Osorgin was born in Perm, Russian Empire and became a lawyer after attending school in Moscow.

In Italy he became a foreign correspondent for The Russian News, and a contributor to various papers abroad.

In Paris he contributed journalism, fiction, and book reviews to emigre papers.

[1][2] Among Osorgin's best known works are his novels Сивцев Вражек (1928; Sivtsev Vrazhek is a small lane in Moscow) translated as Quiet Street and Повесть о сестре (1931; Literally "A Tale about My Sister") translated as My Sister's Story.

He stayed in France during the German occupation and died in 1942 in the village of Chabris, where he and his wife had gone as refugees.