Journalist and comedy writer Marcus Berkmann says his new book about men in middle age is about ‘humiliation, loss of dignity, crushing disappointment and aching knees’. But, he adds, although it moans incessantly and loses its temper once or twice, his book is at heart hopeful and optimistic. To compensate for what they have lost, middle-aged men have gained self-knowledge, guile and gravitas, he says.

Berkmann has contributed to a number of newspapers and magazines. He compiles the Dumb Britain column for Private Eye and is credited as one of the writing team for the BBC 3 comedy show Monkey Dust.