I wanted to give this book five stars, because I can't really fault it at all, but at the end of the day it didn't change my life or blow me away with it's artistic majesty, so four will have to do. Just know that while Nick Hornby may not be the most literary example of writers in our contemporary culture, he certainly is brilliant.

This particular collection of songs that actually mean something to the author, is a great read. Any book that makes me laugh out loud gets bonus marks in my world and this one had me in stitched at times - especially toward the end when Hornby's self-deprecating and mildly cynical look at view of the contemporary musical landscape seems familiar and altogether too comfortable.

The saving grace is that Hornby doesn't fall into the pretentious trap that so many critical pieces do. From the start he writes that nobody cares whether a song reminds you of some girl you used to know, so the songs he talks about are ones that he appreciates on their own, without any autobiographical contextual framing. Hornby also admits his understanding that any song he chooses may not mean anything to anyone else, which leads him to the point of the book - an appreciation of music that goes beyong hip labels and listening to elite genres that freak everyone "normal" out. It's Hornby's own journey of coming to grips with getting older and realising that pop music isn't all bad. It's his struggle against his younger self who needed everything to be loud and angry.

Thankfully Hornby never gets too comfortable with his own opinions and remains well stuck in a realistic perspective of the differences of taste. This book is an interesting and entertaining read for anyone who is a true fan of music. The kind that won't berate others for digging something different, but will celebrate a common love for songs and melodys, no matter which form they take.