So, Anyway...
Ratings21
Average rating4
First half quite interesting in terms of biography, second half was a master class in comedy construction :)
I laughed out loud at least 4 times, thus the 4 stars. This memoir was witty and well written–no surprise–and the most detailed chapters were those recounting Cleese's early life and career. I hope this means there will be a sequel!
How a Python was born
Cleese's autobiography is, on the surface, the story of his life leading up to the Python years. But really? A subtle farewell note to Graham Chapman. And a lot of background material. ☺
Loved this book. I was hoping to get an audiobook of it, but that doesn't seem to be in the works, which seems very odd to me. And yet we all know Cleese's voice so well, and his writing here is so familiar (in good ways) that I hardly needed to actually hear his voice–it was heard anyway loud and clear anyway, in my head.
Some folks may not dig this because it talks sparsely about Python folks and stops just as the show begins, but I found myself wanting him to talk even more about pre-Python days; Cleese has a fairly keen eye, and I wish he had turned it even more on his romantic relationships, on his friendships and the like. His armchair philosophy comes across (to me) as charming, though I'll be it chafes some folks.
I haven't laughed out loud at a book this much in...well, ever, I think. But I also got a good peek at the workings of early British TV, and a bit more of a look into a man who, turns out, makes me laugh as much now as he did when I was 10.
