Title: How Not to Become a Grumpy Old Bugger – A Bloke’s Guide to Living a Better Life

Author: Geoff Hutchison

Publisher: Affirm Press, 2025; RRP: $36.99

Review by: Frank Thompson, Ballarat Writers Inc. book review group

Geoff Hutchison is a retired ABC journalist, and broadcaster. At one time he was associated with the 7.30 Report and was a Foreign Correspondent reporter.

This book is about men, well, blokes, mostly older ones. Despite this, it is not exclusively for men. Wives, partners, family, and friends or anyone who knows someone with a grumpy disposition would find this book a guide to greater understanding. It begs the question, is there an opening for a book about grumpiness in women?

Geoff has written this book in a conversational, interviewer, broadcasting style. Initially, I found this a little off-putting. However, full marks for doing something different. I didn’t see any point in being grumpy about it, and eventually I warmed to it. Which I guess is what a lot of the book  is about.

The first chapter of the book asks if men are in crisis, which is also the title of the chapter. Geoff starts with a story about a time when he asked his father if he was happy and got the reply, “No, not really”.  The implication is that his father’s stoic unhappiness is intrinsically linked to grumpiness.

What follows is a discussion highlighting the move away from seeing men as the solitary breadwinners, defenders, and patriarchs. A move many men find difficult, and a major cause of grumpiness. However, change is inevitable; society and societal values are constantly shifting.

Geoff uses his own life experiences and relationships as starting points for various subtopics. He also draws on contacts from his ABC days to provide subject matter expertise. This is often presented as summarised/edited conversations. Contributors include author of Boys to Men and men’s counsellor Maggie Dent, Nick Bruining on money and finances, and for the delicate topic of sex, he consulted Dr Michael, a seventy-something specialist in male functionality.

The book does not include a list of contributors/interviewees. This is possibly because some wished to remain anonymous. The GPs he talked to about men visiting their doctors chose to use nom de plumes. However, at the end of the book there is a list of resources for anyone needing to talk to someone about their mental health or wellbeing.

Listen to Geoff Atchison introduce How Not to Become a Grumpy Old Bugger

@ Google Play Books

One of his sons gets a chapter to himself, giving a perspective from the younger generation.

Male violence, mostly violence towards women, gets suitable coverage. This is a complex topic, more than a book like this can fully explore. He is explicit about there being no excuse for violence against women. However, he does not let the subject overshadow the rest of the book.

Many of the themes and topics are familiar, for example, lack of purpose after retirement, many men’s reluctance to talk to a doctor, and men’s inability to share emotions and suffer in silence – except they aren’t always silent.  

I thought key messages in this book included: men need to learn to participate more in all aspects of life and living, participation is a two-way process, men should engage with partners and family more constructively, as well as with mates and the community, and be tolerant of change (they might find they like it).

Geoff is light-hearted in his rendering of the issues affecting men, but always respectful and tactful. Hopefully this will encourage those who need this book the most to read it.