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  • How Not to Be a Boy

  • By: Robert Webb
  • Narrated by: Robert Webb
  • Length: 8 hrs and 52 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (7,394 ratings)
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How Not to Be a Boy cover art

How Not to Be a Boy

By: Robert Webb
Narrated by: Robert Webb
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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)

What listeners say about How Not to Be a Boy

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    5,616
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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    4,962
  • 4 Stars
    1,252
  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
    61

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Captivating charming sad redemptive

Great performance - really special having the book read by the author as it feels like a book just written for me.

As a child of 70/80's really lived and loved all the cultural references.
I had no idea of the books subject but do captivated listened in 2 marathon sessions while gardening....satisfying listen and very tidy garden thanks for enjoyable day.

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47 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Self indulgent

I've always enjoyed Robert Webb's work but I'm saddened to say I was left incredibly disappointed by this.

At times it was toe-curlingly embarrassing, and not because of the related anecdotes but because of the excessive self indulgence. The personal tragedy is beyond question but the criticism levelled at his father seems over the top given what we are told about him.

Ultimately, Robert just came off far more dislikable than the opinion I held of him. And the ultiimate failing was that he spent so long telling us that he ended up 'like his father' drinking and smoking his way through his childrens early years but then offers no insight into how he actually turned it around.

Many of my colleagues loved this book. It wasn't for me.

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30 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Completely brilliant. Very funny and very poignant

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!

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28 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • JC
  • 09-11-17

Awful audio quality

The book is great, love the way and how it is told, but that does not forgive the appalling audio quality. I am listening on android device, latest version installed and the app is the latest update. I have tried both the normal quality and the best available, both are like listening to a poor quality radio programme on LW :-(

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21 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Good book, spoilt

Good book, funny in places, and moving in others with some interesting ideas. However, it's ruined by the fact it sounds as if it has been recorded on a mobile phone from 2003.

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Honest

So I just finished “how not to be a boy” by Robert Webb which was a goodish book. Funny touching and left you thinking the main character (Robert Webb) was not a great person which is very honest in a novel.

However the pod cast attached to the end of the audible version made me burst out laughing in public place a few times in a row so would recommend the audible version/extended version.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Autobiography with a twist

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.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Ok...

Not a bad listen. Some genuinely funny and heartfelt anecdotes but it was a little on the boring side.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Don't buy this if your looking for comedy.

I'm sorry rob
It just wasn't funny
I don't mind or care about anyone else's masculinity or feminility. Be who ever you want to be live and let live. In this you just seem to chuck your preachy views down everyone's throat. Not what I expected. Still I am a massive fan of peep show and your other sketches. Maybe you show leave out the gender studies in your next book.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

More, more and more please...

What a great listen, very entertaining and funny. Thank you for making me laugh and enlightening me on many of your experiences; great stuff Mr Webb.

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9 people found this helpful