Incredibly dull and self-serving. Who would have thought that someone capable of producing genius comedy could be otherwise so mundane and pompous?

A must for any Monty Python fan, and a great read even if you're not. Reading between the lines, I suspect Mr Palin (maintaining his reputation at the polite Python) could have said much more but it's an nevertheless an extremely enjoyable review of the Python years. I read this over the holidays and it was one of those books I was quite sad to finish. I'm looking forward to the next installment (and I hope there is one)! ( )

A good book comes in like a stranger into your home; someone to be treated with polite suspicion, becomes a good friend and then, one is sorry to see leave. Promises are made to see each other again but, there are so many books out there, it may be some time.
Palin writes well, the insights into the machinations of the Pythons are fascinating but, not the entire story. One relives the great events of recent history - the moon landings being a prime example - with the immediacy of a contemporary entry. Palin draws his characters well and does not feel the need for every line to drip wit. After 600 pages, I felt that I had gained a friend rather than been dazzled by an unquestionable talent: all power to you Michael: perhaps we might get the next twenty years at some stage? ( )

I enjoyed reading these diaries immensely. I found Michael Palin's writing to be really warm and humourous. The diaries seemed to be a fairly honest account of his life during the Python Years, and it was intriguing to read what he thought of his co-stars. Palin, for me, was always my favourite, and his diaries did not change my mind here.

A very interesting and illuminating read. ( )

A great book if you're a Python fan. It also captures a lot of the history / feelings of the 70's from an Englishman's standpoint. Its 650 odd pages long but worth the read especially the making of Life Of Brian. ( )

I was a big Monty Python fan as a teen-ager, so I was very excited when I learned founding member Michael Palin was publishing the diary he began keeping during the early days of the Monty Python show. The diary, however, is a tricky form in that it is rarely written with the interests of a reader in mind. Because of this, the book gets off to a surprisingly slow start. Palin’s early entries do contain some tidbits about the early days of Python, but, as he mentions, he had no idea at that time it would be anything more than a job he had on a BBC TV show, so many early seminal moments remain undocumented.

I kept reading, however, because Palin is a truly good-natured human being, and his commentary on the early days of his family, the decline of his father due to Parkinson’s, and various political events in Britain held my interest more than I expected. As the diaries progress, Python becomes bigger, his entries become lengthier, and I was rewarded with the kind of insider insight I was hoping to get when I started the book.

Palin records many truly fascinating moments as he recounts the troupe’s growing popularity in Britain and abroad. His shock at being fawned over by mega-star George Harrison at a chance meeting at the Apple Studios is one priceless example. Another is when he discusses the daily work of making comedy during an active IRA London bombing campaign.

Because Palin is writing about events as they happen from the perspective of someone for whom a life of writing outrageous comedy quite normal, there isn’t much meta-insight into the Python phenomenon. But I was more than content with his discussions of how the group dealt with various issues including creative contribution dynamics and political negotiations with BBC censors, as well as his entries on the evolution of his post-Python career and what it’s like to host Saturday Night Live with two live cats down your pants.

Though Palin’s diaries are ultimately about the mundane daily issues of his life, the circumstances around that life ensure his entries are rarely dull. As the following quote demonstrates, even his discussions of the weather take on a whole new twist: “A clear and sunny day. In the distance the sun picks out the snow on the mountains of the Austrian Alps. It’s a perfect day for throwing a dummy of John Cleese from the 100ft tower of the castle to the courtyard below.” ( )

waiting to read this

This is a diary of a man’s life during the 1970’s. Palin is a son, husband, father, writer, and performer. He is concerned about social, cultural and political issues in England and the world. I enjoyed reading about his work with the Python’s, but work is not all that goes on in a person’s life. There are other important obligations; going to your child’s school play, helping your aging parents, vacationing with friends and family.

The entries regarding his career in Python and in other television shows and movies were interesting. I had never heard of “Ripping Yarns” before or that he made a movie for the BBC called “Three Men in a Boat.” There are no new revelations about the Python group. They were six individuals that sometimes got along and sometimes did not. When they did get along they were extremely silly and that is what we love about them.

The diaries are written in a way that engages the reader. They aren’t dry or stuffy. I was surprised at how easy the book was to read, even though it is so long it would make a good door stop. Michael Palin comes across as a kind, thoughtful, intelligent, and talented person. Like we would ever think he wasn’t the “nice” Python. ( )

The thing about reading a person's diary is this: it's incredibly voyeuristic, and only you know how it's going to turn out. The writer, writing at the time, lacks the knowledge of future events that you, the reader, possesses. As a result, however, all incidents, however trivial or important, tend to be treated the same in a diary, since it's only with hindsight that a particular item is seen to be more profound than another. And it's because of this, the equality of the interesting bits and the minutiae, that this book in particular is heavy sledding. Not the least because it seems that Britain in the '70s was a very bleak place to live, with strikes, brownouts, political strife, IRA bombings and rain EVERY BLEEDING DAY. Also because there's a lot of strum und drang associated with Python and its demise. I would recommend this book only for the true fanatic or stalker - at 600 plus pages, only the truly dedicated can carry it for any length of time. ( )

This thick volume is a delight from page 1. We already feel we know MP through his air of general bemusement in his travels, but there is so much more to him than this.
Covering the Python Years, we hear all about the difficulties in getting six different personalities to agree and the creative struggle to behind Python - the relationships are often tense between the team.
We also learn about MP's family, the arrival of his children, and the sad decline of his father to Parkinsons.
We're so lucky that MP has written up his diary nearly every day and it appears that the hand of the editor has been light, making it even more of an achievement.
Please can we have volume two! ( )

Everything you wanted to know about the National Treasures meals, drinks and occasionally drugs,and Python business meetings. Fortunately there is a lot more than this, especially memorable is Palin's poignant account of his father's illness. However Michael Palin can do no wrong in my view despite the above criticisms, and I eagerly await tne next volume(s). ( )