From Library Journal
Art critic, book reviewer, and literary journalist Young, who died in 2001 from the hepatitis C virus, polished her craft in various British periodicals, such as the New Statesman, the London Review of Books, and the Guardian. The columns, reviews, and essays gathered here display Young's acerbic wit, trenchant insights, and macabre humor. Her subjects range from the novels of Jane Bowles, Brett Easton Ellis, Irvine Welsh, and Alan Warner to drug legislation, the nature of writing, and the painful suffering she experiences as she is dying. Also included are interviews with avant-garde novelist Poppy Z. Brite, rock groupie Pamela Des Barres, sf and fantasy novelist Terry Pratchett, and postmodern novelist T. Coraghessan Boyle. Young's writing combines the irreverence of Cynthia Heimel, the stylized cultural arrogance of Camille Paglia, and the staccato prose style of the beats. Her eclectic musings resemble the book pages of the Village Voice and will appeal to literary tastes that prefer Burroughs to Bellow. Recommended for large libraries. Henry L. Carrigan Jr., Lancaster, PA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Book Description
For many years, Elizabeth Young has been one of the few critics in England to champion new writing and the avant-garde.
Pandora's Handbag, her first book, is a unique combination of writer's guide, autobiography, commentary, published journalism and comprehensive guidelines for would-be Arts jounalists. A riveting read.