Come and talk to author NICK HORNBY about his latest novel, Funny Girl, his previous bestsellers and his exceptional writing career on Wednesday 1st July, 9-10pm

[TillyMumsnetBookClub]

Nick Hornby’s sunny new novel FUNNY GIRL is set in the 1960s, in a burgeoning era of television comedy where old rules are beginning to crumble and a new energy is transforming the scene. A young beauty queen from Blackpool arrives fresh in the big city, changes her name to Sophie Straw and lands a part in a new sitcom, written by comedy aficionados Tony and Bill. Her natural talent captivates an enormous audience and catapaults them all to national stardom. Hornby has always been a master at capturing the zeitgeist, with a knack for pulling out the right detail or the perfect reference. In this novel, he beautifully captures all the exuberance, social upheaval and excitement of the period, suffused with a love for this golden age of light entertainment.

You can find out more on our book of the month page, or take a look at Nick’s own website for the latest updates and info on all his (stunningly redesigned) previous books.

Penguin have very generously offered 50 copies of FUNNY GIRL to give to Mumsnetters. To claim yours, please go to the book of the month page and fill in your details. We’ll post here when the copies have gone. If you’re not lucky enough to bag one of those, you can always get a copy here

We are thrilled and honoured that Nick Hornby will be chatting to us live on Wednesday 1st July, 9-10pm. So whether you have a question about FUNNY GIRL, about any of Nick’s bestselling novels or would like to hear more about Nick’s writing life, please come along and say hello. Look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 1st..

Hi Nick

How do you feel about so many libraries closing? I live in Barnet and the Council is planning to close the libraries with the greatest growth of kids and teens' fiction borrowing (the most expensive of these libraries is £148k a year.) If libraries are a right guaranteed by law and the UK's creative economy is worth £8bn and growing and exporting - how can this possibly be the right move? Where will the next generation of story-tellers come from? How did you learn about stories? Could you imagine a world in which books were only for the very richest (a pre-paperback world of engraved folios for the elite...is that where we're heading?)

I love your stories. I hope your words reach all the eager readers and I hope you'll help get them there!

Just finished Funny Girl - typically late!!

Funny Girl - what a story. I loved Sophie's character. I really grew fond of her and was glad to see how her story developed. I thought it was really unusual (but very welcome) to have the 'flash forward' at the end - how lovely to see what came next. I also really enjoyed the story being set in the 60s. Lots of laughs along the way. The story felt so real, almost like a biography at times.

Thank you mumsnet and Penguin Books for my copy, and well done Nick.

I read this at Christmas and adored it. Usually I am a very picky reader and often give up on books before the end. I read David Nicholls' "Us" at the same time, and that's a good book; 'Funny Girl" is a whole league above that.

NH is one of my favourite contemporary writers, and this is my favourite of his books. If this is your first time reading him, I recommend, "How to Be Good".

Thank you for my copy of this book I have really enjoyed it. It was a great insight into lives of stars and how their characters can entwine into their everyday lives.

I have not read any of Nick Hornby novels before but will look out for them over the summer

Shamefully late review but just realised I'd received a free copy (thanks Mumsnet) and forgot to write the review. Sorry.
I liked this book, but not as much as some of his other work (About a Boy, High Fidelity). The fact that it was set in the 1960s was a plus to me, I always enjoy reading stories in that period. And I liked the images that were chosen to illustrate the book. It was an easy and enjoyable, non-taxing read.