Saturday, August 18, 2007

The Polysyllabic Spree

The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby
143 pages
Rating: 4/5


It was Athena who picked The Polysyllabic Spree as a book that describes her. She's right when she says that this is not your average collection of book reviews. The book is a collection of monthly essays that Nick writes every month for The Believer magazine. Every month Nick starts out by telling the reader what books he's bought and which one he ended up reading. I'm the same way. I buy, trade, or check out books every month, but a lot of them I don't get to. I don't feel guilty about it. Sooner or later, I'll probably read them.

Nick Hornby writes like he talks and you end up feeling like you're having a conversation with a new friend instead of reading a book. He has such a passion for books and life. Becoming a father again or being an avid soccer fan doesn't stop him from reading, but he shows us that reading isn't everything. It's close, but you still need a life. The Polysyllabic Spree is a short read that will give you many book recommendations and have you wanting to subscribe to The Believer magazine.

2 comments:

Athena said...

I seriously considered subscribing as well, and I don't subscribe to any mags. I'm glad you enjoyed the book and maybe take the time to read the second collection as well. It's just as personable and good as the first, not to mention all the book recs you get out of it.

Anonymous said...

I just finished Polysyllabic Spree yesterday - loved it! I've read Housekeeping and the Dirt and recommend it, too. I have quite a list of ideas for books to read in future as a result of these two - and I feel better knowing I'm not the only one who abandons books when and as necessary