But Toby, how could he be "so in touch"/"aware" of his personality flaws (apart from the big plot changing one), recognise them as flaws (whilst once again failing to recognise his BIG flaw), choose to ignore them AND remain charming?? Whilst I am aware the human psyche is a complex thing and one man's flaw is anothers strong point, I have little sympathy for someone who is so self aware as to recognise their own flaws and yet is (at best), too lazy to correct them.

I didn't say I found him particularly charming, but I do think there's something refreshing about a character with personality flaws who is too bloody-minded and lazy to do much about them. It makes a welcome change from hero realises problem is with his own character and corrects it. It's a bit more realistic behaviour and easier (for the more idle among us) to identify with. Or is everyone else on the list engaged in rampant self-improvement?

Then again, who am I to judge? It's a book, I thought it was weak. I have seen fever pitch, I thought it was weak. I await to be persuaded about the merits of Nick Hornby.

When you say "seen" I presume you mean the film. It's terrible and, as was inevitable, attempts to put a plot to a book that naturally has no plot. In those days, books about football were a lot rarer than today and Fever Pitch was a very intelligently written book about the noble art of kicking a ball about a field. It does a good job of explaining the impossible to explain. About a Boy was shite though, eh? Toby +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the undead Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list mail sinister@missprint.org. To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to majordomo@missprint.org. WWW: http://www.missprint.org/sinister +-+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" "tech-heads and students" +-+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +-+ "sinsietr is a bit freaky" - stuart david, looper +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+