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Always Look on the Bright Side of Life: A Sorta biography Reviewed By Dr. Wesley Britton of Bookpleasures.com
- By Dr. Wesley Britton
- Published February 14, 2019
- Biographies & Memoirs
Dr. Wesley Britton
Reviewer Dr. Wesley Britton: Dr. Britton is the author of four non-fiction books on espionage in literature and the media. Starting in fall 2015, his new six-book science fiction series, The Beta-Earth Chronicles, debuted via BearManor Media.
In 2018, Britton self-published the seventh book in the Chronicles, Alpha Tales 2044, a collection of short stories, many of which first appeared at a number of online venues.
For seven years, he was co-host of online radio’s Dave White Presents where he contributed interviews with a host of entertainment insiders. Before his retirement in 2016, Dr. Britton taught English at Harrisburg Area Community College. Learn more about Dr. Britton at his WEBSITE
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Author:Eric Idle
Audible Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Random House Audio
ASIN:B07CX4LPPB
Not having read all the books Idle alluded to, I can't fairly answer that question. I suspect if you're one of those who have, in fact, read and seen everything related to the funniest comedy troupe of all time, I suspect you'd still enjoy a book that is as funny as the Pythons used to be. After all, Idle has written comedy material since 1963 and his new book demonstrates just how comic one writer can be.
But if you're one of those who loved and enjoyed Monty Python without getting immersed in all the appreciations and analysis they've received over the years, than Eric Idle's new memoir is a real treat. And very revelatory. For example, one delight for me was learning about Idle's pre-Python work in British comedy we Yanks never saw. And the post Python projects like Spamalot and his many tours with John Clease.
It's still difficult for me to grasp that the heyday of Monty Python ran from 1969 to 1983 with occasional projects sprouting up from time to time thereafter. As my 14 year old grandson is a Monty Python junkie, you'd think they were still pumping out new material. Nope.
Of course, no one's life
is all just their most celebrated achievements, so we learn much
about Eric Idle's personal life in his breezy memoir. Poignant
chapters discuss his painful growing-up years, his time at Cambridge,
and his friendships with the likes of George Harrison and Robin
Williams and their tragic ends. So this memoir isn't a laugh fest on
every page and shouldn't have been.Still, along the way, Idle
gives us generous samplings of old skits like the "Eric the
"half-A-Bee" song and repeated discussions of how his most
famous song,
"Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," has been used and reused in all manner of both expected and unexpected places. I must agree with other reviewers who complain that some sections, especially in the latter half, are jammed thick with gratuitous name-dropping and overlong passages describing Idle's active social life, partying with the stars. In such patches, skimming might be the way to go.
Without question, if you can get this book in its Audible Audiobook format as read by the author, that's the way to do it. You can feel his style, hear him occasionally verge on breaking into laughter, hear him sing, and get the full Eric Idle treatment. And that's the reason you got this book to begin with, right?