Click the Extracts tab above to read three poems from Mondeo Man: 'Thaxted', 'A Hornchurch Commuter' and 'Houses that Used to Be Boozers'.
"One of the funniest and most brilliant poets of his generation" – Johann Hari, The Independent
"The best young performance poet around" – The Observer
Explosive political satire and acerbic wit leap from stage to page in this hotly anticipated debut collection from Luke Wright. Mondeo Man celebrates and laments a country of disappearing pubs, celebrity anti-heroes and motorway service stations, perfectly capturing the English idiom at the turn of the twenty-first century. Yummy mummies and debauched Tories mingle with drunk Essex commuters and leering tabloid paps; a small town chip-shop becomes the site of a heart-wrenching story of failed marriage; and a televised manhunt enthralls an entire nation.
Fast-paced and inventive, this is poetry at its most approachable, satirical, fun, and archetypally English.
"Whatever it is that Luke Wright has been ingesting, artists of all genres need to get it bottled right now."
The List
"Visceral, poignant and riotously funny."
The Scotsman
"Performance poetry's key revivalist."
Metro
Luke Wright was born in Hackney in 1982. His poetry stage shows have toured the UK, Europe, Australia and China, including sold-out runs in London and Edinburgh. His latest UK tour is Your New Favourite Poet (2012-13). He is a resident poet on BBC Radio 4's Saturday Live. His first book, Who Writes This Crap?, co-written with Joel Stickley, was published by Penguin in 2008 ("An inspired piece of parody", The Guardian), and the pair's short film Crash! Bang! Wallow! won an award at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. His 2009 verse documentary for Channel 4, The Seven Ages of Love, was nominated for a Grierson Award. He lives in Suffolk, where he hosts Latitude Festival's Poetry Arena, Europe's largest single poetry event.