Rhys James

Current publication: YOU'LL LIKE IT WHEN YOU GET THERE (Octopus, 2025) 

A refreshingly honest look at modern life, and how to get out of living it.

Rhys has lived his entire life with a backdrop of dread. As a child, the sentence he feared most was 'come downstairs and say hello.' Aged five, he feigned injury to avoid dancing at a wedding, and 25 years later, he celebrated when the venue set on fire moments before what would've been the biggest gig of his life.

You'll Like It When You Get There is a guide to life from someone who doesn't want to do anything, and an exploration of why you possibly shouldn't either. Join Rhys as he avoids not just social engagements but big life milestones too, like getting married and having children. A deep dive into regret, humiliation, failure and pretending to be French for personal gain. From the Wild West of early internet chatrooms to the sticky circus of the Kavos strip, from redesigning therapy after completing it in just four sessions, to having a full existential breakdown when a Buddhist monk asks him for five stars on TripAdvisor.

Praise:

'The millennial David Sedaris. This is the closest I've had to stand-up as a reading experience.' - Adam Kay 

'Relatable tales of adolescent embarrassment, smart takes on modern life, and all the laughs you'd expect from such a talented comedian.' - Stephen Merchant

'As witty and clever as Rhys's stand up, but you can take it in the bath.' - Sara Pascoe

'It's a cry for help, but it's a very funny one.' - Dara Ó Briain

'Hilarious, astute, profound. Make an appointment to read - and for God's sake keep it.' - Danny Wallace

'Just like his stand up, this book is brilliantly written, funny and makes me love him a lot. How annoying.' - Aisling Bea

'Nuanced and hilarious takes on the decisions facing all 30-somethings. Goddamn Rhys for making me laugh out loud reading a book - the most annoying thing a person can do. It's mega funny and sneakily wise.'  - Phil Wang

'It turns out Rhys James is not only a brilliant comedian, he's also a fabulously talented writer. I tore through this book in one sitting because it's such a total joy to read - laugh out loud funny and endlessly relatable.' -  Emily Dean

'Laugh-out-loud funny and a must-read for anyone who grew up in the 1990s and 2000s . . . Nobody has captured the millennial experience as viscerally, and hilariously, as this.' - Telegraph