Warning: This article contains discussion of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment which some readers may find distressing.
Russell Brand’s latest book lands today, but early reaction suggests it’s generating headlines for reasons he probably didn’t anticipate.
Brand has published a new title, How to Become a Christian in 7 Days (May take 50 years of sin and serious f*ck ups to get started), which centres on his renewed faith and recent conversion.
Released through Tucker Carlson Books, the book recounts his 2024 baptism and the path that led him back to Christianity.
Once a practising Buddhist, Brand was baptised by Bear Grylls in London’s River Thames in April 2024.
The 50-year-old’s shift toward Christianity follows the emergence of sexual assault allegations in 2023. He is due to stand trial later this year in relation to accusations of rape and sexual assault made by six women. He denies any wrongdoing.
Critics across several publications have been unforgiving, with one of the harshest verdicts coming from Telegraph columnist Christopher Howse, who awarded it a withering 0 out of 5 stars.
He wrote: “Reading Russell Brand’s How to Become a Christian in Seven Days is like being locked in an empty pub all night with a garrulous drunk. Except that Brand is now sober.
“His prose is the way he thinks, which is the frightening thing.”
The review didn’t soften from there.
Howse continued: “It is criminally painful to read and it is not a victimless crime. The poor fool of a reader suffers, but the victim I feel most sorry for is God.”
Musician Nick Cave, who spoke about returning to religion in 2022 and frequently explores faith in his work, also weighed in — describing the book as “Good for atheism” in his Red Hand Files email.
Elsewhere, reviewer John Maier for The Times offered an equally blunt assessment: “Brand has swallowed a dictionary, and it is not coming out again via his mouth”.
Negative reactions weren’t limited to those outlets. The i Paper’s Emily Bootle also criticised the book, arguing it reads like a compilation of underdeveloped ideas.
She described it as packed with “unfinished Notes-app thoughts”, “crackpot conspiracy theories”, and said it largely functions as a platform for Brand to focus attention back on himself.
Bootle added that it was “a fountain of alt-right ideology” and “an embarrassing display of hubris”.
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org