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All the Best for the Future: Growing Up Without Growing Old
Brought to you by Penguin.
A brilliantly warm-hearted celebration of the lost art of having fun
When Greg James was ten years old, his nylon shell suit-clad idols the Chuckle Brothers ('to me, to you') signed an autograph (from them, to him) with the message 'All the best for the future.’ It was a weirdly formal message for a kid. Ten-year-old Greg had no idea what the future held, no clue what was in store for him as he carried on through life. How could he? No one really knows what's coming. We all have big dreams and small ones, ideas about how we want our lives to pan when you'll get married, where you'll live, how many children you want, what you want to be when you grow up. We race through the milestones, desperate to unlock life's next level and before you know it, you’re a 'grown up'. That’s all well and good but have you remembered to have fun along the way?
Whether it's entertaining the nation with his hugely popular BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show, writing big funny adventures for kids with his bestselling children's books, finding the joy in cricket and F1 in his podcasts Tailenders and The Fast and the Curious, or posting stupid videos of his adorable but quite thick dog Barney, Greg’s focus is to put a smile on people's faces because, let's face it, having fun is something we all forget to prioritise sometimes.
In All the Best for the Future, Greg looks at how he thought his life would go and shares the things that wind him up, make him sad, make him laugh and the little passions and interests that he relies on to get him through the day - whether it was a good one or a bad one. He tells us who he is, who he thought he'd be and who he still thinks he could be. Most of all though, his message for everyone is not to let go of that inner child as he navigates how to grow up without growing old. It’s possible to be fully functioning adults, with bills to pay and a dog to look after, and still find time to play with a train set...
Greg James 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025
A brilliantly warm-hearted celebration of the lost art of having fun
When Greg James was ten years old, his nylon shell suit-clad idols the Chuckle Brothers ('to me, to you') signed an autograph (from them, to him) with the message 'All the best for the future.’ It was a weirdly formal message for a kid. Ten-year-old Greg had no idea what the future held, no clue what was in store for him as he carried on through life. How could he? No one really knows what's coming. We all have big dreams and small ones, ideas about how we want our lives to pan when you'll get married, where you'll live, how many children you want, what you want to be when you grow up. We race through the milestones, desperate to unlock life's next level and before you know it, you’re a 'grown up'. That’s all well and good but have you remembered to have fun along the way?
Whether it's entertaining the nation with his hugely popular BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show, writing big funny adventures for kids with his bestselling children's books, finding the joy in cricket and F1 in his podcasts Tailenders and The Fast and the Curious, or posting stupid videos of his adorable but quite thick dog Barney, Greg’s focus is to put a smile on people's faces because, let's face it, having fun is something we all forget to prioritise sometimes.
In All the Best for the Future, Greg looks at how he thought his life would go and shares the things that wind him up, make him sad, make him laugh and the little passions and interests that he relies on to get him through the day - whether it was a good one or a bad one. He tells us who he is, who he thought he'd be and who he still thinks he could be. Most of all though, his message for everyone is not to let go of that inner child as he navigates how to grow up without growing old. It’s possible to be fully functioning adults, with bills to pay and a dog to look after, and still find time to play with a train set...
Greg James 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025
Audible Audio
Published September 25, 2025
653 people are currently reading
1607 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 303 reviews
October 4, 2025
listening to the audio book and it's immediately comforting, funny and making me question my life choices - in a good way. like an old friend giving you good advice. brilliant.
October 27, 2025
3 stars because he hates cats
October 8, 2025
I really recommend the audiobook, particularly to anyone who would describe themselves as a precocious, mature, or anxious child, and wants to live their life in a more lighthearted, non-patriarchal-heteronormative way. Covers lots of different topics in an important yer light-hearted way, such as mental health, patriarchy, and ageing. There are lots of great reminders that life is now, and prioritising fun and connection is what life is all about. Being familiar with Greg from the radio, the audiobook is a great way to listen and it captures the personality of him and the book. Very easy and enjoyable listen.
October 8, 2025
Utterly obsessed with this man
October 27, 2025
This was like a nice gentle reminder to have fun, do what you enjoy, hang out with people you like, and not take life too seriously
November 16, 2025
Scared to put my honest thoughts incase my pals are a fan, I need to caveat I do like Greg James on radio, just feel it came across a bit judgemental towards others and how they choose to live their life. It didn't add any value to mine whatsoever.
October 22, 2025
Listened to the audiobook while doing bedtime, I knew I was enjoying it when I realised baby fell asleep ages ago and I’ve just been sat in the pitch black for nearly an hour x full of nostalgia, lols and comfort x
October 25, 2025
Love Greg and appreciate the sentiment of this book but found it read a little too much like the internal monologue of his brain and could have done with some fine tuning. Maybe a harsh review given I’m not really an autobiography person.
November 2, 2025
a lovely hug of an audiobook!
November 20, 2025
I love Greg so I think maybe I just missed the point of this? Seemed much more autobiographical than it was marketed as in my opinion, and while that is interesting, I found it very repetitive! An easy listen and some funny anecdotes, but also very forgettable.
October 7, 2025
A monologue of Greg James’ thoughts about life, what’s not to enjoy? 4*
October 6, 2025
Audiobooked it 🔉 I've loved Greg for years (decades) so it was really nice to listen to him talk about life thingz
January 14, 2026
I don't even know why I started this, I knew exactly how it was going to be. But alas, I did.
I don't mind Greg James but not sure on what basis he should be giving out life advice. I'm sure it's easy to write a chapter on "the art of not giving a fuck" when you're paid £430k a year. In said chapter, he encourages readers to have a "waste day". He then goes on to document his own waste day, spent on the beach in the South of France. Relatable.
I found it a bit repetitive, a bit hypocritical and very egocentric. On the plus, at least he shares my strong opinions on Tartare cheese (+++) and destination weddings (---).
I don't mind Greg James but not sure on what basis he should be giving out life advice. I'm sure it's easy to write a chapter on "the art of not giving a fuck" when you're paid £430k a year. In said chapter, he encourages readers to have a "waste day". He then goes on to document his own waste day, spent on the beach in the South of France. Relatable.
I found it a bit repetitive, a bit hypocritical and very egocentric. On the plus, at least he shares my strong opinions on Tartare cheese (+++) and destination weddings (---).
November 10, 2025
4⭐️
I have no flaws for this book but I just can't give it 5 stars but I am not sure why.
I really enjoyed this audiobook and it is (finally) my first non fiction of the year so I can tick it off my bingo card. I really loved how lighthearted and funny this book was, I was snorting air out my nose quite a lot on my drives. Greg really hit the balance between humorous and also wisdom. I enjoyed the audiobook exclusive bits and just thoroughly enjoyed the anecdotes and stories from greg.
I have no flaws for this book but I just can't give it 5 stars but I am not sure why.
I really enjoyed this audiobook and it is (finally) my first non fiction of the year so I can tick it off my bingo card. I really loved how lighthearted and funny this book was, I was snorting air out my nose quite a lot on my drives. Greg really hit the balance between humorous and also wisdom. I enjoyed the audiobook exclusive bits and just thoroughly enjoyed the anecdotes and stories from greg.
November 14, 2025
Reading this felt like spending a long, boozy dinner at the pub with a funny, smart and successful radio pal. I love Greg’s outlook on life and it comes through so much in the tone that I just inhaled this book. Brought it with me on a winter seaside trip and now I can’t bear to look at my stuffy literary novels. Everything will feel boring compared to this for a few days.
November 15, 2025
Absolutely loved this autobiography! Promised myself I'd read/listen to one this year and when I heard Greg James had released his own I had to get it and oh my what a listen. So much humour and also truth in everything! Would 100% listen to this again and highly recommend it to anyone! this was an audible and Greg James narrates it which made it even better and more real. Thank you was so good!
January 4, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ I just love Greg James. Nice themes and reminders to read especially at the start of the new year. But not the best memoir I’ve ever read and can understand why other reviews say to listen to the audiobook. Overall funny and an easy read.
November 17, 2025
I really enjoyed this !! Super funny and easy to read x
January 2, 2026
100% recommend the audio book. Not sure I'd have enjoyed reading it as much as I did listening!
January 10, 2026
I really enjoyed this, a reminder that life isn’t that serious and prioritising the fun and silly aspects of it would do us all some good. I found the humour laced through this a bit too on the nose for my liking but who knows maybe that’s me defeating the point of the whole book! Despite this, Greg’s outlook on life was uplifting and this book will encourage me to acknowledge the small things day to day that make up the bigger picture.
December 22, 2025
3.6.
Pretty decent, some good laugh out loud moments more towards the beginning. Enjoyed the “being a parent” sections.
It did feel preachy in parts though, and I’m not sure he’s as qualified as he thinks he is. And definitely not as likeable.
Its central premise is ‘see the fun in everything’ but many don’t have that luxury.
Pretty decent, some good laugh out loud moments more towards the beginning. Enjoyed the “being a parent” sections.
It did feel preachy in parts though, and I’m not sure he’s as qualified as he thinks he is. And definitely not as likeable.
Its central premise is ‘see the fun in everything’ but many don’t have that luxury.
October 8, 2025
I feel I should start this by saying I adored Greg James in my late teens and early twenties. I listened to Drivetime as often as I could, at university, in my freezing flat, whilst I wrote essays (variable quality: not his fault) and worried. His style of radio, the silly games and choice of music was so soothing to my slightly addled brain.
This book, and choosing to listen to the audio version, was the balm I needed now, sort of like I did back then. It’s a book about adulthood and childhood and how the two aren’t really unrelated. That it’s okay to be the same person you were then, but with a more adult approach. That you can be geeky, shy, worried, silly and obsessed and passionate with bonkers things just because you are. That it’s better to be 100% whoever you are than 10% someone’s idea of you and who you should be because adulthood tells you so.
It was truly a delight to listen to and it just felt like being a 20 year old scared uni student, listening to the Mayor of Where whilst trying to find the right source about the evolution of malaria and panicking about the future. Thanks, Gregory.
This book, and choosing to listen to the audio version, was the balm I needed now, sort of like I did back then. It’s a book about adulthood and childhood and how the two aren’t really unrelated. That it’s okay to be the same person you were then, but with a more adult approach. That you can be geeky, shy, worried, silly and obsessed and passionate with bonkers things just because you are. That it’s better to be 100% whoever you are than 10% someone’s idea of you and who you should be because adulthood tells you so.
It was truly a delight to listen to and it just felt like being a 20 year old scared uni student, listening to the Mayor of Where whilst trying to find the right source about the evolution of malaria and panicking about the future. Thanks, Gregory.
November 11, 2025
enjoy the little things and not take life too seriously
September 24, 2025
Exactly as I'd hoped it would be. Top work Gregory.
December 15, 2025
2.5 stars
I picked this up on Audible hoping for a quick and fun listen - I used to enjoy Greg’s Radio 1 Breakfast Show back in the day, particularly his often silly sense of humour.
This was enjoyable enough, particularly the chapters involving a duck’s funeral, the Chuckle brothers, and Martha - but I found myself getting increasingly annoyed by the streams of life advice and self-help elements of the book. He came across quite judgemental and self absorbed, actually. Even if I ended up agreeing with most of his stances on life. I definitely would have preferred more funny anecdotes from life in radio and interviewing celebrities than what this turned out to be.
Also, he hates cats. And tea.
I picked this up on Audible hoping for a quick and fun listen - I used to enjoy Greg’s Radio 1 Breakfast Show back in the day, particularly his often silly sense of humour.
This was enjoyable enough, particularly the chapters involving a duck’s funeral, the Chuckle brothers, and Martha - but I found myself getting increasingly annoyed by the streams of life advice and self-help elements of the book. He came across quite judgemental and self absorbed, actually. Even if I ended up agreeing with most of his stances on life. I definitely would have preferred more funny anecdotes from life in radio and interviewing celebrities than what this turned out to be.
Also, he hates cats. And tea.
December 28, 2025
Some funny/interesting bits but mostly pretty mid, forgettable and repetitive, which is a shame because I love Greg on the radio. Bonus star for my mate getting a mention and for various gushing passages about UEA and Livewire giving Greg his best friends, just as it gave me mine.
Read
October 30, 2025Like listening to 7 hours of the breakfast show without the music I don’t like
December 11, 2025
classic wholesome greg james funniness. it’s a testament that i can still love this guy even after he said cats can f*ck off. nobody’s perfect. i can see why you’d think that with a dog like barney but i’m going off topic.
have the physical book but listened to the audiobook as well bc i love having his silly honest voice in my brain and i’m not up and about or human enough for the time of the breakfast show these days. (yes i know i can listen to it on the bbc sounds app greg but i’m sorry i’m just not that proactive)
anyway. a lovely time was had. and thank you for making my eyes water on my way to work with the last chapter when paul goes on stage for the first time without barry (how dare you) (love you) (all the best in the future)
have the physical book but listened to the audiobook as well bc i love having his silly honest voice in my brain and i’m not up and about or human enough for the time of the breakfast show these days. (yes i know i can listen to it on the bbc sounds app greg but i’m sorry i’m just not that proactive)
anyway. a lovely time was had. and thank you for making my eyes water on my way to work with the last chapter when paul goes on stage for the first time without barry (how dare you) (love you) (all the best in the future)
December 28, 2025
Huge fan of Greg, so this was enjoyable. Loved the quick peeks behind the scenes of radio and his takes on doing the things you love most in life and not giving a shit what people think about it.
Also related heavily to his chapter on not having children, especially his love for children and the people in his life having children. But the question ‘Do you want your current life and relationship with each other to fundamentally change forever?’ summed up what I don’t see much out there in the conversation.
I would have loved to have heard more behind the scenes of specific moments of the breakfast show or his career. And it was slightly repetitive in parts.
But love Greg, always!
Also related heavily to his chapter on not having children, especially his love for children and the people in his life having children. But the question ‘Do you want your current life and relationship with each other to fundamentally change forever?’ summed up what I don’t see much out there in the conversation.
I would have loved to have heard more behind the scenes of specific moments of the breakfast show or his career. And it was slightly repetitive in parts.
But love Greg, always!
November 12, 2025
I’ve loved Greg James for years, but don’t follow a lot of celebrities on social media, because well they usually post rubbish that makes you feel insecure about your ordinary life.
So I’d missed his book release, only to stumble across an exert about how he doesn’t want children and found it hilarious. This led me to listen to the book as I love his Witt and childish innuendos and my god am I glad I did.
This book has a bit of everything, humour, humbling ness, talks of how to be boring, how to be happy and more importantly is really real and honest. So if you want a funny listen and like Greg James and fancy hearing about his philosophy on life it’s worth a go!
So I’d missed his book release, only to stumble across an exert about how he doesn’t want children and found it hilarious. This led me to listen to the book as I love his Witt and childish innuendos and my god am I glad I did.
This book has a bit of everything, humour, humbling ness, talks of how to be boring, how to be happy and more importantly is really real and honest. So if you want a funny listen and like Greg James and fancy hearing about his philosophy on life it’s worth a go!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 303 reviews