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| A Long Way Down | 
 enlarge | Author: Nick Hornby
Publisher: Penguin
Category: Book
List Price: £7.99
Buy Used: £0.01
You Save: £7.98 (100%)
New (38) Collectible (3) from £0.88
Avg. Customer Rating:  83 reviews
Sales Rank: 14177
Media: Paperback
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 5 x 0.6
ISBN: 0140287027
EAN: 9780140287028
ASIN: 0140287027
Publication Date: April 6, 2006
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: PAPERBACK (BLUE AND BLACK SPINE), HEIGHT: MEDIUM (178mm-240mm), THICKNESS: MEDIUM (20mm-30mm), WE GUARANTEE A VERY SWIFT DELIVERY (USUALLY SAME DAY/NEXT DAY DISPATCH),
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| Customer Reviews:
Forgettable and Light August 14, 2006
5 out of 7 found this review helpful
Hornbys stories always involve mid-life crisis of some kind or other, Long Way Down manages to have four simulaneously. All written in the first person with each character writing a paragraph at a time. I read it in a day whilst sitting on a beach and quite enjoyed it, it doesn't exactly set the world afire but it whiles away a bored hour. That said I can't remember a thing about it a week later.
 Very Disappointing Read August 13, 2006
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
I have heard many good things about Nick Hornby, but have never bothered to read any of his work- I read the reviews and the plot outline and thought it would be worth a read on my flight back home...
All the way through I was waiting for those moments that were supposed to be hilarious and I was waiting for the characters and storyline to develop and become something more than a mish-mash of unrealistic characters in a ridiculous situation. The only character I could relate to was Maureen- the other three were so unbelievable that I couldn't empathise with them or find their predicaments amusing or not.
The idea had potential, I was impressed with the structure and the simple use of language and I do remember smiling to myself on approximately two occasions, but overall I was very disappointed and doubt very much that I will go on to read his other works; I do not recommend this book to anyone (except perhaps those of you out there that are suicidal).
Other books I read on my trip were "The Highest Tide", Alain De Botton's "Essays in Love" and "Freakonomics", of which I would recommend all three!
 Hornby Going Downhill Fast August 12, 2006
7 out of 10 found this review helpful
I can only assume that those who hold this 'novel' in high regard do so because Hornby has an undeniably easy-to-read style. However, if you're looking for a stimulating and challenging read, you'll do well to steer clear of this one.
I loved Fever Pitch and High Fidelity but About a Boy and How to be Good have represented a downward spiral and shown Hornby to be a one-trick pony. This latest effort only serves to reiterate this.
Where to start with the flaws in this book? The characters are literally unbelievable, the plot has the feel of 'making it up as one writes' and the attempts at humour are flimsy to say the least.
I would only recommend this book to someone who has a very bad hangover and has a long train journey ahead of them. It will help you pass a few hours and maybe even help you catch up on sleep.
Odd but nice August 11, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
A disgraced TV presenter's plan to end it all is thwarted by the arrival of a stranger with the same plan, and then another, and yet another. The mood is spoiled (suicide being by & large a lonely affair) so they take, mostly unwillingly, the long hard way back to their lives.
The only thing I find unlikely in the story is that initial meeting (but that's why it's called fiction). The rest: the fact that once together they don't jump, they keep in touch even if tortorous, the state of their own lives, etc., does not require a leap of faith.
I enjoyed reading the book, even if I didn't find all the characters likeable (that girl just drove me up the wall). It's fresh & thought-provoking; and despite the seemingly heavy topic, it's perfect for holidays.
 Awesome Read August 10, 2006
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
I found this book really really good, it was funny, had a simple plot and dynamic characters. I havent read all of Hornbys books, but if the rest are like this, then im sure he will become one of my favourite authors. Thrilling from start to finish.
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