J. O. Morgan facts for kids

J. O. Morgan was born in 1978 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is a talented author who writes both poetry and novels. His poetry books are special because each one tells a single, long story or explores one big idea.

One of his well-known poetry books, The Martian's Regress, imagines a future where humans change a lot. He has also written two novels, Pupa (published in 2021) and Appliance (published in 2022).

J. O. Morgan's Books

J. O. Morgan has written seven books of poetry. Each of these books tells one long story or explores one big idea. His fifth poetry book, Interference Pattern, was chosen as a finalist for the T. S. Eliot Prize. His very first poetry book, Natural Mechanical, won the Aldeburgh Poetry Prize in 2009.

Stories from History and the Future

His third poetry book, At Maldon (published in 2014), tells the story of a real historical event. It's about "The Battle of Maldon," which happened in England in 991 CE. This battle took place on the coast of Essex. J. O. Morgan even recorded himself reading the entire poem for the Poetry Archive. He has also recited the whole work from memory many times!

Another important poetry book is Assurances (from 2018). This book is about the Royal Air Force (RAF) and their role in keeping Britain safe during the early Cold War. Morgan's father was in the RAF and worked with Britain's nuclear defense. Assurances was a finalist for the Forward Prize and won the Costa Poetry Award. The judges praised it as "original, compelling, ambitious, highly accomplished and marvellously sustained."

Morgan's seventh poetry book, The Martian's Regress (published in 2020), takes readers far into the future. It explores what humans might become if they "lose their humanity." The book also looks at how a fragile environment affects people who keep changing it.

Awards and Recognition

J. O. Morgan has received many awards and honors for his writing. Here are some of them:

• 2022 – Appliance was a finalist for the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction.
• 2020 – The Martian's Regress was a finalist for the T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry.
• 2018 – Assurances won the Costa Poetry Award.
• 2018 – Assurances was a finalist for the Forward Poetry Prize for Best Collection.
• 2016 – Interference Pattern was a finalist for the T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry.
• 2016 – Interference Pattern was a finalist for the Saltire Society Poetry Award.
• 2016 – Interference Pattern was recommended by the Poetry Book Society.
• 2014 – At Maldon was a finalist for the Saltire Society Poetry Award.
• 2012 – Long Cuts was a finalist for the Scottish Poetry Book Award.
• 2010 – Natural Mechanical was a finalist for the Scottish Poetry Book Award.
• 2009 – Natural Mechanical won the Aldeburgh Poetry Prize.
• 2009 – Natural Mechanical was a finalist for the Forward Poetry Prize for First Collection.
• 2009 – Natural Mechanical was recommended by the Poetry Book Society.