Notebooks of a Naked Youth Paperback – January 1, 1998

Due to an almost overwhelming hyper-valor indicative of a pure creative artist's soul, one that most certainly wouldn't have been shared with us had the author experienced a relatively stable upbringing, this novel has to rank among the dozen mostcourageous and paradoxically depressing works of the 20th Century. No doubt whatsoever: Mr. Childish has been attacked by some hideous spirit-killing insect, the result of which has been the rotting away of that which shielded his innards from hordes of those tire-kicking readers among us. No doubt this was an exceptionally difficult and painful book for him tobirth. And as necessary for him to get out of himself as was D-DAY so painful and critically needed more than a half century back.More than anything, Mr. Childish displays with this work a quite possibly terminal case of the sad sads. It's up to readers not to shirk, not to shy away from exceedingly depressing books which are in every other sense magnificent triumphs of a delicate, sensitive, and very alive artist. Presently, Knut Hamsun Billy Childish is not. But he's on the way. Hamsun had to write for Nazis. There is a rightist tendency in some of Mr. Childish's finger pointing prose. May he grow out of this, manage his burning anger better in future volumes.He's a fierce talent who needs to guard against rash judgments of others and their own works. Dig a little deeper before hating so fast and full. He'll discover the golden rule not so simple-minded after all.

A modern classic, no question. Childish writes evocatively and while this book can be depressing, it's also hilarious. It's like a cross between Louis-Ferdinand Céline and Phil Redmond. Also worth noting that Childish understands fiction and how best to approach it. Without getting into lit crit yawn, let's just call it genius.

thank you very much.very fast delivery and my daughter was very pleased.It was a xmas present and I haven't actually read it.