Ghost Town

A Liverpool Shadowplay

Jeff Young author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Little Toller Books

Published:4th Oct '21

Should be back in stock very soon

Ghost Town cover

In Ghost Town, Jeff Young reflects on his childhood in Liverpool, exploring its rich history and the ghosts of its past.

In Ghost Town, author Jeff Young invites readers to explore the vibrant yet haunting landscape of Liverpool during his formative years. The memoir captures the essence of a city filled with history, where back alleys and arcades tell stories of countless lives that have intersected in its streets. Young's vivid recollections transport us to a time when the city was alive with the sounds of oyster bars, strip tease pubs, and theatres, each corner echoing with the ghosts of its past.

As he navigates through the remnants of his childhood, Young reflects on the profound impact that Liverpool has had on his identity. He transforms from a schoolboy truant to an artist deeply influenced by literary and cinematic figures like Kafka and Terence Davies. This journey is not merely a nostalgic look back; it is also a poignant critique of the developers who have altered the landscape of his beloved city. Young conjures the spirits of those who once inhabited these spaces, weaving their stories into his own.

Ghost Town is more than just a memoir; it is a layered tapestry of history, photography, and personal narrative. Young's unique approach allows readers to feel the weight of Liverpool's past while celebrating the resilience of its culture. Through his lens, we see a city that is both familiar and ghostly, a place where memories linger long after the physical structures have faded away.

'A stunningly beautiful book about the ways time, memory and life shape and change cities, families and all of us.' Costa Book Award Judges, 2020. 'What distinguishes this book is Young's poetic expression of memory - its uncertainty, fluidity and inherent ghostliness.' Gareth E Rees, Unofficial Britain. 'An evocation of a world fast disappearing but never forgotten.' Ade Blackburn, Caught by the River. 'The memoir has a flinty realism, but the prose is sonorous, lyrical, sensual.' Paula Byrne, The Times

  • Short-listed for Costa Prize for Biography 2020

ISBN: 9781908213921

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown