Guide Note

Hornby is a British writer and critic, whose first published novel, Fever Pitch, was adapted into a film starring Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon. Hornby has written several other novels, including High Fidelity, About a Boy and A Long Way Down. Hornby has also contributed to several magazines, including The New Yorker.

Fast Facts

1. Born: April 17, 1952 in England
2. Other Hornby novels adapted into films include About a Boy and Fever Pitch.
3. Graduated from Cambridge University in English Literature
4. Nicknamed "the maestro of the male confessional" by journalists
5. Pop music critic for The New Yorker
6. Active in the TreeHouse charity for autistic children (Hornby's son has autism)

Fever Pitch chronicles the Hornby's obsessive support for the Arsenal Football Club from London. The team and sport were changed for the adapted screenplay, and featured Jimmy Fallon as a Boston Red Sox fanatic who's obsession interferes with his love life.

High Fidelity was Horby's first purely fictional novel, detailing the life of a record collector who owns and operates a record store. The adapted film, starring John Cusack, grossed $26 million domestically.