Eric Idle is a comedian, actor, author, and singer-songwriter who found immediate fame on television with the sketch-comedy show Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Following its success, they began making films that include Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), Life of Brian (1979) and The Meaning of Life (1983). Eric wrote, directed, and created The Rutles, the world's first-ever mockumentary, as well as the Tony Award-winning musical, Spamalot (2005). He lives in Los Angeles.
"A hilarious, charming book by this
incredible, i̶n̶s̶u̶f̶f̶e̶r̶a̶b̶l̶e̶ interesting genius.”
—Steve Martin
"A gentle, sane man has lived a turbulent, crazy life and he's
written a gorgeous book about it. Eric Idle joyously recounts his
existence in these pages. Did I say 'joyously'? I meant
'ruefully.'" —Patton Oswalt
“On the last day, when the last human beings look out at the
blackened cinders of their world, I can only hope that one of them
will sing, ‘Some things in life are bad, they can really make you
mad,’ and Always Look on the Bright Side of Life will ring out as
humanity's final words. I loved this biography of a song and the
man who made it, and the picture he paints of his life, his
friends, his passions, five Pythons, and a Beatle.” —Neil
Gaiman
“Charming. . . . A treasure trove of comedy insights.” —Rolling
Stone
“Powerful. . . .There is plenty here that all fans, causal and
otherwise, will appreciate.” —New York Times Book Review
“When you have a tour guide as engaging as Eric Idle, you’ll gladly
go wherever he takes you. The writer and comedian best known as a
member of the British sketch troupe Monty Python has curated an
intimate journey of what it was like to be a writer who suddenly
found himself a massively famous actor. . . . It’s also the kind of
book you’ll want to read twice—once when the genius of Python
sketches are fresh in your memory, and once when those scenes have
faded so you can be reminded how these comedy rebels shook up an
art form that was due for a dose of surreal silliness.” —Washington
Post
“In this very funny account (as if that should come as a surprise).
. . . The multitalented Englishman takes a colorful, broad brush to
his very eventful life.” —San Francisco Chronicle
“If I could go back in time and observe any comedian’s journey, I
think it would be a terrible waste of time travel. That said, I’d
want to see just how Eric Idle and a few friends changed comedy
forever. This is the book I have been waiting for most of my life.”
—Conan O'Brien
“This tell-all from my comedy hero Eric Idle is brilliant,
hilarious, touching, enlightening, filled with swashbuckling
adventure, edge-of-your-seat suspense, heart-pounding romance, and
contained several typos and one inaccurate fact about the
Spanish-American war. I expected more out of Mr. Idle’s
proofreading skills, quite frankly.” —Paul Feig
“I read Always Look On the Bright Side of Life from cover to cover.
My next mission is to read what’s between the covers. It’s a joy to
read his fully transparent personal stories of what got him to the
present from birth. Any Monty Python lover or lover of honesty and
the crafting of a hilarious comedian and musical genius will love
this book. And love Eric as I do. Not to spoil alert, but his
stating that ‘Laughter is still the best revenge’ sums it up.
Read every word of this book or I will hunt you down and read it to
you. And you don’t want me in your house.” —Bob Saget
“As funny, wicked, naughty, eye-popping and compulsively, joyously
brilliant as the genius who wrote it.” —Stephen Fry
“An affable, leisurely and occasionally enlightening tour of a full
and, generally, happy life.” —USA Today
“It’s a fascinating, warmly told, often zany memoir of a life fully
lived so far—with more fun sure to come.” —BookPage
Ask a Question About this Product More... |