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This is a heart-breaking story which really pulls at your heartstrings knowing what emotional turmoil she went through and what she did for the man she loved so much. It has really opened my eyes to the journey that people suffering with alcoholism go on and how this has a profound and devastating impact on those around them. This book will stay with me for a long time. Louisa Young was born in London, England, her father being the politician and writer Wayland Young (Lord Kennet), and her mother Elizabeth Young, Lady Kennet. She has five siblings, including the sculptor Emily Young. Inside, we wonder if it is our fault somehow, but addiction is nobody’s fault — addiction is partly genetic, partly psychological and partly circumstantial. But it is somebody’s responsibility — not ours. Theirs. Addicts, just like anybody, have choices. This brutal, beautiful memoir from award-winning novelist Louisa Young is a heartbreaking portrayal of love, grief and the merciless grip of addiction.
Children under 5 can have their own Pebble card and can borrow up to 25 board books, picture books or talking books for up to three weeks. How long can I keep the items I have borrowed? There are a million love stories, and a million stories of addiction. This one is truly transcendent. It is at once a compelling portrait of a unique and charismatic man; a bittersweet reflection on an all-consuming love affair; and a completely honest and incredibly affecting guide to how the partner of an alcoholic can possibly survive when the disease rips both their lives apart.
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Take a Look at Our Summary of November Highlights, Whether You're Looking for the Latest Releases or Gift Inspiration Young worked as a sub-editor, then as a freelance columnist and feature writer on national publications, including the Guardian, the Sunday Times, the Daily Express, Marie Claire, Tatler, Bike Magazine and Motorcycle International. She also worked at various stages as a despatch rider, a busker (double bass and vocals), a waitress, a kitchen-hand and a shop assistant. [5] a b Falconer, Rachel (2008). The Crossover Novel: Contemporary Children's Fiction and Its Adult Readership. Routledge. p.37. ISBN 978-0415978880. This is both a compelling portrait of a lifelong love affair, and an incredibly affecting guide to how the partner of a 'charismatic, infuriating, adorable, self-sabotaging’ alcoholic can find the strength to survive when the disease rips both their lives apart.
Young was educated at Paddington's Hallfield Primary School, St Paul's Girls' School, Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where she read history. [2] [5] Career [ edit ] He looked like a Franz Liszt painted by El Greco, or a very old candle, or someone dug out of a peat bog where everything had kept growing on after his death. She has contributed to various anthologies, including I Am Heathcliff (ed. Kate Mosse), Underground; Tales for London (ed. Ann Bissell) and A Love Letter to Europe (Coronet).There are a million love stories and a million stories of addiction. This one is truly transcendent. It is at once a compelling portrait of a unique and charismatic man, a bittersweet reflection on an all-consuming love affair and a completely honest and incredibly affecting guide to how the partner of an alcoholic can possibly survive when the disease rips both their lives apart. Beneath the surface lurk questions, such as: shouldn’t she have let him drop to the bottom? Did he really love her? And indeed, what is love? Her first book, A Great Task of Happiness, was a biography of her grandmother Kathleen Scott, widow of Captain Scott of the Antarctic, published by Macmillan in 1995. [6] Then came three novels set in London and Egypt: Baby Love, Desiring Cairo and Tree of Pearls (Flamingo). Baby Love was listed for the Orange Prize for Fiction. [2] These were followed in 2002 by The Book of the Heart, a cultural history of the heart as it is seen through art, religion, love and anatomy. In 2007 she was a curatorial advisor for the Wellcome Foundation exhibition The Heart, which was inspired by her book. [7] Although sober, years of heavy alcohol abuse had left Robert extremely ill. He was diagnosed with throat cancer, and managed to survive it. “ He really suffered but he was a very battered but gallant, marvellous man. Then after all that, and all those things which could have killed him, he actually died by accident.” Their love story is one that seems desperately unfair, and Louisa speaks about this in great detail during the interview. She also puts a huge emphasis on how although Robert is no longer living, she does still consider him a huge part of her life presently. ‘I miss him everyday. I am incredibly happy not to be living with alcoholism in my everyday life. Even an alcoholic in recovery, it’s still a very hard full time job, both for the addict and for the people closest to them”
Young's work has been nominated and shortlisted for prizes that include the Orange Prize for Fiction, the Costa Book of the Year, the Costa Novel of the Year, the Galaxy Audiobook of the Year Prize, which it won, the Booktrust Teenage Prize, the Carnegie Medal, the International Dublin Literary Award, the Wellcome Book Prize and the Folio Prize. It has been chosen by the Richard and Judy Book Club. I always knew my boyfriend drank too much. But loads of people drink too much. And when you’re young, you don’t know how it’s going to end up. Here’s a useful way of looking at it: it’s not what you drink, or how much; it’s why you drink, and what it does to you. Loving an addict can be incredibly difficult thing to do. It’s a relationship that is often rampant with deceit & disappointment, and sadly more often than not, the addiction comes out on top. Louisa is a hugely empathetic person, and this is extremely prevalent in how she views addiction and the addict themselves. “The thing about an addict is, it may not be their fault that they’re and addict. I don’t believe it is their fault. They didn’t ask for the particular set-up of genes and experience and psychology, and everything that adds up to a person being addictive.” Louisa and Robert both struggled through the addiction and with an incredible amount of hard work, he was able to take command of his sobriety.
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The Sunday after Robert died,I went, nervous, shaky, and alone, to his regular AA meeting. Two people there spoke about doubts they were having, saying that the people around them weren’t being supportive, theywere bored with their problems, that theydidn’tknow why they bothered coming to meetings, that nobody cared. At the end I was allowed to speak. Rather incoherently, I told them of Robert’s death, and said that even if they didn’t feel great about their own recovery today they had helped in his. Even though he had died. I told them how much what they did had helped me, and Robert’s son, even though theydidn’tknow we existed. I told them that there were thousands—millions?—of us at home, who they probably never thought of, but who valued AA hugely, that their contribution was priceless, because it supported not just the people in the meeting, but us at home as well, and I thanked them. And Ithank all of you too, who are dealing with your problem,who are reading this today. Books held by any Surrey library can be requested at your local library or by using the online catalogue. Many requested items incur a reservation charge. How to request a title An extraordinarily candid bereavement memoir… As much as it’s an overwhelming love letter, Young’s book is also a sobering reminder of the devastating effects of alcoholism, not just on an individual’s life, but on everyone else around them’ Evening Standard A cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface. This cookie set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
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