High Fidelity

I first read this book over a decade ago and I remember really loving it. When it was picked for my book club, I was worried that it had only appealed to my younger immature self and that I would be turned off by it now.

Turns out upon a re-read, that was not the case. Maybe I just haven't matured as much as I thought since then, but I really loved this once again.

The way Hornby writes these suspended adolescent characters (which I believe he basically has in all his novels) just works for me so well. The POV character Rob is really just a loser; he is lazy and stubborn, and his actions (or inaction) often cause hardships for those that are important in his life (including himself).

But he is keenly aware of this. He has a pretty decent moral compass, he just chooses not to follow it (at least most of the time). He's a Peter Pan, he peaked in his personal happiness in early college and doesn't want to move beyond that point in his life. He thinks that latching on to things like judging others music collections or sleeping with different women will give his life more meaning, but deep down he knows that he needs more and is afraid of that change.

This is an extremely male adolescent book and definitely won't appeal to everyone, but I just find it to be very honest and I emphasize with the character even though he sucks and I would dislike him in real life. There is core emotional truth here for me and just a perspective on male responsibility and growth that I really value.

Looking forward to discussing this one!