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Customer Reviews (24)

"The Nice One's" diary
This hefty tome is not for anyone - maybe only Python completists or folks REALLY interested in British comedy. To really enjoy it, you'll also need to appreciate the diary as an art form. All this aside, people who fall comfortably into these categories will find this book to be an endless delight, full of rich detail concerning 1960s and '70s showbiz Britain. Palin is an earnest diarist and truly proves himself to be Python' "nicest one" - he rarely has a cross word for anyone, yet comes across as absolutely honest as a judge of situation and character.

A rewarding read. I ordered the next installment direct from the UK so I don't have to wait for the US edition to come out!

Very cool.
Although this is rather a big book, it reads easily and can be read pretty quickly. This coming from a dyslexic! So it must be an easy read. The thing about diaries is that everytime I read an interesting one that has been put into book form I want to keep one myself. I did for a short time after reading this book, but since I'm not Michael Palin, I had very little to say. Reading this book helps one to get to know this most versitile Python a little bit. I was especially interested in his working relationship with the other members of the Python group and his relating of stories and occurances on the various sets. It would have been nice to actually have more content on his work with Python and his other projects, but of course, if his diaries didn't contain more information on these subjects, how can he add it? Perhaps, he should write a memoir on his comedy cafreer sometime in the future so idiots like me don't complain that there wasn't enough content regarding his comedy work! All this being said it was a very interesting read and a good glimpse into the life of Palin at least between 1969 to 1979. Let's hope he has another volume coming out soon. I'd have given it a five star rating if and when Palin starts writing his diaries with more detailed accounts on the things I'm most interested in reading!

Exactly what I wanted.
A friend had a signed, hard back version of this book that he lent to me.I didn't want anything to happen to it, so I returned it and purchased the used, soft back version for myself.The book was exactly what I wanted.It came quickly and is in great shape.Thanks so much!

It's Michael Palin
It's raw Michael Palin and a total pleasure. Anything he does is great by me.

A glimpse into the eye of the hurricane
I picked this book up, started reading it with the intent to dip into it when I had a spare moment or two, and then couldn't put it down. Palin is the Python I'd most like to sit and have coffee with. He is utterly grounded, articulate, intelligent, compassionate and a genius on many levels. I, like many reviewers, fell in love with Python on PBS in the 70s. I have all of their DVDs and most of the books they released which I bought in first printings. This diary gives us a glimpse into one of the most amazing comedy troupes of all times, and allows us a window on the creative and business aspects of the Pythons that is without precedent. As a bonus, we get to see something of the process by which films are written, produced, shot and released. We get a glimpse into Saturday Night Live's amazing first 5 years. We get a pretty impressive look at life in the UK and a glimpse into the film industry in the 70s. We get to see how British Rock Bands helped finance Python's early film ventures and a lovely look at George Harrison more as a fan (and financier) of Python rather than as a Beatle. This book is gentle. By that I mean that Palin is very fair in his observations about his peers, and reveals a diplomacy and self awareness that made him the hub of this groundbreaking troupe. This collection of his diaries shows us the genesis of the writing and observational style that would make his later travel documentaries an utter delight. If you are a fan of Python, BritComs, Film, Business, the 70s or are curious what it was like to live in England in the 70s, then you'll love this book. ... Read more

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'The pace of this kind of travel has not much changed since Fogg set out in 1872. Trains may be a little faster, but there are certainly no high-speed rail links yet across India, China or the USA. Passenger services have practically disappeared from the world's shipping lanes ...Recourse to air travel, even as a convenient means of escape, was not allowed.' Following the route taken by Phileas Fogg 115 years earlier, Michael Palin set out from the Reform Club to circumnavigate the world.The rules were simple, but nothing else about the trip was straightforward...From a tour of Venice on a rubbish barge to ship spotting at the Suez Canal and the bicycle rush hour and snake snacks in China, this is an unparalleled tribute to man's ability to make life difficult for himself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

The Original and Best
Having read Pole to Pole & Full Circle (as well as watching various bits of his programs courtesy of the history channel!) I thought this particular one would be another case of Mr Palin using a tawdry, overly ambitious idea and not much enjoying the result.

However I was wrong! As this was supposedly his first expedition it has that wonderful virgin territory quality and has all the joy and very little of the occasional malaise of his later trips. The sheer happiness Michael finds in visiting India and China (which he'd never visited before) and his teasing, slightly mocking tone towards Phileas Fogg's own experiences make this book an absolute joy to read.

And the best thing? Because this was written when the author was predominantly a comic actor and not a travel writer, it has a wonderful humour to it that helps the trip seem a breeze.

My one criticism would have to be the latter part of the trip - in America. Although bits of it are fun, one gets the impression the author was out for camera shots at this point and had lost interest in new horizons. However, the train trip is interesting...

Anyhow, as an book for a holiday reading this is one of Palin's best combining both his skills as a comic and as a traveller in perfect balance. Oh and, if you like this, do try A Piano in the Pyrenees or Long Way Round.

Brings the TV series back to life
I love to travel and love Michael Palin, so this was a great read for me.Funny, but also very well written.Paperback is lighter in weight than the hardback, so more portable.

The trip that started Michael Palin's new career
"Around the World in 80 Days" is the book based on the TV travelogue that Michael Palin made for the BBC in 1988. This travelogue was such a success that it started a whole series of TV programs over the following years: "Pole to Pole", "Full Circle", "Hemingway Adventure", "Sahara" and "Himalaya".

The trip was intended to follow the route traveled by Phileas Fogg in Jules Verne's novel from 1872. The self-imposed rule was that airplane travel was not allowed so only trains, buses, ships and cars could be used. This was problematic for Michael Palin because in 1872 there were many passenger ship lines, while in 1988 there were almost none because of air travel. As a result he had to obtain passage on various cargo and container ships that normally don't accept passengers.

All of Michael Palin's travel books (and DVDs) share the same qualities. Mr. Palin's wit and charm and exuberance are evident, and he has a knack of meeting interesting people and getting involved in amusing situations wherever he goes.

This trip is, however, unlike the others in that there is a pre-defined route involving a lot of sea travel, and a "race against the clock" element because the trip must be completed in 80 days. The time limit provides a bit of excitement, especially when Michael Palin passes through Singapore 10 days behind the fictitious Phileas Fogg.

The large amount of sea travel is a negative aspect because it's limited how many interesting things can be done aboard a container ship, for example. In fact, a significant number of the 80 days are spent on board ships, and it gets rather boring.

Still, there are many interesting experiences reported and photographed from the various cities passed through, as well as the countryside. The cultural differences are amazing and Michael Palin reports on it all in a way that makes you feel like you're there with him.

The pictures are beautiful, even though they were not all taken by Basil Pao, who became Michael Palin's regular stills photographer on all of his later trips.

My only criticism is that I would have liked there to be some maps in the book so I could follow the trip more exactly.

The audio version of this book is read by Michael Palin himself, which is a plus. But beware: There are both abridged and unabridged versions of the audio book.

In summary, a great start for what became a great series of travel books and TV programs.

Rennie Petersen

Brilliant
Full of Michael Palin's signature wit and odd perspective on life, be prepared for a more in depth and exciting view of his journey.

Garunteed to make you chuckle every now and then and well known to bring about sudden and obnoxious laughter! You have been warned!

Proving Jules Verne right
Probably the best of Palin's travelogues, or maybe I enjoyed it most because it introduced me to his offbeat travel series? I rate it the best because Palin comes in contact with the most cultures in this one. Proof that Palin's comedy does indeed work all over the world. I would pick this one up before Full circle, Hemingway Adventure, Full Circle, Pole to Pole, and Sahara in that order. But you can not go wrong with any of the books, or videos for that matter. ... Read more

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Product Description
Until the early 1990s, when the Berlin Wall came tumbling down, travelling behind the iron curtain was never easy.In undertaking his new journey through Eastern Europe, breathing in its rich history, and exquisite sights and talking to its diverse peoples, Michael fills what has been a void in his own experience and that of very many others. NEW EUROPE is very much a voyage of discovery, from the snows of the Julian Alps to the beauty of the Baltic sea, he finds himself in countries he'd barely heard of, many unfamiliar and mysterious, all with tragic histories and much brighter futures. During his 20-country adventure Palin meets Romanian lumberjacks, drives the 8.58 stopping train from Poznan to Wolsztyn, treads the catwalk at a Budapest fashion show, learns about mine-clearing in Bosnia and watches Turkish gents wrestling in olive oil. As with all his bestselling books, in his uniquely entertaining style, Palin opens up a new and undiscovered world to millions of readers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Europe? Have some.....

How he got enough time away from the Governor to do this work is hard to tell, but what a joy. This guy is funnier than Frommer on a good day, and goes to places Frommer fears, or has never heard of. Weird Europe, like the Ukraine, where he visits with friends and makes new acquaintances, all the while noting the foods, smells, vibrations of the countries he crosses.
This is a talented, and very bright, man who enjoys getting out and about. Into complicated situations, or just relaxing with friends, he clearly likes this so much more than sitting at home by the fire and drinking scotch. Well, at least a bit more.
I load this six disc set into my car, and when it's done, I'm three hundred miles further down the road, and a lot more informed. Then I listen to some trash, and put the six discs back in for the return trip. By now I know more about Europe than the average high school graduate from Kenya, and have had a good time also.
This is a wonderful bit of sound, and I hope one day I will have listened to all his stuff.
Unless you are a nitwit, or a Ukrainian pinhead, you to will find things here to enjoy and learn.

A familiar pattern
The pattern of Michael Palin product is pretty well established. First there is the decision to undertake another trip and where that will be. Then there is the shooting of if and the release of it on DVD and it being played on TV etc. Coinciding with it's release on DVD is usually a book written by Palin with a number of colour plates usually supplied by Palins mate Basil Pao. Lastly there is often a spoken word audio where Palin reads the book. In short I find all three useful mediums.

For the New Europe book Palin sticks to his formula of a chronological retelling of the journey and this makes for very easy reading. Whether you are whiling away a Sunday afternoon or killing time on a train or plane, the compartmentalised format lends itself to a brisk feeling read.

As to the subject matter itself, for this series Palin decided to fill in the gaps in his own knowledge as much as ours by selecting Eastern Europe as his target. Now of course many will quip quite rightly that this is in fact Old Europe and I think we all know what they mean. But the context Palin is using is also quite obvious, this is a huge chunk of Europe that for cultural and often political reasons has not really been taking part in the life of the greater European community. Countries that Palin - and I - grew up thinking of as basically Soviet minions adding their numbers to the glowering Communist threat now have the chance to select their own path, with all the opportunities and pitfalls that entails.

What parts of this highly readable account appeals to the reader the most will very much depend on your personal tastes. Do you hanker after the old world charm of the gorgeous cities of central Europe? Do you find the rugged beauty of Turkey beguiling? Or are you more enamoured of finding out a few snippets of information about new nations like Moldova and the Ukraine? What about the combination of beautiful nature and cobblestone streets of the Baltic states or mayhaps you hanker after a summer of exploring the Eastern shores of the Adriatic? Regardless of your fancy you will find tempting morsels about them all or have your interest piqued enough to find deeper information on these areas for yourself.

While I found the actual DVD series of this release one of his less inspired and less enthusing offerings I found the book more enjoyable in comparison probably due to the differing anecdotes and conversational style of Palins well worn writers pen.

Michael Palin New Europe
As all his other books, Mr. Palin makes for interesting and informative reading.Good (British / European) sense of humor;which, perhaps, may not quite hit the mark in the U.S. market.

Not "New" but Certainly Interesting
Of course, the term "New Europe" is said largely tongue in cheek.There is nothing "new" about "New Europe".It's just new to western visitors.For decades, western tourists have been denied or hindered in their access to Moldova, Georgia, Kaliningrad, Albania and so on.Michael Palin's task has been to put this to right.

Palin spent some six months wandering through eastern Europe (to use a more commonly applied moniker) meeting an array of fascinating people and musing sometimes whimsically upon his travels.His book, "New Europe" is a direct tie in with a BBC series of the same name.So, don't expect some detailed analytical work.But then again, why would you?Palin was one of the original Monty Python crew.No, this book is simply a pleasant stroll through some interesting apparently "new" places.

I guess that, by and large, Palin's work is a coffee table book.That's certainly where it will rest in my house.But, having said this, please don't think that I'm trying to denigrate it.Take it for what it is; namely, a beautifully pictured travelogue.It has been a joy to read over the past week and has certainly whetted my appetite for travel beyond the seemingly more staid confines of Paris, London and Rome.

Palin's new trip
Michael Palin once more takes us on a great trip into the New Europe. His travel books always make you feel your along for the ride. The best part of his travel books are you get a chance to meet the locals and see and feel how they live and they always make you smile. Palin has many travel books out and they are always of a high standard and make a good read. I hope after a short rest he's back on the road soon. ... Read more

Product Description
'The cracked and fissured ice-pack offers no comfortable reassurance - no glimmer of any reward to the traveller who has made his way to the top of the world. The Arctic Ocean, known to the Victorians as the Sea of Ancient Ice, stares balefully back as we descend towards it, reflecting nothing but the question: Why?' Michael Palin's adventure begins when he is enrolled in the Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society...Travelling by train, truck, raft, Ski-Doo, barge, balloon and bicycle, Michael Palin experiences every extreme the world has to offer. Braving the cold grip of the Arctic Circle, and the swirling snowstorms of Spitsbergen, Palin has to cope with friendly locals, occasional gunfire and his own unruly digestive system before he can finally stand in Scott's shoes at the South Pole, in the Land of the Midnight Sun.Amazon.com Review
Actor Michael Palin has managed to keep busy since his days with the British comedy group Monty Python. First, he traveled Around the World in 80 Days while a BBC crew filmed his adventures; in Pole to Pole, Palin once again straps on his old kit bag--this time to traverse the globe from north to south. Accompanied once again by a dauntless film crew, Palin begins in the far, frozen wastes of the Arctic Circle, then passes through 17 countries, including Norway, the former USSR, Turkey, Egypt, South Africa, and Chile, before standing at last at the South Pole. Along the way the company is faced with revolution, illness and injury, and not a few bumpy plane rides--occurrences they meet with the obligatory stiff upper lip. Palin also rides in a hot air balloon, acquires a camel, consults a witch doctor, and plunges into the heart of a South African diamond mine, two kilometers beneath the surface of the earth.

These adventures and more are related in Palin's journal entries and illustrated by dozens of color and black-and-white photographs. The best travel stories often chronicle trips no sane person would care to experience herself; in Pole to Pole, Michael Palin has done the suffering for us, leaving readers to enjoy the humor, excitement, and joy of exotic climes from the comfort of our armchairs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

great trip
the trip from north to south poles was enjoyable and informative with a touch of suspense. well done.

Adventure DVDs with Michael Palin
If you missed the original series on the the Discovery channel, I would highly recommend this series for the entire family. Michael Palin is both informative and comical in his trip from the North Pole to the South Pole by any means available. He must circumvent civil wars, travel on numerous forms of transportation,interact we peoples of numerous counties, all while injecting his one of a kind humor, to make the series something for everyone.Young viewers will get to see many parts of the rest of the world,and how they live and cope, with every day life. For Adults they will see the same, plus (I think) enjoy his uncanny way if injecting his own humor, as he and his crew must overcome the many obstacles on his trip.

pure poetry
This is..in my opinion, Palin's best.It boasts-the same challenge--of getting from point A to B---but the twist of the harsh elements makes it pure genious.

Pole to Pole
A brilliant documentary, the interview with Michael Palin is worth watching after you watch the doco

Amusing, somewhat educational, but could be cropped down
Some fascinating cultural studies in this travel video, but it tends to be overly-long, and frequently gets bogged down in inane sequences such as Palin kicking back endless shots of illegal vodka in Russia, etc.The FULL frontal nudity at the mud bath could also have been clipped, as well as the nude men at the sauna.I don't know if Palin was aiming at Pythonesque humor with this, but it didn't work for me.
Something like 'Hemingways Travels' was far for fascinating, clean, and better edited.This one needed editing badly. ... Read more

Product Description
Having risen to the challenge of seas, poles, dhows and deserts, the highest mountains in the world were a natural target for Michael Palin. In a journey rarely, if ever, attempted before, in 6 months of hard travelling Palin takes on the full length of the Himalaya including the Khyber Pass, the hidden valleys of the Hindu Kush, ancient cities like Peshawar and Lahore, the mighty peaks of K2, Annapurna and Everest, the gorges of the Yangtze, the tribal lands of the Indo-Burmese border and the vast Brahmaputra delta in Bangladesh. Facing altitudes as high as 17,500 feet as well as some of the world's deepest gorges, Palin also passed through political flashpoints like Pakistan's remote north-west frontier, terrorist-torn Kashmir and the mountains of Nagaland, only recently open to visitors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

VIP travelling
This is a very entertaining and informative book for Himalayan travellers. The author is no doubt a witty, spirited gifted writer. He succeeded in writing a readable account of his hasty journey through all the Himalaya states. But one thing you should know before you buy this book. Palin is a privileged VIP who is performing a well organised and guided VIP journey to VIPs, encountering VIps, taking advantage of VIPs, talking mainly to VIPs and thinking a lot about them. So, this is not the true Himalaya, neither the circumstances in which You will find yourself when travelling to all these or only one of these places. I know most of theses places by own witness and I was sometimes bewildered, sometimes amused how different the authors experiences and conclusions were to mine. You get a wrong idea if you want to learn something about the Himalaya as a prospective traveller and only read this book. A good idea is to read this book while travelling there. It gives you mostly the impression, yes , this the same place but I can see it with totally different eyes.
I can commend this book if you do not take it too serious!

Beautiful and interesting book about a fantastic trip
"Himalaya" is a book written by Michael Palin as an alternative account of a trip that was filmed and first shown as a TV program on BBC TV. (This program has also been shown on many other TV stations, and is now available on DVD.) In addition to the text in the book there are many beautiful pictures by Basil Pao, the stills photographer who accompanied the BBC team on the trip.

This was a very interesting trip in beautiful and exciting places. Many countries around the Himalayan Mountains were visited, some of them well off the tourist track and some of them with security problems such that the team needed armed guards. Specifically, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Tibet, China, Nagaland, Assam, Bhutan and Bangladesh were visited. A total of 3000 miles was traveled during 125 days (6 months), and many beautiful and exciting images, encounters and interviews resulted.

High points (ha, ha) of the trip include several treks on foot up into the mountains, visiting the Dalai Lama, milking a yak, talking to a retired headhunter, buying booze in Pakistan, having an almost-encounter with Maoists in Nepal, watching bull racing and no-rules polo, and giving an elephant a rub-down. There are also many interesting encounters and interviews with local people who are special in one way or another.

In my review of the DVD version of "Himalaya" I complained that the program wasn't really about Michael Palin's trip, as such, but was simply a string of encounters and events that made "good TV". The program ignored the travel aspect almost completely, and jumped from place to place in search of the images and people that the TV viewers would find exciting.

The book version of "Himalaya" is a more complete account of the trip, including a lot of material that was skipped in the TV program, and some experiences not even included in the extra material on the DVDs.

But still, the book account of the trip is not really a day-by-day account of the trip either. For example, I'd like to know what happened on "day 6" and "day 11", etc. These days are simply not mentioned in the book.

One nice thing about the book, as compared to the TV program on DVD, is that Michael Palin's personal opinions are more evident, as is his enjoyment of traveling and experiencing new people and places. There is more of a "personal touch" to the book, and his wit and charm make it very readable and enjoyable. Michael also writes candidly about the health problems he experienced and the reservations he had about travel in the places where there were security problems. All of which makes the book better than the DVD version in my opinion.

Finally, a note about the audio versions of this book. There are both abridged (6 hour) and unabridged (11 1/2 hour) versions in existence, and some resellers are selling the abridged version as unabridged, so beware. Michael Palin himself reads both versions, and he does a great job.

Highly recommended.

Rennie Petersen

A Lively Travelogue
This book accompanying the TV series DVD is a beautiful account which I enjoyed thoroughly.

The author's journey along the crest of the Himalaya, eastward starting from Khyber Pass on the Afghan-Pak border, through India and Nepal, into the Tibetan plateau, then onto India's Northeast Frontier and finally down into the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta in Bangladesh definitely calls for a look at this interesting part of the globe.

The book is embellished with amazing photographs which capture not only the grand landscape but also the life and spirit of the land. Palin and his team have done well in connecting with the people, which to me was one of the highlights of the book.

And if you like a sprinkling of British humour, Michael Palin will surely add more than a smile to your countenance.

A captivating experience, and "must-read" for anyone planning to climb dangerous or potentially fatal peaks
Compiled from the diaries of Michael Palin's extraordinary journey, and read by the author, Himalaya is the unabridged audiobook chronicle of Palin's personal determination to climb the full length of the Himalaya including the Khyber Pass, the valleys of the Hindu Kush, the ancient cities Peshawar and Lahore, and the peaks including K2, Annapurna and Everest. Altitudes as high as 17,500 feet, some of the world's deepest gorges, and the background threat of strife in political hotspots such as terrorism-plagued Kashmir were among the many hardships and risks Palin confronted in his expedition. His story tells of natural wonders and daily life, civilizations in the shadow of a global landmark, joy and suffering in a casual, easygoing manner that will nonetheless enthrall the listener. A captivating experience, and "must-read" for anyone planning to climb dangerous or potentially fatal peaks, Himalaya is surely the next best thing to personally being there. Consisting of 9 CDs with a total running time of 11 hours 32 min, Himalayan is especially recommended for library collections.

a MUST for armchair mountaineers (and Palin lovers)
this is a beautiful book that provides background information and MORE for Palin's Himalaya TV series (also wonderful) :)
I usually buy used, but couldn't wait for this book (or the DVDs of the series). ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Big mountains
The Himalaya Mountains are majestic, to say the least.I didn't see any yeti, but pretty much everything else is there for your enjoyment.This book is an education unto itself, and a joy to peruse.

Beautiful and interesting photographs from the incredible Himalayan mountains
"Inside Himalaya" is a beautiful coffee table style book. It is large format and hardcover and printed on glossy paper. There is very little text in this book, just a 2-page introduction by Michael Palin, a 3-page postscript by Basil Pao and a short caption for each of the 300 pictures.

The pictures are wonderful. Some of the best are presented as impressive 2-page spreads, and most of the pictures feature the local people in some way or another. Landscapes may be beautiful but people are what makes life really interesting.

Incidentally, this book should not be confused with the better-known book "Himalaya" by Michael Palin. Both "Himalaya" and "Inside Himalaya" are based on the same Michael Palin trip that was arranged and filmed by the BBC, but there are major differences.

"Himalaya" is Michael Palin's account of the trip; it is illustrated with many pictures by Basil Pao, but the text is the most important part of that book. "Inside Himalaya" is almost 100% photographs by Basil Pao.

Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates beautiful photographs and/or is interested in the Himalayan region of the world.

Rennie Petersen

PS. For those who might be interested, I've written an Amazon "So You'd Like To" guide about Basil Pao and his participation in the Michael Palin trips and the books that have been produced by Basil Pao and Michael Palin. You can find it by clicking on my name and then finding the link to my "So You'd Like To" guides a little ways down on the left of my profile page. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (19)

Doesn't even manage to be superficial
I have to say I dislike Palin - part of Monty Python, and therefore recipient of public money at a time when the BBC was a quarter of a monopoly of British TV. Priceless publicity. The BBC has a contemptible history, as anyone who's looked below the surface is aware. I view most BBC-ers in the way a convinced Jew might regard German TV. Just so you know.

'Sahara' is an extraordinarily dispiriting book. The photos (and about a third have the aged Palin in) are rather ordinary; possibly north Africa is in fact like that. The landscapes are generally desolate with scrub, or simply endless Saharan sand - the French intended to test nuclear weapons there, but apparently never did. The houses aren't very impressive and one fears European-based anyway. Most of the text deals with European stuff - motor traffic, tanks, hotels, post offices, hospitals, camps, oil, aircraft, steamers, tins of food, coca cola, missionaries and writers and chroniclers, teachers, French influences, explorers, light bulbs. I presume even the colourful cloth is not indigenous.Even bread is not natural to the area.The main non-European influence is Islam; some handwritten books there may be a thousand years old. Gosh. One gathers the EU wants to import fifty million of these Africans into Europe, though Palin seems to have no idea about this. The overwhelming feeling is of a book produced for contractual reasons, and one imagines a crew of typical BBCers in the background, smug overpaid third-rate middle class chatterers. Unindexed; perhaps just as well - there's a section on Timbuktu of painful dullness. The irony is that of course Palin has a lot in common with these people with whom he at least pretends to be friendly - he understands nothing of the modern world (except money) just like them. I don't think he has the understanding even to be superficial, since he's not aware of anything deep.

When in Africa....
Michael Palin's SAHARA is a usually engaging, frequently amusing book accompaniment to the video series.The Monty Python troupe member, nowadays known for his charming and whimsical travel programs, this time takes on northwestern Africa.As good as Palin's descriptions are--and his writing is effervescent with bon mots and wry observations--the narrative often fails to capture the grandeur of the vistas he encounters, probably because they are beyond words to express.While the series was shot, the tragedy of 9/11 befell the world back home; it's poignant how Palin and his crew deal with the news in the context of their African and Muslim environment.The book has some lighter moments near the end of the journey when Palin revisits the Tunisian locations for the Monty Python classic, THE LIFE OF BRIAN.Since the book is (largely?) available for free online on Palin's website, the prospective reader would do well to consider Palin's recording of the book in choosing to purchase a version.

Informative and entertaining
Although not a travel book per se, there is a lot of useful information on the areas and people that Palin visits.His sense of humor makes this book entertaining without trivializing the information on local customs and peoples.The book is also a perfect companion to the DVDs.

Great Descriptions of People and Country along with Palin's Friendly Disarming Humor
Another great travelogue by Michael Palin who beyond being a comedian is also a very detailed, although typical humorous, professional writer. Always with a gift for detailed descriptions, as noted in his recently released Monty Python Diaries, Palin captures the people, the land, history and customs while traveling from Gibraltor in a broad circuit through numerous countries along the Sahara. Perhaps not as light, as one reviewer notes, in contrast to earlier books but that is not relevant as Palin and his film crew (usually made into a TV series) migrate from Morocco, the disputed western territory of Western Sahara through numerous countries along the desert and infamous Niger River among people who are friendly but with limited means. What makes Palin's travelogues so unique is aside from his excellent observations, he has a self deprecating humor that amuses the different people along the way, generally creating bonds that the typical explorer or tourist could not have. This travelogue is a bit more serious as Palin and crew observe and experience some extreme levels of poverty along the way. However, virtually all the people they make contact with share their resouces no matter how simply or limited. Palin crosses the desert at one point in a camel train for 5 days and one of the many great pictures along the trip demonstrates the unique bond that palin forms with all who he meets as there is a picture of Palin being playfully grabbed by the camel drivers trying to keep him from leaving. From intermingling with the Polisario military in the disputed Western Sahara through Algiers and their Civil War and into Libya, the trip covers multiple cultures, modes of travel and an uncanny ability to stay supplied thgat could use some explanation.
Athough being quite careful with water they consume, Palin and crew often share food with their guests with Palin ocasionally making the gross error of using both hands as opposed to the restricted single right in the land of limited water. The latter of the book turns serious, as it does when learning of the horrific 9/11 terrorist attack, when they re-enter Algiers along the coast with the increased security required of any level of celebrity. As always, well written, excellent color phtographs and Palin even quotes the notable explorers that had come before him including those that did not survive the journey. Also comes with a two page large map to help you figure where the crew is along the way.

well written and entertaining
having never read michael palin's work, i found his style refreshingly easy to read.whereas some travel journals get bogged down with loads of facts and figures that i could find in any encyclopedia, he keeps up the pace with a well written, concise, yet entertaining, tour through the sahara.i really enjoyed his views on the political and social aspects of the north african culture as well. ... Read more

Product Description
For almost a year, Michael Palin travelled through 18 countries on the perimeter of the world's largest ocean, in a spectacular journey of contrasts, drama and beauty. From head-hunters in Borneo to a meal of maggots in Mexico, his route takes him to some of the most politically volatile and physically demanding places on Earth. Whether climbing the Exalted Mountains in China, dodging icebergs in Chile, or being taken short on the banks of the Amazon, Michael Palin paints a vivid picture of the people and places around him. 'It was a journey of dazzling surprises and jarring extremes. Beauty and ugliness, sophistication and squalor, unceasing urban noise and monastic tranquillity ...This is a record of a year of wonder' Michael Palin.Amazon.com Review
Michael Palin has certainly been busy since his days withMonty Python's Flying Circus. In Full Circle, Palin and a filmcrew go on a year-long adventure visiting 18 countries along thePacific Rim. The film was eventually made into a 10-part PBS series,to which this book serves as a companion. Not for nothing is this partof the world called the "Ring of Fire"; volcanoes punctuatethe landscape, and Palin even climbs one still smoking from a recenteruption. But the difficult landscape is only one challenge in this attimes hair-raising, at times hilarious, always fascinating journeyaround the world's largest ocean. In the Philippines, Palin witnesses"psychic surgery": on the Urubamba River, Palinsimultaneously clings for his life to a dugout canoe as he shoots therapids and keeps up with England's progress in the World Cupvia shortwave radio.

Whether he's visiting a Gulag camp inSiberia or chowing down on maggots in Mexico, Palin meets thechallenges of rough travel with grace, courage, and more than a littlehumor. Full Circle is fun to read, includes many colorphotographs from Palin's adventures, and makes a terrific addition tothe armchair traveler's bookshelf. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

The third of Palins adventurous travels
After a couple of small time train journeys for the BBC Michael Palin got roped into Around the World in 80 Days. He followed that up with Pole to Pole and then Full Circle which was an epic journey that started in the Bering Straits beteen Alaska and Russia. And thence went in a counter clockwise manner around the Pacific taking in a stack of countries along the way.

This six CD, six hour(!) release sees Palin reading his own book of the journey. Not the sort of thing that's going to make it onto the Billboard best sellers list but a very valid release. I own this on DVD and also got the book Palin is reading from and so delayed getting any of his box set audio efforts wondering if I'd really get any use out of them. I needn't have worried and if the same concern is holding you back from parting with your hard earned rest assured that these discs are quite worthwhile. I actually tend to listen to them while driving long distance, there is something surreal about driving through very sparse inland scenes for hour after hour in the Australian 'red centre' while listening to Palin talk about the rainforest of the Amazon basin or the mountainous seas of the Bering Strait.

Of course you'd have to have the constitution of a buffalo to actually listen to them disc after disc. My record is two of these discs one after the other because ultimately have a guy read to you can get old hat after too long. Perhaps it would of been nice had they added some background noise that was complementary to the passage being read. But if you pace yourself this release is a worthy addition to the sort of albums you throw in the car in preparation for a long drive.

Highly recommended for fans of Michael Palins conversational style of travelogue.

Arnold Rimmer
As always Palin has produced a great travel book and series... this I found better than his "80 Days". The other thing people might find interesting about this travel book is that it takes us to some places which are hard to reach even in this day and age, so this is the only way we can know them.

Also suggested- "Hemingway Adventure"

Magnificent
Full Circle is just as good, if not better then his othertravel/comedy books. It is simply magnificent.

An enlightning tour of the Pacific Rim countries.
Michael Palin does it again with Full Circle. Starting in Alaska Michaeltravels anti-clockwise around the rim of the Pacific Ocean visitingcountries as diverse as Russia, Korea, Viet Nam, New Zealand, Colombia andthe west coast of North American.He tells of his adventures getting toand exploring some fantastic natural wonders, visiting a Russian gulag witha former inmate, the relief of Japan, the Vietnamese reactions to awesterner, the biggness of Australia and the hardworking people of SouthAmerica.The section on the United States is short and not always sweet. Palin is taken aback by the physical bigness of Americans, and rush, andloudness.By the time he reaches Canada and attends a"lumberjack" fair (no singing Mounties included!) he really"wants to go home".We also learn a bit about how the series andbook were produced, his wife Helen and their children, and that being on ajob for the BBC doesn't always mean smooth sailing!Michael's friend BasilPao took the photographs - he also joined Michael on "Around the Worldin Eighty Days".I can highly recommend this book and not only tofans of Monty Python - it doesn't end how you might expect!

What you would have seen in the Pacific
I've seen the 10-part Full Circle tv series, and I had a serious addiction from the start. When it ended, I went through a withdrawl period. I silently rocked myself in a chair in my room repeating "I must get the book,... must find book...must read book." I've got it now and I'm back on a Full Circle high. The book goes into details that they never had time for on the series. It tells you everything that you would have noticed had you been in Japan or Australia or Chile.

Ahh... I can imagine myself right now on the streets of China getting a massage from a blind man. ... Read more

Product Description
Michael Palin's diaries begin 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 ...Enjoying an unlikely cult status early on, the Pythons then proceeded to tour the USA and Canada. As their popularity grew, so Palin relates how the group went their separate ways, later to re-form for stage shows and the celebrated films THE HOLY GRAIL and LIFE OF BRIAN. Living through the three-day week and the miners strike, and all the trials of a peripatetic life are also essential ingredients of these perceptive and funny diaries. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Inside the Mind of a Python
A publicity biography of Michael Palin, written by John Cleese, is included in the introduction for (Diaries 1969-1979: The Python Years):


"Michael Palin is not just one of Britain's foremost comedy character actors...he also talks a lot.

Michael chats, quips, fantasises, reminisces, commiserates, encourages, plans, discusses, and elaborates. Then, some nights, when everyone else has gone to bed, he goes home and writes up a diary."


You can almost hear Cleese's signature tone of ire in your head as you read that last line. But it sums up this collection of Michael Palin's diaries from Monty Python's definitive years perfectly. At 673 pages (not counting the index), this hefty tome takes you deep inside Palin's head during a period of almost exhaustive creative output, constant travel, financial wranglings, headbutting within the Python camp, and ultimately, great success.

Even if one is not a Monty Python fanatic, the book is a fascinating look at Palin's struggles for artistic and creative achievement. He bluntly presents the state of affairs for the Pythons as they are in the process of creating what would become (unbeknownst to themselves and certainly the BBC) one of the greatest comedy series of all time. And yet throughout this period of groundbreaking artistic output, the Pythons are fighting with the BBC over censorship of segments and often taking on all sorts of side work to make ends meet. The scenes of Palin lowering himself to do adverts (for a measely £50) are gut wrenching to read, as Palin's knack for not being able to say no leads him into embarrassing encounters with ad agency reps (even agreeing to `audition' for a Maxwell House commercial).

As for the affairs of Monty Python's Flying Circus, the book is an endless source of fascination because of the author's immediate response to events of the day. If this were a memoir, some of the wonderful surprises would be lost forever. Instead, we are given Palin's reaction to each day undiluted by future hindsight. A good example comes in the 1970 chapter when Palin and the Python's are filming episodes in Torquay and return to their hotel:


"However, Mr. Sinclair, the proprietor, seemed to view us from the start as a colossal inconvenience, and when we arrived back from Brixham, at 12.30, having watched the night filming, he just stood and looked at us with a look of self-righteous resentment, a tacit accusation that I had not seen since my father waited up for me fifteen years ago."


That Mr. Sinclair would later become the main influence for Cleese's superbly funny Basil Fawlty on Fawlty Towers.

In addition, the constant disputes between members -- while never mean-spirited or backbiting -- is very interesting in the context of the time as you read about the Terrys' (Jones and Gilliam) squabbles with Cleese, whose motives often seem more self-serving (even if in many cases Cleese is arguing in favor of Python's integrity).

While exhaustive in its content, the book never feels as if it's too much, mostly due to Palin's wit and dry, bare-bones writing style. We follow Palin through the end of the Python television series, into their first films (including Monty Python and the Holy Grail), overseas to America, back and forth several times, and through the creation of Palin's own Ripping Yarns series. The book ends with the filming and release of the now classic Life of Brian (the Python's own selection as their best movie) and the ensuing outrage from Christian groups and pro-censorship lunatics. Palin and the Pythons, finally achieving financial security and great artistic success, suddenly find themselves at the center of controversy and yet on the side of right. The troupe rallies together in favor of the cause and in the end come out a stronger unit than the previous years.

Ultimately,Diaries 1969-1979: The Python Years perfectly captures what it was truly like for Palin (and in turn the rest of Python) in those key years when they took comedy into completely uncharted realms. In some ways, it is better than the Almost the Truth documentary or Autobiography of the Pythons in that there is no cleaning up of the story. It is Palin's opinion as unflinching and dead center as it was during those quiet late-night or early-morning hours when he was trying to make sense of it all by jotting down a few notes about his journey.

I can just see him replying "Well, I don't like you either!"
I love Python and I love Palin but I couldn't wait to finish this book. There's plenty of insider anecdotes about Python, the BBC, the movie studios and various rock groups (which was interesting) as well as his experiences as a writer, actor, and family man (also interesting) but, dear god, the sheer amount of lunches he chronicles! What he ate, what he drank, what he smoked. (Not interesting at all.)

It's a huge book so there's a LOT of rich food, large cigars and expensive champagne to slog through which he caps off by shaking his head sadly at American excess. Yyyyeaah.

I'll probably read more by Palin but I'll knock back some Pepto Bismol before I do.

Great Bits of Tid
Palin's diarist habits prevent this from being an in-depth insider's look into the early days of Monty Python, but so long as you keep in mind that these are extracts from a diary you'll find this a very enjoyable, albeit personal and therefore highly eccentric, account of the Python era.

Poignant and fun reading
Amazing that Michael Palin kept a diary from the inception of Python!

This thick paperback opens with Michael's introduction, helpfully lists a who's who of all the "players" involved (his friends, family and associates) and is footnoted to clarify certain people, places and things in his original writings.The book contains three separate sections of photos, many in color and a few from Mr. Palin's personal collection, including a few ancestral ones.His family photos with wife and children are particularly sweet and intimate.Some of the photo captions quote particular spots within the diary.The book also contains an extensive index -- a very handy feature. I haven't read the book entirely (yet), as I'm writing this review from a copy I bought in England for my sister's birthday.I plan to get my own copy!

Anyway, you can open the book to any page and find interesting behind-the-scenes reading.I particularly liked Michael's story about a day in America doing a photo shoot with an 18-foot snake -- a python, what else?Neither he nor the snake had a good time.

There are plenty of touching and insightful moments that are made all the more fun to read when they involve other persons of interest of the 1970s era (with me, for instance, this would include Michael's personal anecdotes of the tragic lives of Keith Moon and Harry Nilsson and how these two legends were connected to Graham Chapman).

My only disappointment about this diary is that Michael Palin did not write an entry for the date he wrote my sister a letter in 1977 (July 28), though there are nearby entries.That would have been truly interesting!:-)I do remember an entry elsewhere in the book where he mentions spending a day answering fan mail.

Very cool book.Can't wait for Part 2!

Hard to put down
Michael's diaries are so interesting that it was sad they came to a close. I had a hard time putting it down so I made myself stick to 'one year a day.'

If you've ever wondered what made your favorite naughty boys tick - this is a great source. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A gorgeous, gorgeous volume
The Mirrorstone is a visually stunning book.The moody imagery, rich and finely detailed and with the addition of "holographic" images evokes a wonderful, eerie world of fantasy and promises a chilling, exciting story.

It's a pity the story can't keep that promise.

Paul, a young boy of indeterminate 'modern' times (mickey mouse comb and all) is at the local pool, drying off from his play.He glances into the mirror and is shocked to see not himself, but another boy.

"For the face he saw looking back at him was not his own.It wasn't very different, but something was wrong.The hair was a bit longer, the cheeks were a bit thinner."

This happens several times over the next few days until finally, Paul is drawn into the mirror and off on a weird adventure in a strange land.The adventure, sadly, is sketchy in comparison to the elaborate and intricate drawings, and the use of language is clumsy in comparison to the elegant and refined art work.

The story isn't terrible, but one gets the impression that a very talented artist had a concept and was left to fend for himself for the story.

If you're looking for a gorgeous, visually compelling coffee table book, this is a fantastic find.

If you're looking for a story to share with a child, this may not be your best bet.You might prefer Dinotopia, another deeply visual fantasy in which the story is told only briefly, but rather more competently. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

Finally...Something Completely Different From Mr.Johnson!
I'll be the first to admit , when it comes to throwing stones at Kim Johnson , I'm the first one to put on my false beard! This comes not from jealousy , but from a sense of overkill. How many more books of the same redundant information can one man write to cash in on Monty Python? ( And it's even more irritating when I find things missing or incomplete in said books...he's NOT the messiah , he's just got a bigger toe in the door! ). That said. I REALLY did enjoy this book! Why? Because it's from a first person perspective! No cheats. This is from the heart , and memory , the dull bits , the nerdy bits , the thoughtful bits & the tourist bits!
( Okay and some naughty bits! ). The Pythons grant him interviews through out the filming of "Life Of Brian" , and Kim even finds himself as a film extra , assistant lighting guy , photographer , and oddjobs man.( This is also , probably , one of the only books to discuss George Harrison's time on set in Tunesia. ). It's a good read ,because Kim Johnson doesn't seem to be seeking anyone's approval or be catering to any sort of fan , he tells it the way it happened , good luck ,bad luck ,and the wierdness of being a tourist in a different land and a fanboy amongst his heroes. You really do feel the excitement he feels , and the "what a lucky guy I am" -ness of the whole adventure. Well done Mr.Johnson!

A Great View Into The Making Of "Brian"
Kim Howard Johnson took his written, audio recorded, and photographic diaries from the set of "Brian" and put it in the form of an interesting book. He was on the set for most of the shooting of "Monty Python's Life Of Brian", as well as sometimes in front of the camera as an "extra". He presents loads of behind the scenes photos and quotes by the six Pythons themselves throughout the fun, wet, hot, and sometimes dull days of filming. The Pythons also wrote forwards for this book in which they thank him for printing this since they are all too old to remember much of 1978. It's also a testament (no pun intended) to how sober, hard-working, and clear-thinking Graham Chapman was for this film. This is a must for die-hard Monty Python fans, as are all of Johnson's other Python books!

A must for Monty Python fans!!
Kim "Howard" Johnson was very lucky to experience what he did and we are lucky that he shares it with us. Johnson went from fan to friend and gives us intimate details behind the scenes during the filming Monty Python's Life of Brian. I recommend for anyone who is a Python fan or just liked Life of Brian.

A must for "Life of Brian" Fans
Kim "Howard" Johnson has written much about the Pythons, but it has taken him 30 years to publish the journal that he kept while working as an extra during the filming of "Monty Python's Life of Brian".

This is a day-by-day account of his time on the set in Tunisia interviewing the Pythons and the supporting cast as well as reporting on the progress of the filming.

Johnson gives the rest of us the closest thing we will ever have to spending time in the company of the Pythons both at work and at play.Despite the African heat, the long, hard hours and the tedium that went with making the film, no true Python fan will read this book without envying Johnson his unique opportunity.

This is a great gift for yourself or anyone you know who is a Python fan. ... Read more

Product Description
A collection of writings and photographs relating to the town of Southwold. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

overall alright
I'd have to agree with the review above, you definitely have to be a fan in order to get enjoyment out of this.Myself, being a huge fan of Gilliams trilogy was delighted to find this book on perhaps my favorite of aforementioned trilogy.

That being said, it is a script, it is going to be a little bland/dry, not what I would call a quick read.However, it gets 4 stars due to the new material in it(spider ladies), and giving me another medium through which I can enjoy Time Bandits.

Not Free SF Reader
The crazy antics of a kid and a whole lot of short guys and other people in, through, and around the timestream.However, I found this a bit on the dull side and did struggle to get through reading it at the time.Somewhat disappoing from that point of view, and I can't recommend it unless you are a big fan.


... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Sahara
Superb pictures, illustrating the reality of desert life, and the people of the desert in their many ways of life.Great book!

Beautiful pictures of people living in a beautiful and harsh environment
This is a very beautiful coffee-table-style book containing almost 200 pages of pictures taken by photographer Basil Pao. It is large format (31 x 25 cm) and hardcover and printed on glossy paper. A pleasure for anyone with an eye for beautiful pictures and/or an interest in the Sahara area of northern Africa.

This book should not be confused with the book "Sahara" by Michael Palin. That book also contains a lot of pictures by Basil Pao, but in that book the pictures are secondary to the text written by Michael Palin.

"Inside Sahara", on the other hand, is exclusively Basil Pao's book. Michael Palin's name is featured on the cover, but his contribution consists only of a 2-page introduction.

Both books are, of course, based on the trip that Michael Palin and a film crew did, traveling around the Sahara Desert in 2001 making a television program for the BBC.

Most of the pictures in "Inside Sahara" feature people in one way or another. This may seem surprising - I had expected more pictures of landscapes and edifices and statues, etc. But on reflection aren't people what we people really find the most interesting, wherever we go?

The best pictures are featured as stunning two-page spreads. All of the pictures have captions explaining what is happening in the picture and where it was taken.

My only criticism is that there are 12 pages that feature 75 "behind the scenes" photos of the filming crew that accompanied Michael Palin on the trip. These pictures are so small (6 x 4 cm) that it's difficult to see what they are supposed to show. These 12 pages could have been omitted, or used for better purposes.

Highly recommended for anyone who loves beautiful photographs, especially photographs of interesting people in a largely unknown part of the world.

Rennie Petersen

PS. For those who might be interested, I've written an Amazon "So You'd Like To" guide about Basil Pao and his participation in the Michael Palin trips and the books that have been produced by Basil Pao and Michael Palin. You can find it by clicking on my name and then finding the link to my "So You'd Like To" guides a little ways down on the left of my profile page. ... Read more

Product Description
Michael Palin is a popular brand in his own right

The combination of palin and travel is always a winner

Basil Pao one of the best topographical photographers working todayAmazon.com Review
Written while filming his TV series retracing the travels of America'sliterary titan, Michael Palin's Hemingway Adventure is a masterpiecein its own right. And it's just as eye-delighting in book form, thanks toBasil Pao's wanderlust-arousing photography and vibrant design. Thewitty, literary Palin, a Monty Python alumnus-turned-professionaladventurer, takes us on the journey of a lifetime--Papa's and his own."Hemingway's world was close and uncomfortable and itchy and sweaty andfrequently exhausting," writes Palin. "It was, I felt, the real thing. Toexperience it would require the ability to absorb a little punishment, it woulddemand an open mind and a degree of recklessness.But it could andshould be done."

Palin visits the restless Hemingway's many residencies, drinks (less excessively) in the same charming Parisian bars, tries boxing and Cuban marlin fishing, but he's really trying to discover what made Hemingway tick--what inspired him to write. In Spain, Palin examines Hemingway's passion for thecountry and the character of the matador in Hemingway's work while studying with young matador apprentices in a dusty Madrid bullfighting school. In Africa, which inspired and almost killed Hemingway, Palin learns spear throwing from Masai warriors, flies in a small plane around Mount Kilimanjaro, and searches for the site where Hemingway's own plane crash-landed. At the end of the day, drinking Hemingway's preferred beer, brewed still in Nairobi, Palin muses, "Mortality, of one kind or another, always feels close at hand in Africa. Maybe that's why Hemingway liked it, student of death that he was."

Palin begins in Hemingway's Illinois birthplace and ends his journeystanding on the spot in Papa's Idaho kitchen where he shot himself, havingrecently broken down in tears, unable to complete JFK's request for a fewsimple words commemorating his inauguration. This isn't just a livelytravel or TV tie-in book; it's a thoughtful, emotional biography. --Michele Norton ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Make sure you get the right book
Being a big Hemingway fan I was very excited to get this book after I first discovered it. I was looking forward to photographs of Papa and the places in his life.That's what I expected after "looking inside" another edition of the book at Amazon, which was the only choice to look at. I sure was surprised to get a little paperback with not a single photo. I saw the book I thought I was getting for $5 in a used bookstore the other day. There is no warning that the book you get is entirely different from the one you get to see. Albeit I only paid $1.41 plus $3.99 shipping for it from The Big Book Sale - it is not what I wanted or what was advertized.I will be disputing the charge. BEWARE.

Good But Not Great
I found this book to be good but not great.It is a mix of a short Hemingway biography and a travel book.For those that want an introduction to Hemingway and like to travel, it is an enjoyable read and I highly recommend it.If you are looking for a detailed Hemingway biography or a travel book only, then I would not recommend the book.

Also, some chapters are better than others.For example, the short section on Pamplona (within the chapter on Spain) is well written and entertaining.But the rest of the chapter on Spain and bullfighting is rushed and incomplete in my mind, given that bullfighting was a subject of so much of Hemingway's writings and that Hemingway's "Death in the Afternoon" was practically an English language treatise on the subject.

Further, at times, the book seems to be more of an independent travel book than a "following in the footsteps of Hemingway" book.

As I said, good but not great.

An interest in Hemingway's authorship is not necessary
I really like Michael Palin's travel documentaries, both the BBC TV programs and the books based on the programs. He has a knack for finding interesting people and places, and he presents it all with wit and charm and a personal engagement that is beguiling. The books are beautiful with lots of great color pictures, most taken by photographer Basil Pao.

This book is based on the BBC TV program where Mr. Palin traveled to all of the places where Ernest Hemingway had lived and traveled. One can't really say the program "follows Hemingway's footsteps" because some sequences are presented out of order, but it's all there:

Chicago and northern Illinois (Hemingway's youth)
Italy (WW I and duck hunting)
Paris (Hemingway's start as an author)
Spain (running with the bulls, bullfighting)
Key West (fishing, boxing)
Africa (hunting, airplane crash injuries)
Cuba (fishing, Hemingway's home for 20 years)
Montana and Idaho (dude ranches, Hemingway's death)

Each chapter that describes a place almost invariably leaves the reader smiling and thinking that it would be interesting to visit that place oneself.

Incidentally, my high opinion of this book (and the associated TV program) has nothing to do with any interest in Hemingway's authorship. I read "The Old Man and the Sea" when I was in high school, and have not read anything by Hemingway since. Still, I find his life interesting, and I think that Michael Palin has made a great travelogue by visiting the various places and telling about Hemingway's life.

I can especially recommend the audio version of this book, which is read by Michael Palin himself. He does a great job of delivering the dialog of the various people, all with their different accents.

Of course, the audio version of the book does not include the beautiful photographs, so the very best strategy might be to get both, and listen to the audio version while commuting and then look at the pictures when you get home.

Rennie Petersen

A Teriffic Travelogue
If you are going to engage in some armchair travel, you could do no better than to have Michael Palin as your guide. I love all of his books, possibly even more than the accompanying TV shows. The only reason this one gets four stars from me, instead of five, is by comparison- I thought the conceit of following Hemmingway's life's path was less engaging than some of his more challenging itineraries (but add the extra star back on if you're a Hemmingway fan). Like others who have reviewed here, I was compelled by reading this book to seek out some of Hemmingway's work, and I think I was able to appreciate it better knowing something about the man. (But I'll admit, given the choice of reading him or reading Palin, I'll take the Python any day of the week.)

A fine travelogue, evoking the past and present
I am not a Hemmingway fan - the idea of a macho yet self-destructive soul holds no appeal for me.Likewise, I find his prose turgid and bland, unlike his contemporary, Steinbeck.However, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.Michael Palin brings his charm, understated wit, and consummate travelogue-writing skill to the book, and Basil Pao brings fantastic photography and art direction.

Hemmingway's life and travels provide an overarching theme to the book that brings us from place to place.Since most travelogues use geographical locations to provide the arc, the eclectic globe-trotting in this book is refreshing, while at the same time logical.Likewise, within each chapter we see a variety of locales that won't necessarily make a standard travelogue, because Hemmingway lived in these places and discovered a number of out-of-the-way sites that give a better feel for the actual culture of the cities and countries we're visiting.

I've personally visited four of the places in the book - Montana, Chicago, Key West, and Paris.That I wish to return to those places and experience the parts I missed, as chronicled in the book, is a testament to Palin and Pao's skills.Presumably a fan of Hemmingway would get even more out of this book than I did, but you obviously don't have to be a Hemmingway afficionado to appreciate and enjoy this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Martin Sproale is an assistant postmaster obsessed with Ernest Hemingway.Martin lives in a small English village, where he studies his hero and putters about harmlessly--until an ambitious outsider, Nick Marshall, is appointed postmaster instead of Martin.Slick and self-assured, Nick steals Martin's girlfriend and decides to modernize the friendly local office by firing dedicated but elderly employees and privatizing the business.Suddenly, gentle Martin is faced with a choice: meedly accept defeat as he always has, or fight for what he believes in, as his hero, Hemingway, would.
Filled with Michael Palin's trademark wit and good humor, this novel is for anyone who has ever dreamed of triumphing over the technocrats and backstabbers of the world.Hilarious, touching, and ultimately inspirational, Hemingway's Chair will make readers stand up and cheer.
Amazon.com Review
A quiet, unassuming postman develops an unexpected obsessionin this quiet, unassuming--and very English--first novel from MichaelPalin of Monty Python fame. Martin Sproale is the very model of amodern Walter Mitty. An assistant postmaster in the coastal town ofThreston, he lives at home with his mother and rides his bicycle towork each day. It's a pleasant but uneventful sort of life, markedonly by Martin's growing fascination with the life, works, andpersonal style of Ernest Hemingway. "Tea-drinkers, mothers, postoffice administrators, would-be fiancées. Little people withlittle minds," Martin thinks. "When would they realise thatonly through confrontation with danger could life be lived to thefull?" Martin has transformed his room into a kind of Hemingwayshrine, complete with bullfighting poster, several first editions, thesame kind of typewriter Papa used--even a vintage WWI Italian armyfirst-aid cabinet filled with all the liquors he liked to drink.

Two things happen to shatter Martin's equilibrium. First, a new,corporate-style postal manager takes the job that by rights shouldhave been his, promptly beginning a campaign of privatization andmodernization that threatens all Martin holds dear. Second, anAmerican woman outbids him on Hemingway memorabilia; a scholar,"not a fan," of the writer, Ruth Kohler lives in seclusionnearby while she works on a book about the women in Hemingway'slife. Martin and Ruth engage in some increasingly heated role-playingas the conflict over Threston's post office comes to a slowboil. Deprived of his position, his cozy world crashing down aroundhim, Martin finds himself acting more like the he-man writer than heever thought possible. Palin's debut is in some ways a surprise:poignant rather than funny, skillfully paced and couched inworkmanlike but hardly spectacular prose. Readers expectingPythonesque absurdity might find themselves disappointed--but only atfirst; with patience, this book unfolds its more subtle pleasures withunderstated aplomb. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (51)

Now for Something Completely Different...
I'm re-reading Palin's novel about Ernest Hemingway's biggest British fan, Martin Sproale. He's sort of a PBS version of George Costanza, living with his Mum, unmarried, not very handsome or bright, for that matter. There the similarities end, or abound, depending on your point of view. Sproale works as an assistant postal office manager in a small British town. He has a sort of girlfriend, is shy and soft-spoken, and loves collecting Ernest Hemingway memorabilia.

On this second reading, I'm amazed at the depth of its humor, especially when Martin starts to understand how he's being manipulated by that evil empire, the British Post Office!! The humor is all there, but its diabolically subtle.

However, the reason I picked this book up again was that I remembered how much it deepened my appreciation of Ernest Hemingway as a person or personality behind his books. It is that personality that becomes the focus of Palin's novel, in an unusual way that is both humorous and touching. It also explains what it is to be a fan, and REALLY explains all those Star Trek Conventions.

Hemingway's Chair(Michael Palin)
A little boring - a little short on content - a piece of fiction from a writer who should and could do a better job.

Clever & Compelling for Fans and Foes
Love him or hate him, Hemingway inspires strong reactions in readers.Author Palin cleverly manipulates that fact in this witty and well written tale of a mild-mannered, small town Hemingway devotee whom it seems couldn't have less in common with the dynamic literary icon...until fate and circumstance play their parts.

This will mainly appeal to Hemingway afficianadoes, but also to admirers of Palin's writings as well. His marvelous TV travel series and companion book about Hemingway's Adventures serve him well in this charming book and his own respect and passion for Papa is evident throughout.

unexpected pleasant surprise.
knowing palin only from his outstanding work with monty pythons, i was
surprised how excellent of a novel this was . just could not put this wonderful book down,

A wonderfully well crafted masterpiece.
I bought this book because I am a huge Monty Python fan, and Michael Palin is my favorite Python.Coming into the book I was surprised because I expected it to be more, I don't know... silly.But it wasn't.Don't get me wrong, it was brilliantly funny, and I easily fell in love with it.
This was one of those rare books that I could not put down.Palin does an excellent job of character development, where you really fall in love with and get to know the characters, (even the small characters, like the old man who frequents the post office every morning).
The plot is excellent, and the reader really gets involved and rejoices with the characters' triumphs and commiserates in their misfortunes.
I can't recommend this book any higher to anyone. ... Read more