Lost Boys and Hermit: James Bloodworth and Chris McQueer with Sean McDonald

Modern & Contemporary Fiction, Society & Culture

Podcast host Sean McDonald chairs a discussion between two authors who’ve each taken a deep dive into the “manosphere” with their respective new books.

In Lost Boys, James Bloodworth delivers an astonishing undercover investigation into the paranoid and misogynistic subcultures frequented by men. Along the way, he enlists in a bootcamp for 'alpha males', dissects cultural figures including Jordan Peterson and Andrew Tate, and accompanies modern-day Hugh Hefners as they broadcast their jet-set lifestyles to millions of followers. Combining compulsive memoir with robust reporting, Lost Boys is an essential guide to the contradictions in contemporary masculinity.

Meanwhile, Chris McQueer’s Hermit is a piece of contemporary fiction that keenly observes the problem of incel culture, its effects on young men, and the danger it poses to women. The book follows Jamie Skelton, a high school dropout with no qualifications, no pals, and no ambition. He sees his mum, Fiona, as the cause of all his problems, and decides to leave for London with fellow incel, Lee. But in running away from his problems at home, Jamie may actually be running towards something much worse.

Click here to purchase Lost Boys and click here to purchase Hermit from Waterstones