How Not to Be a Boy cover art

How Not to Be a Boy

 Preview
Try Premium Plus free
Thousands of incredible audiobooks and podcasts to take wherever you go.
Immerse yourself in a world of storytelling with the Plus Catalogue - unlimited listening to thousands of select audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals.
£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

How Not to Be a Boy

By: Robert Webb
Narrated by: Robert Webb
Try Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

Buy Now for £15.99

Buy Now for £15.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

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 Entertainment & Celebrities Funny Witty Celebrity Inspiring Feel-Good Heartfelt Thought-Provoking Emotionally Gripping

Listeners also enjoyed...

 David Mitchell: Back Story cover art
Little Me cover art
Surprisingly Down to Earth, and Very Funny cover art
Thinking About It Only Makes It Worse cover art
James Acaster's Classic Scrapes cover art
How to Cope with Mitchell and Webb cover art
A Bit of a Stretch cover art
Flight cover art
Sex Power Money cover art
Dear Fatty cover art
Love Anthony cover art
Carry the Ocean cover art
Curious cover art
Where Am I Now? cover art
Along the Way: The Journey of a Father and Son cover art
Openly Straight cover art

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)
All stars
Most relevant  

Would you consider the audio edition of How Not to Be a Boy to be better than the print version?

This is brilliantly narrated by Webb himself, and you get SO much from autobiographies narrated by the author. When the author happens to be Robert Webb, you get a gold-standard, addictive audiobook that you'll immediately try to make everyone else on the planet listen to as well. He delivers the funnies to perfection, but his economy on the more emotional and poignant passages is almost unbearably moving. I feel like cheering and clapping.

What did you like best about this story?

It's completely satisfying if you're a fan of Robert Webb as a comedian, or just like amusing books in general. It's VERY funny throughout and the humour is smart and stylish. But there are passages and observations that are described so movingly by the author, the emotion will pin you to the spot.

Which character – as performed by Robert Webb – was your favourite?

The way the author commits all the members of his family to the page is just lovely, flawed and human though they are. But it's the author/narrator himself who you really root for. I have so much respect for the way he's laid himself bare in writing this book, and am hugely impressed by his wit. I was a fan before, but now I'm die-hard.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

YES and then I'd go back to the beginning and start again, in the same sitting.

Any additional comments?

It's achingly brilliant, I can't recommend it highly enough!

Completely brilliant. Very funny and very poignant

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Robert Webb is hilarious and honest in this book, both in his writing of it, and his reading.

It's an autobiographical book, with the added twist of being blatant and upfront about the (not so) hidden political agendas. This book is not about trying to say men shouldn't be proud to be men, but it does try to address the stereotypes put on boys as they grow up, which then go on to hinder everyone in general.

This book is full of both funny insights and incredibly honest pain. It uses Webb's personal accounts and experiences to try and reassure boys and men that it's okay to cry, it's okay to have emotions and to like pink.

We hear all too often about how stereotypes on women hold them and wider society back and, as a female, I have seen that and know it all too well. It's less talked about how the same happens to men. This books was refreshing in that it came at the subject from a different point of view.

I will be recommending this book to both men and women. It was a great listen, and it made me think about my life and the world around me. Thank you Robert Webb for writing such a raw, honest and thought-provoking book.

And I loved the Audible Extras.

Excellent Autobiography with a twist

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
As a northerner from a small village, who eventually went to a Grammar School and good, fun, uni (Edinburgh, not Cambridge), perhaps this book is more a mirror for me than most.
Webb hasn't written a story, he's here to take you on a journey. The road is neither straight nor comfortable, but journey makes the destination matter, and reminds us why we need to get there.
This but might not change the world, but it's an excellent guide to get us moving in the right direction.

Essential Reading

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
this is a great audio book robert webb is a great narrator and i laughed out loud at times and his thought full bio is full of great insight into his life and the man he has become today. i cannot reccommend this too highly brilliant

brilliant best bio of the year

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book contained some great insight into Robert Webb's life, but, unlike most autobiographies it really offered a great look into his views on feminism, masculinity and friendship. The title itself suggests this book is going to be more than just a step-by-step story of his life.
Webb really takes on his own prejudices and prejudices he felt affected him, and affect many others, whilst being endearing, honest and funny.

Insightful, warm and thought-provoking

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is excellent: excellently written, excellently narrated. If you are, have ever been, or have ever known a boy or man then you should read this book. A wonderfully accessible critique of masculinity and its perilous effects on boys and men. It's also funny.

Read it!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I enjoyed this book and the performance. It is a refreshing perspective on growing up, told with honesty and candour. I’m aged 63 and male. I have also done a lot of self reflection, but this book was nevertheless very educative. The section dealing with men and mental health sums up the situation perfectly. I agree with Webb’s conclusion that women’s liberation is also men’s liberation. Men must find a way of overcoming what Webb calls the ‘trick’. We are being conned and manipulated by an oppressive ideology.

Honest and Personal

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Thoughtful, brutally honest (hopefully) and exactly as funny as one should expect from Mr Webb. Absolutely excellent.

Highly recommend.

Outstanding

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
thoroughly enjoyed. really touched on powerful and important themes that resonated a lot with my conflicts of being 'a man' and just generally find place in the world. sad but funny for large parts

really insightful into his life and ours

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Loved it! The book has a wonderful self-reflexiveness, humour, humbleness, and ability to move the listener.

Fab!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews