How Not to Be a Boy

By: Robert Webb

Narrated by: Robert Webb

Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

Rules for Being a Man:

• Don't cry
• Love sport
• Play rough
• Drink beer
• Don't talk about feelings

But Robert Webb has been wondering for some time now: are those rules actually any use? To anyone?

Looking back over his life, from schoolboy crushes (on girls and boys) to discovering the power of making people laugh (in the Cambridge Footlights with David Mitchell), and from losing his beloved mother to becoming a husband and father, Robert Webb considers the absurd expectations boys and men have thrust upon them at every stage of life. Hilarious and heartbreaking, How Not to Be a Boy explores the relationships that made Robert who he is as a man, the lessons we learn as sons and daughters, and the understanding that sometimes you aren't the Luke Skywalker of your life - you're actually Darth Vader.

©2017 Robert Webb (P)2017 Audible, Ltd

Critic reviews

"Quite simply brilliant. I (genuinely) cried. I (genuinely) laughed out loud. It's profound, touching, personal yet universal. I loved it." (JK Rowling)
"Takes us deftly from hilarity to heart-stopping hurt.... A truly great read." (Dawn French)
"A witty and honest coming-of-age story." (Ian Rankin)
"If you have ever loved, liked or known a man, please read this book." (Katy Brand)
"A brilliant, brave book." (Matt Lucas)

Brilliant!

Honest, profound, real, funny and serious. A great read, a must read especially for parents of boys.

This is a gem

Huge fan, it was so great, did not disappoint. Clever, honest, Funny and So relatable.

Oh god. SOOOOO good!

It's been a long time since I read a book that was entertaining, enlightening, poignant, and a million other complementary adjectives. I am laughing and welling up in equal measure. I have to say, it is very brave of him to include so much personal info from his teenage years. You have to get this book. You will NOT regret it!

Amazingly deep, nuanced, reflective.

What made the experience of listening to How Not to Be a Boy the most enjoyable?

Peep Show is my favorite show of all-time yet I'm completely blown away by how insightful Robert Webb is in this book. His reading is hilarious and touching, and he shares details and feelings in ways that similar audiobooks don't touch. I've listened to it twice, moved to tears at parts both times. I cannot recommend this highly enough, especially if you've listened to David Mitchell's.

Worthwhile....

It took me a while to warm up to this story but, in the end, I found it worth the time. At first, I felt that it was so deeply a British experience that I was missing a lot of the references and wouldn't be able to relate. But as I settled into the character, I began to really enjoy it and it had a great mix of humor and warmth.

This is how to tell your story.

If you were considering listening to James Cordens book, do it before you listen to this. James should have done that too. This audiobook is superior on every level.

Brilliant!

I loved this book! I’m a big fan of Peep Show so I was excited to listen to this (Even more so when I found it was narrated by Robert Webb himself) It did not disappoint! Funny, Sad candid and thoughtful. It has it all. I grew up in the in the mentioned, Cleethorpes a small Lincolnshire town and I found his description of Lincolnshire townsfolk hilarious!! Enjoy.

A new favorite

I love Robert Webb and his brand of dry sardonicism. While humorous, this book is basically part memoir, part exploration of gender roles and expectations, and part therapy session for him- with we the readers (and listeners) as the therapists. The honesty he gives us throughout is cathartic and refreshing.

Brilliant; Cannot Recommend Enough!

Absolutely brilliant book about Robert Webb's life - toddler to 'Peep Show' - and his journey through having an abusive childhood with an alcoholic father, having difficulties in relating to other boys, struggling with his mother's death when he was just a teen, and how this all continued to affect him. It's set against the backdrop of the various detrimental effects of the patriarchy on developing girls and boys, and his personal struggles with it.

Webb comes off like a seasoned and talented non-fiction writer. The book is extremely insightful, interesting, intelligent and beautifully written.

I'm really glad I got the audiobook over the print. Webb's narration adds a personal touch and emotion to the stories and reflections that bring them to life.

Very good listen

Listened the whole way through without stopping. Will suggest to me sons that they read or listen to this book for it’s thoughts on gender definition