# John Niven

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{{Short description|Scottish novelist and screenwriter (born 1966)}}
{{about|the writer|the footballer|John Niven (footballer)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}}
{{BLP sources |date=April 2026}}
thumb|John Niven (2014)
'''John Niven''' (born 1 May 1966) is a Scottish autobiographer, novelist,  playwright and screenwriter. His books include ''[Kill Your Friends](/source/Kill_Your_Friends)'', ''The Amateurs'', ''The Second Coming'' and ''O Brother''.

==Career==
Born in [Irvine, Ayrshire](/source/Irvine%2C_Ayrshire), Niven read [English literature](/source/English_literature) at the [University of Glasgow](/source/University_of_Glasgow), graduating in 1991 with First Class honours.  For the next ten years, he worked for a variety of record companies, including [London Records](/source/London_Records) and [Independiente](/source/Independiente_(record_label)). He left the music industry to write full-time in 2002 and published ''Music from Big Pink'', a book about [The Band](/source/The_Band)’s album of the same name, in 2005 (Continuum Press). The book was optioned for the screen by CC Films with a script written by English playwright [Jez Butterworth](/source/Jez_Butterworth).

Niven's breakthrough novel [''Kill Your Friends''](/source/Kill_Your_Friends_(novel)) is a satire of the music business, based on his brief career in [A&R](/source/A%26R), during which he passed up the chance to sign [Coldplay](/source/Coldplay) and [Muse](/source/Muse_(band)). The novel was published by [William Heinemann](/source/Heinemann_(publisher)) in 2008 to much acclaim, with [''The Word''](/source/The_Word_(UK_magazine)) magazine describing it as "possibly the best British Novel since Trainspotting". It has been translated into seven languages and was a bestseller in Britain and Germany. Niven has since published ''The Amateurs'' (2009), ''The Second Coming'' (2011), ''Cold Hands'' (2012), ''Straight White Male'' (2013), ''The Sunshine Cruise Company'' (2015),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-sunshine-cruise-company-by-john-niven-book-review-middle-aged-chick-lit-that-breaks-all-the-10453670.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220613/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-sunshine-cruise-company-by-john-niven-book-review-middle-aged-chick-lit-that-breaks-all-the-10453670.html |archive-date=13 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Book review: The Sunshine Cruise Company by John Niven|date=2015-08-13|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2019-01-25}}</ref> ''No Good Deed'' (2017) and ''Kill 'em All'' (2018).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/1114859/kill-_em-all/9781785151576.html|title=Kill 'Em All|last=Niven|first=John|website=www.penguin.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2019-01-25}}</ref>

In 2023, Niven published ''O Brother'', an autobiographical account of his childhood and adult life alongside his brother Gary, focusing on how they diverged as Niven became a successful writer while Gary’s career as a [drug mule](/source/drug_mule) led to prison. Fiona Sturges in ''[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)'' wrote: "While Niven’s trademark black humour and blistering language remain intact, there is added vulnerability, emotional candour and bottomless love. His account of his brother’s death and the "Chernobyl of the soul" that followed made me sob more than once, and I suspect it will do the same to you."<ref>{{cite newspaper| url = https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/aug/20/o-brother-by-john-niven-review-a-searing-study-of-siblings-who-go-separate-ways| title = O Brother by John Niven review – a searing study of siblings who go separate ways| author = Sturges, Fiona| date = 20 August 2023| access-date = 16 September 2025|newspaper = [The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)}}</ref>

Niven also writes screenplays with writing partner Nick Ball, the younger brother of British television presenter [Zoë Ball](/source/Zoe_Ball). His journalistic contributions to newspapers and magazines include a monthly column for ''[Q magazine](/source/Q_magazine)'', entitled ''London Kills Me''. In 2009, Niven wrote a controversial article for ''[The Independent](/source/The_Independent)'' newspaper where he attacked the media's largely complacent coverage of [Michael Jackson](/source/Michael_Jackson)'s death.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/michael-jackson-bad-and-very-dangerous-1731258.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220613/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/michael-jackson-bad-and-very-dangerous-1731258.html |archive-date=13 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Michael Jackson: Bad! And very dangerous|date=23 October 2011|work= [The Independent](/source/The_Independent)}}</ref>

In 2005, he co-wrote the lyrics of two songs on [James Dean Bradfield](/source/James_Dean_Bradfield)'s album ''[The Great Western](/source/The_Great_Western)''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/how-we-met-john-niven--james-dean-bradfield-782211.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220613/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/how-we-met-john-niven--james-dean-bradfield-782211.html |archive-date=13 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=How We Met: John Niven & James Dean Bradfield – Profiles – People – ''The Independent'' |last=Morris |first=Sophie |date=17 February 2008 |website=[The Independent](/source/The_Independent) |accessdate=8 February 2013}}</ref>

Niven co-wrote the screenplay ''[How to Build a Girl](/source/How_to_Build_a_Girl),'' opposite [Caitlin Moran](/source/Caitlin_Moran), based upon her novel of the same name, directed by [Coky Giedroyc](/source/Coky_Giedroyc).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/07/beanie-feldstein-how-to-build-a-girl-paddy-considine-lionsgate-alfie-allen-sarah-solemani-caitlin-moran-1202426923/|title=Beanie Feldstein Comedy 'How To Build A Girl' Adds Cast, Lionsgate With Shoot Under Way|website=[Deadline Hollywood](/source/Deadline_Hollywood)|first=Andreas|last=Wiseman|date=July 16, 2018|accessdate=July 16, 2018}}</ref>

Niven contributes regularly to ''[Noble Rot Magazine](/source/Noble_Rot_Magazine)'', an independent publication about wine and food, and the [''Daily Record''](/source/Daily_Record_(Scotland)).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Daily Record & Sunday Mail - Scottish News, Sport, Politics and Celeb gossip |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/authors/john-niven/ |access-date=2022-09-12 |website=dailyrecord |language=en}}</ref>

An [atheist](/source/Atheism) and a [republican](/source/Republicanism_in_the_United_Kingdom), Niven refuses to sing "[God Save the Queen](/source/God_Save_the_Queen)" on ideological grounds.{{fact|date=January 2023}}

Niven's debut play, [''The Battle''](/source/The_Battle_(2026_play)), a comedy about the rivalry between English rock bands [Oasis](/source/Oasis_(band)) and [Blur](/source/Blur_(band)), was to open at the [Birmingham Repertory Theatre](/source/Birmingham_Repertory_Theatre) in February 2026 before touring the UK.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bamigboye |first=Baz |date=2024-08-30 |title=Breaking Baz: Oasis’ Bitter ’90s Britpop Clash With Blur Retold In West End-Bound Show ‘The Battle’ |url=https://deadline.com/2024/08/the-battle-blur-oasis-britpop-west-end-play-1236073774/ |access-date=2025-04-29 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Wiegand |first=Chris |last2=editor |first2=Chris Wiegand Stage |date=2025-04-29 |title=Britpop battle between Blur and Oasis revisited in ‘punchy’ new comedy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2025/apr/29/britpop-battle-blur-oasis-play-john-niven |access-date=2025-04-29 |work= [The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian) |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

==Works==
===Books===
{{ISBN missing|date=April 2026}}
* ''Music from Big Pink: A Novella (33 1/3)'' (2005)
* ''[''Kill Your Friends''](/source/Kill_Your_Friends_(novel))'' (2008)
* ''The Amateurs'' (2009)
* ''The Second Coming'' (2011)
* ''Cold Hands'' (2012)
* ''Straight White Male'' (2013)
* ''The Sunshine Cruise Company'' (2015)
* ''No Good Deed'' (2017, {{ISBN|978-0434023295}})
* ''Kill 'Em All'' – sequel to ''Kill Your Friends'' (2018, {{ISBN|978-1785151576}})
* ''The F*ck-it List'' (2020, {{ISBN|978-0434023264}})<ref>{{Cite book |last=Niven |first=John |title=The F*ck-it List: Is this the most shocking thriller of the year? |date=2020-03-26 |publisher=William Heinemann |isbn=978-0-434-02326-4 |edition= |language=English}}</ref>
* ''O Brother'' (2023, autobiography)
* ''The Fathers'' (2025)

===Filmography===
* ''The Trip'' (2021) – writer
* ''[How to Build a Girl](/source/How_to_Build_a_Girl)'' – screenwriter
* ''Superviszed'' (2018) – screenwriter
* ''[Kill Your Friends](/source/Kill_Your_Friends_(film))'' (2015) – screenwriter
* ''[Cat Run](/source/Cat_Run)'' (2011) – screenwriter

=== Play ===
* [''The Battle''](/source/The_Battle_(2026_play)) (2026)

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Comedy|Film|Novels|Scotland|Theatre}}
* [List of Scottish novelists](/source/List_of_Scottish_novelists)
* [List of Scottish playwrights](/source/List_of_Scottish_playwrights)
* [List of University of Glasgow people](/source/List_of_University_of_Glasgow_people)
{{Clear}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{IMDb name}}
*[https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/1057180/john-niven.html Author page on Penguin]
* https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/kill-your-friends-by-john-niven-780982.html
* https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/jan/31/kill-your-friends-review
*[http://www.shotsmag.co.uk/interview_view.aspx?interview_id=241 Interview in Shotsmag Ezine July 2012]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Niven, John}}
Category:1968 births
Category:Living people
Category:20th-century atheists
Category:20th-century Scottish people
Category:21st-century atheists
Category:21st-century Scottish autobiographers
Category:21st-century Scottish dramatists and playwrights
Category:21st-century Scottish male musicians
Category:21st-century Scottish male writers
Category:21st-century Scottish novelists
Category:21st-century Scottish screenwriters
Category:21st-century Scottish songwriters
Category:Alumni of the University of Glasgow
Category:British magazine writers
Category:British male autobiographers
Category:Comedy fiction writers
Category:People from Irvine, North Ayrshire
Category:Scottish atheists
Category:Scottish columnists
Category:Scottish comedy writers
Category:Scottish lyricists
Category:Scottish male dramatists and playwrights
Category:Scottish male novelists
Category:Scottish male songwriters
Category:Scottish male screenwriters
Category:Scottish republicans

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [John Niven](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Niven) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Niven?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.