76 pages • 2 hours read
About a Boy
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1998
A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Introduction
About a Boy
- Genre: Fiction; adult contemporary realistic
- Originally Published: 1998
- Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 840L; college/adult
- Structure/Length: 36 chapters; approx. 278 pages; approx. 7 hours, 45 minutes on audio
- Protagonist and Central Conflict: Will, a single man looking for more meaning in his life, attends a gathering for single people, where he meets Fiona, a single mother, and her serious and lonely 12-year-old son Marcus. With Marcus at the center, the three help each other survive family tragedy, growing up, and finding joy.
- Potential Sensitivity Issues: Suicide, depression, child abuse/neglect
Nick Hornby, Author
- Bio: Born in 1957 in England; earned English degree from Jesus College in Cambridge; author of essays, novels, and screenplays; taught in secondary school; worked as a journalist; incorporates music into much of his writing and collaborates with band Marah
- Other Works: Fever Pitch (1992); High Fidelity (1995); Slam (2007)
- Awards: William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award and London Award (2003); film adaptation nominated for an Oscar; television show won multiple Emmys
CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:
- Caring and Indifference
- Boredom and Manufactured Pain
- Conformity and Masculinity
STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:
- Gain an understanding of authorial context and the cultural and geographical context of 1990s London by conducting research, having discussions, and exploring paired resources.
Related Titles
By Nick Hornby
