So Anyway - John Cleese (G)

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Little John
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So Anyway - John Cleese (G)

Post by Little John »

"So, anyway" is the title of John Cleese's (of Monty Python/Fawlty Towers fame) autobiography. Having recently read Eric Idle's version, It was interesting to see the differences in recollections, important events and their approaches to story telling. So Anyway is a lot longer and a lot more detailed and far more about Cleese than Python.

JC isn't a bad writer either. Although he does frequently return to type, there are lots of revelations about his own self doubts and early life. Knowing something about his darker moments, its perhaps not surprising that he makes frequent references to psychiatry and psychiatrists. The bits that fans might have thought more important were not addressed until right at the end of the book. Instead, most of it was about Cambridge and other writers and performers who found themselves fellow travellers, often bumping into each other at various points in their careers. I enjoyed this a lot more and found it an easy read - apart for the fact that the chapters were very long; only 16 chapters over 400 pages.

I think you'd have to know and love him to fully enjoy the book but Cleese was actually quite a nice chap and quite a reluctant celebrity.
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marymary
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Re: So Anyway - John Cleese (G)

Post by marymary »

Does he address why so many women found him difficult to live with?
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Little John
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Re: So Anyway - John Cleese (G)

Post by Little John »

No. But there were 4 of them. He claims he still gets on with Connie Booth.
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Leigh
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Re: So Anyway - John Cleese (G)

Post by Leigh »

Many successful comedians are tortured souls who's comedy is often used to cover a deep depression. Some manage to override that depression whilst others, (e.g. Robin Williams) eventually succumb and the world is a lot poorer for it. I can understand Cleese's problems with relationships. Many are also very intelligent and have doctorates in various disciplines entirely unrelated to the the arts.
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