Nick Hornby is also an Academy Award-winning screenwriter (Image: Getty)
A legend of both fiction and non-fiction literature and an award-winning screenwriter, Nick Hornby became a household name after the release of his second book, 1992 autobiographical story Fever Pitch – which details his fanatical support of Arsenal Football Club.
His other titles were also major successes, often leading to cinema and TV adaptations or becoming cultural talking points due to their generally relevant and realistic themes of maturity, mental health, obsessions and friendship.
Here, we list Nick Hornby’s most popular books, ranked by which of the titles have been recommended by readers the most on literary reviewing platform Goodreads.
10. 31 Songs (released in the U.S. as Songbook)
14,111 ratings
31 Songs is a collection of 26 essays by Nick Hornby exploring the emotional impact of music, delving into what makes each song catchy, what classifies tracks as classics and how the pieces resonate with individuals. The music featured in it includes classic rock icons, independent artists, chart-topping pop stars and more.
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9. Just Like You
24,100 ratings
Just Like You follows Lucy, a middle-aged white teacher recovering from a relationship breakdown, and Joseph, a young black aspiring DJ, who meet in a butcher shop. A relationship is then born, despite their differences, against the backdrop of North London around the time of the 2016 Brexit referendum – which adds an extra layer of social commentary to the book.
8. Slam
26,628 ratings
18-year-old Sam recounts his experiences from age 16 in Slam, focusing on the unexpected pregnancy of his girlfriend Alicia. In a fantastical twist, Sam experiences recurring dreams where he is projected into the future, seeing glimpses of his life and the challenges he faces. Slam was adapted into an Italian-language movie in 2017, then released worldwide by Netflix.
7. Funny Girl
31,670 ratings
Funny Girl tells the story of Barbara Parker, who is crowned Miss Blackpool in 1964. Later, she abandons the idea of becoming a beauty queen, moves to London hoping to become a television comedian – finally landing a leading role in a sitcom. The novel was praised by critics, who cited its consistently lighthearted tone as a fitting element, resembling the style seen on British television in the ‘60s.
Colin Firth and Mark Strong in Fever Pitch (1997) (Image: Publicity Still)
6. Fever Pitch
42,593 ratings
Fever Pitch is a memoir that chronicles Nick Hornby’s lifelong obsession with Arsenal Football Club, exploring, in chronological order, his journey from a young fan to an adult, and how football shaped his life and identity. A film adaptation was released in 1997, with a screenplay adapted by the author and a fictional romantic twist. Another one was made in 2005, starring Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore – switching football for baseball, and London for Boston.
5. Juliet, Naked
46,212 ratings
Juliet, Naked follows Annie, who grows tired of her relationship with partner Duncan, a “Crowologist” (a fan of singer Tucker Crowe, who mysteriously disappeared in 1986). She then decides to move on and find her own happiness in a small, uninspiring town. That is when she herself becomes drawn to Tucker Crowe, who surprisingly emails her, offering advice and sparking a new connection. A film adaptation of Juliet, Naked was released in 2016, starring Ethan Hawkie, Rose Byrne and Chris O’Dowd.
4. How to Be Good
57,172 ratings
David, known for his fiery temper to the point of being nicknamed “The Angriest Man In Holloway”, becomes involved with DJ GoodNews, a spiritual healer. That leads him to abruptly becoming a more compassionate and kind individual, much to the surprise of everyone around him – especially his wife Katie, a doctor, who is initially skeptical of the sudden change.
Juliet, Naked film poster (Image: Daily Record)
A Long Way Down film poster (Image: Daily Record)
3. A Long Way Down
90,075 ratings
A Long Way Down is a multi-perspective story of four suicidal individuals – devout Catholic single mother of a disabled child Maureen, melancholic Doris, widower and father Nick, and addict Toby – who meet on a London rooftop and form an unlikely friendship. The novel explores various themes related to their lives and motivations, over the period of three months. It was loosely adapted into a dark comedy film in 2014, with Pierce Brosnan, Toni Collette, Imogen Poots and Aaron Paul in the main roles.
2. About a Boy
139,175 ratings
About a Boy follows the journeys of Will, a carefree bachelor, and Marcus, an awkward 12-year-old who lives with his depressed mother, as they unexpectedly find friendship and learn about maturity and responsibility. The book was made into an ABC networks TV series in 2014, and a 2002 film starring Nicholas Hoult and Hugh Grant as the main duo, and Toni Collette as the boy’s mother.
1. High Fidelity
209,515 ratings
Leading the list of Nick Hornby’s most popular books is classic High Fidelity, a novel about Rob Fleming, a 35-year-old owner of a record shop called Championship Vinyl, who is music-obsessed and keeps a list of his “top five most memorable split-ups”. He goes through a crisis when his girlfriend, Laura, a lawyer, leaves him, and reflects on his past relationships and his own insecurities, all while trying to navigate his current situation. It was later adapted into a feature film in 2000, a Broadway musical in 2006 and a TV series in 2020.