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Dickens and Prince
- Author
- Nick Hornby
- Narrator
- Alex Jennings
- Publisher
- Penguin Books Ltd
- Publish Date
- 27 October 2022
- Run Time
- 3 hours 8 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
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What to expect
Brought to you by Penguin.
In this joyous and illuminating book, the million-copy bestselling author brings together an unlikely pairing to explore the story of their creative genius
What could possibly connect Prince, the great twentieth century singer songwriter, and Charles Dickens, the great writer of classics usually stuffed into the hands of adolescents too early? What could these two geniuses, one born in 1812 in England, and the other in 1950s Minneapolis, have in common?
For Nick Hornby, Dickens and Prince are two artists that compare to no others. At the young age of 24, they both had their breakthroughs, Prince with '1999' and Dickens with The Pickwick Papers. At 26, Prince released 'Purple Rain' and Dickens' Oliver Twist was published, and, by 30, both artists were huge stars.
No one else had such a relentless work ethic and produced such a staggeringly original and enormous body of work. Where did their magic come from? How did they use it? And, in the end, did it kill them?
Tracing their lives, from the early years to their relationships with women, their finances to their inability to stop working, Dickens and Prince is a brilliantly surprising and joyous uncovering of the essence of a very particular and unique type of genius.
© Nick Hornby 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022
Critics Review
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A joyful examination of two artists from different centuries and the unlikely parallels in their life and work
Guardian
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Well, here's something you didn't expect - a joint biography of Charles Dickens and the pocket-sized popster Prince. And why not? The Fever Pitch chappie explores the nature of genius and what unites the inimitable Boz and the Imp of the Perverse
The Times, Best Books for Autumn
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I love this. It's smart and funny and elegantly persuasive
Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, author of Becoming Dickens
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From rocky beginnings to too-early endings, Hornby traces the lives of two very different artists and shows they have more in common than we might think. Dickens & Prince is a playful, illuminating book
The i, 40 Best Books to Read this Autumn
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An enjoyable and educational read that will leave fans of either figure positively enlightened
The Independent
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An ardent fan letter from Hornby that makes you want to reread Great Expectations whilst listening to Sign o'the Times
Vogue
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A winningly grounded manifesto for artists: forget the preciousness so often urged as the route to brilliance, and embrace prodigiousness instead – and don’t forget to make sure you get paid
Sunday Times
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Beneath the surface of this fascinating biography there lies a warm and wise craft book about what it takes to make great art in any century
Esquire
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A fascinating little book
Irish Times
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Hornby’s admiration for his subjects is infectious . . . a zesty tribute to two cultural legends not often spoken about in the same breath
Publishers Weekly
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Details
- Author
- Nick Hornby
- Narrator
- Alex Jennings
- Duration
- 3 hours 8 minutes
- Release Date
- 27 October 2022
- ISBN
- 9780241996737
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Penguin Books Ltd
- Genre
- Essays, Biography: writers, Biography: arts and entertainment
Synopsis
Brought to you by Penguin.In this joyous and illuminating book, the million-copy bestselling author brings together an unlikely pairing to explore the story of their creative geniusWhat could possibly connect Prince, the great twentieth century singer songwriter, and Charles Dickens, the great writer of classics usually stuffed into the hands of adolescents too early? What could these two geniuses, one born in 1812 in England, and the other in 1950s Minneapolis, have in common?For Nick Hornby, Dickens and Prince are two artists that compare to no others. At the young age of 24, they both had their breakthroughs, Prince with '1999' and Dickens with The Pickwick Papers. At 26, Prince released 'Purple Rain' and Dickens' Oliver Twist was published, and, by 30, both artists were huge stars.No one else had such a relentless work ethic and produced such a staggeringly original and enormous body of work. Where did their magic come from? How did they use it? And, in the end, did it kill them?Tracing their lives, from the early years to their relationships with women, their finances to their inability to stop working, Dickens and Prince is a brilliantly surprising and joyous uncovering of the essence of a very particular and unique type of genius.© Nick Hornby 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022
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