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So, Anyway...: The Autobiography
by
John Cleese
Candid and brilliantly funny
, this is the story of how a tall, shy youth from Weston-super-Mare went on to become a self-confessed legend. En route, John Cleese describes his nerve-racking first public appearance, at St Peter’s Preparatory School at the age of eight and five-sixths; his endlessly peripatetic home life with parents who seemed incapable of staying in any hou
...more
Paperback
,
432 pages
Published
June 4th 2015
by Arrow
(first published October 9th 2014)
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Community Reviews
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Update Rant:
(
Because apparently I have to state the obvious
).This review is simply my personal opinion of this book, everyone else is entitled to their own opinion. Just as I do not begrudge readers who enjoy books I hate and/or hate books I love, I would appreciate if others would do the same.
My rating of this book has nothing to do with John Cleese as a person or his previous or current works
. This rating is based on my OWN OPINION of this single book. Being attacked for an unbiased review is
...more
I received an advance copy of this autobiography from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a very generous and unexpected autobiography. I say that because most books of these types merely retell the scandals, bask in the highlights, and dish the dirt on the nasty habits of famous people. Well, we all love that and if we are being honest, that is why we paid the price of admission.
Not so this time. While Mr. Cleese does tell us what he really thinks of some of the famous, and not s ...more
This is a very generous and unexpected autobiography. I say that because most books of these types merely retell the scandals, bask in the highlights, and dish the dirt on the nasty habits of famous people. Well, we all love that and if we are being honest, that is why we paid the price of admission.
Not so this time. While Mr. Cleese does tell us what he really thinks of some of the famous, and not s ...more
Boy did this one suck to review.
To clear the air, I should start by saying I love everything Python. And in interviews about the book, Cleese always came off as kind and as witty as ever.
So I expected to find more of that inside the book. I assumed this was reasonable request....
Luckily I was also aware that John Cleese has been known to be difficult at times, and as it turns out, this is the Cleese I should have been expecting.
This is the Cleese who seems to enjoy nothing more than spending his ...more
To clear the air, I should start by saying I love everything Python. And in interviews about the book, Cleese always came off as kind and as witty as ever.
So I expected to find more of that inside the book. I assumed this was reasonable request....
Luckily I was also aware that John Cleese has been known to be difficult at times, and as it turns out, this is the Cleese I should have been expecting.
This is the Cleese who seems to enjoy nothing more than spending his ...more
May 06, 2015
Chris
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2015
,
diaries-memoirs
,
tbr-climb-2015
,
movie-tv-related-or-tie-in-non-sf
,
npr-pbs-and-bbc
So anyway, the first thing I ever saw John Cleese in was Fawlty Towers or A Fish Called Wanda. Can’t remember which, but there it is. I love MP though, and all that. It makes me laugh, Hell’s Grannies and all. A Fish Called Wanda is absolutely friggin awesome, and it’s a shame Fierce Creatures doesn’t get more respect.
So anyway, that is why my friend gave me this book for Christmas. Which is funny because I almost gave it to him? I ended up giving him Alan Cumming’s instead, something my frien ...more
This book was like a sandwich made from really good bread but nothing else. It was highly entertaining, but absolutely incomplete. It was a fascinating and amusing insight into John Cleese's childhood and early career, but then simply and abruptly stops short. He gives detailed accounts of every production that he ever did prior to the Pythons, including transcripts of many sketches but once he arrives at his Python years, he stops so suddenly that you begin to search the cover for something abo
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[I received a free ARC of this book via NetGalley. This fact has no bearing on my review]
You can read this and other reviews at Things I Find While Shelving
Who doesn’t wan to read about John Cleese?!
So. I love him. I love his wacky comedy. I think is a wonderful actor, and thus I jumped at the chance to read an ARC of his autobiography. And I’m super glad I did. I realize a lot of people think of three stars as closer to “meh”, but honestly I did like this a lot. It was great to get a look at hi ...more
You can read this and other reviews at Things I Find While Shelving
Who doesn’t wan to read about John Cleese?!
So. I love him. I love his wacky comedy. I think is a wonderful actor, and thus I jumped at the chance to read an ARC of his autobiography. And I’m super glad I did. I realize a lot of people think of three stars as closer to “meh”, but honestly I did like this a lot. It was great to get a look at hi ...more
I loved John Cleese’ writing style. I felt as though I was sat listening to him. I could virtually hear him reading out loud to me. I didn’t know a great deal about John Cleese before reading this- but thought he would be a really interesting character and love to discover autobiographies like this.
I liked the bit about his father going out to India after the war years and how this shaped his life.
Cleese was part of the real comedy years- along with lots of the comedy greats and it was lovely to ...more
I liked the bit about his father going out to India after the war years and how this shaped his life.
Cleese was part of the real comedy years- along with lots of the comedy greats and it was lovely to ...more
Let me get this out of the way - I am a huge Python fan and will read or watch pretty much anything to do with them. I do, however, find Cleese to be a bit abrasive and sneery at times, so I was unsure as to whether or not I'd enjoy reading this book.
Well, I must say that I found myself pleasantly surprised. I love it when you can really hear an author's voice coming through the text, and this book makes you feel that Cleese is in the same room, reading it aloud to you.
True, for Python nerds s ...more
Well, I must say that I found myself pleasantly surprised. I love it when you can really hear an author's voice coming through the text, and this book makes you feel that Cleese is in the same room, reading it aloud to you.
True, for Python nerds s ...more
Oct 03, 2015
Melissa Martin
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
blogging-for-books
,
own
www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com
I love reading memoirs, especially of different BBC actors I enjoy.
John Cleese did a great job of writing this book. Some of the books I have read just talk about their lives in film, plays, etc., but in this book JC actually writes about his childhood.
I would never have known he was bullied when he was younger. They thought he was a sissy, among other things. And he was tall at a very young age! At some point when he got a little older the bullying finally ...more
I love reading memoirs, especially of different BBC actors I enjoy.
John Cleese did a great job of writing this book. Some of the books I have read just talk about their lives in film, plays, etc., but in this book JC actually writes about his childhood.
I would never have known he was bullied when he was younger. They thought he was a sissy, among other things. And he was tall at a very young age! At some point when he got a little older the bullying finally ...more
I expected to hate this one based on some of the reviews, but the bitterness -- which, let's face it, is a trait he's long been known for -- really is nowhere near as pervasive as some have made it sound. I think what is throwing some is that the book is almost exclusively about his childhood and university/very early career experiences, and he writes it not as a comedy book but as a serious memoir, so it's not going to read like a Python sketch.
He is, unsurprisingly, a wonderful writer, but in ...more
He is, unsurprisingly, a wonderful writer, but in ...more
So Anyway... I bought this because I am (was) a fan of John Cleese. There is no doubting the man's comedic abilities and Fawlty Towers remains one of comedy's finest television programs but this... This... I failed to really get into it. I found it quite boring. That's not to say he hasn't worked hard or even had an interesting life - I just found the overall style with which he told it to be dull. I made it halfway through this book before giving up on it completely and giving it to someone els
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If I say this was the best (and worst) autobiography I have ever read, that is because it is the only autobiography I have ever read. It is not a genre I have previously ventured into. However, this (as it turns out), thoughtful Christmas present from very dear friends was an inspired gift which I enjoyed reading immensely. I am a huge Python fan and I had the privilege, when I was the Business Manager of The International University – Europe (in Bushey, near Watford, England), of having the Pyt
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A gentle, pastoral reflection on Cleese' youth all the way up to starting Python. Home, Cambridge, and his time in New York finding his softer side and better half. Far better than I was expecting and, if Cleese is one of your pop-culture Dads then this is a lovely grown up lullaby from him. Also if you are interested in the mysteries of process and the percentage of happy accident that goes into creative success there's plenty of that too. Not nearly enough digs at Michael Pallin and not nearly
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Considering that this book skips the years 1970-2013, I wonder whether a sequel is in the works. Still, I greatly enjoyed the insights into the craft of comedy, and it sent me to YouTube to look up "At Last the 1948 Show," "Do Not Adjust Your Set," the Goons, the Goodies, and many other comics & comedies I hadn't heard of before...
I enjoyed every last word. So many celebrity autobiographies are just ghostwritten bits of fluff, with a few jokes and a smattering of gossip. This is not that. It's a careful and very funny chronicling of his life up to the making of the Monty Python series. My only complaint is that it really is a volume one. Although he makes some mention of Fawlty Towers, The Holy Grail etc., he doesn't actually take the reader there. He jumps from the formation of the Pythons right to the reunion theatrical
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Nicely readable, focusing primarily on school and pre-Python era and the process of becoming and being a writer.
John Cleese's autobiography/memoir "So, Anyway..." is a must-read for all fans of his work from Monty Python onward but who are not so familiar with his earlier collaborations with David Frost, Peter Sellers, Marty Feldman, etc. As expected, his life story is presented in his distinct style and you can practically hear him dictate certain passages in certain well-known character voices. In many ways, it also serves as biography of his closest friend and collaborator Graham Chapman who sadly did
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Bios are morbidly fascinating usually but this one is morose and monotonous. There is never a pulse of sense of joy and even the most fascinating moments are told with such a dour lifeless tone as to make me feel his intent was to bore and annoy more than entertain and illuminate.
An absolute waste of time
An absolute waste of time
I learned today that I will receive a free copy as result of entering a Christmas lottery of the Dutch publishing house, Hurrah I would say as a free book is always a blessing.
This was an interesting read after Tina Fey's and Amy Poehler's books -- which were all about their years of toil in improv and sketch shows, with day jobs and night classes and shitty apartments, scrappily bootstrapping their way onto your television sets over the course of many, many years of hard work and heartbreak. Apparently being John Cleese (and being Cambridge chums with David Frost) means you get to skip all that and just have the BBC offer you a bunch of radio and TV programs while yo
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Are you a Monty Python fan? No, then why are you reading this? Oh, you want to find out more about the twisted mind that came up with Fawlty Towers, A Fish Called Wanda, and Fierce Creatures? Well, this tome will help, but beware, it is a long and winding road.
In So, Anyway..., John Cleese breezily writes out a partial tale of his life, speaking directly to the reader in sixteen chapters. He covers his early life and schooling in some depth and makes it interesting by letting the reader know wha ...more
In So, Anyway..., John Cleese breezily writes out a partial tale of his life, speaking directly to the reader in sixteen chapters. He covers his early life and schooling in some depth and makes it interesting by letting the reader know wha ...more
Firstly, John Cleese is not my favourite Python, Mr Palin holds that accolade but this is an extremely funny & well written book. Don't expect a rich depth into the Monty Pythons back catalogue though, I'm pretty sure it was over 80% through before they all meet up.
Learning about his youth at school & then onto Cambridge was a delight and an insight into the man he would become. The affection held by his Father & the strange disinterest from his Mother was told in great detail & ...more
Learning about his youth at school & then onto Cambridge was a delight and an insight into the man he would become. The affection held by his Father & the strange disinterest from his Mother was told in great detail & ...more
I feel like I need to clarify my rating for this book, because 3 stars isn't really fair. I guess I took away a star because I wanted to hear more (and I heard Mr Cleese will in fact be writing more, so I look forward to it).
At times it did go slowly, and I'm afraid there were parts I missed, so I'll definitely reread the book to catch more. Looking forward more towards the audio book, as something tells me this is something one needs to hear rather than read.
I know biographies are usually mea ...more
At times it did go slowly, and I'm afraid there were parts I missed, so I'll definitely reread the book to catch more. Looking forward more towards the audio book, as something tells me this is something one needs to hear rather than read.
I know biographies are usually mea ...more
It couldn’t be more appropriate that I was starting my sophomore year in high school when a British comedy show premiered on WTTW Chicago in the 10:30 p.m. slot on Sunday nights.
It started out with the kind of announcement that preceded the shows that most interested me in those days. “The following program, Monty Python's Flying Circus, contains nudity and may be considered unsuitable for younger or more sensitive viewers."
The first episode I watched contained "A Dull Day in the Life of a City ...more
It started out with the kind of announcement that preceded the shows that most interested me in those days. “The following program, Monty Python's Flying Circus, contains nudity and may be considered unsuitable for younger or more sensitive viewers."
The first episode I watched contained "A Dull Day in the Life of a City ...more
SO, ANYWAY… (2014). John Cleese. ****.
This is a patchy autobiography by one of the most innovative comedians working today. He does spend an inordinate amount of time on his boyhood at the expense of his later successes with the “Pythons.” He was an only child who grew up too fast, and paid for it with loneliness. He makes the constant plea to be liked throughout the book, and tries to do everything that can be done to ensure that that happens. It is really the second half of the work that kept ...more
This is a patchy autobiography by one of the most innovative comedians working today. He does spend an inordinate amount of time on his boyhood at the expense of his later successes with the “Pythons.” He was an only child who grew up too fast, and paid for it with loneliness. He makes the constant plea to be liked throughout the book, and tries to do everything that can be done to ensure that that happens. It is really the second half of the work that kept ...more
The Good Stuff
It's written by John Cleese - need I say more (Grew up with British Television loving parents so I was introduced quite early to the brilliance of Cleese and his mates)
Just thoroughly enjoyed his candor with the fact that he was writing his book his way and just didn't give a fuck what anyone thought. He just shares his thoughts and his experiences and doesn't mince words
Enjoyed his reasoning for including some of the skits in the book and his reasoning is hilarious (oh and so a ...more
It's written by John Cleese - need I say more (Grew up with British Television loving parents so I was introduced quite early to the brilliance of Cleese and his mates)
Just thoroughly enjoyed his candor with the fact that he was writing his book his way and just didn't give a fuck what anyone thought. He just shares his thoughts and his experiences and doesn't mince words
Enjoyed his reasoning for including some of the skits in the book and his reasoning is hilarious (oh and so a ...more
Mar 23, 2015
Elizabeth Olson
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
autobiography-and-biography
,
read-2015
First of all, I shouldn't have been surprised to discover just what an excellent writer Cleese is. After all, he was the primary writer of all great Python sketches. Second, I *wasn't* surprised by how funny the book was. Every time I read, I made such hysterical snorking noises my family thought I was choking. Third, this a very gracious book. Instead of tell all, scandal-mongering, dirty laundry airing, and colleague bashing, there is restraint and good taste.
Truly excellent memoir. I knew that I would find something John Cleese wrote to be very funny but I didn't realize how much I would enjoy learning about his life. I go into any autobiography feeling a little skeptical - what is the story this person is willing to tell, how honest will they be, might they be trying to get out a particular side of their life in this book that I am reading? In this book I was expecting it to be filled with stories of hilarious sessions with co-writers and actors an
...more
Highly recommended to those with an interest in Cleese or Python. The narrative only goes up to the first season of Monty Python's Flying Circus, in 1969, but that is fine, since the story after that is well documented, while the material here, about the years with David Frost in particular (though never mentioned is Eric Idle's devastating parody of him as "Timmy Williams" on Flying Circus), are illuminating. I hadn't realized that Cleese was more than just an afficionado of psychology; he very
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If you are looking for
Python
, be advised that there is little here until the end. Still, it is a charming memoir.
And best read with John Cleese's voice in your head.
And best read with John Cleese's voice in your head.
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John Marwood Cleese is an English actor, comedian, writer, film producer, and singer.
Cleese is probably best known for his various roles in the British comedy Monty Python's Flying Circus , his role as Basil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers and his various roles in the British comedy The Frost Report . He also played the role of Archie Leach in the American / British comedy film A Fish Called Wanda .
More about John Cleese...
Cleese is probably best known for his various roles in the British comedy Monty Python's Flying Circus , his role as Basil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers and his various roles in the British comedy The Frost Report . He also played the role of Archie Leach in the American / British comedy film A Fish Called Wanda .
“I noticed years ago that when people (myself definitely included) are anxious they tend to busy themselves with irrelevant activities, because these distract from and therefore reduce their actual experience of anxiety. To stay perfectly still is to feel the fear at its maximum intensity, so instead you scuttle around doing things as though you are, in some mysterious way, short of time.”
—
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“True, there was a vague assumption that doing so would bring me closer to God, but then who was God when he was at home? And why did he keep losing it with his chosen people, when he could easily have changed his mind, and picked a more co-operative bunch?”
—
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