Hornby was born in Redhill, Surrey, England. He was brought up in Maidenhead, and educated at Maidenhead Grammar School and Jesus College, Cambridge, where he read English. His parents divorced when he was 11.
Hornby's first published book, 1992's Fever Pitch, is an autobiographical story detailing his fanatical support for Arsenal Football Club. As a result, Hornby received the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award. In 1997, the memoir was adapted for film in the UK, and in 2005 an American remake was released, following Jimmy Fallon's character's obsession with the Boston Red Sox, a baseball team. With the book's success, Hornby began to publish articles in the Sunday Times, Time Out and the Times Literary Supplement, in addition to his music reviews for the New Yorker.
High Fidelity — his second book and first novel — was published in 1995. The novel, about a neurotic record collector and his failed relationships, was adapted into a 2000 film starring John Cusack, and a Broadway musical in 2006.
His second novel, About a Boy, published in 1998, is about two "boys" — Marcus, an awkward yet endearing adolescent from a single-parent family, and the free-floating, mid-30s Will Freeman, who overcomes his own immaturity and self-centeredness through his growing relationship with Marcus. Hugh Grant and Nicholas Hoult starred in the 2002 film version. In 1999, Hornby received the E. M. Forster Award of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Hornby's next novel, How to Be Good, was published in 2001. The female protagonist in the novel explores contemporary morals, marriage and parenthood. It won the W.H. Smith Award for Fiction in 2002.
Part of the money he earned with his next book, Speaking with the Angel in 2002, was donated to TreeHouse, a charity for children with autism, the disorder that affects Hornby's own son. He was editor of the book, which contained twelve short stories written by his friends. He also contributed to the collection with the story "NippleJesus".
In 2003, Hornby wrote a collection of essays on selected popular songs and the emotional resonance they carry, called 31 Songs (known in the US as Songbook). Also in 2003, Hornby was awarded the London Award 2003, an award that was selected by fellow writers.
Hornby has also written essays on various aspects of popular culture, and in particular, he has become known for his writing on pop music and mix tape enthusiasts. Since 2003, he has written a book review column, "Stuff I've Been Reading", for the monthly magazine The Believer; all of these articles are collected between The Polysyllabic Spree (2004), Housekeeping vs. The Dirt (2006), Shakespeare Wrote for Money (2008), and More Baths Less Talking (2012).
Hornby's novel A Long Way Down was published in 2005, with a film version of this book set to be released in 2014. It was on the shortlist for the Whitbread Novel Award. Hornby has also edited two sports-related anthologies: My Favourite Year and The Picador Book of Sports Writing.
Hornby's book Slam was released on 16 October 2007; it is his first novel for young adults and was recognized as a 2008 ALA Best Books for Young Adults. The protagonist of Slam is a 16-year-old skateboarder named Sam whose life changes drastically when his girlfriend gets pregnant.
Hornby released his latest novel titled Juliet, Naked in September 2009. On the same wavelength as his first novel High Fidelity, the book is about a reclusive '80s rock star who is forced out of isolation when the re-release of his most famous album brings him into contact with some of his most passionate fans. This synopsis was revealed to The Guardian newspaper as part of "What not to miss in 2009: books".
In 2010, Hornby co-founded the Ministry of Stories, a non-profit organisation in East London dedicated to helping children and young adults develop writing skills and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.
Hornby discussed his bouts of depression in 2012 on the BBC Radio 4 broadcast of "Fever Pitched: Twenty Years On".
Several of Hornby's books have made the jump from page to screen. Hornby wrote the screenplay for the first, a 1997 British adaptation of Fever Pitch, starring Colin Firth. It was followed by High Fidelity in 2000, starring John Cusack; this adaptation was notable in that the action was shifted from London to Chicago. After this success, About a Boy was quickly picked up, and released in 2002, starring Hugh Grant. An Americanized Fever Pitch, in which Jimmy Fallon plays a hopelessly addicted Boston Red Sox fan who tries to reconcile his love of the game with that of his girlfriend (Drew Barrymore), was released in 2005. Johnny Depp purchased film rights to the book A Long Way Down before it was published.
In 2009, Hornby adapted an autobiographical memoir by the journalist Lynn Barber for the screen as An Education, a feature film starring Peter Sarsgaard and Carey Mulligan. He was nominated for an Oscar for writing the screenplay.
High Fidelity was also the basis for a 2006 eponymous musical that shifted the action to Brooklyn; its book is by David Lindsay-Abaire, with lyrics by Amanda Green and music created by Tom Kitt. The production ran for a month in Boston, then moved to Broadway, closing after 18 previews and 14 regular performances.
The importance of music in Hornby's novels, and in his life, is evidenced by his long-standing and fruitful collaborations with the rock band Marah, fronted by Dave and Serge Bielanko. Hornby has even toured in the United States and Europe with the band, joining them on stage to read his essays about particular moments and performers in his own musical history that have had a particular meaning for him.
Hornby's music criticism (most notably for The New Yorker and in his own Songbook) has been widely criticised by writers such as Kevin Dettmar (in his book Is Rock Dead), Curtis White (in an essay at www.centreforbookculture.org, titled "Kid Adorno"), Barry Faulk and Simon Reynolds for his embrace of rock traditionalism and conservative take on post-rock and other experimental musics (exemplified in Hornby's negative review of the Radiohead album Kid A).
Hornby has also had extensive collaboration with American singer/songwriter Ben Folds. Their album Lonely Avenue was released in September 2010. Folds wrote the music, with Hornby contributing lyrics. Prior to the album's release, "Picture Window", was released on Ben Folds' website. A bootleg version of a song about Levi Johnston written by Hornby and Folds and performed by Folds, appeared on the internet.
Hornby has been married twice. He and his first wife have one son, born in 1992, who has autism. Hornby's second wife is producer Amanda Posey. They have two sons, born in 2003 and 2005. Hornby's sister, writer Gill Hornby, is married to writer Robert Harris.
Nick Hornby was directly involved in the creation of the charity Ambitious about Autism, then known as TreeHouse Trust, and its school TreeHouse School, as a result of trying to find specialist education for his son Danny. Hornby remains a major donor to the charity and is still involved as a vice president.
Nick proudly supports Arsenal.
From Above
Nick Hornby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He was with Martha, she was with Tom
Neither of them really knew what was going on
A strange feeling of never, heartbeats becoming synchronized
It's been that way forever but most of the time it's just near misses
Or kisses once at a bookstore, once at a party
She came in as he was leaving and years ago at the movies
He never once looked around
It's so easy from above
You can really see it all
People who belong together
Lost and sad and small
But there's nothing to be done for them
It doesn't work that way
Sure we all have soulmates but we walk past them every day
And it's not like they were ever
Actually unhappy in the lives they lived
He married Martha, she married Tom
Just this faint notion that something was wrong
An ache, an absence, a phantom limb
An itch that could never be scratched
It's so easy from above
You can really see it all
People who belong together
Lost and sad and small
But there's nothing to be done for them
It doesn't work that way
Sure we all have soulmates but we walk past them every day
Neither of them knew what was going on
A strange feeling of never,
Heartbeats becoming synchronized
Stay that way forever
Who knows whether that's how it should be
Maybe a ghost lived in that vacancy
Maybe that's how books get written
Maybe that's why songs get sung
Maybe we are the unlucky ones
It's so easy from above
You can really see it all
People who belong together
Lost and sad and small
But there's nothing to be done for them
It doesn't work that way
Sure we all have soulmates
But we walk past them every day
Maybe that's how books get written
Maybe that's why songs get sung
Maybe we are the unlucky ones
Maybe that's how books get written
Maybe that's why songs get sung
Maybe we are the unlucky ones
The song "From Above" by Nick Hornby delves into the idea of soulmates and how people may pass them by without realizing it. The lyrics describe two people who have crossed paths many times but never acted upon their connection. They share a strange feeling of never and their heartbeats become synchronized, indicating that they have a deep connection, although they are both with other people. They have had several near misses and even shared a kiss once, but never pursued anything beyond that.
Despite being happy in their current relationships, they both feel that something is wrong, an ache, an absence, a phantom limb. This could be a result of not being with their soulmate. The song suggests that people's soulmates may be out there, but they may never even realize it because they walk past them every day.
The chorus of the song repeats that it's easy to see everything from above, including the people who belong together but are lost and sad and small. However, there's nothing that can be done to change their situation. They are the unlucky ones.
Overall, the song is about missed chances and opportunities, the feeling of longing that may never be fulfilled, and the idea that there may be something missing in even the happiest of relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
They even looked at each other once across the crowded bar
Two strangers shared a brief glance in a crowded bar
He was with Martha, she was with Tom
The two strangers were each there with their respective partners
Neither of them really knew what was going on
Both parties were uncertain about the inexplicable attraction they felt
A strange feeling of never, heartbeats becoming synchronized
Despite not knowing each other, they shared an intangible feeling of destiny, as their heartbeats became synchronized
It's been that way forever but most of the time it's just near misses
Their paths have crossed many times, but it has always been by narrow margins
Or kisses once at a bookstore, once at a party
There were a couple of times where they could have kissed, but they didn't
She came in as he was leaving and years ago at the movies
Their paths have almost crossed many times, including at the movies years ago
She sat behind him, the 6:30 showing of "While You Were Sleeping"
She was sitting right behind him when they watched a movie once
He never once looked around
He was unaware of her presence behind him during the movie
It's so easy from above
Observing from an outside perspective makes it seem simpler
You can really see it all
The big picture is much clearer than the individual details
People who belong together
Some people are meant to be together
Lost and sad and small
Despite being fated for each other, they feel lost, sad, and insignificant
But there's nothing to be done for them
There's nothing that can be done to force love
It doesn't work that way
Love isn't always logical or straightforward
Sure we all have soulmates but we walk past them every day
There are many soulmates for everyone, but they often go unnoticed or unrecognized
And it's not like they were ever
Despite having a connection, both parties were happy with their own partners
Actually unhappy in the lives they lived
Martha, Tom, and the two strangers were content with the way things were
Just this faint notion that something was wrong
Something felt slightly off, but they couldn't put their finger on it
An ache, an absence, a phantom limb
They felt a persistent and phantom discomfort
An itch that could never be scratched
The feeling was insatiable and could never be fully resolved
Stay that way forever
Their lives would remain incomplete, and they would never find solace
Maybe a ghost lived in that vacancy
Maybe there was a spiritual force that they could not discern, but it was keeping them apart
Maybe that's how books get written
Artists create works about the struggles of people who feel the way these two do
Maybe that's why songs get sung
Musicians write songs about the pain of a love that could have been
Maybe we are the unlucky ones
Perhaps they have missed out on something special
Maybe we are the unlucky ones
Perhaps they have missed out on something special
Maybe that's how books get written
Artists create works about the struggles of people who feel the way these two do
Maybe that's why songs get sung
Musicians write songs about the pain of a love that could have been
Maybe we are the unlucky ones
Perhaps they have missed out on something special
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BEN FOLDS, BENJAMIN SCOTT FOLDS, NICHOLAS PETER JOHN HORNBY, NICK HORNBY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@marcosmorais
Fantastic, just amazing. Ben Folds and Nick Hornby need to make another album together. The lyrics are so relatable and truthful and I can't even start talking about the amazing composition.
@johntirva8079
Marcos Morais Agreed
@PEneoark
Just the subtle truth behind this song hurts.
@trashleigh87
33 years old and I'm still looking.
@pinky12351
I always hear this song at my work and it really messes me up. Even if you don't believe in soul mates it's true that you could be passing people who you could have a real connection with.
@Mrhatmandu
One of the few artists of the 21st century that still appreciates of a pure pop/rock song. One who still knows the value of melody and lyrics.
@Puzzular
Ben Folds is the reason I'd rather be blind than deaf. His partnership with Nick Hornby sure turned out well. Lonely Avenue's one hell of an album.
@TNLMProductions
O.k. I had never heard a Ben Folds song before...but I can say with full certainty that I am now a Ben Folds fan. I've never fallen in love with a song like I just did.
@stephanieclarke8365
Love the juxtaposition of the jolly beat with the sad undertones of the lyrics...
"Just this vague notion that something was wrong
An ache, an absence, a phantom limb
An itch that could never be scratched."
@bronk2222
Congrats on using "juxtaposition" in a sentence.