Richard Herring writes book about toxic masculinity
- Richard Herring has written a light-hearted book about "toxic masculinity"
- It is inspired by his tradition of reminding Twitter users of the date of International Men's Day
- The Problem With Men: When Is International Men's Day? (And Why It Matters) is out November
Richard Herring has written a book examining toxic masculinity, British Comedy Guide can reveal.
The Problem With Men: When Is International Men's Day? (And Why It Matters) is inspired by the comic's annual tradition of reminding Twitter of the date of International Men's Day, through which he's raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for causes such as the domestic violence charity Refuge and the Campaign Against Living Miserably.
Every 8th March, International Women's Day, Herring has made it his mission to respond to tweeters asking why there isn't an International Men's Day, informing them there is and it is marked on 19th November, and posting a link to his fundraising page. He has said that this year will be the last he runs the online campaign.
Appropriately enough, When Is International Men's Day? will be published in November in print, eBook and audio by Sphere, an imprint of Little, Brown.
Herring said: "I have been trying to stop men asking 'When's International Men's Day?' on International Women's Day for over a decade now, but to no avail. So I am hoping that with this book I can finally encourage men to put their efforts into actually celebrating International Men's Day instead (it's on November 19th, by the way).
"It's been eye-opening for me to investigate why men are this strange mixture of over confidence and over sensitivity and what drives this knee-jerk reaction to anything that challenges the status quo, even though most men would be beneficiaries of change. Hopefully it all means I never have to answer that one question ever again."
Rhiannon Smith, editorial director for Sphere, added: "I've always been so impressed Rich's hard work and amazing charity efforts in highlighting the issues around asking 'When's International Men's Day?'.
"His writing about equality and dismantling toxic masculinity is as brilliant, insightful, and of course, humorous, in book form as it is in 280 characters. It is such an important subject, and great to see it explored from a new perspective."
Penned during lockdown, The Problem With Men: When Is International Men's Day? is the ninth book written by the prolific Herring, who is also currently developing an audio version of his time-travelling sitcom, Everything Happens For No Reason, self-funded through advertising on his RHLSTP podcast.
Loosely inspired by the infidelity storyline of long-running BBC One sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart, a television pilot of Everything Happens For No Reason was made for Channel 4 in 2017, featuring Noel Fielding, Jessica Knappett and Ben Bailey Smith, but was not picked up for broadcast.
Little, Brown is also publishing comedian Alan Davies's second memoir this autumn.
Just Ignore Him recalls the QI perennial's boyhood, shifting between his 1970s upbringing and his life today, from innocence to experience, to the clarity of hindsight.
Available to own from 3rd September, the autobiography will focus on memories of his mother, who died when he was six-years-old and his "voiceless, misunderstood progression through school, sexuality and humiliating 'accidents' ... evoking an era when Green Shield Stamps, Bob-a-Job week and Whizzer & Chips loomed large, a bus fare was 2p - and children had little power in the face of adult motivation".
Davies's first memoir, My Favourite People And Me, 1978-88, was published in 2009.
Little, Brown is also putting out How To Live To 100 on 29th September. A self-help guide written by comic Ariane Sherine with David Conrad, a consultant in public health, it features interviews with Charlie Brooker, Clive Anderson, Josie Long, Robin Ince, Robert Llewellyn, Arthur Smith and Jon Holmes among others, on their tips for longevity.
The Problem With Men: When Is International Men's Day? (And Why It Matters) is available to pre-order now.
Alan Davies - Just Ignore Him
The story of a life built on sand. In the rain.
In this compelling memoir, comedian and actor Alan Davies recalls his boyhood with vivid insight and devastating humour. Shifting between his 1970s upbringing and his life today, Davies moves poignantly from innocence to experience to the clarity of hindsight, always with a keen sense of the absurd.
From sibling dynamics, to his voiceless, misunderstood progression through school, sexuality and humiliating 'accidents', Davies inhabits his younger mind with spectacular accuracy, sharply evoking an era when Green Shield Stamps, Bob-a-Job week and Whizzer & Chips loomed large, a bus fare was 2p - and children had little power in the face of adult motivation. Here, there are often exquisitely tender recollections of the mother he lost at six years old, of a bereaved family struggling to find its way, and the kicks and confusion of adolescence.
Through even the joyous and innocent memories, the pain of Davies's lifelong grief and profound betrayal is unfiltered, searing and beautifully articulated. Just Ignore Him is not only an autobiography, it is a testament to a survivor's resilience and courage.
First published: Thursday 3rd September 2020
- Publisher: Little, Brown
- Pages: 288
- Catalogue: 9781408713310
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- Published: Thursday 3rd June 2021
- Publisher: Abacus
- Pages: 288
- Catalogue: 9780349144368
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- Publisher: Little, Brown
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- Publisher: Hachette Audio UK
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Richard Herring - The Problem With Men: When Is International Men's Day? (And Why It Matters)
For almost a decade, Richard Herring has been answering sexist trolls on International Women's Day when they ask 'when is International Men's Day?' in the mistaken belief there isn't one.
If only the trolls had learned to use Google they'd realise that there is an International Men's Day - it's on November 19th.
In The Problem With Men, Richard expands on his Twitter discussions and tackles some of the big questions surrounding the problems of toxic masculinity - for women, but also for men - including:
- Should men fear feminism?
- Is society sexist against men?
- Could you win a point against Serena Williams?
*spoiler* The answer to all of these is no.
With Richard's signature humour and insight, The Problem With Men is a book for anyone striving for an equal society, all year round.
First published: Thursday 5th November 2020
- Publisher: Sphere
- Pages: 160
- Catalogue: 9780751581454
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- Publisher: Sphere
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