You Left Early: A True Story of Love and Alcohol

(Paperback)

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Extraordinarily powerful Emma Thompson

There are a million love stories, and a million stories of addiction. This one is transcendent.
Louisa Young met Robert Lockhart when they were both 17. Their stop-start romance lasted decades, in which time he became a celebrated composer and she, an acclaimed novelist.

This is both a compelling portrait of a lifelong loveaffair,and an incredibly affecting guide to how the partner of a'charismatic, infuriating, adorable, self-sabotaging alcoholiccan find the strength to survive when the disease rips both their lives apart.

Reviews

Rich and moving and beautifully written The Times

Bloody hell. It is an extraordinarily powerful and moving work for all. Especially those of us who know alcoholics who cant not be that. An achingly beautiful book which I devoured in two sittings. Amazing Emma Thompson

Spectacular. I cant stop thinking about it. Louisa Young is a beautiful, beautiful writer and there is great courage and love in the way she addresses her subject. Its the portrait of a man and his times and his illness told with love but also with an unflinching honesty that feels like a great gift to the reader
Cathy Rentzenbrink, author of The Last Act of Love

Beautiful but, yes, sobering story it is, at heart, an old-fashioned love Daily Mail

An extraordinarily candid bereavement memoir As much as its an overwhelming love letter, Youngs book is also a sobering reminder of the devastating effects of alcoholism, not just on an individuals life, but on everyone else around them Evening Standard

The most riveting, heartbreaking book I've ever read about addiction, but above all about the nature of love. Already one of my books of the year Linda Grant

Brave, honest and beautiful Nicholas Lezard, Evening Standard

Louisa Young's memoir of her long, bruising love for musical genius Robert Lockhart is as honest as the morning after and the best account of loving against all sense since Penelope Mortimers The Pumpkin Eater Patrick Gale

Im still fucking crying. And its such a great work of art. I wish I'd read it before I worked as a drug and alcohol counsellor Philippa Perry

Oh my God, its so beautiful, and heartbreaking, and true
Sam Baker, The Pool

'Had me weeping into my pillow Anyone who has ever loved an addict will recognise most of what she has to say iNews

An important book, one that demands we rethink a culture of blame around alcoholism moving, harrowing and tirelessly empathetic Daily Express

Author Bio

Louisa Young was a journalist for some years. Her first book was A Great Task of Happiness (1995), the life of Kathleen Bruce, her grandmother, the sculptor and wife of Scott of the Antarctic. She followed that with her Egyptian trilogy of novels: Baby Love (which was listed for the Orange Prize), Desiring Cairo and Tree of Pearls. They were followed by The Book of the Heart, a cultural history of our most symbolic organ. She has also published a trilogy of childrens novels, written with her ten-year-old daughter under the pseudonym Zizou Corder. Her most recent novel, The Heroes Welcome is a follow-up to the 2011 bestseller My Dear, I Wanted to Tell You, which was shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award 2011 and the Wellcome Book Prize, was a Richard and Judy Book Club choice, and the first ever winner of the Galaxy Audiobook of the Year. She lives in London with her daughter.