The Complete Michael Palin Diaries

Description

Throughout his years in Monty Python, his many successful film appearances, the writing of his novels and his travels to all corners of the globe, there was one constant in Michael Palin's life: the daily ritual of writing in his diary. Now, for the first time, the complete diaries have been brought together, charting Michael's highs and lows, and studded with his hallmarks of curiosity and sense of adventure. Volume one begins when he was newly married and struggling to make a name for himself in the world of television comedy. But Monty Python was just around the corner. Volume two follows his trail through seven movies and ends with his final preparations for the documentary that was to change his life - Around the World in Eighty Days. And volume three tracks his journeys to far-flung places, not to mention more films, award-winning TV roles and a first novel. 'Palin shows himself in these diaries to be an acute observer as well as a champion curator of an anecdote' Sunday Times

Michael Palin is a scriptwriter, comedian, novelist, television presenter, actor and playwright. He established his reputation with MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS and RIPPING YARNS. His work also includes several films with Monty Python, as well as THE MISSIONARY, A PRIVATE FUNCTION, A FISH CALLED WANDA, AMERICAN FRIENDS and FIERCE CREATURES. His television credits include two films for the BBC's GREAT RAILWAY JOURNEYS, the plays EAST OF IPSWICH and NUMBER 27, and Alan Bleasdale's GBH. In 2006 the first volume of his diaries, 1969-1979: THE PYTHON YEARS, spent several weeks on the bestseller lists. The second volume, HALFWAY TO HOLLYWOOD: DIARIES 1980-1988, was published in 2009. He has also written books to accompany his eight very successful travel series including HIMALAYA and POLE TO POLE. He is the author of a number of children's stories, the play THE WEEKEND and the novels HEMINGWAY'S CHAIR and THE TRUTH.

Palin's style is so fluid, and his sincerity so palpable, that it is often easy to underestimate just how talented he is as a comedian, broadcaster and a writer . . . [the diaries] are just too good and he is too modest - SUNDAY EXPRESS on THE PYTHON YEARS Palin reminds me of Samuel Johnson: driven, intellectually formidable, and spurred on by self-reproach and the wholly irrational idea that he's not really getting on with it . . . Palin is a seriously good writer. These diaries are full of fine phrases and sharp little sketches of scenes - DAILY MAIL on HALFWAY TO HOLLYWOOD The best sort of convivial read, like having a gossip with an old friend over a few drinks . . . Travelling to Work is a delight. It is a book you find yourself devouring in a great greedy session - SUNDAY TIMES on TRAVELLING TO WORK