{{Short description|New Zealand poet, essayist, editor and teacher}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
'''Ashleigh Young''' (born 1983) is a poet, essayist, editor and creative writing teacher. She received the Windham-Campbell Literature Prize in 2017 for her second book, a collection of personal essays titled ''Can You Tolerate This?'' which also won the Royal Society Te Apārangi Award for General Non-Fiction. She lives in Wellington, New Zealand.
== Life == Young was born in 1983 in Te Kūiti<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/books/01-03-2017/breaking-ashleigh-young-wins-us165000-in-a-major-literary-prize/ |title=Breaking (well it was at the time): Ashleigh Young wins $229,837.07 in a major literary prize!!! |last=Braunias |first=Steve |date=1 March 2017 |website=The Spinoff |access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> and grew up there and in Wellington.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://vup.victoria.ac.nz/magnificent-moon/|title=Magnificent Moon|website=Victoria University Press|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> Writing featured in her life from childhood, when she wrote and illustrated a series of small books, started a magazine, created her own bedroom library,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.pantograph-punch.com/magnificent-moon/|title=Magnificent Moon|last=Bird|first=Hera Lindsay|date=31 October 2012|website=The Pantograph Punch|access-date=20 January 2019|archive-date=21 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121065427/https://www.pantograph-punch.com/magnificent-moon/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://honeysucklemag.com/one-readers-familiarity-strangeness-interview-ashleigh-young/|title="One Reader's Familiarity Can Be Another Reader's Strangeness": An Interview with Ashleigh Young|last=Seda|first=Lucia|date=12 December 2018|website=Honeysuckle magazine|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> and (with her brothers) made movies with a borrowed video camera.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11848311|title=Twelve Questions with Wellington author Ashleigh Young|last=Dann|first=Jennifer|date=2 May 2017|website=NZ herald|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref>
She lived in London for several years<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Watts|first=Madeleine|title=Interview with Ashleigh Young|url=https://griffithreview.com/articles/interview-with-ashleigh-young/|journal=Griffith Review|volume=43: Pacific Highways}}</ref> and also worked for a year as director of the Katherine Mansfield House and Garden in Wellington, a house in which "you could step inside and imagine yourself to be a child in another century.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2018/07/03/katherine-mansfield-would-approve/|title=Katherine Mansfield Would Approve|last=Young|first=Ashleigh|date=3 July 2018|website=The Paris Review|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref><ref name=":1" />
She lists some of her favourite New Zealand writers and poets as Pip Adam, Hera Lindsay Bird, James Brown, Jenny Bornholdt, Geoff Cochrane and Bill Manhire, as well as newer voices such as Sam Duckor-Jones and Tayi Tibble.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tinhouse.com/something-remarkable-by-your-own-measure-an-interview-with-ashleigh-young/|title=Something Remarkable, By Your Own Measure: An Interview with Ashleigh Young|last=Komlos-Hrobsky|first=Emma|date=12 July 2018|website=Tin House|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref>
She lives in Wellington, New Zealand.
== Work == In 2009, Young was awarded an MA in creative writing from the International Institute of Modern Letters at Victoria University of Wellington.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/aotearoa-reads-details/mansfield-questionnaire-ashleigh-young?id=books|title=Aotearoa Reads Details {{!}} New Zealand Book Council|website=www.bookcouncil.org.nz|access-date=2019-01-20}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://vup.victoria.ac.nz/brands/Ashleigh-Young.html|title=Ashleigh Young|website=Victoria University Press|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref>
She won the 2009 Adam Foundation Prize in Creative Writing for her MA portfolio (which included the essays later to be published in ''Can You Tolerate This?'')<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.therationalcreature.com/single-post/2019/01/15/Bookworm-Beat-Ashleigh-Young|title=Bookworm Beat: Ashleigh Young|last=Gilman|first=Rachel A.G.|date=16 January 2019|website=The rational creature: a feminist journal and blog|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> and the 2009 Landfall Essay Competition. In 2015 she was a finalist for the Sarah Broom Poetry Prize<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sarahbroom.co.nz/finalist-ashleigh.html|title=Finalist - Ashleigh Young|website=Sarah Broom: the life and work of a New Zealand poet|access-date=20 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125083830/https://www.sarahbroom.co.nz/finalist-ashleigh.html|archive-date=25 January 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> and she was one of the winners of the 2016 Surrey Hotel Steve Braunias Memorial Writers Residency in Association with The Spinoff Award.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/featured/10-10-2016/the-monday-surrey-hotel-writers-residency-award-report-ashleigh-young-meets-sjd-talks-to-a-cat-and-the-cat-talks-back/|title=The Monday Surrey Hotel Writers Residency Award Report: Ashleigh Young meets SJD, talks to a cat, and the cat talks back|last=Young|first=Ashleigh|date=10 October 2016|website=The Spinoff|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref>
She took writing workshops with Kate De Goldi and Harry Ricketts<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/books/91853029/what-the-future-holds-for-nz-author-ashleigh-young-after-her-235000-prize|title=What the future holds for NZ author Ashleigh Young after her $235,000 prize|last=Matthews|first=Philip|date=14 May 2017|website=Stuff|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> and began writing chapter books for Learning Media, which she credits with teaching her editing skills.<ref name=":1" /> Her poetry and essays have been widely published in print and online journals, including ''Tell You What: Great New Zealand Nonfiction'', ''Five Dials'' (UK) and ''The Griffith Review'' (Australia).<ref name=":2" />
The collection of essays in her second book, ''Can You Tolerate This?,'' have been described as "wry, confessional, understated and often hilarious".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/a-new-zealand-poet-turns-a-lyrical-eye-on-her-homeland-through-essays-in-can-you-tolerate-this/2018/07/02/80cda46c-7bd6-11e8-80be-6d32e182a3bc_story.html?noredirect=on|title=A New Zealand poet turns a lyrical eye on her homeland through essays in 'Can You Tolerate This?'|last=Trapp|first=Maggie|date=2 July 2018|website=The Washington Post|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> The book won the 2017 Windham-Campbell Prize from Yale University,<ref name=":02">{{Cite web|url=http://windhamcampbell.org/2017/winner/ashleigh-young|title=Ashleigh Young: Nonfiction 2017 New Zealand|website=Windham Campbell Prizes|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.creativenz.govt.nz/news/creative-new-zealand-congratulates-author-ashleigh-young|title=Creative New Zealand congratulates author Ashleigh Young|date=7 March 2017|website=Creative New Zealand|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> and was described by the judges as "honest, insightful prose" that "offers intimate and playful glimpses of coming of age in small-town New Zealand".<ref name=":02" /> Young was the first New Zealander to win this prize. Recipients are not advised that they are being considered for the award, and she had no prior warning before receiving an email to say she had won.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/the-weekend/audio/2018678261/ashleigh-young-creativity-and-self-consciousness|title=Ashleigh Young: creativity and self-consciousness|date=13 January 2019|website=Radio New Zealand|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/books/89920339/wellington-writer-wins-prestigious-yale-university-prize|title=Wellington writer Ashleigh Young wins prestigious Yale University prize|last=Dooney|first=Laura|date=2 March 2017|website=Stuff|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> She collected her prize at the Windham Campbell Festival at Yale in September 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.yale.edu/2017/09/08/2017-windham-campbell-festival-boasts-literary-star-power|title=2017 Windham Campbell Festival boasts literary star power|date=8 September 2017|website=YaleNews|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> ''Can You Tolerate This?'' also won the Royal Society Te Apārangi Award for General Non-Fiction 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://royalsociety.org.nz/news/ashleigh-young-wins/|title=Ashleigh Young wins Royal Society Te Apārangi Award for General Non-Fiction|date=16 May 2017|website=Royal Society Te Apārangi|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref>
In 2018, Young was made an Honorary Literary Fellow in the New Zealand Society of Authors' Waitangi Day Honours.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1802/S00076/wellington-writer-ashleigh-young-receives-national-honours.htm|title=Wellington writer Ashleigh Young receives national honours|date=6 February 2018|website=Scoop culture|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref>
She has been invited to appear in a number of literary festivals. In 2016, she took part in the Ruapehu Festival, including a session with James Brown and Bill Nelson on Poets Who Cycle.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ruapehuwritersfestival.nz/writers/ashleigh-young/|title=Ashleigh Young|website=Ruapehu Writers Festival|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> In 2017, she appeared at the Auckland Writers Festival<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://booksellersnz.wordpress.com/2017/05/20/awf17-the-art-of-the-essay-roxane-gay-ashleigh-young-teju-cole/|title=AWF17: The Art of the Essay: Roxane Gay, Ashleigh Young, Teju Cole|last=Lawry|first=Briar|date=20 May 2017|website=Booksellers NZ|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> and the Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dunedinwritersfestival.co.nz/bio-ashleigh-young.html|title=Ashleigh Young|website=Dunedin Writers & Readers Festival|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> In 2018, she appeared at the New Zealand Festival Writers & Readers Week,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://booksellersnz.wordpress.com/2018/03/11/nzf-writers-readers-cut-it-out-with-jane-parkin-ashleigh-young-fergus-barrowman/|title=NZF Writers & Readers: Cut it Out, with Jane Parkin, Ashleigh Young, Fergus Barrowman|last=Black|first=Tara|date=11 March 2018|website=Booksellers NZ|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.festival.co.nz/2018/writers-readers/speakers/|title=Writers & Readers Speakers|website=New Zealand Festival|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> the Sydney Writers Festival,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.swf.org.au/festivals/festival-2018/ashleigh-young-can-you-tolerate-this/|title=Ashleigh Young: Can You Tolerate This? 5 May -Conversation|website=Sydney Writers Festival|access-date=20 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121175147/https://www.swf.org.au/festivals/festival-2018/ashleigh-young-can-you-tolerate-this/|archive-date=21 January 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> the Bathurst Writers’ & Readers’ Festival,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.westernadvocate.com.au/story/5347298/new-zealand-writer-ashleigh-young-to-be-guest-at-bathurst-festival/|title=New Zealand writer Ashleigh Young to be guest at Bathurst festival|last=Cavanagh|first=Steven|date=17 April 2018|website=Western Advocate|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> Adelaide Writers' Week<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://giramondopublishing.com/ashleigh-young-felicity-castagna-at-adelaide-writers-week/|title=Ashleigh Young and Felicity Castagna to Appear at the Adelaide Writers' Week|date=5 February 2018|website=Giramondo|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> and the Cheltenham Literature Festival.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/literature/whats-on/2018/can-you-tolerate-this/|title=Can You Tolerate This?|website=Cheltenham Festivals|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref>
She is an editor at Victoria University Press.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://vup.victoria.ac.nz/about-us/|title=About VUP|website=vup.victoria.ac.nz|access-date=2019-01-20}}</ref><ref name=":02" /> She previously co-taught a Science Writing Workshop at Victoria University with Rebecca Priestley.<ref name=":1" /> In 2019 she took on the role of poetry editor at The Spinoff Review of Books.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/books/23-01-2019/a-brief-note-on-feelings-by-our-new-poetry-editor-ashleigh-young/|title=A brief note on feelings by our new poetry editor Ashleigh Young|last=Young|first=Ashleigh|date=23 January 2019|website=The Spinoff|access-date=23 January 2019}}</ref>
== Bibliography ==
=== Poetry and essay collections === *{{Cite book |last=Ashleigh Young |title=Magnificent Moon |publisher=VUP |year=2012 |isbn=9780864737632 |author-mask=2}} (Poetry)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://unitybooks.nz/ourhistory/magnificent-moon-launch-1st-november-2012/|title=Magnificent Moon Launch, 1st November 2012|website=Unity Books|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> *{{Cite book |last=Ashleigh Young |title=Can You Tolerate This? |publisher=VUP |year=2016 |isbn=9781776560769 |author-mask=2}} (Essays)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://mascarareview.com/martin-edmond-reviews-can-you-tolerate-this-by-ashleigh-young/|title=Martin Edmond reviews Can You Tolerate This? by Ashleigh Young|date=23 January 2018|website=Mascara Literary Review|access-date=20 January 2019}}</ref> *{{Cite book |last=Ashleigh Young |title=How I Get Ready |publisher=VUP |year=2019 |isbn=9781776562367 |author-mask=2}} (Poetry)
=== Poems and essays ===
* "[http://pantograph-punch.com/you-are-now-entering You Are Now Entering]" (''Pantograph Punch'', 2012) (Po) * "[https://thespinoff.co.nz/books/02-12-2016/a-final-binding-ruling-on-the-correct-spelling-of-the-word-eh/ A final binding ruling on the correct spelling of the word eh]" (''The Spinoff'', 2 Dec 2016) (Essay)
== Awards ==
*Landfall Essay Competition, 2009<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.otago.ac.nz/press/landfall/awards/otago065482.html|title=Landfall Essay Competition|last=Otago University Press|website=www.otago.ac.nz|language=en-nz|access-date=2019-01-20}}</ref> * Macmillan Brown Prize for Writers, 2009<ref name=":3" /> *Adam Foundation Prize in Creative Writing, 2009<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.victoria.ac.nz/modernletters/our-students/prize-winners|title=Prize winners {{!}} International Institute of Modern Letters {{!}} Victoria University of Wellington|website=www.victoria.ac.nz|access-date=2019-01-20}}</ref><ref name=":4" /> *Sarah Broom Poetry Prize, 2015 (finalist)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sarahbroom.co.nz/finalists-2015.html|title=Sarah Broom - the life and work of a New Zealand poet|website=www.sarahbroom.co.nz|access-date=2019-01-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125083743/https://www.sarahbroom.co.nz/finalists-2015.html|archive-date=25 January 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> * Royal Society Te Apārangi Award for General Non-Fiction, 2017: ''Can You Tolerate This?<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nzbookawards.nz/new-zealand-book-awards/past-winners/|title=Past Winners {{!}} New Zealand Book Awards Trust|website=www.nzbookawards.nz|access-date=2019-01-20}}</ref>'' *Windham-Campbell Prize, 2017: ''Can You Tolerate This?<ref name=":0" />''<ref name=":02" /> *Rathbones Folio Prize, 2019 (shortlist)<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2019/04/05/131228/young-shortlisted-for-2019-folio-prize/|title=Young shortlisted for 2019 Folio Prize|date=2019-04-05|work=Books+Publishing|access-date=2019-04-07}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{Official website|https://eyelashroaming.com/}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Young, Ashleigh}} Category:New Zealand writers Category:Living people Category:1983 births Category:People from Te Kūiti Category:International Institute of Modern Letters alumni Category:New Zealand women writers Category:New Zealand editors Category:New Zealand magazine editors Category:New Zealand women magazine editors Category:21st-century New Zealand writers