1963, and panic about the spread of heroin addiction in London. While scandals like the Profumo and Challenor cases are exposing the dark underbelly of post-war Britain, a teenage heroin and cocaine addict undergoes a cold turkey. His escape from ...

Brief Objects of Beauty and Despair is a sampler of some of today’s most exciting contemporary fiction. Featuring 13 pieces by members of the Year Zero Writers collective, it’s free to browse or download.