Louisa Young talks to Stephanie Merritt

Louisa first met Robert Lockhart when they were both 17. Their stop-start romance lasted decades, in which time he became a celebrated composer and she, an acclaimed novelist. Always snapping at their heels was Robert’s alcoholism, a helpless, ferocious dependency that affected his personality before crippling and finally, despite five years of hard-won sobriety, killing him.

Young’s other books include My Dear I Wanted to Tell You, The Heroes’ Welcome and Devotion.