To kick off Books In Public as part of our Do It In Public campaign we’re handing out samplees of David Nicholls’ bestselling novel One Day at train stations around the UK on July 15th.
It’s no coincidence that we chose that day to hand out One Day. The date July 15th plays a significant role in the plot of the novel – the third by English writer Nicholls.
The book follows the lives of Emma and Dexter, who had a post university fling in 1988. Each chapter revisits their lives on July 15th for the next 20 years.
Heartbreaking and incredibly moving at times, this is a story primarily about friendship and love, but it also explores deeper themes about fate and how human relationships evolve over time in tandem with our hopes and dreams. Nicholls has been rightly praised for the attention to detail with which he brings to life Emma and Dexter. It’s litte wonder that the book is set to grace the movie screen in the not too distant future.
What better way to spend your time on a train or bus journey?
If you picked up one of the free samples we handed out or if you’ve already read One Day we’d love to know your views on the book in the comments below.
You can also get the discount via Twitter if you tweet a review about One Day using the hash tag #booksinpublic.
I was excited to buy my copy of One Day and was happy to finally finish it.
There were lines in the book that hit me and I thought gee wiz, spot on. At the start the main charachters were interesting and refreshing. I liked them. I really liked Dexters mum. Sharp and witty. She was a women not scared to tell her son she loved him, but didn’t like him.
By the end I couldn’t care about Dexter or what ever his name was. The good looking guy who always got the girl began to bore me. His problems didn’t make me feel sorry for him. Handsome, troubled soul was also an *rsehole. Emma, was she called Emma? well she was quick, funny and perfectly cutting at times, but again as the book went on I got tired of her complaining. I got bored of her loving and rejecting mr handsome. I got bored of the will they or won’t they get together malarky.
When he writes the letter in Thailand(was he in Thailand? – well he was somewhere exotic getting off his trolley again) and then never posts it I though that was sweet, but when the same sort of scenario is then mirrored in 100 different ways through out the book, I couldn’t but help be disappointed.
And then there’s the twist. I must admit that bit did wake me up a little. I actually by passed it. I was skim reading, searching for waiting for something to sparkle. I had to re read that short page again, cause I couldn’t believe what I had just read.
uchhhhh then 10 pages later he’s got a new bird. Boring boring boring.
One Day was and is a book that’s been well overhyped. Would I recommend it. Maybe… but I would have to add a few of my own caveats, I’d maybe suggest to read the Other Hand instead.
x
Haven’t read this yet but it was way cooler to get this handed out than another crappy paper.. Good site too!!!
I saw the One Day sampler in a pub in Manchester, just opposite Picadilly Station. I was excited to see it as I had actually just finished the book.
Emma and Dexter’s lives are visited on the same day each year for 20 years. From their first conversation on the day they graduation from Edinburgh University their lives, jobs, relationships, and hopes are shown.
I liked the concept of this book, and the author has captured the issues people have at various points in their lives; floundering to find their feet after university, “settling” for a relationship, watching friends marry and have children…and pondering if you could have made a better choice all those years ago.
The ending was a bit naff, but the references to the eighties and nineties were funny. If you’ve lived in London a lot of the things would really resonate.
Thanks friend. That was interesting seeing