Murray Lachlan Young

How Freakin’ Zeitgeist Are You? is the definitive collection of Murray Lachlan Young’s poems from 1994 to the present day.

It tracks his career as a writer and performer, from his arrival as a wide-eyed, twenty-something in London, through his sideways look in and around the music, fashion and film businesses, as well as a few observational works from what he now refers to as his ‘Cornwall years’. From his humorous and witty take on social phenomena to dark commentary on today’s society, Murray covers a wide range of topics from the weather, hair and machines to the UK festival culture, sex, men’s issues, pop music and God.

The book also contains sixteen of his original illustrations and several of the sketch poems he was commissioned to write through his hugely popular slots as poet-in-residence on BBC Radio 6 Music and Radio 4’s Saturday Live.

Anyone who has watched or listened to Murray perform will recognise the range of his work, from whimsical comedy and several darker pieces through satire into cosmology, theology and metaphysics. Though primarily written for the ear, with a radio listener in mind, his incurable addiction to rhyme is evident from the first page and the whole collection is designed to be read out loud and shared with friends.

So open it up, find the beat and enter the strange and marvellous world of Murray Lachlan Young.