Thursday, July 28, 2005

The world loves you, Michael Palin

Found here. Thanks, BoingBoing.

Had the Monty Python guys stopped working in 1975, there would still be enough reasons to praise them. I mean, worship them. If any group deserves the "The Beatles of XYZ" tag, it is Monty Python (and the XYZ is comedy, of course.)

However, what makes the Pythons even more interesting than the Beatles (hurts me just to say this) is that the individual members have gone on to do so much good stuff even after they "disbanded".

So here's one more reason to worship a Python: Michael Palin's travel books. (The links under the section titled "Journeys" on the left will take you to his other books.) Palin is giving away his travel books for free. Yes, free.

The books are based on his TV series and if you haven't seen it (i mean "them": there's more than one series), you are missing out on a superb show.

Mr. Palin is naturally curious, which makes him the ideal traveller. He is very interested in cultures and people and you can see how comfortable he is among them. The show is never about him, the celebrity, the comedy-God. It is always about the destination, the travel, the culture or even the food. Palin is invisible and yet, when the series ends, you feel like you just said goodbye to your best friend. You know, the one who's got great stories, travel anecdotes, jokes, witty observations...

Like any great artist, Palin leaves a very unique stamp on the show and with so much grace and intelligence.

So, what are you waiting for, download the HTML books for free and read them at leisure. As Michael Palin's good friend once sang, "arrive without travelling".

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you K

I used to love Palin's series. Have the fondest memories of my own wide-eyed curiosity watching it..

:)

Aditya Bidikar said...

These books have been available on the net for more than a ear, I believe. I am a huge fan of Python and of Michael. Just finished watching Ripping Yarns, in fact, and I watched Brazil just a few days ago. Am currently waiting for the DVD of Himalaya to arrive in the library. I'm also rewatching Sahara right now.

km said...

Aditya,

Brazil was a mixed-bag for me, personally. Waiting to see that docu on the (doomed) filming of La Mancha.

Krishna

Aditya Bidikar said...

I liked Brazil. Not as much as I'd hoped to, but enough. I'm dying to watch Lost in La Mancha. I couldn't find it anywhere. I'm trying to get the British Library to buy a copy. Tideland, hopefully, will get a theatrical release. My fave Gilliam film is 12 Monkeys, followed by Munchausen.

On a different note, supposedly, the Pythons sang the Lumberjack Song in the Harrison Tribute Concert. Must've been nice. Harrison's guest appearance in Life of Brian is one of my favourite Python moments.

Anonymous said...

Excellent, love it! » »

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