Rating: 3.5 🌟

How to Piss Off Men by Kyle Prue is a lighthearted, humor-driven examination of gender dynamics and social norms, specifically focused on the frustrations of men. The book uses wit and sarcasm to discuss various topics, including relationships, the patriarchy, and modern masculinity. Prue tackles these themes in a way that is accessible and relatable, particularly for a millennial audience.

For me, the best part of the book was when Prue discussed the patriarchy with his mom. This conversation provided a thoughtful exploration of how men, especially cisgender white men, feel entitled to act in certain ways toward women. It created a space for a deeper discussion on the gender imbalance and how these dynamics have been perpetuated across generations.

Kyle Prue’s narration adds an extra layer of humor, especially when he relates his personal experiences to the larger rhetoric. His delivery makes the anecdotes more engaging, and the sarcasm feels genuine. However, while I applaud the sentiment and content, I feel this book would have been better served as a podcast or delivered through a different medium. The conversational tone and style seem more fitting for an ongoing discussion format rather than a book.

Overall, How to Piss Off Men is funny, but not over the top, and is best appreciated by a millennial audience. While the humor and subject matter are enjoyable, the format doesn’t quite feel like the perfect fit for what Prue is trying to accomplish.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kyle Prue, and RB Media for the opportunity to listen and review How to Piss off Men.

This was just a delightful experience from start to finish - I have long enjoyed Kyle Prue's series, Things You Can Say to Piss Off Men, and having a handbook at the ready will most certainly be useful in my daily life. In addition to the 109 things you can say, Kyle also goes into what masculinity means for men and why anger is an emotion that should be explored rather than just sitting in it. I listened to this as an audiobook, that Kyle narrates with his trademark deadpan inflections, and highly recommend the medium. It was made even better by the bonus chapter of Kyle and his mom discussing the book at large and offering advice to folks who had written in. I truly hope there's a spin off podcast or maybe a few TikToks coming our way as they make a fun duo.

Thanks so much to Recorded Books Media and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I’d never heard of Kyle Prue before, so I had no idea what to expect before reading this. I’ll admit, I was sceptical of this book. My initial thoughts were:


1. “Will it be ironic because he’s mansplaining the topic to me?”

2. “Will this even make me laugh/smile/chuckle?”

3. “Will this cisgender white man succeed in helping equip others to clap back at toxic masculinity?”

4. “Will he misguidedly or accidentally offend perfectly nice, lovely men/women/non-binary folk/LGBTQIA+ peeps?”

5.“Why can’t I just take this as sheer entertainment value instead of overanalysing every single freaking thing?”

A lot of questions. Yes.
Answers, (in my humble opinion):

1. This didn’t seem mansplainy/condescending and it was often self-aware and self-deprecating, drawing on his own personal experiences.
2. Some stuff did make me smile/chuckle.
3. Yes, possibly, there seems to be anecdotal evidence.
4. While I can’t speak for everyone, as a cis woman, I wasn’t offended. However, it could trigger men who are upholders of a particular version of masculinity that is unhealthy and perpetuates sexist and homophobic beliefs and patriarchal behaviours.
5. Dunno, oops, I'm fun at parties, I swear.

Look, the wisecracks aren’t revolutionary, but some of them entertained me, not all of them. Yet I appreciate where Kyle’s heart is at. He writes, “Did I write this book so that women could learn to bully men? No. Did I write this book because I hate men? No… I wrote this book because I think it’s time to… let our anger inform us of our hurt and finally heal from it.” So I guess, if you feel triggered by this book's contents, maybe it's time for a bit of introspection and self-reflection. 🤔

Favourite/most practical phrase? “I’ll just google it” - good to use if someone is intent on mansplaining to you (I've had this done to me throughout my whole career). If you're wondering if you're guilty of this, here is a handy flow chart.

Notes:

• I read this on Kindle, but it would probs be better as a print book on your coffee table to display amongst friends, family, and perhaps even relatives if you’re feeling bold.

• Humour and art are super subjective, so YMMV on what you find amusing/useful/offensive.

I was going to not rate this for that reason, but I decided that all things considered above, 3.5, rounded up to a generous 4 stars might suffice. Also because I just watched the author’s Planet of the Apes audition tape, which was more entertaining.

My heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a quick, easy, and fairly funny read overall. The "funniness" factor is probably more subjective, so that's something to consider individually before diving in, but I had fun with it.

A couple parts definitely made me chuckle, and I don’t think there’s anything too controversial that would get anyone riled up if you’re worried about that. Kyle sprinkles in a few anecdotes from his own life, which add some insight into who he is and why he wrote the book. I do wish there had been more of that throughout to create a better balance and add more depth. His perspective was a nice touch when included, and it would have been great to see more of it.

Overall, it’s a fun little book, and the audio version includes a nice Q&A at the end, which I enjoyed as some bonus content.

I'll be honest, I requested this thinking it would be something very different than what it in reality is -- so that's on me. I definitely feel this is better off as a coffee table book, however, I do appreciate the effort that went into the audiobook. It was entertaining narration, however the content wasn't for me. I do appreciate the way it examines how the patriarchy harms men as well as women, and the way it does so using humor!

Okay this is essentially a collection of cutting insults that are strategically designed to make a man question himself. And it's hilarious.

However at it's core it's a call to men to examine why these insults hurt and encouragement to heal, grow, and do better.

For me, a woman, I had a great time reading this one.

Refreshingly hilarious. Narration was perfect and made the content 100000x funnier. This is perfect for a quick read/audiobook. Despite the title it is pretty light hearted but does bring into focus the patriarchy and sensitive male ego. Go in with an open mind and you might get out some laughs and knowledge.

I loved everything about this little book. I loved the narration from Kyle. The audio book was fun but I think a physical copy is what you need to keep with you at all times!

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook ARC.

I do love an audiobook when its narrated by the actual author.

This was a hilarious but powerful read. My favourite quote from this book was a very powerful message:

'The Patriarchy puts women in a box. And it puts men in their own box, on top of that one. On some level, men think that qualifies as a win. But at the end of the day – everyone is still trapped in a box'

I will be purchasing a paper book to proudly show off in my home.

As soon as I saw this one on Netgalley I knew I needed to read it. Thankfully the publisher came through quickly and I listened to it immediately. What can I say? A banger. Really funny and I'm already considering gifting this to people at Christmas.
Of course some parts were funnier than others, but overall it was very enjoyable. Although I have to agree that a few bits were very American and thus not immediately made sense to me as a non-American, however this was few and far between (interested in seeing how they will adapt these in the translated versions!).
Overall I definitely enjoyed it!

Hilarious! If you enjoy his TikTok, you’ll love this audiobook even more!

Thank you RBmedia for granting me an ALC!

Overall a fun book, very quick read/listen. I enjoyed it, but wish it had been longer/there was more to it. I’ve seen his videos in the past and found them funny. This sort of pulled those all together with some additional observations and reflections. Thanks for NetGalley for the audiobook- I especially enjoyed the author reading it and loved the bonus interview/convo with his mother at the end which helps readers dive a little deeper and get to know more about who Kyle is and what was some of the motivation behind his videos/this book. Worth a listen if you’re a fan of dry humor and want a good laugh.

This is one of those short gimmick books that you see at Urban Outfitters and give to your friend as a joke, so if you don't know who Kyle Prue is, you might be annoyed, but if you are already a fan, you'll have fun with this one. Read the audiobook, since the last half is an interview/discussion with his mom.

I was glad that this had my favorite cuts from the videos - "Oh so it's like Kohl's Cash" - and some new ones I didn't recognize.
- "'Have you ever watched Caillou?' Say this to a guy who likes Andrew Tate, since he likes bald toddlers so much."
- "'Is that a furry thing?' Say this when he says he's an alpha male."

Kyle also has a thoughtful discussion on anger and men's socialization that takes this from just a funny book of insults into a call to other men to be more.

Thank you to Netgalley and RBmedia for this audio ARC.

I’ll be honest, I picked up this book purely because of the title. I mean, how could you not? The idea of a snarky handbook with comebacks to take down annoying guys sounded like it would be hilarious. And while there were definitely a few moments that made me laugh, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

There were some quite funny parts, but overall the humor didn’t quite hit the mark for me. While there were a few entertaining parts, a lot of the jokes fell flat. Many of the insults are things women already know or have said before, so I didn’t really get any new material to add to my list, which I was hoping for. The concept is great, but it felt like it could’ve gone further or been sharper.

I’ve followed the author on TikTok and love their content there, but something about the humor didn’t translate as well in the audiobook. Without the visual aspect of TikTok, the delivery felt a bit flat. I think I might’ve enjoyed this more in print where I could take my time with each line, but in audio form, it just felt kind of dry.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a fun read, and if you like the author’s style, you’ll probably enjoy it. It just didn’t land for me as much as I’d hoped. Definitely some laughs, but not quite what I was expecting.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The satire was absolutely hilarious! I really enjoyed all the clever jabs, but what stood out to me were the explanations and anecdotes. The audio was brilliant, especially since it was narrated by Prue himself; you could really sense the sarcasm and deadpan delivery in his voice. It definitely enhanced the overall experience.

I also found the Q&A session with Prue and his mother to be incredible. They explored the purpose of the book, highlighting the benefits readers can gain, while also offering perspectives on why some aspects of the book might be unsettling to others and what that means.

Ultimately, this was a great read and I believe having a physical copy would make a wonderful addition to any coffee table. Thanks to NetGalley and RBmedia for the LC!

Kyle Prue's "How to Piss off Men" is a clever mix of humor and social commentary in a short, quick read.
The book itself is about an hour long, but the audiobook version includes additional commentary and conversation with Kyle and his mom.

I love that Kyle was the narrator, because his dry delivery enhances the experience. His style brings a nice balance between entertainment, while tackling gender norms and societal expectations.

It's funny. It's not too long. It says a lot in a short period of time.

I enjoyed the ending with the chat with his mom!

I would read more from the author!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kyle Prue, his mom, and RBMedia for the opportunity to read How to Piss Off Men. I have written this review voluntarily.

I’ve been following Kyle Prue on TikTok for quite a while now, so when this book was announced I knew I had to read it. I love his deadpan delivery online, so I was happy to hear he was narrating the audiobook himself.

Truly a fun time.

The audio is the way to go. Kyle Prue should be a narrator for more books.

I laughed out loud and got choked up a bit when he talked about his grandfather.

The audio has an interview with him and his mom. It was a great addition.

Thanks to netgalley and rbmedia for an alc

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am always pleased when I see Kyle Prue show up during mindless scrolling through Instagram reels. I find his content and general lack of affect charming. So when I saw that he had written a book inspired by his viral series “Things You Can Say to Piss Off Men”, I was intrigued. When I saw that the book had an audiobook version narrated by the author, I was even more intrigued. Would his monotonous drawl translate to long(er) form content? Yes. Yes, it does. In fact, I think Kyle Prue should narrate MORE audiobooks.
This book was not only funny, but it was also somehow insightful. I think I initially thought the book would just be a list of things to say to piss off men, or maybe, based on the title, things you could do to piss off men, but it is strangely so much deeper than that. This weird little book had me examining the root causes of male anger, questioning dominant paradigms, and laughing out loud.
I also really liked the bonus conversation with the author’s mom at the end. I honestly think it makes the audiobook a better option than print. It was heartwarming, but also really dissected some important issues that some readers might miss.
Would it be too much to say that this book is a call to arms to tear down the patriarchy? Maybe, but that’s what I’m going to call it. What a surprise. What a delight. All the stars. Bravo, Kyle Prue, Bravo.