Richard Herring

'Very funny, moving and heartwarming' BOB MORTIMER'A bollockbuster!' ADAM BUXTONIf we are cowardly, we are told to grow someIf we're brave, we're said to have huge onesIf it's cold, they are liable to fall off - even if you're a brass monkeyIf we're in trouble, someone will threaten to break themIf we have to work hard, we might very well bust themIf we're in somebody's thrall, then they've got us by themAbout fifteen years ago, stand-up comedian and writer Richard Herring first took part in a campaign to encourage men to have a little (non-sexual) feel of their balls every now and again. But it was embarrassing and weird, and if there was something wrong, he didn't want to know about it. Anyway, that kind of stuff only happens to other people, doesn't it? At the start of 2021 Richard was diagnosed with testicular cancer. For a man whose output includes a stand-up tour titled Talking Cock and who regularly interrogates our attitudes towards masculinity, it was a diagnosis that came with additional layers of complexity. Telling Rich's personal story alongside an exploration of what defines masculinity and 'maleness' in society, Can I Have My Ball Back? is not your typical cancer memoir. Whether they're nuts, bollocks, gonads or family jewels; from the phrase 'grow some balls' to infamous WWII songs about Hitler; Rich unpicks the tangle of emotions around his own testing times.

'Very funny, moving and heartwarming' BOB MORTIMER'A bollockbuster!' ADAM BUXTONIf we are cowardly, we are told to grow someIf we're brave, we're said to have huge onesIf it's cold, they are liable to fall off - even if you're a brass monkeyIf we're in trouble, someone will threaten to break themIf we have to work hard, we might very well bust themIf we're in somebody's thrall, then they've got us by themAbout fifteen years ago, stand-up comedian and writer Richard Herring first took part in a campaign to encourage men to have a little (non-sexual) feel of their balls every now and again. But it was embarrassing and weird, and if there was something wrong, he didn't want to know about it. Anyway, that kind of stuff only happens to other people, doesn't it? At the start of 2021 Richard was diagnosed with testicular cancer. For a man whose output includes a stand-up tour titled Talking Cock and who regularly interrogates our attitudes towards masculinity, it was a diagnosis that came with additional layers of complexity. Telling Rich's personal story alongside an exploration of what defines masculinity and 'maleness' in society, Can I Have My Ball Back? is not your typical cancer memoir. Whether they're nuts, bollocks, gonads or family jewels; from the phrase 'grow some balls' to infamous WWII songs about Hitler; Rich unpicks the tangle of emotions around his own testing times.

The perfect boredom-busting book for long winter evenings with the family, Richard Herring's Would You Rather? is packed with hundreds of the biggest questions to face us all, including: Would you rather have a conversation with a dolphin or an elephant? Would you rather fall in love or fall into a swimming pool full of your favourite biscuits? Would you rather live in a giant shoe or a giant peach? Would you rather own a car with Jimmy Carr, a lorry with Laurie Anderson or a van with Van Morrison? The questions will have the whole family, whether 6 or 106, debating on car journeys and train journeys, or stuck in on wet days during the school holidays, and will keep you entertained around the table at Christmas lunch (or when you're falling asleep after Christmas lunch...). Fun, family-friendly and often completely bonkers, this book is a perfect gift as well as a game.

'The problem with The Problem with Men is that I do believe men will have less trouble with it than the title suggests as it is actually a glorious, funny book written by a glorious funny man' AISLING BEA 'Very moving, one of the few things I've consumed in 2020 that has left me with a sense of hope... but one thing wasn't made clear, when is International Men's Day?' JOHN ROBINS For the past 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 would 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. 'This is a great book but I think the last thing it needs is a quote by yet another man' JAMES ACASTER

The perfect boredom-busting book for long winter evenings with the family, Richard Herring's Would You Rather? is packed with hundreds of the biggest questions to face us all, including: Would you rather have a conversation with a dolphin or an elephant? Would you rather fall in love or fall into a swimming pool full of your favourite biscuits? Would you rather live in a giant shoe or a giant peach? Would you rather own a car with Jimmy Carr, a lorry with Laurie Anderson or a van with Van Morrison? The questions will have the whole family, whether 6 or 106, debating on car journeys and train journeys, or stuck in on wet days during the school holidays, and will keep you entertained around the table at Christmas lunch (or when you're falling asleep after Christmas lunch...). Fun, family-friendly and often completely bonkers, this book is a perfect gift as well as a game.

THE FUNNIEST BOOK OF THE YEAR. GUARANTEED TO TURN AN AWKWARD SILENCE INTO AN AWKWARD CONVERSATION. Now updated with new answers from: David Mitchell, Sara Pascoe, Charlie Brooker and Stephen Fry, among others!'Ridiculously funny and (unexpectedly) genuinely useful' ADAM KAY'A perfect way to pretend you're interested in people you're not that interested in' KATHY BURKE'Most of this book is pointless filth, all of it is hilarious, and my answer to question 715(a) is "Yes thank you and it was very tasty"' DAWN FRENCHIf you had to wear somebody's guts for garters - if you had to - who would you disembowel in order to facilitate your socks staying up? What do you consider your median achievement? Would you rather have pubic hair made of unremovable barbed wire or to be attacked by a rabid badger in your sleep once a week? We've all been there. Stuck at a boring family party, on an awkward date, in a below-par job interview, or any number of other situations in which conversation has become more of a trickle than a flow. Well, fear the excruciation no more, as Richard Herring's EMERGENCY QUESTIONS is about to change your life. Containing 1,001 conversation starters from one of our most cherished comedians, along with plenty of answers from the many household names who've appeared on his podcast, this book is virtually guaranteed to remove any social anxiety from your life, and will raise your repartee-game to new heights.'Of all the clever people I know, Richard is the stupidest. And of all the stupid people I know, Richard is the cleverest. That's why this is such a brilliant book for everyone' RICHARD OSMAN'Perhaps if Michael Parkinson had asked Mohammad Ali if he'd ever seen a Bigfoot he might be remembered as a great interviewer. Instead it is Richard Herring who has perfected the art of creating funny, interesting and offensive questions that will supercharge even the dullest encounter' ADAM BUXTON'Richard Herring bullied me into claiming this book, which I haven't yet read, is brilliant' CHARLIE BROOKER

Richard Herring's first book introduces the readers into the wonderfully colourful world of boxing. Herring for perhaps, the first time ever, looks not just at the excitement and brutality that is produced on fight night, but rather, instead, focuses on the events that lead up to the fight. In every World Title fight that there has ever been, both fighters and both fighters teams have taken every opportunity to do everything and anything they can to undermine the fighter and his preparations. When Herring talks about The Dark Arts, he looks at the psychological warfare that each fighter wages on the other and enlightens the reader to the unique mental strength that each man must posses not only to get to the top, but to stay there. The Darks Arts is set just before the fight of the year. The champion Cornelius "Max" Power is boxing's longest reigning and most feared Champion and is famed for coining the phrase for not only his ability to rough fighters up with an assortment of semi legal tactics, but rather for his ability to completely psyche out an opponent before the first bell has even been rung. His opponent "Sugar" Ray Reynolds is not an ordinary fighter, blessed with a huge edge in height and reach, blinding speed and freakish one punch power he is considered by one and all to be the heir apparent. Something must give, will the aging champion have too much for the young contender or will youth be served. It is the immovable object against the irresistible force.

The author 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. This book tells the story of how a self-confessed perpetual Big Kid deals with his greatest fear - getting older.

The self-proclaimed foremost authority on the penis, Richard Herring decided to stand up for the humble willy, worshipped in ancient times, now consigned to a standing joke. Talking Cock combines answers to questions about sexuality, circumcision, and strange behavior with a deeply researched history, poignant true-life confessions, and insights from the hilarious to the downright obscene.

It has been known by many different names to many different people: Knob, dick, schmuck, tool, percy, John Thomas, the bald headed mouse. 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.

In recent years, the major industrialized nations have developed cooperative procedures for supervising banks, harmonized their standards for bank capital requirements, and initiated cooperative understanding about securities market supervision. This book assesses what further coordination and harmonization in financial regulation will be required in an era of increased globalization. A volume of Brookings' Integrating National Economies Series