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How Not to Be a Boy
- Narrated by: Robert Webb
- Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins
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How Not to Be a Boy
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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.
Critic Reviews
"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)
What listeners say about How Not to Be a Boy
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Maddy
- 29-11-2017
5/5
Listened in one swoop, tbh I had never heard of this "bloke" and now I have a new personal hero (?)
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lula Dembele
- 15-12-2018
A book for right now!
An important account of one man's journey & attempt to break out of manbox. An insight & positive reminder that boys/men have rich emotional lives that can be stifled in many ways, which does no-one any good.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lionell Pack
- 09-07-2018
Life-changing
Wonderful. Sad, funny, insightful, packed with wonderful advice and genuine insight. I don't usually listen to this sort of book, but I'm tremendously grateful I listened to this particular one. I will absolutely listen to it several more times.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Carl
- 04-06-2018
Brilliant work - fantastic narrator
Really easy read - great mix of humour, sadness and analysis of the ducked up world we find ourselves in as men. Highly recommended
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jordan
- 08-03-2018
Fantastic!
I could not rate this book highly enough. Informative, funny, insightful and very entertaining. Also (as you would expect) beautifully narrated.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Catherine Marty
- 15-08-2018
Do yourself a favour and listen this book!!
Funny, raw and moving- Robert Webb speaks about gender issues and gender inequality brilliantly. A must read for everyone.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Dan Procházka
- 07-09-2018
Great but not GREAT
Really engaging and did open up a lot of territory around masculinity for me. Peppered with many elegant moments of humour and beauty. Felt that the memoir was generally somewhat reserved, particularly when addressing adult life and current relationships and falls short of classic memoir. Straddles the line between ‘issue memoir’ and ‘celebrity autobiography’ and as much as I love Webb found the autobiographical story a bit plodding when it deviated too far from the core tension around masculinity. Highly recommend though!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Glenn
- 23-01-2019
A truly wonderful read
Well done Robert. You are an inspiration. This book was a joy to listen to from start to finish.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sarah Mccleary
- 20-07-2018
How Not to Be a Boy: two enthusiastic thumbs up
Equal parts funny and heartbreaking this tender life-telling should be heard by all Robert Webb fans. It made me laugh, cry, and think a lot.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Shanti
- 05-08-2018
toxic masculinity is called out
toxic masculinity has long been the norm for boys and men in Anglo culture. How not to be a boy calls it out and reveals the harm for everyone as we repress feelings, point fingers, and generally don't own our own shit. Very funny. easy to listen too. Awesome read / listen!
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