Funny Girl

"No, this isn’t Nick Hornby’s take on the classic Barbra Streisand musical, but rather the story of a different funny girl. Sophie Straw is a Lucille Ball devotee and small-town beauty queen who moves to London and lands the lead role in a BBC sitcom. But this isn’t just Sophie’s story; Hornby lovingly creates an ensemble of writers, producers and actors trying to make light entertainment during the turbulent 1960s. Funny Girl explores the roles of highbrow and lowbrow entertainment, and what it means when art imitates life. The result is a charming, sweet book that’s not at all as fluffy as the sitcom at its center."