Goodnight Steve McQueen

by Louise Wener and louise-wener

Book Overview

From the author of The Perfect Play comes a charmingly
romantic-yet very edgy-novel set in the music industry about friendship,
love, growing up, and always following your dreams.

Danny McQueen has dreamed of being a pop star since he was thirteen-years-old. Now he's twenty-nine and still dreaming. But he faces a dilemma. His girlfriend Alison wants him to sort his life out. She's given him an ultimatum: Find a record deal by the end of...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 006072563X
• ISBN13: 9780060725631
• Release Date: March 2005
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

GOODNIGHT STEVE MCQUEEN By Louise Wener

Goodnight Steve McQueen is a 2002 novel by British author Louise Wener and it can be described in one word: fabulous. Fans of Nick Hornby's High Fidelity rejoice, this novel, while similar, is every bit as humorous, heartfelt, and fun to read as Hornby's 1995 cult classic. Wener- stunningly mature with her first novel after fronting British pop band Sleeper in the mid-1990s- uses dry humor like a lethal weapon in this novel about relationships, growing up, and never giving up on our dreams. The protagonist is Steve "Danny" McQueen, a twenty-nine year old video store clerk with rock star aspirations that he's been harboring since puberty. The events that unfold in the novel are his last effort at stardom, and a thinly veiled message that all men have to grow up sometime. The story is told through the eyes of Danny, in a way that only a man could tell it. Of course, Wener is a not a man and this further highlights her burgeoning talent. Apart from a sarcastic tone that will induce laughter several times, the real heart of the novel is in the eccentric, yet believable, minor characters. There is Danny's video store boss Kostas, a band mate's art-school girlfriend with a crush, and an older woman with an obsession for kung-fu movies. Throughout the novel Danny is forced to deal with an absent girlfriend, a group of fledgling band mates, and a bad haircut among other things. Danny's problems might seem trivial to some readers, but most will relate to the everyday issues that Danny, and most people everywhere, have to deal with. Though the heart of the story comes from the supporting cast, the brains are all Danny. Wener does an excellent job of portraying a flawed, yet ultimately good hero in Danny, with his searing one-liners and a few colossal mistakes that he makes. Readers may wish that the novel could have been longer. At 370 pages it's certainly not an afternoon read, but there are certain times during the novel when Wener skips whole weeks of activities that could have been even enjoyable to read. And while some of the British slang can be a bit hard to follow at times, it adds to the realistic nature of the characters. Overall, this novel shouldn't be judged as a debut by a pop singer, but rather a near-perfect triumph by a mature author with a bright future. Goodnight Steve McQueen is the rare novel that mixes humor and heart. Though music plays a key role throughout the tale, the novel is really about friends, family, and the little things that culminate to form everyday lives. Even Rob Fleming, the narcissistic hero of Hornby's classic, would be proud.

hmmm...

don't get me wrong, i am a huge sleeper fan and will probably buy all of louise wener's books, but did anyone else notice she begins both "goodnight steve mcqueen" and "the perfect play" with "do you remember the _____?" huh.

About on a par with Hornby's High Fidelity

I busted out laughing about thirty or forty times reading Goodnight, Steve McQueen. I even know most English slang. The author's experience in a good-to-great pop band (Sleeper - but they didn't get great reviews and played for starvation wages), supporting grotty talentless bands is more believable than Hornby's take on it - he's ONLY a fan and he knows some musicians, but it's not the same. I love the tawdry details of Danny and Alison's everyday life - hey, we all have been through the same. Ms. Wener's wit is razor-sharp, cruising the dark underbelly of UK pop/rock music. And the dynamics of the band, Vince, Danny, and Matt are so damned funny but melancoholy. And the various hangers-on ring so true, but a bit exaggerated (hey, it's a novel - not real life). Goodnight, Steve McQueen should be optioned for a film - but it should not be set in the U.S. (like High Fidelity was - it lessened its impact), or the U.S. version of Coupling (it bombed, but to its credit it had decent cast), or Network television (U.S.) lame attempt at "The Office." I think Louise Wener is as insightful and wry as Carrie Fisher (Postcards From The Edge, etc.) and wittier and more sarcastic than Nick Hornby, she ranks right up there Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting and Porno - both great black comedy novels). I think for the movie script, Louise Wener ought to have some major input and she should get paid well.

Hornby without the pomposity, but...

Like the best of Nick Hornby, "Steve McQueen" brings you effortlessly and enjoyably into the world of an "underachieving" 30ish Brit, this one trying to juggle a girlfriend's ultimatum to "get a life" and his dreams of rock stardom. Wener does a great job of creating believable, complex characters and a nicely quirky setting in downscale London. I was all ready to pack my bags for London and its sensitive, commitmentphilic men when I realized the book had been written by a woman. Oh well, I guess I'll shelve this under "Fantasy."

I loved this book! Very Funny!

GOOD NIGHT STEVE MCQUEEN by Louise Wener January 25, 2005 Danny (Steve) McQueen is dreaming of becoming a big music super star in GOOD NIGHT STEVE MCQUEEN, the debut novel by Louise Wener. Danny (as he prefers to be called) is almost 30 and is still working part time at the local video store while he tries to make a go at it in the world of music. His bandmates Vince and Matty are also dreaming of that day when the three of them, as the band DAKOTA, hit it big and make their way to the Top of the Pops. Danny's girlfriend, Alison, loves him but she's tired of having to support the both of them. She wishes that he would realize that this dream of his is just that, a childish dream, and that he'll never make it big. She gives him an ultimatum, to either make a big effort to score big, or quit music altogether and get a "real" job. She gives him six months to shape up. Danny takes her threat to heart and tells Vince and Matty that they have six months to change their careers for the better, and soon the three of them are plotting and planning their way to the top. In the mean time, Danny is also working in a "specialty" video store owned by Mr. and Mrs. Kostas, chatting it up with the elderly Sheila, their most loyal customer. Sheila, as well as the other characters in this book, is such a hoot. She's in her 80s, but just loves those martial arts movies. If he's not working, Danny is hanging out with Matty and Vince, either rehearsing or getting drunk. In between the main story line, we learn about Danny's "pathetic" life, told with a humorous twist, as he narrates the story of his start in life (he actually believed his father WAS Steve McQueen), his discovery of music, and how he met the love of his life (Alison). I found GOOD NIGHT STEVE MCQUEEN to be a surprise winner, and laughed quite a bit as Danny told his tale. Although some American readers may get confused with some of the British dialog, I found myself laughing out loud, and read this one pretty fast. I think that most American readers should be able to get past the British English, and will enjoy this debut effort by Louise Wener. Wener has another book coming out this summer, which I intend to read. This is a new author to watch for!