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John Osborne
John is a writer, poet and broadcaster. HIs new book 'Don't Need the Sunshine' is out now (AA Publishing).
John Osborne is a writer and broadcaster based in Norwich. His first book Radio Head, up and down the dial of British Radio (Simon&Schuster) was broadcast as Radio 4′s Book of the Week. His second book The Newsagent’s Window (Simon&Schuster 2010) won the East Anglian Book Award and tells the story of the year John spent replying to adverts in his local newsagent’s window. His third book Don’t Need the Sunshine is published by The AA and can be ordered here.
‘Gentle without being dull, sharp but never sneering, witty but without a hint of the show-off, John Osborne is a lovely, engaging writer finding the joyous in the everyday and as charming and unpredictable as the British seaside itself.’ - STUART MACONIE on Don’t Need The Sunshine.
His first full poetry collection Most people aren’t that happy, anyway was published in January 2013. John has previously released two poetry pamphlets – What If Men Burst In Wearing Balaclavas? (Nasty Little Press 2010) and The New Blur Album (Nasty Little Press 2011). He has performed poetry on Radio 1, Radio 3 and 6 Music and had poetry published in The Guardian, Rialto, The Spectator and The Big Issue. His first solo show John Peel’s Shed was a complete sell out at the 2011 Edinburgh Festival and enjoyed a nationwide tour in 2012. An adaptation of Radio Head was broadcast by Radio 4.
Two brand new shows were written for Radio 4 were broadcast in February 2013. The Newsagent’s Window was Pick of the Day in the Radio Times: ‘the production as a dream-like air which makes it an ideal companion for those fending off the existential melancholy that is the Sunday evening ironer’s lot.’ (The Guardian).
Valentine’s Day, a ‘tender, funny story’ (The Observer) starred Isy Suttie, Ann Beach and Suki Webster. Hopefully there will be more Radio 4 stories to come.
He is a member of the poetry collective Aisle16 alongside Luke Wright, Ross Sutherland, Chris Hicks, Joe Dunthorne and Tim Clare. They run a monthly London residency called Homework, now in its fifth season. Special guests at Homework have included Jon Ronson, Kevin Eldon, Nick Hornby, Tim Key, Johann Hari, Emmy The Great, Summercamp, Andrew Motion and Kate Nash.