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Nick Hornby

Sue Lawley's castaway is writer Nick Hornby.

This week Sue Lawley's castaway is the internationally successful author Nick Hornby. Originally from suburban Maidenhead, his obsession with football, as chronicled in the autobiographical Fever Pitch, began after his parents divorced and his dad struggled to find a suitable way to pass the weekend. The decision to visit Arsenal had lasting repercussions with Hornby becoming a fanatical supporter.

His next work, High Fidelity, featured Horrnby's other great passion - pop music. It became a bible for all men who've ever catalogued their record collections in alphabetical order or agonised over their own Desert Island Discs choices. His next book, About a Boy, resulted in a bidding war with Robert De Niro's film company buying the rights for £2 million. How to Be Good, which followed, changed tack with a female narrator and is in part autobiographical reflecting the pros and cons of a virtuous life - questions he's had to ask following the birth of his son Danny who suffers from severe autism. He's since set up the TreeHouse Fund, a national charity for autism which has a school in London.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Kitty's Back by Bruce Springsteen
Book: Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens
Luxury: An mp3 player (iPod)

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 3 Oct 2003 09:00

Music Played

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Bruce Springsteen

      Kitty's Back

      • The Wild, The Innocent & E Street Shuffle.
      • CBS.
  • Rod Stewart

    You Wear It Well

    • The Best of Rod Stewart.
    • Mercury.
  • Kate & Anna McGarrigle

    Complainte pour St Catherine

    • French Record.
    • Hannibal.
  • The Jacksons

    The Love You Save

    • Children of the Light.
    • Spectrum.
  • Touré Kunda

    Fatou Yo

    • World Playground - Musical Adventure.
    • Putu.
  • Joni Mitchell

    Night Ride ±«Óãtv

    • Night Ride ±«Óãtv.
    • Geffen.
  • Marah

    My Heart Is The Bums On The Street

    • Kids in Philly.
    • Epic.
  • LL Cool J

    Going Back To Cali

    • Less Than Zero Soundtrack.
    • Def Jam.
  • Book Choice

    • Barnaby Rudge - Charles Dickens

  • Luxury Choice

    • An mp3 player (iPod)

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Nick Hornby

Broadcasts

  • Sun 28 Sep 2003 11:15
  • Fri 3 Oct 2003 09:00

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