{{short description|British writer (born 1982)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}} {{Use British English|date=September 2017}} {{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see :Template:Infobox writer/doc --> | name = Robert Wringham | image = File:Robert Wringham in 2015.jpg | caption = Robert Wringham in 2015 | pseudonym = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1982}} | birth_place = Dudley, The Midlands, England | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Author, Comedian | citizenship = British citizen <br /> Resident of Canada | education = | alma_mater = | period = 2007–present | genre = Humor | subject = | movement = | notableworks = ''New Escapologist'' (2007–); <br /> ''A Loose Egg'' (2014) | spouse = {{marriage|Samara|2014}} | partner = | children = | relatives = | signature = | website = {{URL|wringham.co.uk}} }}
'''Robert Wringham''' (born 28 November 1982) is a British writer, best known for his humor writing and as the editor of ''New Escapologist'' magazine. His first collection, ''A Loose Egg'', was shortlisted for the 2015 Leacock Medal. He has also written two histories of alternative comedy and a comic novel.
== Work ==
Wringham is primarily a humorist.<ref>[https://www.comedy.co.uk/shop/features/robert-wringham-interview/ Robert Wringham: 'The highest form of activity is the shenanigan'] ''British Comedy Guide.'' Retrieved 01 August 2023.</ref><ref>[https://outsideleft.com/main.php?updateID=2505 Bunch of Five: Robert Wringham] ''Outside Left''.</ref> In an article for the one-hundredth edition of ''Canadian Notes and Queries'', he expressed a desire to be known as "the waster humorist." He also conveyed a belief in the social value of comic literature and an admiration for the work of Eric Nicol, Susan Juby, Paul Quarrington and Stuart McLean.<ref>Journey to Orillia. ''Canadian Notes and Queries'', No. 100. 2017.</ref>
Wringham is the founder of ''New Escapologist,'' a lifestyle magazine. The magazine advocates the escape from conventional employment in favor of more creative pursuits.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://magculture.com/blogs/journal/robert-wringham-new-escapologist|title=At Work With Robert Wringham, New Escapologist|first=Jeremy|last=Leslie|date=4 September 2023|website=magCulture}}</ref> Some notable contributors have been Alain de Botton, Will Self, Richard Herring, Ewan Morrison, Tom Hodgkinson, Luke Rhinehart and Caitlin Doughty.
In 2012, Go Faster Stripe published Wringham's first non-fiction book ''You Are Nothing'', which told the story of comedy troupe Cluub Zarathustra, whose members included Stewart Lee, Simon Munnery, Kevin Eldon, Julian Barratt, Graham Linehan, Sally Phillips and Johnny Vegas. The book is written from Wringham's outsider perspective and draws on conflicting interviews with cast and audience members.<ref>[https://www.chortle.co.uk/books/2012/05/29/15486/you_are_nothing_by_robert_wringham You Are Nothing by Robert Wringham: book review by Steve Bennett] ''Chortle''. 29 May 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2016.</ref><ref>[http://www.list.co.uk/article/42892-robert-wringham-you-are-nothing/ Robert Wringham – You Are Nothing] ''The List''. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2016.</ref><ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/comedy-news/10947095/Cluub-Zarathustra-where-British-comedy-was-reborn.html Cluub Zarathustra: where British comedy was reborn] ''Telegraph''. 5 July 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2016.</ref><ref>[https://www.comedy.co.uk/podcasts/richard_herring_lst_podcast/episode_8_stewart_lee/ Episode 8: Stewart Lee] ''Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast''</ref>
2014 saw the publication of ''A Loose Egg,'' a collection of short pieces about Wringham's childhood, bachelorhood and early married life. In 2015, it was longlisted and finally shortlisted for the Leacock Medal.<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/books/2015/04/2015-stephen-leacock-medal-for-humour-shortlist-revealed.html 2015 Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour shortlist revealed] ''CBC''. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2016.</ref><ref>[https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2015/04/30/terry-fallis-wins-2015-stephen-leacock-humour-award.html Terry Fallis Wins 2015 Leacock Humour Award] ''Toronto Star''. 30 April 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2016.</ref><ref>[http://www.orilliapacket.com/2015/04/30/fallis-wins-leacock-medal-for-humour-for-second-time Author wins Leacock Medal for Humour for second time] ''Orillia Packet and Times''. 30 April 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2016.</ref><ref>[http://www.simcoe.com/news-story/5536157-leacock-humour-shortlist-unveiled-in-orillia/ Leacock humour shortlist unveiled in Orillia] Simco.com. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2016.</ref>
In 2015, Wringham crowdfunded a ''New Escapologist''-related book with publisher Unbound<ref>[http://unbound.co.uk/books/escape-everything/ Escape Everything!] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616184627/https://unbound.co.uk/books/escape-everything |date=16 June 2016 }} Retrieved 21 January 2016.</ref> and the resulting ''Escape Everything!'' was released in 2016. A German edition called ''Ich Bin Raus'' was published in the same year and attracted considerable media attention.<ref>[https://www.sueddeutsche.de/leben/robert-wringham-ueber-eskapismus-weniger-arbeit-mehr-sex-1.3173886?reduced=true Weniger Arbeit, Mehr Sex] ''Sueddeutsche Zeitung.'' 23 September 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2016.</ref><ref>[https://www.focus.de/kultur/buecher/moderne-entfesselungskunst-robert-wringham_id_5884319.html Robert Wringham verrät: So sprengen Sie die Fesseln der Arbeitswelt] ''Focus''. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2016.</ref><ref>[http://www.berliner-zeitung.de/kultur/raus-aus-der-falle-wie-man-der-arbeit--und-dem-konsum-entkommt-24650252 Raus aus der Falle Wie man der Arbeit und dem Konsum entkommt] ''Berliner Zeitung''. 27 August 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2016.</ref><ref>[http://derstandard.at/2000043186609/Robert-Wringham-Putzen-ist-vergnueglich-wenn-man-es-richtig-sieht "Putzen ist vergnüglich, wenn man es richtig sieht"] ''Der Standard''. 23 August 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2016.</ref> A follow-up title was commissioned called ''The Good Life for Wage Slaves'', published by Heyne Verlag in Germany and independently in the UK. When Unbound republished ''Escape Everything!'' as a paperback in 2021, it was retitled ''I'm Out: How to Make an Exit.''<ref>[https://www.writing.ie/interviews/im-out-how-to-make-an-exit-by-robert-wringham I’m Out: How to Make an Exit by Robert Wringham] Writing.ie</ref>
Returning to Go Faster Stripe in 2021, he wrote a second humour collection called ''Stern Plastic Owl''.<ref>[https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2021/06/11/48612/michael_legge_to_publish_his_first_book Michael Legge to publish his first book: one of three new titles from indie label Go Faster Stripe] ''Chortle.'' Retrieved 11 June 2021.</ref> The following year, Go Faster Stripe published Wringham's second volume of comedy history with a book about the Iceman.<ref>[https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2023/01/19/52391/the_iceman_gets_exposure The Iceman Gets Exposure] ''Chortle'' Retrieved 01 August 2023</ref><ref>[https://www.comedy.co.uk/shop/news/7158/the-iceman-book/ 1980s alternative comedy star The Iceman reveals all in new book] ''British Comedy Guide.'' Retrieved 01 August 2023</ref><ref>[https://www.stewartlee.co.uk/2023/02/from-the-stalinist-woke-diktatorshaft-gulag-of-stewart-lee-feb-2023-1/ Iceman Book] ''StewartLee.co.uk.'' Retrieved 01 August 2023</ref>
His first novel, ''Rub-A-Dub-Dub'' was published in 2023.<ref>[https://outsideleft.com/main.php?updateID=2768 Robert Wringham Takes an Early Bath] ''Outside Left.'' Retrieved 01 August 2023</ref><ref>[https://www.writing.ie/tell-your-own-story/rub-a-dub-dub-by-robert-wringham/ Rub-A-Dub-Dub by Robert Wringham] ''Writing.ie.'' Retrieved 09 August 2023</ref><ref>Chamberlain-King, R. (19 September 2023)[https://www.popmatters.com/robert-wringham-rub-dub-interview Two Men in a Tub] ''PopMatters''.</ref> It won a Saltire Award for Best Cover Design.<ref>https://www.creativeboom.com/news/scottish-artist-thomas-macgregor-scoops-book-cover-design-of-the-year-2023/</ref>
Wringham writes for Joshua Glenn's pop culture website HiLobrow,<ref>[https://hilobrow.com/author/rwringham/ Posts by Robert Wringham] ''HiLoBrow''. Retrieved 21 January 2016.</ref> and for the ''Idler'' magazine where he had a column between 2016 and 2020.<ref>''Idler'' 48-70</ref><ref>[https://www.idler.co.uk/article/office-nightmares/ Office Nightmares] ''Idler''. 11 November 2020.</ref>
== Pseudonym == His pen name comes from James Hogg's ''Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner''.<ref>[http://www.wringham.co.uk/about About] Wringham.co.uk. Retrieved 21 January 2016.</ref>
In ''The Good Life for Wage Slaves'', Wringham explains that he'd been blogging under his original name since his early twenties but became self-conscious and in need of creative freedom when googling people became a common practice: "I didn't mind exposing my soul to a few strange nerds on the other side of the planet, but a certain dishonesty is required among friends, isn't it?"<ref>''The Good Life for Wage Slaves'' (2020)</ref>
== Bibliography ==
* ''You Are Nothing'' (2012) {{isbn|978-0-9560901-2-6}} * ''A Loose Egg'' (2014) {{isbn|978-0-9939318-0-2}} * ''Escape Everything!'' (2016) {{isbn|978-1783521333}} :* ''I'm Out: How to Make an Exit'' (retitled paperback edition) (2021) {{isbn|9781783529599}} :* ''Escape Everything! Tenth Anniversary Edition'' (2026) {{isbn|978-1-910631-90-4}} * ''The Good Life for Wage Slaves'' (2020) {{isbn|978-1910631010}} * ''Stern Plastic Owl'' (2021) {{isbn|978-0-9560901-9-5}} * ''Melt It! The Book of the Iceman'' (2022) {{isbn|978-1-8384571-5-0}} * ''Rub-A-Dub-Dub'' (2023) {{isbn|978-1-910631-78-2}} * ''Tether'' (2026) {{isbn|978-1-910631-89-8}}
== Personal life ==
Originally from Dudley, Wringham moved to Glasgow in 2004.<ref>[http://www.wringham.co.uk/about What is Robert Wringham?] Wringham.co.uk. Retrieved 21 January 2016.</ref> He is also a Resident of Canada.<ref>[https://newescapologist.co.uk/2014/04/10/im-not-an-employee-by-nature-nobody-is/ I'm not an employee by nature. Nobody is] ''New Escapologist''. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2016.</ref><ref>[http://issuu.com/jamesuden/docs/mongrel2012fprint Avoiding Modern Life] ''Mongrel'' p22. 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2016.</ref>
In 2014 he married his long-term partner Samara, who appears as a foil in some of his writing.<ref>[http://wringham.co.uk/the-day-of-the-coconut/ Day of the Coconut] Wringham.co.uk. 2 August 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2016.</ref>
== References == {{Reflist|30em}}
== External links == *{{Official website|http://www.wringham.co.uk}} *{{IMDb name|id=7958641|name=Robert Wringham}} *[https://www.comedy.co.uk/shop/features/robert-wringham-interview/ Interview] at the ''British Comedy Guide''
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wringham, Robert}} Category:1982 births Category:Alumni of the University of Wolverhampton Category:Alumni of the University of Strathclyde Category:Comedians from the West Midlands (county) Category:English comedy writers Category:British humorists Category:English male novelists Category:Living people Category:People from Dudley Category:Writers from the West Midlands (county)