Elizabeth Wurtzel dies in New York

Gen X literary icon Elizabeth Wurtzel, the author of acclaimed ‘90s memoir ‘Prozac Nation’, has passed away in Manhattan.

Elizabeth Wurtzel, the famed author behind “Prozac Nation,” died on Tuesday in Manhattan at age 52 after a long battle with breast cancer, according to reports.

The New York Post reports that Wurtzel who rose to stardom after her breakout 1994 memoir detailing her battle with depression and drug addiction, was diagnosed with the disease in 2015 and underwent a double mastectomy but the cancer spread to her brain, her husband Jim Freed told the Washington Post.

Cover of book "Bitch" by Elizabeth Wurtzel.

The author’s immediate cause of death was “complications from leptomeningeal disease” — an illness that occurs when cancer spreads to the cerebrospinal fluid, the outlet reported.

Fans of Wurtzel took to Twitter to remember her poignant writing and the lasting effect she had on the personal memoir genre.

Actor Christina Ricci in a scene from the film 2004 "Prozac Nation", based on the book by Elizabeth Wurtzel. Picture: Supplied

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“Upon hearing of the incredibly-too-soon death of Elizabeth Wurtzel, I’m reminded of this sentence that just gets me: ‘I wanted to love and be loved, but I behaved badly, and I had terrible taste,’” Julie Garcia wrote, linking to a 2014 article she wrote in the New York Times.

“This is so very sad,” wrote Mia Farrow.

“Lizzy was a classmate of Ronan at Yale Law – and soon became a friend to our family. She was brilliant, complex, fascinating, fun and kind.”

This story first appeared in the New York Post and has been republished here with permission.

Originally published as Elizabeth Wurtzel dies in New York