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So Far, So Good
Paul Eddington's career ranged from stage roles in Ayckbourn, Frayn, and Pinter to television roles in the comedy series The Good Life, Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. In this book he recalls the childhood which set him on the road to acting and his lifelong Quaker faith. He traces the highs and lows of his career and includes among many entertaining memories, the days when Jim Hacker and Paul Eddington became confusingly intertwined in the public mind. For over 30 years he battled against skin cancer and this book is a testimony to his immense courage in surviving it.
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First published September 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 18, 2010
The autobiography of actor Paul Eddington, star of the British television comedy series "Good Neighbours" (or "The Good Life") and "Yes, Minister/Yes, Prime Minister."
Wonderful book about an amazing man. I fell in love with Mr. Eddington as the materialistic neigbour in "Good Neighbours," moved on to the two "Yes, Minister" series, and now I need to see everything I can with him in it.
Comically gifted, but with the heart and talent to tackle darker material as well, Paul Eddington was virtually never out of work during his 50+ - year career. He did it all - theatre, television and movies, acting and directing, never making distinctions between the medium, only between the quality of the proferred projects. He knew many of the brightest stars in English theatre (Pinter, Stoppard, Mendes, etc.) and details his dealings with them in an honest fashion.
He also took it upon himself to become an Equity representative and to do his bit for several carefully selected causes, including Amnesty International. He grew up part Quaker (the other half being Catholic) and followed his Quaker-taught sensibilities with quiet courage all his life.
He suffered from ill health for many years before his death but accepted his plight with grace and dignity.
Highly, highly recommended.
Wonderful book about an amazing man. I fell in love with Mr. Eddington as the materialistic neigbour in "Good Neighbours," moved on to the two "Yes, Minister" series, and now I need to see everything I can with him in it.
Comically gifted, but with the heart and talent to tackle darker material as well, Paul Eddington was virtually never out of work during his 50+ - year career. He did it all - theatre, television and movies, acting and directing, never making distinctions between the medium, only between the quality of the proferred projects. He knew many of the brightest stars in English theatre (Pinter, Stoppard, Mendes, etc.) and details his dealings with them in an honest fashion.
He also took it upon himself to become an Equity representative and to do his bit for several carefully selected causes, including Amnesty International. He grew up part Quaker (the other half being Catholic) and followed his Quaker-taught sensibilities with quiet courage all his life.
He suffered from ill health for many years before his death but accepted his plight with grace and dignity.
Highly, highly recommended.
May 20, 2023
Paul writes wittily with his trademark humour.
This is a fascinating story of his life both on stage & screen. Paul has many interesting anecdotes regarding locations, directors, props & other actors.
I find his narrative of being mistaken for a real government minister & meeting other world leaders really funny & a testamant to his brilliant portrayal of Jim Hacker in Yes (Prime) Minister on the BBC.
I also love the way Paul talks about his beloved wife Tricia & his 4 children who are his everything. An inspiring book of triumph over adversity. You are much missed Paul.
This is a fascinating story of his life both on stage & screen. Paul has many interesting anecdotes regarding locations, directors, props & other actors.
I find his narrative of being mistaken for a real government minister & meeting other world leaders really funny & a testamant to his brilliant portrayal of Jim Hacker in Yes (Prime) Minister on the BBC.
I also love the way Paul talks about his beloved wife Tricia & his 4 children who are his everything. An inspiring book of triumph over adversity. You are much missed Paul.
September 12, 2008
He achieved what he set out to and so much more. 'He did no harm'.
November 4, 2021
A pleasant nice read from a pleasant nice man.Sensible,amusing,honest and easy to read.As always I found the early years the most interesting -school life,stumbling into acting,rep work etc.Good for lovers of English nostalgia.
November 29, 2025
Enjoying watching the classic 1970s comedy The Good Life on BBC iPlayer at the moment, which led me to buying So Far, So Good, the autobiography of actor Paul Eddington who plays Jerry in The Good Life and who then went on to even greater stardom as Jim Hacker in Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister.
Paul Eddington had an amazingly full life and he tells it well, with a wry humour and lyrical sensibility.
One of his vividly remembered schooldays memories is the ‘record concerts’ that his head teacher would hold during wartime when there was a blackout, playing classical music to a group of pupils. Eddington recalls this fondly:
‘It was an unforgettable experience to walk the quarter-mile back to our dormitories on the hill after everyone else had gone to bed, one’s head filled with the greatest music in the world. The air was crystal-clear five hundred feet up there on top of the Cotswolds and, with no artificial light because of the blackout, the stars shone with a brilliance that would be difficult to find now.’
Most of this book is about Eddington’s life in the theatre rather than his appearances on TV shows The Good Life and Yes Minister that made him known to a wider audience. Whilst this might be disappointing to fans of those shows, it’s still absolutely worth reading the book for its wonderful description of a life very well lived.
Eddington details his failures as well as his successes:
‘We did our ten-week limp round the country, learning the hard way that, if a play has been neglected for three and a half centuries, there is probably an excellent reason for it.’
Now, back to watching Jerry, Margo, Barbara and Tom in the remaining episodes of The Good Life.
Paul Eddington had an amazingly full life and he tells it well, with a wry humour and lyrical sensibility.
One of his vividly remembered schooldays memories is the ‘record concerts’ that his head teacher would hold during wartime when there was a blackout, playing classical music to a group of pupils. Eddington recalls this fondly:
‘It was an unforgettable experience to walk the quarter-mile back to our dormitories on the hill after everyone else had gone to bed, one’s head filled with the greatest music in the world. The air was crystal-clear five hundred feet up there on top of the Cotswolds and, with no artificial light because of the blackout, the stars shone with a brilliance that would be difficult to find now.’
Most of this book is about Eddington’s life in the theatre rather than his appearances on TV shows The Good Life and Yes Minister that made him known to a wider audience. Whilst this might be disappointing to fans of those shows, it’s still absolutely worth reading the book for its wonderful description of a life very well lived.
Eddington details his failures as well as his successes:
‘We did our ten-week limp round the country, learning the hard way that, if a play has been neglected for three and a half centuries, there is probably an excellent reason for it.’
Now, back to watching Jerry, Margo, Barbara and Tom in the remaining episodes of The Good Life.
April 25, 2019
Very good book - candid and straightforward about an actor's personal life and especially career. The very successful actor (stage and television) was the former star of Good Neighbors and the Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister series. Eddington was a quite political man - regularly consulting his conscience, taking stands - although I agreed with almost none of his stands, he's quite sincere and it made the book more interesting. He writes well about his personal view of his TV series and plays - as well as the humor of their development and execution - and his fellow actors, directors, producers.
Eddington seems very much to have been one whom all loved very much. It's a pleasure to read his book.
Eddington seems very much to have been one whom all loved very much. It's a pleasure to read his book.
December 31, 2017
Paul Eddington (Yes, Minister etc) has a wonderfully well written book with funny details and a lot of brushing off of his health problems. I found it particularly poignant knowing that he died in the same year that the book was published. In fact I doubt that he saw it published because Richard Briers wrote the Foreward and spoke of his friend in the past tense. A very enjoyable book and one that can be read through quickly, not because it's easy, but because it's so interesting.
August 27, 2025
One of the most respected English actors of his generation, Eddington has produced a breezy read of his life and career. Word of caution: there is a lot less here than a modern publisher would have insisted upon concerning his two most famous roles, Jerry in The Good Life and Jim Hacker in Yes, Minister. And only a couple of lines about appearing in the BBC Miss Marple series, though he plays the lead character in Murder in the Vicarage. (And plays it very well, currently available on BBC iPlayer - note how beautifully judged his line is to the woman confessing to adultery "Do you really expect me to say anything else?")
It also shows the very different show business world, for although Eddington was paid a few quid and had some free luxury travel they were nothing like the riches equivalently successful stars would expect nowadays. That might explain why he was such a workaholic, though he might have been one anyway given he clearly loved his craft. And part of his motivation might have been the knowledge he was living with a serious skin condition that would eventually claim him: perhaps there was an urgency to work as much while he could.
Overall, this is an enjoyable and insightful read.
It also shows the very different show business world, for although Eddington was paid a few quid and had some free luxury travel they were nothing like the riches equivalently successful stars would expect nowadays. That might explain why he was such a workaholic, though he might have been one anyway given he clearly loved his craft. And part of his motivation might have been the knowledge he was living with a serious skin condition that would eventually claim him: perhaps there was an urgency to work as much while he could.
Overall, this is an enjoyable and insightful read.
February 2, 2012
It may have been the small print in my paperback edition, but I found the first three or four chapters very hard to get into, and even a little stuffy at times. Things did improve, or at least, I got used to Eddington's writing style, and I enjoyed the rest of the book. Perhaps if I hadn't tried to read it in one day (to squeeze into my January book tally), I would have enjoyed it more.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews