Josh Cohen was born in London, where he has lived most of his life. He established himself as an academic in American literature and critical theory, before deciding to train as a psychoanalyst. His books combine these influences, exploring major contemporary issues like privacy, work, meritocracy and anger through the lenses of psychoanalysis, culture and personal experience. His books include How to Read Freud (Granta, 2005), The Private Life: Why We Remain in the Dark (Granta 2013) Not Working: Why We Have to Stop (Granta, 2019), How to Live. What to Do: How Great Novels Help Us Change (Ebury, 2021) and Losers (Peninsula, 2021). He has published reviews and essays in The Guardian, New Statesman, Economist/ 1843, Granta, Aeon and TLS.