Funny girl - Softcover

Hornby, Nick

3.4

31,002 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 8823517354 ISBN 13: 9788823517356

Publisher: Guanda, 2017

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Funny Girl - the much-anticipated new novel by Nick Hornby, the million-copy bestselling author of About a Boy

Make them laugh, and they're yours forever . . .
It's the swinging 60s and the nation is mesmerized by unlikely comedy star Sophie Straw, the former Blackpool beauty queen who just wants to make people laugh, like her heroine Lucille Ball.

Behind the scenes, the cast and crew are having the time of their lives. But when the script begins to get a bit too close to home, and life starts imitating art, they all face a choice.

The writers, Tony and Bill, comedy obsessives, each harbour a secret. The Oxbridge-educated director, Dennis, loves his job but hates his marriage. The male star Clive, feels he's destined for better things. And Sophie Straw, who's changed her name and abandoned her old life, must decide whether to keep going, or change the channel.

Nick Hornby's new novel is about popular culture, youth and old age, fame, class and teamwork. It offers a wonderfully captivating portrait of youthful exuberance and creativity, and of a period when both were suddenly allowed to flourish. Fans of Hornby will love this book, as will readers of David Nicholls, Mark Haddon and William Boyd.

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Review:

Beautifully captures the thrill of youthful success and of discovering your own talent (Daily Telegraph)

Funny Girl may be read as Hornby's latest defence of popular entertainment against high-culture elitism. Funny Girl makes his case for him eloquently and entertainingly ... both hugely enjoyable and deceptively artful (Spectator)

I loved this hymn to the 1960s, their infinite creative possibilities (Scotsman)

Vivid, sparky, a bit schmaltzy, and it rattles along (Independent)

Endearing, humorous and touching. Hugely enjoyable (Sunday Mirror)

From the Back Cover:

'Warm, funny, touching . . . winningly perceptive about human relationships and changing social trends' Daily Telegraph

Five minutes after being crowned Miss Blackpool 1964, Barbara Parker has ditched the tiara and is off to London to make her fortune. A chance encounter, a shrewd change of name and one audition later sees Sophie Straw with her own BBC comedy series - and there the trouble starts.

Sophie works with a team of producers, writers and actors all vying to make this funny girl even funnier, and the nation loves her. This is the swinging Sixties: freedom and creativity are booming in London.

But everything is changing and nothing lasts forever. Sophie and her colleagues are in the limelight but how long can they stay on top? And when is it time to change the channel?

'Like all Hornby's best work, it is both hugely enjoyable and deceptively artful' Spectator

'Everything Hornby writes is addictively readable and clever, but with Funny Girl he has surpassed himself' Red

'A beguiling, thoroughly enjoyable read' Sunday Times

'Hornby's sunniest novel' Metro

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