Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby
As in all charming Nick Hornby novels, we meet the main characters just as they’re about to realize that there’s a now unacceptable divide between where they are in thier lives and where they want to be. Pop culture professor Duncan is the smug expert on the reclusive American singer-songwriter Tucker Crowe. His live-in girlfriend Annie is the curator of the local museum in their gray seaside town of Gooleness. When Annie posts a review of a recently released stripped down (ie, naked) version of Crowe’s last album, Juliet, the man himself responds. An email flirtation emerges between childless Annie and the multiply-married (and divorced) father of five. The book’s not so much about music as the passion that it can produce and, in contrast, passions that can be misplaced for a lifetime.
Song Is You by Arthur Phillips
Julian Donahue distracts himself from the grief over his son’s death and his wife’s resulting infidelity when he discovers Irish singer Cait O’Dwyer. Julian follows her climbing career and becomes acquainted with other artists in her orbit.
The Alternative Hero by Tim Thornton
Clive Beresford formed his teen identity as the number one fan of the band the Thieving Magpies. When the band goes bust, so does Clive’s underdeveloped sense of self. Years later Clive’s crap job and lacking love life have him still wondering where it all went wrong. Then he learns that the Magpie’s former frontman Lance Webster lives down the street and he cons his way into a friendship with the broken rocker.
Stupid and Contagious
In this romantic comedy downsized PR exec Heaven Albright joins unsuccessful music producer Brady Gilbert on his trip from New York to Seattle to pitch the ultimate coffee flavoring to Starbucks founder Howard Schultz. Not exactly Roger and Me, these two twentysomethings aren’t looking to expose big business, merely to find something bigger than themselves.
Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon
In one of Pulitzer prizer-winner Chabon’s earlier novels he introduces Grady Tripp–a vain, lazy, adulterous, and hilarious anti-hero. The arrival of his editor sends the pot-smoking prof and one of his students on a weekend spree to protect his uncompleted 2,000 page magnum opus.
Looking Up by Rebecca Gregson
A high school reunion is the cause for reevaluting their life together when Mark Webb’s oldest son signs him up for the reunion’s web site. Harried mother Caitlin is surprised by her live-in-the-present husband’s sudden interest in reconnecting with his high school band mates and, yes, even an exgirlfriend. Caitin finds herself in a spot of “what if” when a dashing workplace guest looks at her as something more than a mother of four.
Fargo Rock City by Chuck Klosterman
Ah, the 80s. This North Dakota native found his voice listening to the screaching guitars and shouted lyrics of the heavy metal heavyweights of the 1980s. Yes, they were ridiculous in many ways. Yes, they wore headbands and spandex and makeup. But, man, did they rock. Klosterman perfectly captures the awe of finding the music that speaks directly to who you are or who you dream of being at a precise moment in time. He writes with terrific humor, but also a great tenderness about the boy he was then.
Almost Famous

Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby

As in all charming Nick Hornby novels, we meet the main characters just as they’re about to realize that there’s a now unacceptable divide between where they are in their lives and where they want to be. Pop culture professor Duncan is the smug expert on the reclusive American singer-songwriter Tucker Crowe. His live-in girlfriend Annie is the curator of the local museum in their gray seaside town of Gooleness. When Annie posts a review of a recently released stripped down (ie, naked) version of Crowe’s last album, Juliet, the man himself responds. An email flirtation emerges between childless Annie and the multiply-married (and divorced) father of five. The book’s not so much about music as the passion that it can produce and, in contrast, passions that can be misplaced for a lifetime. (And am I the only one who mistook the optical illusion on the cover for ovaries? It could explain why Barnes and Noble has Women’s Fiction under “Related Subjects.”)

The reviews for Hornby’s latest weren’t all love songs. Entertainment Weekly called it “How Annie Got Her Groove Back” (but still gave it a B+). Washington Post reviewer Ron Charles admits, “Yes, Hornby deserves all the success and affection he’s received, but it’s time to pick up the tempo.” Juliet, Naked may not be Hornby’s masterpiece, but his newest novel will leave many readers wanting the beat to go on.

The Song Is You by Arthur Phillips
Julian Donahue is lured out of the grief over his son’s death and his wife’s resulting infidelity by the siren song of Irish singer Cait O’Dwyer. From the shadows, writing set notes on bar coasters, Julian mentors the struggling Cait from afar. When Cait starts incorporating his comments into her shows and her success begins to grow, Julian begins to find his own voice.

The Alternative Hero by Tim Thornton
Obsession is in the eye of the restraining order petitioner. Clive Beresford formed his teen identity as the #1 fan of the band The Thieving Magpies. When the band goes bust, so does Clive’s underdeveloped sense of self. Years later Clive’s crap job and lacking love life have him still wondering where it all went wrong. Then he learns that the Magpie’s former frontman Lance Webster lives down the street, and he cons his way into a friendship with the broken rocker.

Stupid and Contagious by Caprice Crane
In this romantic comedy, downsized PR exec Heaven Albright joins unsuccessful music producer Brady Gilbert on his trip from New York to Seattle to pitch the ultimate coffee flavoring to Starbucks founder Howard Schultz. Not exactly “Roger and Me,” these two twentysomethings aren’t looking to expose big business, merely to find something bigger than themselves.

Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon
In one of Pulitzer prize-winner Chabon’s earlier novels he introduces Grady Tripp–a vain, lazy, adulterous, and hilarious anti-hero. The arrival of his editor sends the pot-smoking prof and one of his students on a weekend spree to protect his uncompleted 2,000 page magnum opus. A sly look at art, academics, and missed opportunities.

Looking Up by Rebecca Gregson
Mark Webb and his wife Caitlin have a  high school reunion to thank for their mid-life bag of mixed emotions. Harried mother Caitlin is surprised by her staid husband’s sudden interest in reconnecting with his high school band mates and, yes, even an exgirlfriend. Caitlin finds herself in a spot of “what if” when a dashing new coworker  looks at her as something more than a mother of four.

Fargo Rock City by Chuck Klosterman
Ah, the 80s. North Dakota native Klosterman discovered a much larger, louder world listening to the screeching guitars and shouted lyrics of the heavy metal heavyweights of the 1980s. Yes, they were ridiculous in many ways. Yes, they wore headbands and spandex and makeup. But, man, did they rock. Klosterman perfectly captures the awe of finding the music that speaks directly to who you are or who you dream of being at a precise moment in time.

Almost Famous written and directed by Cameron Crowe
Crowe won the 2000 Oscar for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen for this semi-autobiographical film. At 16, his alter ego, William Miller, gets the cherry job of going on tour with the band Stillwater for a profile in Rolling Stone magazine. I know it’s cliche to call anything “coming of age” or to use the phrase “sex, drugs, and rock & roll” but that really does sum it up.