The Penguin Podcast is back! Listen Now
A Long Way Down

A Long Way Down

the international bestseller

Summary

'Extremely funny . . . and wise' Sunday Times

NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
_____

'Can I explain why I wanted to jump off the top of a tower block?'


For disgraced TV presenter Martin Sharp the answer's pretty simple: he has, in his own words, 'pissed his life away'. And on New Year's Eve he's going to end it all . . . but not, as it happens, alone. Because first single-mum Maureen, then eighteen-year-old Jess and lastly American rock-god JJ turn up and crash Martin's private party. They've stolen his idea - but brought their own reasons.

Yet it's hard to jump when you've got an audience queuing impatiently behind you. A few heated words and some slices if cold pizza later and these four strangers are suddenly allies. But is their unlikely friendship a good enough reason to carry on living?

Shortlisted for the 2005 Whitbread Award and the Commonwealth Writers Prize, A Long Way Down is a darkly hilarious and moving novel by bestselling author Nick Hornby.
_____

'Hornby's best yet' Literary Review

'Impossible to put down' Ruth Rendell, Guardian

'Some of the finest writing I've ever had the pleasure of reading' Johnny Depp

Reviews

  • Impossible to put down . . . enthralling
    Ruth Rendell, Guardian

About the author

Nick Hornby

NICK HORNBY is the bestselling author of eight novels, including Just Like You, High Fidelity and About a Boy, and several works of nonfiction including Fever Pitch. He has also written numerous award-winning screenplays for film and television including Brooklyn, Wild and, most recently, State of the Union.
Learn More

Sign up to the Penguin Newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more