The Angry Young Men

There may be more important literary movements than the Angry Young Men but there can be few as consciously (or unconsciously) entertaining. The Angry Young Men were an absurdly diverse group, often wildly at odds and, indeed, often wholly unacquainted with each other. This cavalcade of misunderstandings, wild statements, mediocrity and genuine achievement can now be seen as the first and most perfect example of how the media both helps and ruins literature. Humphrey Carpenter's extremely funny new book celebrates the strange group of varying talents who at different times were believed to be Angry Young Men.