Author: Eric Idle
Series: no
Genres: autobiography, humour, history, nonfiction, biography
Short summary of the story: The first page - where the little snippets go, before the story (or book) starts, has this:
Life has a very simple plot,
First you're here
And then you're not.
I had no expectations when reading this book, except that it would be an autobiography of Eric Idle, written by him and about his life. That's pretty much what it is. The prefix says very clearly that the book is partly a story of the song he wrote, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, and partly about him -- the story of the boy who became the man who is called Eric Idle. He says it is "the memoirs of a failed pessimist". He also says, quite bluntly, in the prefix "Of course I have faults, but you won't read about them here."
Good points / bad points: It's not long enough. 272 pages and ... it's done? No! Maybe that is one of the finest things a person can say about a book -- it's not long enough. There was one place in the book I had to stop reading. Literally, I could not read anymore. I was laughing too hard. I laughed ... so hard and would get it under control, read another sentence, and start laughing again so much that my eyes were watering and I had to catch my breath. (pages 187 and 188). . Some fun is poked at the tendency of people to 'drop names' and that he seems to be doing it a lot. I don't know if it is name dropping if it is actually a story about who he was with, met, ran around with and enjoyed life with. Actually, I think that is his point. This is his life; this is who he shared that life with.
Be aware that this is a book which contains Monty Python (ie it has blant rudeness, sexual innuendos, is politically incorrect, etc.) I did some research and found that most of Monty Python is rated PG-13, with some PG. This means that if you are under the age of 15, parental supervision should be requested. And then you will have to pry the book out of their hands in order to get to read it yourself.
On the back cover are the usual things written by different persons (or 'entities') recommending the book. One of my most favorite authors (and persons) ever was quoted!
"On the last day, when the last human beings look out at the blackened cinders of their world, I can only hope that one of them will sing 'Some things in life are bad, they can really make you mad,' and 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life' will ring out as humanity's final words. I loved this biography of a song and the man who made it, and the picture he paints of his life, his friends, his passions, five Pythons, and a Beatle."
- Neil Gaiman
Goodreads has this
From the ingenious comic performer, 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 Python--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 Elizabeth.
