How Not to Grow Up: Birthdays

An hilarous extract from Richard's new book- How Not to Grow Up

Brought to you by Penguin. 
 
 
Comedian Richard Herring has a major problem. He's about to turn 40 and hasn't seen it coming. He's not married, doesn't have a proper job or 2.4 children. But now, finally, it looks as if the world expects him to be a grown up - and he's completely unprepared for it. 
 
As the momentous and terrifying event approaches (his birthday), Richard notices a steep decline in his own behaviour. Richard hits the big 4-0 and spends his birthday in the British Musuem, harassing waiters, and lamenting his demise into old age. 
 
How Not to Grow Up is the funny story of how a self-confessed perpetual Big Kid deals with his greatest fear - getting older - and is the perfect book for everyone who, deep down, still thinks that they're 18. 
 
 
© Richard Herring 2010 (P) Penguin Audio 2010

Richard is best known for his collaboration with Stewart Lee in shows like BBC2's Fist Of Fun and This Morning with Richard, Not Judy.

Richard hits the big 4-0 and spends his birthday in the British Musuem, harassing waiters, and lamenting his demise into old age.

A Celebration of Man and his Manhood

Talking Cock

'Man's answer to the Vagina Monologues' The Guardian

Damn near essential and one of the funniest reads of the year

Richard Herring's male answer to the Vagina Monologues is- an impassioned and thoughtful disquisition on masculinity, cultural identity and sexual anthropology. But don't let that put you off; there are still lots of jokes about porridge guns and weeing

Funny, humiliating, impassioned and weird in equal parts. If we gave stars, he'd have lots...Splendid!

As funny and fascinating for women and is it for men

Richard is best known for his collaboration with Stewart Lee in shows like BBC2's Fist Of Fun and This Morning with Richard, Not Judy.

It has been known by many different names to many different people: Knob, dick, schmuck, tool, percy, John Thomas, the bald headed mouse. It inspires lust, fear, awe and laughter. And yet, it is an object of shame and when engorged, indecency. It can be a pound of flesh or an ounce of wrinkles. It can be used to express both love and hate. It can create life. It can condemn us to death. And it can do wees as well. How can one little flap of sponge and sinew be all these things? You will be surprised how little you know about the skin chimney, because although men may constantly brag and exaggerate about their little chap, they rarely talk about their feelings for it. At last, Richard Herring, reveals the truth about man and his manhood in the 21st Century.

Richard Herring

A thoroughly entertaining confessional... cheeky, self-deprecating and very human

If you've ever secretly wondered when you're going to grow up, How Not To Grow Up is one for you...

A Coming of Age Memoir. Sort of.

Comedian Richard Herring has a major problem. He's about to turn 40 and hasn't seen it coming. He's not married, doesn't have a proper job or 2.4 children. But now, finally, it looks as if the world expects him to be a grown up - and he's completely unprepared for it. 
 
As the momentous and terrifying event approaches (his birthday), Richard notices a steep decline in his own behaviour. Inexplicably he begins to behave more childishly - hanging out with 22-year-olds, developing an unhealthy addiction to Flumps and even getting into a ludicrous fight. 
 
How Not to Grow Up is the funny story of how a self-confessed perpetual Big Kid deals with his greatest fear - getting older - and is the perfect book for everyone who, deep down, still thinks that they're 18.

How Not to Grow Up

About us

About Us (Header 4)

Best-Jane-Austen-quotes_Online-Desktop_Penguin

James-Baldwin

Marian-Keyes

haruki-murakami-320×320-1

Richard-Osman

Malorie Blackman

Lisa-Jewell

Charlie-Mackesy

Authors (Header 3)

Children&#039;s

Company

Discover

Fiction

Non-fiction

Penguin Classics

Penguin Shop (Header 5)

Useful links

Work with us

sectionTitle

isEnabled

anchor

anchorLabel

prhuk/featured-book

prhuk/praise-section

maxBooks

showViewMore

prhuk/books-section

hideAuthorAlert

formName

iterableDivision

iterableBrand

buttonText

description

heading

legalText

successHeading

successText

image

alignment

variation

prhuk/email-section

prhuk/series-section

prhuk/biography-section

prhuk/articles-section

prhuk-authors

Little Black Classics Box Set

Penguin Modern Box Set

Frankenstein

Richard Herring

Praise for How Not to Grow Up

A thoroughly entertaining confessional... cheeky, self-deprecating and very human

If you've ever secretly wondered when you're going to grow up, How Not To Grow Up is one for you...

Razor sharp and very funny

A thoroughly entertaining confessional... cheeky, self-deprecating and very human

If you've ever secretly wondered when you're going to grow up, How Not To Grow Up is one for you...

Razor sharp and very funny

A thoroughly entertaining confessional... cheeky, self-deprecating and very human

If you've ever secretly wondered when you're going to grow up, How Not To Grow Up is one for you...

Razor sharp and very funny

Books by Richard Herring

Follow penguin

Follow ladybird

Follow puffin

Sign up to the Penguin newsletter