Graham Chapman's breadth and depth in full
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Graham Chapman is the most mysterious of the Monty Python team, what with him being dead and therefore unavailable for documentaries, interviews and Monty Python tribute nights on Channel 4. However this book redressed the balance- a very thorough collection of Chapman's sketches, speeches, serious essays, letters, and select extracts from his book "Liar's Autobiography", many of which you haven't seen before.
It really shows Chapman's breadth and depth. He was so intelligent, both broadly as a doctor and an observer of the human race and on specific issues such as homosexual rights, and with a scathing wit.
My sole criticism of the book would be that it is arranged by group- all the letters in a group, then all the sketches, and so on. When I re-read this book, as I will, I'll probably read it in a random order to get the full contrast between comedy and tragedy.
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A Weird Trip Through A Loony's Mind
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No doubt about it, Graham Chapman was a loony. But a wonderful and funny loony as this book clearly shows. What's most revealing about this book are the (fairly) serious essays on serious topics such as over-population. But being a Python he can't keep itstraight for too long and he ends up making some valid points whilst making you laugh--the best medicine from the good Doctor! I also enjoyed the foreword which acts as a brief life history of Chapman, giving the reader a good insight into how he ticked. Weird, funny and touching. Great book.
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