One Day - review and giveaway

The ad for One Day by David Nicholls caught my eye because it featured a quote from Nick Hornby. When Hornby recommends a book, I take notice.

"big, absorbing, smart, fantastically readable"

Hornby also noted One Day to be "the perfect beach read for people who are normally repelled by the very idea of beach reads."


Well, well. I might be one of those people. And, I have to agree with Nick, it was a perfect poolside read.

Because it's still summer, although school has already started in some places, thanks to the wonderfully generous folks at Random House, I have three copies of One Day to give away so you, too, may experience this gem of a late summer read. But first, let me tell you why I liked this book so much.

The main characters, Em & Dex are compellingly human. Insecure, arrogant, witty, intelligent, clueless, vulnerable, clumsy, generous, lazy, ambitious, talented and ultimately lovable. The dialogue between Em & Dex made me laugh out loud several times, just like my favorite Hornby books.

The story spans twenty years beginning in 1988 on graduation day. I graduated from college in 1987 so right away, there was this connection for me. It's also set in England, which I love. Relationships are central to the story. Not just the relationship between Dex & Em but their relationships to others including family, coworkers, roommates and friends. I don't want to reveal too much because much of the charm in this book is in its curious unfolding. Lets just say, if you like Nick Hornby's "Juliet, Naked" or "About a Boy" and have a fondness for Bridget Jones and the film "When Harry Met Sally," you will like this book. You might even love it. You'll definitely want to read it before you see the movie (Anne Hathaway! Patricia Clarkson!).

Giveaway Details:

• Three copies of One Day by David Nicholls have been provided by Random House.
• To enter to win, leave a comment on this post that includes your email address.
• For another entry follow this blog or subscribe via email -- current followers/subscribers are eligible too. Leave a separate comment for this.
• Blog/Tweet about this giveaway. Leave a separate comment with your twitter user name and/or link to blog post.

NOTE: Giveaway reserved for residents within the U.S.

The winners will be selected from the comments using random.org.
Deadline: midnight, August 26. Winners announced August 27.

Good luck!