By the Creator of Big Boys: Cheer the F**K Up cover art

By the Creator of Big Boys: Cheer the F**K Up

How to Save Your Best Friend

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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

This book will definitely make you laugh and might just make you cry, but it could also help save a life.

Cheer the F--k Up is a bold, brilliant and very personal account of a young comedian’s experiences with mental health. An ode to the importance of friendship, Jack Rooke takes us on a mission to better understand the reasons why so many people are struggling and how we can all feel better equipped in knowing how to support that one friend we might be that bit more worried about.

Part comedic memoir, part advice guide, this book is a fresh and timely take on a huge issue very close to Jack’s heart – in 2015, while working as an ambassador for a male mental health charity, he lost one of his best friends to suicide.

Taking you on a journey through his life and experiences with grief, sexuality, depression and more, Jack offers his own frank and powerful advice on how best to have meaningful conversations about a loved one’s state of mind. Hilarious and heartbreaking in equal measure, Cheer the F--k Up will definitely make you laugh and might just make you cry, but it could also help save a life.

©2020 Jack Rooke (P)2020 Penguin Audio Mental Health Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Health Funny Witty Heartfelt Feel-Good Thought-Provoking

Critic reviews

"Cheer the F**K Up is, without a doubt, the most meaningful and funniest book I have ever read on mental health and loss. Jack is a genius (fact) and he weaves together themes of love, grief, sexuality, trauma, growing up, mental health and friendship in a memoir that will stand the test of time. If you are a human living on this planet you need this book! It has never been more important and never been more needed." (Scarlett Curtis)

"Once you've had the pleasure of reading a work by Jack Rooke, you'll have spent time with one of the funniest, warmest, most caring people I've ever known and he'll feel like your new favourite friend. This book deals with difficult topics in such a beautiful, thoughtful and hilarious way. It's the book we all need in our lives.'" (Nicola Coughlan)

All stars
Most relevant
Perfect balance of sensitivity and humour addressing some difficult but extremely important conversations. Cried and laughed in equal measure. Very timely.

Everyone needs to read this book.

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Could so relate to this book. Its truthful, sad and funny all at the same time. As a bereaved mum of a 19 year old son who took his own life at uni, it couldn't be more closer to the truth in just what it's like to live such a trauma and survive. It is a 'must read' for all walks of life. There is something in it for everyone. Be brave, take the plunge, and just do it! You really won't regret it...I promise!

Bloody Brilliant!

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absolutely brilliant, could stop listening. comedy, loss, sex, uni if only this book came out when I was a teen so informative helpful, funny. love this book

Brightens up your day!

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Beautifully narrated and incredibly relatable. Even down to the small details like the Argos catalogue being the most important book of my childhood

Wholesome!!

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I bought this after loving 'Big Boys' comedy series on Channel 4, I was not disappointed. Jack writes with compassion, honesty, humour, and love of his fellow man. A worthwhile read in an overly busy career/self obsessed world where we could all do with taking a second or two to consider how both others and ourselves are really doing, not what passes for honesty during busy times. Thank you Jack for being man enough to write this book, it will undoubtedly help, your dad would have been very proud of you.

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