Being given yet another pointless ‘man manual’ that told him fifty ways to tie a bow tie in under 30 seconds made James May certain there was a need for another kind of book. This book, in fact.

He reckons there are nine vital things that a chap should be able to do. Not stuff you can download from the internet, but really important things. You never know ehn you might need to land an A330 Airbus, or deliver twins. And there may well be a moment when being able to play a bit of classical music on the piano is absolutely crucial to your success with women.

So read, learn and be prepared - you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.