Hollingshead, Iain 1981(?)-

PERSONAL:

Born c. 1981, in Basingstoke, England. Education: Cambridge University, graduated with first-class honors, 2003.

ADDRESSES:

Home—London, England.

CAREER:

Freelance writer and journalist. Vote 2004 campaign offices, London, England, staff member, 2003-04; Guardian, London, England, "Loose Ends" columnist until 2006.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Bad Sex in Fiction Award, from Literary Review, for Twenty Something: The Quarter-Life Crisis of Jack Lancaster, 2006.

WRITINGS:

Twenty Something: The Quarter-Life Crisis of Jack Lancaster (young adult novel), Duckworth (London, England), 2006.

Contributor to various periodicals, including the Daily Telegraph.

SIDELIGHTS:

Iain Hollingshead first became interested in writing when he was studying history at Cambridge University and found himself taking a great many journalism courses. However, following his graduation in 2003, he went on to take a political job in Westminster, London, working for the Vote 2004 campaign and in the offices of Michael Howard. It only took a year for him to determine that politics was not his ideal career. Hollingshead quit his job, started writing a novel, and began attempting to get freelance writing jobs. He eventually began to get published in such periodicals as the Daily Telegraph. He also wrote the column "Loose Ends" for the Guardian. In 2006 Hollingshead sold his first novel, Twenty Something: The Quarter-Life Crisis of Jack Lancaster. Written in the form of a diary, the book tells the story of Jack Lancaster, a brilliant, young investment banker who is disenchanted with his overpaid job and his partying lifestyle, and determined to change his outlook. A Kirkus Reviews critic remarked of the book: "Hollingshead has the chops, but doesn't seem to have much of a repertoire." Oliver Marre, writing for the New Statesman, called the book "an enjoyable read, particularly for people familiar with the society about which Hollingshead writes."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

American's Intelligence Wire, November 29, 2006, Jill Lawless, "Debut Novelist Hollingshead Wins Bad Sex in Fiction Award."

Booklist, October 1, 2006, Joanne Wilkinson, review of Twenty Something: The Quarter-Life Crisis of Jack Lancaster, p. 37.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, November 29, 2006, "First-Time Novelist Gets Bad Sex Award."

Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2006, review of Twenty Something, p. 866.

M2 Best Books, November 30, 2006, "Winner of Literary Review's Bad Sex in Fiction Award 2006 Announced."

New Statesman, May 15, 2006, Oliver Marre, "Man about Town," review of Twenty Something, p. 56.

Sarasota Herald Tribune, December 11, 2006, David Grimes, "A Prurient Interest in Writing Award," p. E1.

ONLINE

Guardian Unlimited Online,http://books.guardian.co.uk/ (November 30, 2006), "Debut Novelist Hollingshead Wins Bad Sex Prize."

London Independent Online, http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/ (May 28, 2006), Rebecca Pearson, "October Is the Cruelest Month," review of Twenty Something.