Nalda Said

I'm a very picky person--with music, books, films, etc. How anyone could find a problem with this book, however, I have no idea. It's absolutely beautifully written and it totally absorbs you in its world. If you relate to Belle and Sebastian lyrics at all this book will be sure to ring true with you too. My only suggestion is to not read it too fast, or else you'll be left feeling sad that there's not more of it to spend time with. Why it's not a more popular book I have no idea .. it's definitely the sort of book you'll want to share with all your friends. A true gem! Also, if you're used to Stuart David's voice (from the few songs from B & S and Looper where he talk-sings), imagining him reading it makes it that much sweeter.

If you're like me, you steer clear of (even minor) celebrity vanity projects. If David Bowie wants to star in a film, if Bono wants to write a novel, if Billy Bob Thornton wants to release an album of country standards, be my guest, just keep the vanity products away from me.The fact that Stuart David, formerly of Belle and Sebastian and lately of Looper, decided to write a novel did not fill me with joy. But I have to say, this is the kind of book that makes you eat your words. "Nalda Said" is a beautiful dark gem. The unnamed narrator (kin of Dostoefski's Myshkin and the narrator of John Kennedy Toole's "Neon Bible") believes there is a jewel in him that the world wants to steal. His Aunt Nalda told him when he was a kid. He makes his way through the world (in much the same way that the characters within Magnus Mills' novels do, unchanging, the world happening to them, the world misunderstood by them) believing that there really IS a jewel in him, believing that people want to steal the jewel from him. There are elements of all sorts of things in here (aside of what I have mentioned, I kept being reminded of Beckett's "Murphy"), but that is more or less besides the point. What is apparent, almost straight away, is the quality of the writing, the sense of enchantment and sadness that pervades the genuine talent at work here. I always hate reviews that say "If you only read one book this year etc etc etc . . ." I will say this, though: you should make sure you read this, you should make sure that this is ONE of the books you read this year because you will be bowled over.

Belle and Sebastian fans stumbling over here, no this book is not a companion to their music, don't read it expecting that. Read it because it is simply just a great book. I read it in one sitting, cover to cover, and I am really unhappy that I didn't put it down and savor it a bit more.Excellent tone throughout this entire book, seriously playful. Just when you think you might have figured out this character, something new comes along to dispel what you have thought. And when the reality of what has happened surfaces, the emotional bond between the reader and the character just becomes even more intense. Simple and complex.It's tough to write books like this with such subtlty and restraint. It would have been so easy for Stuart David to just lay everything out for us to see clearly, but the way he does here makes for a much more intriguing read. And that it never ceases, the style and tone is carried all the way through to the very breathtaking end in such a way that is almost expected yet still surprising. Fantastic.

I've just finished the book in question, and thought I might see what the rest of the world had to say about this work of art. I was shocked to find that many in the press consider the main character of the book to be "disturbed", while all along in my reading of it I couldn't stop comparing the lad to myself. And I doubt very much that you'll be able to go though this novel without wondering if Stuart David had been with you your entire life, endlessly scrawling out your every hope and every fear in a little notebook entitled "Nalda Said." Enjoy.

it helped me get through one of the worst nights of my life. i couldnt sleep. and so i sat there reading til the sun came through the crack in the blinds. you want to know what it's about? it's about a confused boy. but anyone who has ever felt lost can relate to him. it's written in a matter much like Stuarts Looper songs. warm, thought out, and fuzzy feeling. it's my favorite book.