Perhaps best known is Elizabeth Wurtzel for the best-selling debut Prozac Nation that came in 1994. The book, or more specifically the memoir, portrays the author's own experiences of "happiness pill" Prozac, depression and drug abuse in an already over-medicated United States.

- With Prozac nation, she started a new wave of self-disclosure writing. It was tantalizing reading, she was hyper-intelligent and read at Harvard, while writing about music, joking and deeply depressed. She was one of the first to prescribe the then new SSRI medicines, says Culture News Ika Johanneson.

Worked as a journalist

In addition to writing, Elizabeth Wurtzel worked as a journalist. She started out as a music critic and then wrote for The New Yorker and New York Magazine. Later she came to write more personal reports, not least for The wallstreet journal.

In the early 2000s, Elizabeth Wurtzel trained as a lawyer, something she also came to work as.

The Prozac nation was filmed in 2001 by Norwegian director Erik Skjoldbjærg and had actors such as Christina Ricci, Michelle Williams and Jessica Lang in supporting roles.

"She was a forerunner"

In total, Elizabeth Wurtzel wrote five books. The sequel to the Prozac nation, Bitch: In praise of difficult women came in 1998. It was met by mixed criticism and failed to generate as much impact as its debut.

- It was something in the raw nudity that made her a phenomenon. She lived a dream life but still felt very bad and many could recognize it. She was a precursor to the writing that would later be popularized on blogs, says Ika Johanneson.

Elizabeth Wurtzel turned 52 years old.