Funny Girl by Nick Hornby

Funny Girl
by Nick Hornby

This was my first time reading anything written by Hornby, and from what others have said, he really strayed from his usual subject matter. However, that may be okay. I found this book to be pretty light-hearted. It’s about a young girl in the early 60’s in London, trying to make it as a comedienne, like her hero, Lucy Ball. Sophie Straw is actually quite funny and clever, it’s just that it takes a while for people to see past her physical beauty. (Some reviewers of this book have found that to be unbelievable and even annoying, but I could understand how it would be frustrating to be intelligent AND blessed with beauty. Wanting to be appreciated for one’s intellect is not a bad thing, in my opinion.) Sophie finds some success after stumbling upon a writing team working with a BBC producer and a voice actor who have all worked together before. They end up having a few years of memorable work together, and the majority of the book is spent going over those years.

This is definitely light reading, nothing heavy, not too complex, definitely nothing dark or daring. But sometimes I appreciate light read. It wasn’t quite what I would consider *fluff*. And the reader was fabulous, which helped!

[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Yes, Please by Amy Poehler.] [ official Nick Hornby web site ]

Recommended by Tracy T.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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