Come and meet bestselling author DAVID NICHOLLS to talk about his new novel US, his previous books and his stellar writing career on Thurs 6 November, 9-10pm.

[TillyBookClub]

David Nicholls has an exceptional talent for observational comedy, and it is present on every page of his Booker Prize long-listed new novel, US. Just like his previous novels Starter for Ten and the phenomenally successful One Day, US is brilliantly detailed and beautifully structured. After 21 years, Douglas and Connie are at the end of their marriage. It was always an unlikely match: the biochemist with his Billy Joel records and the East End-dwelling artist. They embark on a European Grand Tour along with their teenage son Albie, in a last ditch attempt to be together as a family. As they criss-cross from Paris to Amsterdam, Munich to Venice, Douglas desperately hopes to win back the love of his wife and the respect of his son, whilst ruminating on art, science and the years gone by.

You can find out more on our book of the month page, where you can also apply for a signed free copy.

If you’re not lucky enough to bag one of the free books, you can always get your hardback or Kindle version here.

You can also find a full biography and a list of David’s favourite books and films at his website.

We are delighted that David will be joining us live to discuss US, his previous novels and his writing life on Thursday 6 November, 9-10pm. So please feel free to discuss the book here throughout the month, pop up any advance questions and we will see you all here, Thurs 6 November.

I can't imagine most divorcing couples speaking. He's wet. She's highly irritating. The story of them meeting is dull.

I read about two hundred pages then realised the dread with which I approached the book.

I couldn't stand Connie to start with.

I warmed to her in the end though.

I liked the book.

Thanks Tranquility I've just downloaded it.

I got a free copy, thanks very much. Overall I didn't think Us really worked as a novel. Connie and Douglas seem wooden to me, and never really transcend a fairly fixed set of ideas about scientist vs artist. I still enjoyed reading it, however, for the many moments of really cutting insight and comedy. To me it was like a really interesting set of observations about parenting and relationships hung on some characters that never worked properly.

Why do David Nicholls's characters not have any friends? They have lots of peripheral acquaintances, flat-mates, work colleagues but no real friends, i.e. people who are kind or at least well-meaning, who try to show love and support. It is surprising, for instance, in the chapter about Jane that no friend appears at that dreadful time for Connie and Douglas. There are no friends in 'One Day' either and at one point, Emma wonders why she hasn't got a bunch of friends who all arrive with beanbags to sit on her floor and keep her company and have a laugh and natter the night away. No-one loves and supports David Nicholls' heroes/heroines apart from their 'Other Half'. Why? Is it deliberate, because the presence of friends might take the edge off our sympathy for the protagonists? Is it because Nicholls's focus is so intensely on 'the couple'? Is it because his real subject is loneliness (which is why Douglas is so desperate to save his broken marriage)?

a thoroughly enjoyable read. I really didn't like 'one day' and thought it highly over rated but this has me curiou to read starter for ten

For me this was a thoroughly absorbing read. David Nicholls does a superb job of explaining an ostensibly unattractive character. The scientist Douglas' obvious difficulty in human interaction is perhaps something of a cliche, but rings very true, especially when the wider context of the (very realistically portrayed) unstable nature of university science careers is painted in. His drive to provide for his family despite this is his ostensible reason for being distracted from making enough effort on the home front. It's a very clever twist to have us compare parenting styles, where he is evidently lacking on so many fronts, as somehow forgivable, though one wonders how Connie would describe it!

I found Connie a more difficult character to grasp. One doesn't get a clear sense of her motivations. Her move from artist to art administrator, which obviously would have been a disappointment for her, is only dealt with in passing (though I appreciate this is probably part of portraying Douglas as lacking in empathy, as we only hear things as filtered through his viewpoint). I wonder whether she enjoys being the constant, cozy, easygoing parent, or is this a forced counterbalance to D's manner. I enjoyed the way that despite the stark contrast between the two, that you didn't get Douglas ever blaming Connie (justifiably or otherwise) for supposedly only driving in Albie's artistic direction.

So, a question for David Nicholls: Is Connie only with Douglas because he provides her with stability, or does she genuinely love him?

And a second, if I may: do you mind that I never read this as comic? It was too squirmingly realistic to do so and indeed, it's so insightful of human relationships that to summarise it as a comic novel seems to do it a disservice.

P.s. the scenes in Barcelona were wonderful. In fact, I felt you captured that sense of gaining familiarity in a foreign, new place beautifully.

Thank you for the signed copy of Us . I really enjoyed it. Douglas's emotional journey from being told that his relationship has probably ended, to letting go of Connie is easy to relate to and understandable. Whilst reading the novel, I felt empathy for Douglas and irritated by Connie and her apparent selfishness. She seemed to be a two dimensional character, we only really find out the bare minimum of how she feels throughout their relationship. Everything we know is from Douglas' perspective. I felt like I was being manipulated to side with Douglas in the breakup with Connie.

Initially, Albie seems to be a stereotypical, rebellious teenager. However, he is really just following the values of Connie, the dominant parent, who seems to be always undermining her husband's parenting efforts. Connie seems to stand for spontaneity, whilst Douglas is ordered discipline and self control. Surely, there needs to be a balance between the two in order to bring up a well adjusted individual? The traditional Grand tour was a rite of passage; the journey in this instance exposes Douglas to new experiences and people and thus alters his way of being. It seems like he is the one being 'educated' and 'Us' relates more to father and son, than husband and wife.

Do you think you have a balanced parenting style? Or do you lean towards being more like Douglas or Connie?
Do you worry about the time when your children will inevitably use you as a foil to identify themselves?
Do you think you need a certain belief in a parent's love in order to rebel properly like Albie does?

Had a very pleasant surprise when this arrived in my letterbox. I found the idea of this book really interesting. However, I too am finding it a little hard going. Although the awkward interactions between Connie and Douglas are amusing they don't seem particularly rounded as characters. Also the scenario is so contrived (necessary for the storyline but not particularly believable in the context) it has a ring on unbelievability about it all.

I enjoyed the book. It wasn't great literature, and the characters too annoying for me to really love it (also had this problem with One Day) and agree re lack of friends. The whole concept - a holiday after breaking up, the long drawn out breaking up - was a bit odd and didn't work that well, but episodes within it did work and were funny/touching. I also thought that Douglas's journey in the final few weeks/months of his marriage were huge emotionally so it sort of fitted with the journey round Europe.

Just finished the book. It will make a great film (just like One Day and Starter for 10 did) Also love your screenplays (esp the 7.39 - brilliant). I'd like to know if you have the film in your head while you're writing the book? Do you think about how the characters and story would play out on the big screen? It seems that way with 'Us' (that's not a criticism by any means).

I rather liked the way our sympathies (or mine anyway) went from Douglas to Connie and back again. Of course you knew you were only getting his version of events but you could see why he often felt frustrated. As someone with an only child, I also understand the way that, when there's three of you, you invariably get an alliance of two people against the third. I could so sympathise with that!

Thanks so much for the book, which was a really lovely surprise. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it although I found aspects of it rather painful and ultimately felt very sorry for Douglas. I also couldn't really understand Connie's motivation.

The parts I liked best were the comic set pieces - like Douglas's time in Siena with his ridiculous sunburn, and his encounter with the bikers in Amsterdam - which I think David Nicholls excels at (I remember parts of Starter For Ten making me weak with laughter - the bit when he was running with the dumbbells). I also loved the sense of place in each city and have to admit that it did make me wonder about doing a Grand Tour with my family - it can't be any more disastrous than Douglas and Connie's, surely..?

Thanks to all for their reviews and questions so far, we're getting ready to send a few advance q's to David so if you can't make it to the discussion night, do pop yours up here and we'll email them to him at the weekend.

Fingers crossed you can all make the chat and look forward to seeing you then...

I can't be here on the 6th (a school thing) but I guess one question I would ask is: did you intend for people's sympathies to switch between the characters, as I did? And also did you base Douglas a bit on you or are you a completely different sort of person?

Douglas is the storyteller throughout and I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He does his best to fit in but never quite gets there. Douglas has a strained relationship with Albie and this obviously causes conflict with Connie.

The journey through Europe takes on a different feel for each country they visit, and this is interspersed with tales from earlier on in their relationship; From meeting each other, to travelling and on to the unfortunate loss of their daughter Nicholls keeps it funny and heartwarming with a touch of sensitivity.

"...it occurred to me that perhaps grief is as much regret for what we never had as sorrow for what we have lost."

This book is wonderfully heartwarming but also terribly sad. It's been one great journey through Europe but also through family life from all perspectives

I loved "One Day" and enjoyed "Starter for Ten" and so was extremely eager to read "Us". Initially, however, I found it a little slow; I struggled to relate to Douglas's character but, as the novel progressed, I could not help but warm to him and cheer him on in his attempts to win back the affections of his wife and son.

Although bittersweet in it's frank exploration of the less romantic side of marriage and the difficulties of parenting, the novel also manages to amuse and delight, it's darker moments off-set by some truly comic moments and great one-liners. I soon found myself utterly absorbed and was truly moved by the events in Barcelona. As I read it, I sometimes wished I could see events from Connie's perspective and so enjoyed the section giving alternative points of view. Although I was continually surprised by how events unfolded and was never quite sure how things would turn out, the ending was perfect.

Marking my place - am hoping to have the book finished by Thursday.

Just finished and loved Us.

Douglas isn't perfect but he loves Connie so much - I was moved by the scenes where they get together... he is so grateful that he is going to have a happy life instead of a lonely existence.

I loved the writing describing the travelling scenes - so accurate how you start off all clean and optimistic and end up dishevelled and knackered.

I've just finished this, really enjoyed it. He is great at exploring the characters and I liked how the chapters jumped between the grand tour and the background to Connie and Douglas' story. Also found Douglas' 'science' take on everything funny and poignant as he desperately tries to navigate a path forward with his son.

I loved Us and posted a review on my blog, tagging David on FB to it, and guess what? He sent me a personal message of thanks! Not just a brilliant writer but also such a nice man. helenahalme.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/us-by-david-nicholls-review.html

Thanks for my free copy. I enjoyed the book, although it did seem highly unlikely that the trip would have gone ahead and that Connie would have waited so long to leave and this did spoil it a little for me.

I found both Douglas and Albie very believable (and cringeworthy!) characters but Connie was much harder to read, perhaps deliberately. Did she genuinely love Douglas all those years? And I was disappointed when she and her ex got together again, not because I wanted her to stay with Douglas but it just seemed a bit of a lame ending for her.

An enjoyable read though, I'd definitely recommend it. In fact I've just lent it to my Mum!

Hi there! Thanks for all the questions and observations, and I'm looking forward to talking/typing more. Please forgive the inevitable typos and stumbles, and thanks all to reading. Just flexing my fingers...

Sitting comfortably in anticipation (hoping my question will be answered)!

Evening everyone

Many thanks to those who have already posted messages and reviews - hope that you are all able to be here tonight and looking forward to hearing from many more of you over the next hour.

I'm absolutely thrilled and delighted to introduce our author this evening, the superbly talented David Nicholls.

David, thank you very, very much indeed for giving us your time tonight. And congratulations on your recent Man Booker Prize longlisting and your phenomenally successful books. We've already got a fair few questions to get through so I'll just add two standard Mumsnet ones that we like to ask all our authors...???

What childhood book most inspired you?

What would be the first piece of advice you would give to anyone attempting to write fiction???

Over to you...