So, Anyway..., John Cleese
So, Anyway..., John Cleese
36 Rating(s)
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So, Anyway...

Author: John Cleese

Narrator: John Cleese

Unabridged: 13 hr 32 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 12/13/2016


Synopsis

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “John Cleese’s memoir is just about everything one would expect of its author—smart, thoughtful, provocative and above all funny. . . . A picture, if you will, of the artist as a young man.”—The Washington Post
 
The legendary writer and performer of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers fame takes readers on a grand tour of his ascent in the entertainment world
 
John Cleese’s huge comedic influence has stretched across generations; his sharp irreverent eye and the unique brand of physical comedy he perfected now seem written into comedy’s DNA. In this rollicking memoir, Cleese recalls his humble beginnings in a sleepy English town, his early comedic days at Cambridge University (with future Python partner Graham Chapman), and the founding of the landmark comedy troupe that would propel him to worldwide renown.

Cleese was just days away from graduating Cambridge and setting off on a law career when he was visited by two BBC executives, who offered him a job writing comedy for radio. That fateful moment—and a near-simultaneous offer to take his university humor revue to London’s famed West End—propelled him down a different path, cutting his teeth writing for stars like David Frost and Peter Sellers, and eventually joining the five other Pythons to pioneer a new kind of comedy that prized invention, silliness, and absurdity. Along the way, he found his first true love with the actress Connie Booth and transformed himself from a reluctant performer to a world class actor and back again.
 
Twisting and turning through surprising stories and hilarious digressions—with some brief pauses along the way that comprise a fascinating primer on what’s funny and why—this story of a young man’s journey to the pinnacle of comedy is a masterly performance by a master performer.

About The Author

JOHN CLEESE, the star of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers and an entertainment legend, is also a lecturer on creativity and is currently professor-at-large at Cornell University. He currently spends most of his time in England.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Dana on December 16, 2014

Update Rant:(Because apparently I have to state the obvious).This review is simply my personal opinion of this book, everyone else is entitled to their own opinion. Just as I do not begrudge readers who enjoy books I hate and/or hate books I love, I would appreciate if others would do the same. My r......more

Goodreads review by Annemarie on September 18, 2020

3.5 ⭐'s......more

Goodreads review by Lance on August 17, 2017

I expected a book about Monty Python member, John Cleese, to be a wacky, non-linear story of life sketches linked together by loony intervals (“That’s a link!”) Instead, it was wonderful remembrances starting with his childhood and ending at Monty Python. Of note, if you are a Python fan you only ge......more

Goodreads review by Patrick on January 15, 2015

Boy did this one suck to review. To clear the air, I should start by saying I love everything Python. And in interviews about the book, Cleese always came off as kind and as witty as ever. So I expected to find more of that inside the book. I assumed this was reasonable request.... Luckily I was also a......more

Goodreads review by Nigeyb on January 22, 2018

I bought So, Anyway... by John Cleese on a whim. It was an Audible deal of the day. Why not? I like John Cleese's work. I like Monty Python. I like comedy. It was a bargain price. It was much better than I was expecting. An absolute delight. John focuses on his early life through to the first Monty P......more


Quotes

New York Times Bestseller

So, Anyway... ambles along in loose fashion, taking its time, stopping to admire the view here and there, dispensing a little social commentary...and otherwise taking the scenic route through a mostly sunny landscape. The effect is a bit like having a long lunch with an amiable, slightly loony uncle. Who also happens to be John Cleese.” —Michael Ian Black, The New York Times Book Review

“John Cleese’s memoir is just about everything one would expect of its author — smart, thoughtful, provocative and above all funny… a picture, if you will, of the artist as a young man.” Washington Post
 
“Give John Cleese points for candor...Give him additional points for graceful writing and sly humor..” Philadelphia Inquirer

“The long-awaited story of the actor’s life, told how he wants to tell it.” —The Guardian