Rating: 
Summary: Colin Firth made me do it....
Review: Yes, like Soyarra a reviewer from Los Angeles (above) I also bought the book when I found that Colin Firth had written a story. I was pleasantly surprised when I liked it having geared myself up for disappointment. In The Department of Nothing he touchingly depicts a young boy's efforts to escape his everyday life by immersing himself in the make-believe world of his grandmother's stories. (Sexy Colin Firth is now Literary/Sexy Colin Firth) I don't read many short stories but I was caught up in this book. The variety of stories kept me quessing what was coming up next. I really liked them! I'll buy more copies as gifts for friends. They'll enjoy the book and the money will go for a good cause. Buy it!
Rating: 
Summary: Definetly worth reading.
Review: I bought this book will waiting fo my flight at an airport. I just randomly picked this book, I was pleasantly suprised by how good this book is. My favorite story is "Nipplejesus" by Nick Hornby. Another good thing about this book is the proceeds go to the education with autism.
Rating:
Summary: Angelic Collection
Review: Speaking with the Angel is a wonderful collection of today's writers, who for this project, are primarily British. While the cause for the book - raising funds for autistic chilren - might encourage you to pick up the book, the talent of the writers and the unique stories will keep you reading. Each story is written in first person and my favorites included:PMQ by Robert Harris about an English dignitary defending an evening involving a young woman and a newspaper reporter to England's Prime Minister. Both clever and funny. Last Requests by Giles Smith which tells life on death row from the perspective of the prison cook that makes last meals. NippleJesus by Nick Hornby has a club bouncer-turned-museum guard becoming unnaturally attached to a controversial pornographic/religious piece of art. After I was Thrown Into the River and Before I Drowned by Dave Eggers is the only story from a non-human perspective. The lead character, a dog, tells a funny and heartwarming story from a dog's point of view. While there were a couple of stories I just could not connect with, on the whole, this is a great collection for a great cause.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing Voices, Fine Collection
Review: Nick Hornby has brought together a stunning group of voices in this collection of short stories. The genesis of the book came in Hornby's desire to raise money for TreeHouse School, a private school in London for children with autism, a school which Hornby's son attends. The US edition raises money for both TreeHouse School and a similar institute in New York. Whatever the inspiration, the result has been a gathering of Hornby's friends and relations, each providing a story for this volume. The range of subject matter and style is vast, from Helen Fielding's "Luckybitch" with its interior monologue of an old woman who has fallen and can't get up to Colin Firth's "Department of Nothing" with a fantasy story within a story to Dave Eggers's interior monologue of a dog in "After I Was Thrown in the River and Before I Drowned." Hornby's own story, "NippleJesus," and John O'Farrell's "Walking into the Wind" explore the idea of art and artist, constructing and deconstructing both visual and performance art. Most of the authors here have numerous publication credits, so if you would like a sampling of some voices you might not be familiar with, this collection will lead you on to some new favorites whose books you'll want to dive into. I have already worked my way through Nick Hornby's three books, and I've just purchased something by Irvine Welsh and John O'Farrell. Please give SPEAKING WITH THE ANGEL a try; you'll find it well worth your effort.
Rating:
Summary: a beautiful book, an even more beautiful cause
Review: As a female sports author and a music lover, I have found Mr. Hornby's previous books enjoyable, engaging, and at times, from a Red Sox fan and a woman's perspective, infuriating. (Please, no Arsenal fan has ever undergone the misery of a Boston Red Sox fan. Eighteen years between championships? Try 83. ) However, after I read the deeply moving introduction to this book, I found it hard to recognize the self absorbed, obsessive compulsive fan from his memoir Fever Pitch. As the godmother to an autistic child, I could relate to Mr. Hornby's respect for his child's mysterious, inner world and his joy over his child's ability, against the odds, to form a friendship with another human being. I have recommended this book simply for the introduction to friends to whom I have tried to explain the complexities of my goddaughter's autism. This introduction succeeds where my words have failed. The book is obviously far more than its introduction. The criteria for author selection appears to be whoever was cool in the late 90's or early 00's: Dave Eggers, Melissa Bank, Helen Fielding, Colin Firth. The collection's "gimmick" is that all stories are told from the first person. Some authors succeed better than others. I enjoyed Melissa Banks short story far more than her book; Helen Fielding's far less than her Bridget Jones's series. I found Mr. Hornby's story quite refreshing from his other published work (which I like)--he used a very different voice. Finally, Colin Firth's story was whimsical and wonderful. Like his performance in so many films (A month in the Country was my favorite), it begins in a low key, quiet manner yet it hits you hard at the end.
Rating:
Summary: Great fun & Great cause
Review: BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!! Nick Hornby is a genius-- as a writer and an editor. This collection was utterly brilliant! Robert Harris's PMQ is one of the funniest things i have ever read; RODDY DOYLE is one of the world's greatest writers; Helen Fielding is, of course hysterical and wonderful; Irvine Welsh, always a strange read; Melissa Bank, touching; and Colin Firth proves that he's more than a mere sex symbol-- he's a literary sex symbol... I thoroughly enjoyed every story, and I felt like a better person for having bought the book. Do the same.
Rating:
Summary: Okay, I'll admit it...
Review: ...I bought this book to read the Colin Firth piece as I have re-fallen in love with him after seeing the film version of "Bridget Jones's Diary." And his story is, surprisingly enough, hilarious and sort of scary; I find myself saying "pants" alot lately. But the other stories are good, too (particularly Hornby's; for those of you who don't know, John Cusack's "High Fidelity" was based on his book)! So buy this -- it's for a good cause.
Rating:
Summary: Great stories for a worthy cause
Review: As a before-I-go-to-sleep type of reader, I love short story collections. What makes this one so special is that it is for a good cause. The best stories in here are from Mr. Hornby, Mr. Doyle and Mr. Firth, who gives us a completely new and hilarious use for the word "pants" that continues to make me chuckle. Between his story and his role in "Bridget Jones Diary", Mr. Firth is my new hero. Anyway, you won't be disappointed by this group of talented writers and there are a number interesting themes (art, growing old, relationships, first sexual encounters, mortality, flat-out humor)and perspectives (Mr. Eggers as a dog, Mr. Firth as an 11 year old, Mr. Hornby as a enormous bouncer, Mr. Doyle as a mid-forties/mid-life crises father) explored that are touching and hilarious. Enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: Not bad, but not outstanding...
Review: This new work edited by Nick Hornby is a good collaboration of contemporary authors and their short stories. The first half of the book is great with stories ranging from a Prime Minister's evening out to the feelings of a cook working in the Death Row kitchens, preparing last meals. Hornby's story is classic Nick, however, to me anyway, the book seems to lack well written stories after his. For those of you who are just killing time until Nick's next book, "How To Be Good", comes out, this will tide you over for now.
Rating:
Summary: A good read for a good cause
Review: I needed a book to read and happened to pick this up because of the cool cover. Once I looked it over I realized there were stories by Helen Fielding and Melissa Banks, other authors I have read and enjoyed. Further, due to having a lot going on right now and not being able to read as much as I'd like - I thought a book of short stories would be perfect. And it was! I could whip through a story when I had the time and if a couple weeks went by and I didn't pick the book up I didn't run the risk of falling out of step with a story. Most stories were funny, clever and intelligent reading. And I felt good that my proceeds went towards charity.
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