Bright Young Things

[poliphilo]

 I've just read an article by Alan Hollinghurst in which he admits to being 70. And there I was I thinking of him as one of the literary world's bright young things. It took me a little aback.

Not a bright young thing at all but a literary lion nearing the end of his career- a member of my own generation. 

So who are the bright young things? 

I run through the contemporary writers I've read and like- or at least have read about and think I might like- and almost all of them are clocking on a bit (I can think of one exception.) This also takes me aback.

Do bright young things still publish novels or are they all working in television?

Or am I just hopelessly out of touch?

Comments

[paserbyp]

Last baby boomer was born in 1964 and today he/she just 61. So, it’s count for bright young things?

[poliphilo]

I guess I'm looking for writers under 50- and preferably under 40- writers with some feeling for the world as it is now.

[shewhomust]

Not to disrespect Sally Rooney, but maybe part of her success is that she fills this gap?

My favourite younger (born 1973) writer is Frances Hardinge, but she is published as a children's author, so may not count.

[poliphilo]

I haven't read Rooney. I looked her up on wikipedia. Not sure she'd be my cup of tea.

Hardinge sounds like fun....

[shewhomust]

I read Rooney's first (I think) novel, and decided she wasn't my cup of tea either. But I make no claim to be bright or young, so this probably just demonstrates that.