccer or loss. Nick hornby is the author of the novels how to be good a new york times bestseller, high fidelity, about a boy and a long way down, and of the memoir fever pitch. The books main theme is teenage pregnancy and it is written from the perspective of a teenager, sam. Reading log slam by nick hornby summaryzusammenfassung. He is also the author of songbook, a finalist for a national book critics circle award, and editor of the shortstory collection speaking with the angel. The recipient of the american academy of arts and letters e.
Brian the football fan is a secondary character, yet he is very important because his presence is the one which triggers the change in sarah and leads to her inner development. Just send us an email and well put the best up on the site. Slam is nick hornby s latest, and his first book written for or about teenagers. High fidelity is british novelist nick hornby s best known book, and. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. The book made me laugh but it also surprised me and i learnt a lot of it. Forster award, and the orange word international writers london award 2003. In high fidelity, what is the role of music in robs life. Slam is a novel written by british author nick hornby, published in 2007. Hornbys second book, fever pitch, also published in 1992, is an autobiographical story detailing his fanatical support for arsenal football club. To be honest, with the exception of a teenage narrator, this book isnt too different from hornbys other novels which is a good thing.
Thats about as perfect a description as you can get about where hornbys first book for teens falls in his oeuvre so far. You can claim at 26 that youre too young for everything a proper job, a proper relationship, kids but it has started to wear thin ten years later. Sam, the protagonist of nick hornbys first teenage novel slam, is a regular 16 year old. Sam, the narrator of nick hornbys first teenage novel, is 18, writing about when he was 16. And so obviously it was time to go and screw it all up. Patrick mcguigan talks with nick hornby about the changing roles of men and women in his new novel how to be good spike interview. Watch the animated teaser and listen to penguin uks extended audio interview with nick. He graduated off of cambridge university and before he started writing he worked as a teacher.
What issues does a 36yearold man have to deal with that a 26yearold doesnt. Best of nick hornby score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. In typical nick hornby fashion, he does this by talking about things people can relate to. Hornby didnt want the book to have a moral about teenage pregn. The novelists new 10episode comedy for sundance tv, state of the union, is a portrait of conjugal crisis and a. Nick hornby is the author of six internationally bestselling novels high fidelity, about a boy, how to be good, a long way down, slam and juliet, naked and several works of nonfiction including fever pitch, songbook and ten years in the tub, a collection of his stuff ive been reading columns from the believer. About a boy and an education were all made into movies. By the end of the book, how important is skating to sam. Nick hornby was directly involved in the creation of the charity ambitious about autism, then known as treehouse trust, and its school treehouse school, as a result of trying to find specialist education for his son danny. Whether hornby s writing about football or popular music, he excels at 1 being very funny and 2 getting at the voice of, and giving voice to ordinary blokesguys, who dont have blemishfree lives or faces, for that matter. The witty novel slam written by british author nick hornby shows deep understanding into the life of a teenager and what it means to grow up.
Nick hornby interview, plus links to author biography, book. Slam click the title to buy this book by nick hornby putnam. Do they learn something about themselves and how the world works. For those who dont already know, tony hawk not be confused with tony hawks. Do you think sams respect for his father has grown throughout the book. Nick hornby has made a career writing about men who act like boys. He loves to skateboard and rides the rails every chance he gets. Be good, a long way down, slam his book for young adults and juliet, naked.
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