bldinmt's review against another edition
4.0
Despite the adage about not judging a book by its cover...that's exactly what made me pick this book up. The human paddling on an ocean of books...in a bathtub! And then that title--Ten Years in the Tub--I was instantly drawn to it. Upon inspection it turned out to be a collection of essays about... reading books!! It was one of those moments where I felt the stars align. This book was clearly published for me. Nick Hornby is really funny. It was fascinating to get a peek into the mind of another obessessive reader. There were, unsurprisingly, many swell book suggestions along the way.
emilyinherhead's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
3.5
At first I was a little grumbly when I saw how few books by women (not to mention queer folks) Nick Hornby was buying, reading, and talking about in these pages. But I suppose it was 2003 when he began his column in The Believer, and we’ve come a long way in the twenty years since then. Tracking his choices over the ten years that this collection covers was fascinating—and I will say, his selections did become more inclusive as time went on. I was ultimately won over by his dry humor and earnestness, and inspired to maybe try a version of his “What I’ve Been Reading” format myself as a blog post series…
Also, this was my bath book for the month of August; its length encouraged me to take more baths (“well, if I have to!”), and I found this arrangement quite enjoyable.
Here are a few favorite quotes:
Also, this was my bath book for the month of August; its length encouraged me to take more baths (“well, if I have to!”), and I found this arrangement quite enjoyable.
Here are a few favorite quotes:
Books are, let’s face it, better than everything else. (58)
But with each passing year, and with each whimsical purchase, our libraries become more and more able to articulate who we are, whether we read the books or not. (106)
Read anything, as long as you can’t wait to pick it up again. (120)
Did you know that you have the best book shops in the world? I hope so. Over here in England, the home of literature ha-ha, we have only chain bookstores, staffed by people who for the most part come across as though they’d rather be selling anything else anywhere else; meanwhile you have access to booksellers who would regard their failure to sell you novels about Mennonites as a cause of deep personal shame. Please spend every last penny you have on books from independent bookstores, because otherwise you’ll end up as sour and as semi-literate as the English. (163)
pbobrit's review against another edition
4.0
So this essentially 10 years of monthly book reviews in one 450 page tome ... BUT ... it's written by Nick Hornby so it is an incredibly funny and digestible read. Another thing that makes this such a fun read is that Hornby gets to choose whatever books he wants to read - so it is not just a history of contemporary fiction - he reviews Dickens, Larkin and Voltaire for example. For American readers, be prepared for a few digressions into the world of cricket and soccer. Also anyone who is an avid reader be prepared to have you reading wishlist expanded significantly.
senordustin's review against another edition
2.0
i loved the first 50 pages of this - it got me stoked about reading again. but then it started to feel like I was reading advertisements. for his friends' books or his publishers or people who've promised a quid pro quo book blurb or whatever. how much does a fairly heavy hitter like this get paid to blurb a book?
hreed7's review against another edition
5.0
Having read and reviewed the first section of this book as its own standalone work, "The Polysyllabic Spree," it was obvious I would like this. Funny, fascinating, and packed with recommendations of a million great books. A little long, only because it's just a million columns that are similar all in a row. Next time I'd probably read it sporadically over time.
READ THIS BOOK!
READ THIS BOOK!
kemilyh1988's review against another edition
5.0
I should probably/shouldn't probably, read this again to get all of the recommendations from Hornby. Even if I don't end up reading the books he recommended, the book was entertaining!
misssusan's review against another edition
3.0
I may need to pick up one of Nick Hornby's books. He and I have diametrically opposed taste in books (he reads mostly contemporary, literary, and biographical books; genres I rarely attempt) and yet I was completely absorbed by this collection of monthly columns on books he's been reading.
Also I kind of want to rec him some SF/F books. No one should write off a genre based on Iain M. Banks! I love SF/F and I would absolutely have quit Excession. Try some LeGuin or Jemisin instead.
3 stars
Also I kind of want to rec him some SF/F books. No one should write off a genre based on Iain M. Banks! I love SF/F and I would absolutely have quit Excession. Try some LeGuin or Jemisin instead.
3 stars