A Quick Dive Into Nick Hornby’s Works

English novelist, essayist, screenwriter, and lyricist Nick Hornby has produced a number of memorable works, foremost of which are his novels “High Fidelity” and “About a Boy” and screenplays for films “An Education” and “Brooklyn.” Here’s a quick look at the writer born in Surrey, England, in April 1957 and who attended Cambridge University.

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Hornby’s fiction is known to be a thorough navigation of male crises, weaknesses, and even obsessions. His 1998 novel “About a Boy” zeroes in on the growing relationship between a 30-something man and a 12-year-old boy, while “How to Be Good” is an exploration of marriage, parenthood, and contemporary morals that affect these two central themes. His early works are marked by 30-something male characters who struggle with emotional maturity and move about with uncertainty in their careers and personal lives. 

It’s interesting to note that his characters are often semi-autobiographical, and sans harsh judgment or condemnation of the careless decisions they often make. His later novels such as “Juliet, Naked” in 2009 and “Funny Girl” in 2014, however, offer more insight into female characters while they continue to highlight men’s search of strong emotional connections. 

Hornby’s empathy for these celebrated characters (which mostly enjoy both critical acclaim and public popularity) extends to what he does in his personal life. When not writing, he is involved in the London organization TreeHouse School for children with autism, which he helped establish in support of his eldest son, as well as a writing mentoring program for the youth. 

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John Eilermann from St. Louis, Missouri, is currently in college pursuing a degree in Comparative Literature. Growing up, he read books by Nick Hornby, Roald Dahl, C.S Lewis, and many others. Read more articles like this here.

Getting To Know The Quirks Of P.G. Wodehouse’s Imaginings

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Sir Pelham Granville Wodehouse, otherwise known as P.G. Wodehouse is an esteemed author and creator of the fictional valet, Reginald Jeeves. Wodehouse is popular for his quirky humor and his seemingly endless wit when it comes to his writings. His unparalleled innovation in creating the most memorable characters have earned him praise throughout the years.

Take for instance his recurring characters Friday, Jeeves, and Bertie Wooster, all of whom are infused with their own flavorful wackiness that offer a fresh perspective on English society during the turn of the century.

Another group of Wodehouse’s beloved characters reside in and around Blandings Castle. Lord Emsworth, his family and guests, and the Empress of Blandings are all there to tickle your funny bone.

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Among Wodehouse’s plays, his most memorable one would probably be wildly entertaining story of young love and mistaken identity, “Anything Goes.” Wodehouse collaborated with Guy Bolton, a fellow writer, and Cole Porter, a well-known composer, who later on helped Wodehouse turn the play into a Broadway production. “Anything Goes” was a hit both critically and publicly, and was the first time people actually discovered Wodehouse’s talent for music, as he co-wrote some of the songs with Porter.

Today, many of Wodehouse’s stories are still read and studied, and many of his plays are still being adopted. Such is the testament to a rare talent.

Hello! My name is John Eilermann from St. Louis, Missouri, and I’m currently in college pursuing a degree in Comparative Literature. For more on my passions, check out this blog.

The Enigmatic Legacy Of The Greatest Mystery Novelists

Everyone loves a good mystery. A lot of suspense thrillers that come out in cinemas nowadays have nail-biting mysteries at their core. However, mysteries have been around way before Hollywood started making these films. In fact, the greatest mystery writers of modern times were around longer than we care to think. Let’s take a look at some of the most influential mystery novel pioneers. 

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Edgar Allan Poe 

A master at both mystery and the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe has been one of the most influential writers the world has ever known. You’d be hard-pressed to find a mystery or horror novelist today who doesn’t credit Poe as one of his inspirations. Playwrights and filmmakers have never stopped coming up with adaptations of Poe’s works. He even has a number of awards given out today in his name. 

Arthur Conan Doyle

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is the well-renowned author of the “Sherlock Holmes” series. However, his roots at and contributions to the genre go well beyond Britain’s most famous detective. Doyle’s details were so immersive that his readers felt they themselves were solving mysteries alongside Holmes and Watson. That is not an easy thing for a writer to do. 

Agatha Christie

With the exception of Shakespeare, no other author has sold more books than Agatha Christie. She is one of the first mystery authors known to effectively use plot twists and red herrings to leave readers’ mouths agape. Christie’s works will leave you suspecting everyone and everything.

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Hello! My name is John Eilermann from St. Louis, Missouri, and I’m currently in college pursuing a degree in Comparative Literature. It offers me an abundance of opportunities once I graduate and is also one of my passions. For more on literature, check out this website.