It takes a lot of energy and creativity to make such screwed up lives carry on. And the kind of will people have to survive, year after year, dealing with that stuff, is weirdly impressive.

McGregor was commissioned to write a short story which was called "Close" for the Cheltenham Literature Festival in 2007. The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award|International Dublin Literary Award was a competition among 147 writers nominated by international public libraries including the Pulitzer Prize winner Jennifer Egan. His second novel was longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2006.

In 2012 his third novel was awarded the International Dublin Literary Award. Jon McGregor (born 1976) is a British novelist and short story writer. In 2002 his first novel was longlisted for the Booker Prize as its youngest contender.