48 Shades of Brown [Paperback]

Nick Earls (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Penguin Books (1999)
• ISBN-10: 0140287698
• ISBN-13: 978-0140287691
• ASIN: B000OJ4EA4
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Nick Earls is not technically gifted, so his photo often ends up sideways, typically when he least expects it to. Give him some words to work with, though, and it's a different story.

Reputable reviewers have compared his work with that of Nick Hornby, Raymond Carver, Martin Amis, VS Naipaul, JD Salinger, Woody Allen and Jeffrey Eugenides, which just goes to show that, if you write enough and publish enough, anything can come your way.

Nick Earls writes long, short and medium-sized fiction, so far including twelve novels and numerous shorter works.

He is the winner of a Betty Trask Award (UK) and Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award. Perfect Skin was the only novel to be a finalist in the Australian Comedy Awards in 2003, and was adapted into a feature film in Italy (Solo un Padre, Warner Brothers/Cattleya). 48 Shades of Brown was a Kirkus Reviews (US) book of the year selection, and was adapted into a feature film in Australia (Buena Vista/Prima). Five of his novels have been adapted into stage plays.

He has also written for newspapers, including the New York Times, the Australian and the Sydney Morning Herald.

He was born in Northern Ireland, but has spent most of his life in Australia, where many of his books have been bestsellers.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is awesome., October 18, 2007

By 

Hyain Robere - See all my reviews

This review is from: 48 Shades of Brown (Paperback)

I cannot believe that the reviews for this book are not amazing. This book winds together beautifully. It's great for teenagers, managing to be remarkably true to life, as as well as interesting and unique.
I loved it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Amusing yet Tedious, April 8, 2005

By 

Darryl Wan (Hong Kong) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 48 Shades of Brown (Paperback)

Dan has to make a choice, and so do you. Dan's choices are to either go to Geneva with his parents, board in Australia or stay in Australia but live with his aunt. Your choice is whether or not to read this amusing yet tedious book.

Dan chooses to live with his aunt, Jacq, and her friend Naomi. Jacq is a 22 year old who plays bass guitar in her band. Naomi is a beautiful university student who has a boyfriend named Jason. Everything goes crazy when Dan realizes that he has fallen in love with Naomi and spends all his time trying to memorize the shades of brown to classify birds scientifically and impress Naomi. As if everything isn't confusing enough for Dan, his best friend, Chris Burns, is obsessed with pornography. Throw in a dog named Boner, Dan's ability to analyze just about anything and a good deal of vomiting and you get 48 Shades of Brown.

The book is written in first person from Dan's perspective. Dan is a curious guy with a comical view on life. You'll find yourself laughing uncontrollably at some of Dan's thoughts and questions. But most of the time you'll feel like skipping a couple pages as Dan analyzes aspects of his life. His ability to examine everything from one sentence that Naomi said to his own habit of wearing socks for up to four pages could get incredibly boring. It even seems like a tedious chore after a while.

The book is written almost completely in stream of consciousness, even more so than Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger. If you don't like stream of consciousness you should stay far away from this book.

48 Shades of Brown won the Children's Book of the Year: Older Readers Award from the Children's Book Council of Australia. As suggested by the award the book is targeted at an older audience. The book contains a lot of adult content (mainly sexual references) so people who are young or immature shouldn't read it.

So what will be your choice? Will you read this book and laugh along with (and sometimes at) Dan as he amusingly explores his new life? Or will you stay far far away from this tedious read? The choice is yours.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Hilarious Bore, February 4, 2005

By 

A. Dennis "A Law Student" (Atlanta, Georgia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 48 Shades of Brown (Paperback)

When I picked up the book, I was debating on whether or not it would be good. After reading, I'm still wondering if it was worth the read.

The book has a very slow beginning. This slow beginning leads to an even slower plot development. The novel lacks action and the climax was more like that of rising action. There is the hint of wonder on whether or not Dan gets the girl, but nothing to keep one turning the pages. The ending was quick, rushed, yet to the point. I guess it's to make up for the lack of substance in the novel.However, on the bright side the book is very funny. It's edgy and Dan has a comical view on life. He analyzes everything, even the way he puts on his shoes. Many a time you will find yourself laughing at one Dan's thinking. But, there wasn't a connection with any of the characters so they and the book aren't worth remembering.