B. S. Johnson (1933-1973), an admirer of Joyce and Beckett, was a novelist whose works combine verbal inventiveness with typographical innovations. His books include Albert Angelo, Trawl, The Unfortunates and House Mother Normal.
Jonathan Coe's biography of B. S. Johnson, Like a Fiery Elephant, won the Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction in 2005. He is also the author of nine novels, including What a Carve Up!, The Rotters' Club and The Rain Before It Falls.
Philip Tew is Professor in English (Post-1900 Literature) and Deputy Head for Research of the School of Arts at Brunel University, a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and a member of the Royal Society of Literature. Among his main publications are B. S. Johnson: A Critical Reading, The Contemporary British Novel, Jim Crace and co-edited with Glyn White Re-reading B. S. Johnson. Tew is the founding Director of both the Modern & Contemporary Fiction Studies Network and the B.S. Johnson Society; he is also currently Director of the Brunel Centre for Contemporary Writing. More recent books have included Re-Envisioning the Pastoral co-edited with David James; Zadie Smith; and a multi-authored policy report on ageing, Coming of Age.
Julia Jordan is Lecturer in Twentieth-Century Literature at Cardiff University. She is the author of Chance and the Modern British Novel.