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Cheer the F**K Up
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.
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.
416 pages, Paperback
Published May 12, 2022
63 people are currently reading
1419 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
December 28, 2023
I really enjoyed the comedy Big Boys earlier in the year, written and narrated by Jack Rooke, starring Dylan Lewellyn. I'll admit I watched it because of Llewellyn, who I thought was brilliant in Derry Girls. The new show became an unexpected favourite, and when I saw Jack Rooke had published this book a few years ago, I was keen to read it. It was funny, sad, and something that could prove incredibly useful to many readers, especially the help it offers to people wanting to help suicidal friends. Definitely recommended.
April 4, 2021
I genuinely never wanted this book to end. It was one of those rare treats where after you’re finished you want to become best friends with the author. I honestly laughed and cried out loud all during the same page and it is the
most unpatronising and honest representation of grief. I would recommend this book to literally anyone who needs some life affirming inspiration, but I would particularly recommend to anyone who is grieving. I absolutely loved it.
most unpatronising and honest representation of grief. I would recommend this book to literally anyone who needs some life affirming inspiration, but I would particularly recommend to anyone who is grieving. I absolutely loved it.
September 15, 2023
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I’ve never had so much fun reading about such hard content. This book covers a huge range of the grief spectrum and there were moments where I had to take breaks to give me some relief. BUT it was also wonderfully funny and extremely helpful - there were lots and lots and lots of tips for support dealing with grief or helping someone else going through it. This is one I must say everyone should read!!
Review placeholder while I recover. Still weeping on the bus.
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I’ve never had so much fun reading about such hard content. This book covers a huge range of the grief spectrum and there were moments where I had to take breaks to give me some relief. BUT it was also wonderfully funny and extremely helpful - there were lots and lots and lots of tips for support dealing with grief or helping someone else going through it. This is one I must say everyone should read!!
July 13, 2023
TW: this book contains explicit mentions of death, grief, suicide, mental illness and others
It’s not often I love a nonfiction book to the same extent as fiction but this… this was amazing. I implore everyone (being age appropriate and checking TWs) to read this book because not only is it very well written/compiled but the messages and advice is universal and vitally important. Unlike other mental health/self help books I’ve read (granted it’s not been that many but by the synopsis of others I gather they’re similar) tend to focus on the person struggling, understanding the issue, working it through and moving forward. And whilst this is definitely good and important, when combined with the strained mental health services leaves family and friends of those struggling with this ‘burden’ and it’s a big growing problem. But in Cheer the F**k Up, Rooke not only provides useful tips and advice for the self but also how to help someone who… and therefore is adding to a space that so vitally needed to be filled.
This book is the perfect balance of part memoir and part self help/advice. There are chapters with Rooke telling us about his life getting into dept from the age of fifteen to twenty five where it ends. Many life events are talked about starting with the quick decline and death of his dad which really challenged him going forward, school going into university life, bereavement, figuring out his sexuality and experimenting, friendships, using writing as a method to let out one’s thoughts, losing a friend to suicide, mental illness, moving forward and many many more. These chapters are very well paced, they’re interesting and you get to know Jack, his family and friends well and it’s a very emotional strong relationship (a similar one I get when reading fiction in a sense like I just wanted, no needed, good things to come his way but I could also see things coming that were not going to be such and it broke me in the lead up even more then reading the actual events). I think what Rooke does so well is bringing the topic of dealing with you’re mental health to everyone trying to negate the issues of class that often prevent certain people accessing help. Additionally males who are constantly told by society to not show emotions are dying my suicide far too often (biggest killer for under 30s) and so engaging more in the discussion is vital. When getting to the end of this book I really didn’t want it to end just wanting to read on and on about his life (Jack if you read this please write a follow up) because I just loved this ‘character’ - not the right word here… ‘person’ that’s it. I guess another aspect of my attachment to the book and Rooke was that I shared quite a few similarities and things resonated with me on a personal level that I won’t delve into but I dunno, I just felt seen in some sense (kinda like I do when reading certain types of fiction). Interspersed between these memoir chapters are advice sections which range from ‘how to support a friend who’s just lost a parent/close loved one’ to ‘how to encourage creativity/community as catharsis’ and ‘how to tell a friend about your sexuality’ to finishing with ‘how not to be scared’ with a lot more in between. In these sections, Rooke shares both personal anecdotal information but also sourced advice on how to help yourself but, as I said before, more importantly those who are struggling. I found them extremely informative, engaging and well put together, I will for sure come back to them at times where I need help but also to help a loved one going through something.
I don’t think I have a single bad thing to say about this book. I thoroughly, wholeheartedly recommend giving it a read and just super thankful it’s a thing that’s here and available. I wish Jack Rooke all the best in life and anyone reading that there is help available, you’re loved and hope you have a great day xx
P.S. I did watch Big Boys earlier this year I believe and it was really good and since reading this book I can see parts of Rooke in certain characters throughout and again would thoroughly recommend that series. Come on series two!
It’s not often I love a nonfiction book to the same extent as fiction but this… this was amazing. I implore everyone (being age appropriate and checking TWs) to read this book because not only is it very well written/compiled but the messages and advice is universal and vitally important. Unlike other mental health/self help books I’ve read (granted it’s not been that many but by the synopsis of others I gather they’re similar) tend to focus on the person struggling, understanding the issue, working it through and moving forward. And whilst this is definitely good and important, when combined with the strained mental health services leaves family and friends of those struggling with this ‘burden’ and it’s a big growing problem. But in Cheer the F**k Up, Rooke not only provides useful tips and advice for the self but also how to help someone who… and therefore is adding to a space that so vitally needed to be filled.
This book is the perfect balance of part memoir and part self help/advice. There are chapters with Rooke telling us about his life getting into dept from the age of fifteen to twenty five where it ends. Many life events are talked about starting with the quick decline and death of his dad which really challenged him going forward, school going into university life, bereavement, figuring out his sexuality and experimenting, friendships, using writing as a method to let out one’s thoughts, losing a friend to suicide, mental illness, moving forward and many many more. These chapters are very well paced, they’re interesting and you get to know Jack, his family and friends well and it’s a very emotional strong relationship (a similar one I get when reading fiction in a sense like I just wanted, no needed, good things to come his way but I could also see things coming that were not going to be such and it broke me in the lead up even more then reading the actual events). I think what Rooke does so well is bringing the topic of dealing with you’re mental health to everyone trying to negate the issues of class that often prevent certain people accessing help. Additionally males who are constantly told by society to not show emotions are dying my suicide far too often (biggest killer for under 30s) and so engaging more in the discussion is vital. When getting to the end of this book I really didn’t want it to end just wanting to read on and on about his life (Jack if you read this please write a follow up) because I just loved this ‘character’ - not the right word here… ‘person’ that’s it. I guess another aspect of my attachment to the book and Rooke was that I shared quite a few similarities and things resonated with me on a personal level that I won’t delve into but I dunno, I just felt seen in some sense (kinda like I do when reading certain types of fiction). Interspersed between these memoir chapters are advice sections which range from ‘how to support a friend who’s just lost a parent/close loved one’ to ‘how to encourage creativity/community as catharsis’ and ‘how to tell a friend about your sexuality’ to finishing with ‘how not to be scared’ with a lot more in between. In these sections, Rooke shares both personal anecdotal information but also sourced advice on how to help yourself but, as I said before, more importantly those who are struggling. I found them extremely informative, engaging and well put together, I will for sure come back to them at times where I need help but also to help a loved one going through something.
I don’t think I have a single bad thing to say about this book. I thoroughly, wholeheartedly recommend giving it a read and just super thankful it’s a thing that’s here and available. I wish Jack Rooke all the best in life and anyone reading that there is help available, you’re loved and hope you have a great day xx
P.S. I did watch Big Boys earlier this year I believe and it was really good and since reading this book I can see parts of Rooke in certain characters throughout and again would thoroughly recommend that series. Come on series two!
January 15, 2023
Read this gem after watching big boys! An incredible book about mental health, friendship and grief. Will have you laughing in one chapter to crying the next.
January 28, 2021
Back in 2015, fresh from Edinburgh festival, my friend Nay bought me a ticket to see Jack Rooke's 'Good Grief' at the Soho Theatre. I knew nothing about it, or him, but Nay told me "you HAVE to see this. YOU, specifically YOU." So I took my friend Fi along, and we both cried our way through the whole thing, from both laughter and sadness. Jack is part of the DPC (dead parents club), specifically the DDC. His open and honest chat about grief in the show was so refreshing, and exactly what I'd been doing since my Dad died in 2004. In his book, Jack mentions that after performing the show each night, throngs of people would be clambering to chat to him about their own dead relatives and friends, and I did exactly this (sorry, Jack!), excitedly telling him that I was in the dead parents club too! And I spoke about my Dad all the time! I was grieving to anyone who would listen!
I've been following Jack's career ever since, and had really been looking forward to this book. I downloaded the audiobook, and it was like listening to an extra friendly, lovely pal chat to you about some traumatic and shitty and hilarious things, peppered with wonderful advice about how you can seek support if you’re feeling blue, if you’re worried about someone else or if you want to know which gay bar in London is the best. Now, more than ever, so many of us are struggling. Someone you know might be thinking about taking their life, or one of their friends or family members may have died quite suddenly. I would whole heartedly recommend this book to anyone, whether or not they’ve been touched by death in any way. If they’re lucky enough not to have been, then it’s only a matter of time; let’s be honest. This book will guide them through it all, offering friendly support in an entirely non judgemental and very lovely way. Buy it for someone you know and get yourself a copy too.
I've been following Jack's career ever since, and had really been looking forward to this book. I downloaded the audiobook, and it was like listening to an extra friendly, lovely pal chat to you about some traumatic and shitty and hilarious things, peppered with wonderful advice about how you can seek support if you’re feeling blue, if you’re worried about someone else or if you want to know which gay bar in London is the best. Now, more than ever, so many of us are struggling. Someone you know might be thinking about taking their life, or one of their friends or family members may have died quite suddenly. I would whole heartedly recommend this book to anyone, whether or not they’ve been touched by death in any way. If they’re lucky enough not to have been, then it’s only a matter of time; let’s be honest. This book will guide them through it all, offering friendly support in an entirely non judgemental and very lovely way. Buy it for someone you know and get yourself a copy too.
June 17, 2022
This book is a comedic memoir meets advice guide about losing my dad at 15, losing a close friend to suicide at 21, and losing a pair of Nike air maxes on the Northern Line (Bank branch) at 25. A real smorgasbord of trauma, I'm sure you'll agree.
Jack Rooke is one of those comedians who, when I found him on the gram literally like 5 days ago, I was like how have I never seen this guy before he's hilarious??? And scrolled through like most (all) of his posts. So I instantly got his book because im basic like that even though on the surface it's like..... hun other than the bumming about london in ur twenties aspect there's not much here for you to relate to on a personal level, which is usually my fave bit about memoirs. But it was just so so good and I honestly DID find myself relating to so much of it. Rooke is a great writer and his representation of loss felt really genuine and honest. It made me laugh out loud but also I did find myself crying into a lasagne yesterday afternoon. It's one of THOSE ones that will break your heart a little.
Big shout to the popular culture refs in this that were frankly *chefs kiss*. We love a man who loves QUEEN ALISON HAMMOND, the Victoria Line (THE ELITE LINE) and one who periodically watches the 'sad little life Jane' monologue from Come dine with me as an act of 'self care'. I would like Jack to be my pal.
I would recommend this one to anybody really but especially those who have lost somebody/are grieving. I listened on audio and it was ace. What a fucking great book. 4.5.
Jack Rooke is one of those comedians who, when I found him on the gram literally like 5 days ago, I was like how have I never seen this guy before he's hilarious??? And scrolled through like most (all) of his posts. So I instantly got his book because im basic like that even though on the surface it's like..... hun other than the bumming about london in ur twenties aspect there's not much here for you to relate to on a personal level, which is usually my fave bit about memoirs. But it was just so so good and I honestly DID find myself relating to so much of it. Rooke is a great writer and his representation of loss felt really genuine and honest. It made me laugh out loud but also I did find myself crying into a lasagne yesterday afternoon. It's one of THOSE ones that will break your heart a little.
Big shout to the popular culture refs in this that were frankly *chefs kiss*. We love a man who loves QUEEN ALISON HAMMOND, the Victoria Line (THE ELITE LINE) and one who periodically watches the 'sad little life Jane' monologue from Come dine with me as an act of 'self care'. I would like Jack to be my pal.
I would recommend this one to anybody really but especially those who have lost somebody/are grieving. I listened on audio and it was ace. What a fucking great book. 4.5.
February 4, 2024
This book almost certainly will have had a swell in support from the success of the Channel 4 sitcom Big Boys. It was published at a time when Jack Rooke should have known better but just before he really really should have known better. Which is to say: Cheer the Fuck Up, a study of grief and the aftershocks of suicide, is littered with wall-to-wall Harry Potter references. At the time of publication it would have been embarrassing. In 2024, a book about LGBT+ mental health issues with all of this in it should be reissued with the sections either removed or scored through in bright red ink.
Cheer the Fuck Up is moving when it comes to a young man sharing the horrible experience of his father dying very abruptly at a relatively young age. There's quite a lot else to recommend it but after a while it becomes very clear that it's the work of a 25 year old man (still a baby) reflecting on the naiveté of his youth (baby). By the time you get to the suicide, there's something oddly numbing at play, like Rooke is well intentioned but not really qualified for the job (disclaimer: I may be older than Rooke but I am willing to admit that he is better equipped than me).
There are also things that he shouldn't have put on the record, like he finds plays long and boring (an interview published less than a month before the time of writing this bears the headline "Phoebe Waller-Bridge just asked me to write her a play"). There's also the concern that even before he starts abusing alcohol as a grief coping mechanism, there's a lot of worrisome alcohol consumption between these pages.
Cheer the Fuck Up is a scattershot approach to its subject matter, only sometimes seeming to have a through line, then wandering off into the wilderness. Rooke's talents are considerable, and used with laser focus (and better results) in Big Boys. He's a valuable member of society, but Cheer the Fuck Up really tapers off, and the end feels like shit simply got too real for him with only the scantest of lip service paid to legitimate issues in his life. On top of that it reads as a really bizarre non-coming out story, but that's real life for you. I'm legitimately curious whether this book has proven useful to anyone; if it has, I'm glad.
(Also dubious: Rooke expresses lust for a young Keir Starmer, and says of his accommodation: “it was a bit like living next to a non-famous, bisexual Amy Schumer.” Literally nothing in this book has aged well).
Cheer the Fuck Up is moving when it comes to a young man sharing the horrible experience of his father dying very abruptly at a relatively young age. There's quite a lot else to recommend it but after a while it becomes very clear that it's the work of a 25 year old man (still a baby) reflecting on the naiveté of his youth (baby). By the time you get to the suicide, there's something oddly numbing at play, like Rooke is well intentioned but not really qualified for the job (disclaimer: I may be older than Rooke but I am willing to admit that he is better equipped than me).
There are also things that he shouldn't have put on the record, like he finds plays long and boring (an interview published less than a month before the time of writing this bears the headline "Phoebe Waller-Bridge just asked me to write her a play"). There's also the concern that even before he starts abusing alcohol as a grief coping mechanism, there's a lot of worrisome alcohol consumption between these pages.
Cheer the Fuck Up is a scattershot approach to its subject matter, only sometimes seeming to have a through line, then wandering off into the wilderness. Rooke's talents are considerable, and used with laser focus (and better results) in Big Boys. He's a valuable member of society, but Cheer the Fuck Up really tapers off, and the end feels like shit simply got too real for him with only the scantest of lip service paid to legitimate issues in his life. On top of that it reads as a really bizarre non-coming out story, but that's real life for you. I'm legitimately curious whether this book has proven useful to anyone; if it has, I'm glad.
(Also dubious: Rooke expresses lust for a young Keir Starmer, and says of his accommodation: “it was a bit like living next to a non-famous, bisexual Amy Schumer.” Literally nothing in this book has aged well).
August 10, 2020
I know of Jack from the comedy scene and went in to this book with some trepidation but my goodness was I wrong. From the first page you call tell that Rooke knows how to write and is writing from a place of honesty and compassion (with a dose of humour for good measure!).
At times this book was difficult to read - please note that Rooke is very clear if there are warnings/triggers for the chapter - but I found it to be a beautiful read. Rooke has not had the easiest life but he shares his history, grief and learnings with us in Cheer the F**k Up so wonderfully that it makes this book very hard to put down.
Thanks to Penguin for a copy of Cheer the F**K Up in exchange for an honest review.
At times this book was difficult to read - please note that Rooke is very clear if there are warnings/triggers for the chapter - but I found it to be a beautiful read. Rooke has not had the easiest life but he shares his history, grief and learnings with us in Cheer the F**k Up so wonderfully that it makes this book very hard to put down.
Thanks to Penguin for a copy of Cheer the F**K Up in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2024
Read this after watching big boys, which I adored, and really wanted to love it.
Jack is obviously incredibly intelligent, talented and very funny and every part of that comes through in the majority of this book.
For me, as a gay man whose best friend was killed at 15, I really didn’t like the advice sections. Very little, if any, felt relevant or resonated with me and although I know this is a support book, much of it just just felt too personal and a bit pushy with what to do and how to cope. We are of course all different and I’m sure this would help lots of people, but we all manage in different ways.
The one key is there though, talk!
Jack is obviously incredibly intelligent, talented and very funny and every part of that comes through in the majority of this book.
For me, as a gay man whose best friend was killed at 15, I really didn’t like the advice sections. Very little, if any, felt relevant or resonated with me and although I know this is a support book, much of it just just felt too personal and a bit pushy with what to do and how to cope. We are of course all different and I’m sure this would help lots of people, but we all manage in different ways.
The one key is there though, talk!
March 2, 2024
I really, really wanted to love this because Big Boys (the series based on the book) is one of the loveliest things I’ve seen in recent years. But for me, the mix of memoir and self help resources didn’t really work. The memoir bits are 5 stars but as a whole I found it a bit disjointed and I didn’t want the other bits ..but this could be because I’m not the target audience and I hope that it’s useful for a younger audience.
August 14, 2020
I loved this funny, moving memoir/advice book so much! Really recommend for fans of funny memoirs who can handle occasionally crying too.
August 24, 2022
Cheers crying on the train. Truly stunning book about grief, loss and life x
July 4, 2022
First things first, I have never (and still not heard) of Jack Rooke. If he is a comedian (and based on his literary style, see no reason to doubt this) is one that has crept me by.
The mix between memoir and advice was spot on and handled complex topics such as the death of a parent, someone taking their own life and 'coming out' with grace.
Unlike other books on similar topics, this provided advice and guidance on how you, as the reader, can help a friend rather than help yourself.
Whilst we are all encouraged to talk more about mental health to friends, family and trained professionals, we aren't taught how to listen and support. This book attempts to solve that.
The only reason it didn't get a 5-star review was that I was expecting a few more laughs from a comedic author, which I imagine is quite a challenge given the topics covered.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Penguin Random House for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The mix between memoir and advice was spot on and handled complex topics such as the death of a parent, someone taking their own life and 'coming out' with grace.
Unlike other books on similar topics, this provided advice and guidance on how you, as the reader, can help a friend rather than help yourself.
Whilst we are all encouraged to talk more about mental health to friends, family and trained professionals, we aren't taught how to listen and support. This book attempts to solve that.
The only reason it didn't get a 5-star review was that I was expecting a few more laughs from a comedic author, which I imagine is quite a challenge given the topics covered.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Penguin Random House for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 21, 2023
After watching Big Boys last year and anticipating it's return next year I decided to pick this up to learn more about the real life of Jack that the show is based on. I read the whole thing in a day, could not put it down.
I found it both intensely relatable, as a gay guy who started uni in 2012 it really took me back to that time period, from the pop culture references to worries of trying to make friends and come to terms with your identity at the same time was a difficult experience that he went into a lot of detail about.
However he did all that after suffering unimaginable personal loss, and continues to battle personal tragedy and mental health issues throughout. He uses these experiences to give great advice throughout the book and talks about the campaigning he has been involved in to provide support to those suffering with poor mental health.
Heartbreaking but inspiring. After hearing his story I'm so glad to see him have this success. Long may it continue.
I found it both intensely relatable, as a gay guy who started uni in 2012 it really took me back to that time period, from the pop culture references to worries of trying to make friends and come to terms with your identity at the same time was a difficult experience that he went into a lot of detail about.
However he did all that after suffering unimaginable personal loss, and continues to battle personal tragedy and mental health issues throughout. He uses these experiences to give great advice throughout the book and talks about the campaigning he has been involved in to provide support to those suffering with poor mental health.
Heartbreaking but inspiring. After hearing his story I'm so glad to see him have this success. Long may it continue.
April 25, 2023
A real rollercoaster of emotions, shedding light on the importance of reducing stigma around male mental health and well-being.
Despite the serious overall message of the book, Rooke tells his personal story in such a hilarious way. I enjoyed this book so much; it was just so British and all the references to British pop culture were so fun.
Having watched Big Boys, I knew of parts of Rooke’s story already and if you haven’t watched Big Boys / read this book, I massively recommend both!
Despite the serious overall message of the book, Rooke tells his personal story in such a hilarious way. I enjoyed this book so much; it was just so British and all the references to British pop culture were so fun.
Having watched Big Boys, I knew of parts of Rooke’s story already and if you haven’t watched Big Boys / read this book, I massively recommend both!
February 18, 2025
I read this after finishing Big Boys, one of my favourite TV shows of all time and something that made me sob like I knew the characters personally. Jack Rooke has such a clever and original way of making you burst out laughing while you’re soaked in tears. This book was moving and thought-provoking and both this and Big Boys will stick with me forever. I’ll watch or read everything Jack puts out in future. (Would also highly recommend the audiobook for some extra hilarious snippets)
June 18, 2025
i think it's quite difficult to capture masterfully both hilarious and heart-breaking moments in the same novel, but jack rooke can clearly do it: i saw myself laughing on one page and bawling my eyes out on the next one. i have never read this "type" of "advice" books (and i think it will be the first and last one), but it really stuck with me and i believe i will go back to it again at some point when i feel like i need it. thanks jack, i really hope you were my friend ❤️🩹
July 13, 2023
such a gem. would be incredibly incredibly helpful for anyone affected by an unexpected loss or grief in general. cried in the kitchen twice listening to this one but also had a great time. very inspired by Jack Rooke’s raw vulnerability and his gift for storytelling. rewatching Big Boys tonight🫡🫡
July 5, 2024
What a wonderfully funny and moving book. This is my second time reading it and Jacks vulnerability, humour and empathy is just as impactful. Making a book about such a moving topic such a joy to read is a gift. Some amazing tips to help support yourself and others. Will keep and re read forever.
November 24, 2024
losing a parent to suicide made this book a double whammy for me. wonderfully talked about serious topics while being such an entertaining and funny book 10/10
February 12, 2025
After finishing Big Boys series 3, I needed to know more about Jack's relationship with grief. I feel so seen in Jack's writing style and his relationship with Olly/Danny. I devoured this book in three days, which is a testament to how much I loved it.
November 2, 2025
required !! reading !! covers all the important stuff: grief, mental health, suicide, sexuality, how best to have a bacon sandwich and the yellow sticker reductions in tesco
August 14, 2022
Without a doubt the best book I’ve read this year! Publicly laughed and cried getting through this and after watching Big Boys there were parts where I could hear Jack Rooke narrating it to me.
Would wholeheartedly recommend.
Would wholeheartedly recommend.
September 5, 2023
An amazing book written by an incredible human. This memoir manages to capture the massively complex thing that is grief: a taboo yet universal, incredibly complex and misunderstood emotion, and life changing event. In 258 pages jack shares his raw and unfiltered sentiments, from his teenage to now adult self. You’ll laugh and cry in the same chapters!
January 18, 2021
I can't put into words how much this book moved me. I mean, I can but I'm still processing right now and it's almost 1am.
Basically Jack Rooke is fantastic (both his writing and his hair) and please PLEASE do yourself a favour and get this book/listen to his radio shows/watch the TV show he did/follow him on fucking twitter.
CTFU is filled with heartbreaking sadness which will make you cry, but is also littered with anecdotes which will make you genuine lol, like proper belly laugh.
I'd recommend this book to anyone - but especially someone who has ever had the misfortune of losing a loved one, is grieving, or having issues with their mental health. Not only has Jack included a glossary indexy type thing with different resources and organisations designed to help those struggling, but also created his own guide for people who are helping their loved ones through tough times.
5/5 well deserved stars. If this were I'm a celeb they'd be eating well tonight!! Stick it on your TBR list (and then buy it from somewhere local if you can, support small businesses my dudes x)
Basically Jack Rooke is fantastic (both his writing and his hair) and please PLEASE do yourself a favour and get this book/listen to his radio shows/watch the TV show he did/follow him on fucking twitter.
CTFU is filled with heartbreaking sadness which will make you cry, but is also littered with anecdotes which will make you genuine lol, like proper belly laugh.
I'd recommend this book to anyone - but especially someone who has ever had the misfortune of losing a loved one, is grieving, or having issues with their mental health. Not only has Jack included a glossary indexy type thing with different resources and organisations designed to help those struggling, but also created his own guide for people who are helping their loved ones through tough times.
5/5 well deserved stars. If this were I'm a celeb they'd be eating well tonight!! Stick it on your TBR list (and then buy it from somewhere local if you can, support small businesses my dudes x)
May 31, 2022
Well I wrote this book so I am very biased but I’m also a silly dumb internet troll so I have given myself a lovely lil 5 stars. I hope it helps those who like it 💖😎✌️
February 6, 2021
I picked up this book because like many of us right now, we personally know someone who is going through a hard time with their mental health. As someone who has luckily not struggled with anxiety or depression before I often felt awkward or afraid to say the wrong thing when talking to other people about their feelings surrounding the subject.
I had never heard of Jack Rooke before picking up this book but despite that I really enjoyed reading about his early life and career. Jack’s Dad died suddenly from cancer when he was only fifteen and I found those parts of the book very insightful and important to read due to having friends who have also lost a parent at that age.
This book does talk about difficult topics such as death, grief and suicide but Jack writes about them so sensitively that it’s such a safe place to learn from. Yes it is sad in places but it is also uplifting and funny (who also laughed out loud at the farting bereavement counsellor?)
I do wonder if this book was marketed correctly as I was expecting it to be more advice heavy than memoir. The first third of the book focuses on Jack’s childhood, the loss of his Dad and his uni years leading through to his early career with the occasional mention of his work with CALM and how-to’s sprinkled throughout, such as what not to say to someone who has just lost a loved one and how to help someone seek bereavement counselling. It wasn’t until around page 300 that he fully addresses mental health and suicide, whilst this is still an important read if you are looking for something solely focused on MH then this might not be the book to go to for that.
This memoir covers a lot of important topics such as grief, death, mental health, class, family, internalised homophobia, coming out as gay and losing a friend to suicide as well as the damaging and triggering way the media covers stories about suicide and is handled in such a sensitive and beautiful way.
I had never heard of Jack Rooke before picking up this book but despite that I really enjoyed reading about his early life and career. Jack’s Dad died suddenly from cancer when he was only fifteen and I found those parts of the book very insightful and important to read due to having friends who have also lost a parent at that age.
This book does talk about difficult topics such as death, grief and suicide but Jack writes about them so sensitively that it’s such a safe place to learn from. Yes it is sad in places but it is also uplifting and funny (who also laughed out loud at the farting bereavement counsellor?)
I do wonder if this book was marketed correctly as I was expecting it to be more advice heavy than memoir. The first third of the book focuses on Jack’s childhood, the loss of his Dad and his uni years leading through to his early career with the occasional mention of his work with CALM and how-to’s sprinkled throughout, such as what not to say to someone who has just lost a loved one and how to help someone seek bereavement counselling. It wasn’t until around page 300 that he fully addresses mental health and suicide, whilst this is still an important read if you are looking for something solely focused on MH then this might not be the book to go to for that.
This memoir covers a lot of important topics such as grief, death, mental health, class, family, internalised homophobia, coming out as gay and losing a friend to suicide as well as the damaging and triggering way the media covers stories about suicide and is handled in such a sensitive and beautiful way.
August 11, 2020
Wow! To find a book that deals with such delicate issues surrounding mental health and grief but is told in such a funny, relatable way is an absolute joy.
This book is part memoir , part self help book. All of which is tasteful, non preachy and such an enjoyable read.
I’m new to Jack’s work and this book was the first I had heard about him (following a recommendation on the wonderful Nicola Coughlan’s instagram) His comedy is right up my street and although I am not quite the same age (36 year old single mum here) I can relate to so many of the anecdotes, possibly something to do with me still acting like an 18 year old during the time when the author was one!!yikes. The band references, the £5 bottles of Zinf, the love of Alison Hammond- all truly represent me as a person!haha.
But also so does also the immense loss following the death of a friend and a family member, struggles with mental health and the need to help a friend who is struggling right now.
I honestly have not felt the urge to go out and buy a book for my friends for such a long time, a recommendation to read just isn’t enough.
It is written perfectly, any particularly upsetting moments have a trigger warning and honestly I have laughed out loud throughout to the point where my kids are looking at me like I’m weird, I guess it’s a break from them asking for another biscuit!
This book is part memoir , part self help book. All of which is tasteful, non preachy and such an enjoyable read.
I’m new to Jack’s work and this book was the first I had heard about him (following a recommendation on the wonderful Nicola Coughlan’s instagram) His comedy is right up my street and although I am not quite the same age (36 year old single mum here) I can relate to so many of the anecdotes, possibly something to do with me still acting like an 18 year old during the time when the author was one!!yikes. The band references, the £5 bottles of Zinf, the love of Alison Hammond- all truly represent me as a person!haha.
But also so does also the immense loss following the death of a friend and a family member, struggles with mental health and the need to help a friend who is struggling right now.
I honestly have not felt the urge to go out and buy a book for my friends for such a long time, a recommendation to read just isn’t enough.
It is written perfectly, any particularly upsetting moments have a trigger warning and honestly I have laughed out loud throughout to the point where my kids are looking at me like I’m weird, I guess it’s a break from them asking for another biscuit!
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