Monty Python: From the Flying Circus to Spamalot by Richard Topping

by Richard Topping

Here's the book for anyone who has ever wanted to sing like a lumberjack; pined for a dead parrot; or gone for a silly walk. Combining outrageous humor,unbridled creativity, and surreal animation, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, and Eric Idle entertained millions and inspired generations of comedians as the forces behind Monty Python. This book celebrates the comedic phenomenon-from the original show for the BBC, Monty Python's Flying Circus, to the benchmark film Life of Brian and today's smash Broadway hit Spamalot-with biographies, photographs, and a filmography. This tribute to these pioneers of comedy is the definitive guide to all things Python.

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Biography

Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great reference book for Python fans. Nice to read about how the Pythons came together and also their separate careers. Interesting details about the Flying Circus and the development of the Python movies.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fantastic read; As someone who has been a fan of Monty Python ever since I saw 'The Holy Grail' (come on, the Black Knight scene itself), it was great to look into the background and history of the Python shows, movies, and the individuals themselves.

This book is extensively researched by Richard Topping, his information being incredibly accurate. it was very interesting to learn about the Python's themselves and how they ended up getting together, and indeed, their careers after the Python group came to an end.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Monty Python: A Celebration by Richard Topping (Virgin Publishing 1999) (791.45) contains an overview of the tv series, the movies, and bios of the individual Pythons. This is "Python Lite." It does have a great synopsis of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" which alone is worth the price of the book. My rating: 6/10, finished 4/22/14.

[Karl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much useful information regarding some frequently silly gentlemen.

[Anton Segers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Heel m'n jeugd komt terug: mijn eerste ontdekking van wat humor kan zijn, Monty Python, een eeuwige liefde..!