Milligan's Meaning of Life

by Spike Milligan

With his lightning-quick wit, unbridled creativity and his ear for the absurd, Milligan revolutionised British comedy, leaving a legacy of influence that stretches from Monty Python's "Flying Circus" to the work of self-confessed acolytes such as Eddie Izzard and Stephen Fry today. Throughout his life, Milligan wrote prolifically - scripts, poetry, fiction, as well as several volumes of memoir, in which he took an entirely idiosyncratic approach to the truth. In this ground-breaking work, Norma Farnes, his long-time manager, companion, counsellor and confidante, gathers together the loose threads, reads between the lines and draws on the full breadth of his writing to present his life in his own an autobiography - of sorts. From his childhood in India, through his early career as a jazz musician and sketch-show entertainer, his spells in North Africa and Italy with the Royal Artillery, to that fateful first broadcast of "The Goon Show" and beyond into the annals of comedy history, this is the autobiography Milligan never wrote.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Humor, Memoir, 20th Century, British Literature

352 pages, Hardcover

First published December 30, 1994

About the author

Terence Alan Patrick Seán Milligan, known as Spike, was a comedian, writer and musician. He was of Irish descent, but spent most of his childhood in India and lived most of his later life in England, moving to Australia after retirement. He is famous for his work in The Goon Show, children's poetry and a series of comical autobiographical novels about his experiences serving in the British Army in WWII. Spike Milligan suffered from bipolar disorder, which led to depression and frequent breakdowns, but he will be remembered as a comic genius. His tombstone reads 'I told you I was ill' in Gaelic.

Reviews

[Paul Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wasn’t sure what I was going to read with this biography but having loved the Goon Shows way after they were originally broadcast I was tempted. Whilst some of what he wrote would upset todays “woke brigade” he was in a different age (and to a degree mindset) but the humour is still clear to see and in reality wasn’t aimed at anybody in particular and certainly from what I’ve read to date isn’t specifically derogatory about anybody, colour etc..
But as I read further into the book it became a bit 'same', primarily since the author tended to use lots of similar threads to make up the book. Unfortunately I gave up after about two thirds of the book which is somewhat of a shame since it started well but then dragged on.

[Jim Coleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a mishmash of a book that should never have been compiled. It does contain the notorious wit of the great man none of which hasn't already been used in other volumes and gets regurgitated here. Its padded out with Goon Show scripts which had cost Spike his mental health.
I could recommend his earlier volumes which had made me laugh out loud each carry 5 stars this effort only gets 3 out of respect to Spike, one is nearer the mark.

[Patrick DiJusto · Rating 4 out of 5]

An attempt to capture the essence of (or an attempt to cash in on) the genius of Spike Milligan.

Milligan was a prolific writer, producing 80 books and thousands of hours of radio and television programs. Why not re-create his life by carefully making a montage of his most autobiographical essays, memoirs, and letters, with occasional commentary from his longtime friend and manager?

As an experiment, this book doesn't quite work. But any Spike Milligan anthology is worth reading, and this one shines.

[Davidg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not an autobiography, but a collection of extracts which form a sort of life story. However, there are plenty of tangents, including full Goon Show scripts and poems, both silly and serious. Their placing, by the long suffering Norma, illuminate Spikes inspiration from his experiences, particularly his army service.

It doesn't replace his sequence of army memoirs but adds details, from both before and after the war.

And it makes you laugh.

[Antonio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read Spike Milligan before, though I've enjoyed his Goon Show radio broadcasts. This book was absolutely delightful, treating the whole range of his life experience, even some rather horrifying WW2 experiences, with sympathy and humor. I'll probably end up re-reading it a few times as the years go by. Meanwhile, it's time to search out some of his other titles.

[Mikayl Yahya]

Short, but brilliant. Milligan at his best...

Short, but brilliant. Milligan at his best, although a bit more text would have been welcome. There was on!y one Spike, and he's sorely missed...

[paul cadman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining all the way through

Read some ohis books in the 1980s as a young teenager because of the q series on tv
Always a very interesting man and his writng is very lucid and clear,
Such a lleasure to read
Shouldve married the italian girl...

[Sarah Bird · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a life to have lived! Such a funny man - quick witted probably quite annoying but it was Spike he was amazing :-)

[William Norton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spike

Heart breaking at times ! Poignent ,particularly in the last third , but still has flashes of brilliance and absurdity

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book, there will never be another Spike Milligan. His comedy will not be seen again.

[Martin Purcell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expected zany, and wasnae disappointed. I didnae expect tender, and was moved by the depth of emotion in Spike's writing. a beautiful book.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't as enjoyable as I thought it would be. While there were some small stories that in themselves were amusing and interesting to read, the pace seemed to jump from quick to slow and I never quite knew exactly when things were supposed to be happening. It felt a bit like listening to a conversation when you're half asleep and you dont know when you are. While you could feel the emotion is some part, the fact that there are interludes bewteen Spike's writing and others leaves the book feel broken apart. As small stories some of it works well but put together i found this a difficult book to get through unfortunately.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

About half of it I really enjoyed (especially the war memoirs excerpts). There were some really nice bits and some pretty uneven ones. Towards the end of the book (and I suppose his life), there was lots of grumpy old moments, lots of sternly worded letters to the editor. Those, if they were meant as humorous missed their mark, and came across as just being crabby. The mix of stuff Spike wrote about his life and biographical entries added by his editor didn't mesh very well. Not knowing a whole lot about his life beyond what I read in the war memoirs, I was glad to learn more details, but I won't really need to revisit this book again.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book of bits and bobs, mostly all seen somewhere else before. Enjoyable but I would recommend the War Memoirs first (of which at least 30% of this book is from). A good catch-up for the Millligan fan who maybe hasn't read his stuff for a while.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Spike Milligan's life compiled from his writing... including excerpts from his war memoirs and Goon Show scripts!

An entertaining read all round.

[Chris Purser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biography of a very funny man who has bought a smile to millions.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit uneven. For the Spike Milligan fan only.

[Eamonn]

I didn't finish it. I love Spike Milligan but this book was like a best of, pulling bits together from different sources in an attempt to create a biography (of sorts, as the title has it). I felt a lot of goodwill towards it but ultimately I lost interest and gave up after 100 pages or so. On the whole I'd rather watch a few episodes of Q.