'A guide to life from someone who doesn’t want to do anything'

Rhys James has written his first book, all about his reluctance to ever do anything. 

You’ll Like It When You Get There will be released on August 14 – to coincide with the Edinburgh Fringe – and is described as an ‘introvert’s manifesto’.

‘Follows Rhys as he avoids not just social engagements but big life milestones, like getting married and having children,’ the publishers say.

James said: ‘I’ve always wanted to write a book, partly because it doesn’t require leaving the house. Or shed. I’m eternally grateful to Wildfire for giving me the platform, and terrified for anyone to read it and find out who I really am.’

The title will be published by Wildfire, who won a three-way auction for the rights from Zoe Ross at United Agents.

Editorial director Philip Connor said: ‘I’ve loved Rhys’s work for years, so it’s been amazing to work with him on this hilarious new book. Of course it’s very funny, but it is also uplifting, insightful and inspiring – even if what it’s inspiring you to do is absolutely nothing. It’s a refreshingly honest look at modern life, and how to get out of living it.’

According to the publisher’s blurb: ‘ Rhys has always felt the need to get out of everything. As a child, the sentence he feared most was "come downstairs and say hello", crushed by a dread that would lead him to miss a quarter of a school year, with little more than a case of the Mondays. 

‘Age 5 he feigned injury to avoid dancing at a wedding, and 25 years later, he celebrated when the venue caught fire moments before what would’ve been the biggest gig of his life.  

‘Who hasn’t considered cutting  part of their finger off to miss a party, or moved house to avoid a confrontation with a neighbour?’

The title says it will cover James’s life ‘from the wild west of early internet chatrooms… to having a full existential breakdown when a Buddhist monk asks him for 5 stars on TripAdvisor’.

You’ll Like It When You Get There is currently available to order from Amazon on hardback, ebook and audio.

Published: 20 Feb 2025