When Max Dickins decided to propose to his girlfriend, he realised there was no one he could call on to be his best man. He quickly learned that that he wasn't the only man struggling with friendships. For decades, countless studies from across the world have confirmed that men have fewer close friends than women - and the problem gets worse the older men get. But what goes wrong? And what can men do about it? Dickins is going to find out.

His funny and charmingly candid search takes him to the doors of world-leading experts. It forces him to examine the friendships he's had over the years, and where they have foundered. And, briefly, it sends him to the website 'Rent A Friend', where he pays someone to hang out with him. But let's not dwell on that.

Book cover titled 'Billy No-Mates' by Max Dickins, featuring a young boy resting his head on his hand, wearing a party hat and a checkered shirt, with drawings of party items around him.
Max Dickins, wearing a blue blazer and a white t-shirt, sits in the corner of a pub, lonely, with a pint of beer and a packet of crisps

As featured in

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As featured in

  • [Max Dickins] couldn't think of anyone to be his best man. It was a realisation that triggered a poignant - and very funny – odyssey.

    Daily Mail

  • A funny but deeply uncomfortable read for those men . . . who have allowed their male friendships to wither.

    Sunday Times

  • On the spot.

    Paul Daley, The Guardian

  • A funny, meaty, informative read where [Max Dickins] uses himself as a hook to guide us through male friendships.

    Independent

  • Max’s book Billy No Mates created one of the most fascinating, thought-provoking conversations I’ve ever had since I joined BBC Radio5Live. It’s a fantastic book and it created an incredible conversation with my audience about loneliness, with many men getting in contact with us realising that actually they were lonely and hadn’t really faced that.

    Nihal Arthanayake, BBC presenter

#BeTheSherpa

Featured Articles

The Sunday Times:
Why do so many men have no real friends?

The Observer:
When it comes to banter, men are in their element. But that is no foundation for lasting friendship.

Daily Mail:
Why do so many men have so few friends? How one proposal led to a search for a best man.

YouTube:
Listen to Max on Modern Wisdom

Radio 2 Jeremy Vine

Radio5Live Nihal

Radio 4 Women’s Hour

Want to book Max to speak about Billy No Mates?

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