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Always Look on the Bright Side of Life: A Sortabiography (2018)

by Eric Idle

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5853240,883 (3.72)20
Biography & Autobiography. Performing Arts. Nonfiction. HTML:From the brilliant comedian, founding member of Monty Python, and creator of Spamalot, comes an absurdly funny memoir of unparalleled wit and heartfelt candor
We know him best for his unforgettable roles on Monty Pythonâ??from the Flying Circus to The Meaning of Life. Now, Eric Idle reflects on the meaning of his own life in this entertaining memoir that takes us on an unforgettable journey from his childhood in an austere boarding school through his successful career in comedy, television, theater, and film. Coming of age as a writer and comedian during the Sixties and Seventies, Eric stumbled into the crossroads of the cultural revolution and found himself rubbing shoulders with the likes of George Harrison, David Bowie, and Robin Williams, all of whom became dear lifelong friends. With anecdotes sprinkled throughout involving other close friends and luminaries such as Mike Nichols, Mick Jagger, Steve Martin, Paul Simon, Lorne Michaels, and many more, as well as the Pythons themselves, Eric captures a time of tremendous creative output with equal parts hilarity and heart. In Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, named for the song he wrote for Life of Brian (the film which he originally gave the irreverent title Jesus Christ: Lust for Glory) and that has since become the number one song played at funerals in the UK, he shares the highlights of his life and career with the kind of offbeat humor that has delighted audiences for five decades. The year 2019 marks the fiftieth anniversary of The Pythons, and Eric is marking the occasion with this hilarious memoir chock full of behind-the-scenes stories from a high-flying life featuring everyone from Princess Leia to Queen Elizabe… (more)
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Showing 1-5 of 32 (next | show all)
Easily one of my top six favorite Python members. Eric Idle has led an amazing life (so far) and has a million stories to share. He certainly knows how to spin a tale too, because I feel like I personally know him after this book. I purchased the book and then saw that he narrated the audiobook, so had to purchase that and listen. I urge you to purchase one of them, but at least listen to the audiobook because you'll get the benefit of his songs, his voices, his inflection, his accents, and a smidge of Michael Palin. ( )
  teejayhanton | Mar 22, 2024 |
Brilliantly funny. Say no more! ( )
  Treebeard_404 | Jan 23, 2024 |
Yes, getting five stars from me, and not just because I'm a fan of Monty Python. It's also because Eric Idle is a very good writer (as one would expect) and he puts his childhood out there as well as his fame. And the famous people he became close friends with who were as famous as he without setting out to be icons: George Harrison, Keith Moon, Ron Wood are a few among many.

He is unstinting on his father's ironic post-War accidental death and his years in boarding school that were pretty darn traumatic. He's also brutally honest about his first marriage and relationship with his son, Carey. But then he got better, in no small thanks to his fellow Pythons and the comedic art they made.

And he dishes on their work sessions, his contributions of music to the troupe, the cold and wet that was Scotland during the filming of "Holy Grail" and how much George Harrison contributed to making sure that "Life of Brian" got made. There are also hilarious tales of their tours, including "Live at the Hollywood Bowl" and late plane arrivals and zig-zagging across Canada because they did not realize when they booked the tour how vast things are on the other side of the pond.

In short, a great read, insightful and honest and a glimpse into a life that was forever impacted by his work as a young man. And "Always look on the bright side of life" is the most requested song at British funerals, so that's gotta be something. ( )
  threadnsong | Dec 24, 2023 |
What an interesting read!
I always found Eric Idle and Monty Python very funny but I knew nothing of their history. I really enjoyed reading all this "behind the scenes". ( )
  Tom.Morrison | Nov 1, 2023 |
Eric Idle makes it clear that the purpose of a celebrity memoir is to drop the names of all the famous people one ever knew and the trouble one got into with them. At least he tells it in an entertaining way, especially since he narrates the audiobook. ( )
  Othemts | Mar 15, 2023 |
Showing 1-5 of 32 (next | show all)
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For Tania, Carey and Lily
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Graham Chapman once said: "Life is rather like a yacht in the Caribbean. It's alright if you've got one."
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I was fairly funny at school, and humor is a good defense against bullying. It's hard to hit a smaller boy when you're laughing. I got used to dealing with gangs of males and getting on with life in unpleasant circumstances while being smart at the expense of authority. Perfect training for Python.
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Biography & Autobiography. Performing Arts. Nonfiction. HTML:From the brilliant comedian, founding member of Monty Python, and creator of Spamalot, comes an absurdly funny memoir of unparalleled wit and heartfelt candor
We know him best for his unforgettable roles on Monty Pythonâ??from the Flying Circus to The Meaning of Life. Now, Eric Idle reflects on the meaning of his own life in this entertaining memoir that takes us on an unforgettable journey from his childhood in an austere boarding school through his successful career in comedy, television, theater, and film. Coming of age as a writer and comedian during the Sixties and Seventies, Eric stumbled into the crossroads of the cultural revolution and found himself rubbing shoulders with the likes of George Harrison, David Bowie, and Robin Williams, all of whom became dear lifelong friends. With anecdotes sprinkled throughout involving other close friends and luminaries such as Mike Nichols, Mick Jagger, Steve Martin, Paul Simon, Lorne Michaels, and many more, as well as the Pythons themselves, Eric captures a time of tremendous creative output with equal parts hilarity and heart. In Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, named for the song he wrote for Life of Brian (the film which he originally gave the irreverent title Jesus Christ: Lust for Glory) and that has since become the number one song played at funerals in the UK, he shares the highlights of his life and career with the kind of offbeat humor that has delighted audiences for five decades. The year 2019 marks the fiftieth anniversary of The Pythons, and Eric is marking the occasion with this hilarious memoir chock full of behind-the-scenes stories from a high-flying life featuring everyone from Princess Leia to Queen Elizabe

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