Received in the mail from Warrensburg, Montana, USA, through PaperbackSwap. 2003 original audio production on 2 CDs; approximately 2 hours. "Narrated by Bob McCabe with Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin and featuring Eric Idle, John Cleese and Terry Jones." Full title: The Pythons Autobiography by The Pythons.

From Publishers Weekly
This production gives listeners a backstage pass to the interviews McCabe conducted with the Pythons prior to collaborating with them on their coffee-table autobiography. Echoing sound quality, overlapping voices and verbal nods from the interviewer highlight the raw nature of the material and give it a documentary feel, but these aspects also make for some indecipherable moments. The first disc tracks the histories of the troupe members (the deceased Graham Chapman's story is told by his partner and by his brother) and disc two describes how they got together and changed the face of comedy. McCabe uses narration sparingly and well, introducing each new theme and always noting who's talking. The interviews themselves lack drama and, surprisingly, humor. Occasional sparks of Python wit brighten up the presentation--such as when the Pythons shout down McCabe's introduction--but these moments are brief and randomly inserted, as are the clips from the group's various sketches. Anyone looking for a good laugh should pass on this audio, but ardent fans will enjoy hearing the Pythons' tale straight from their own mouths.

From AudioFile
A companion to the author's coffee-table book by the same name, The Pythons is a mildly madcap audio documentary. We hear noisy, off-the-cuff interviews with each surviving Python, which provide a "nudge-nudge, wink-wink" familiarity that a more formal recording might have destroyed. Host Bob McCabe apparently collared each comedian as he could, and this insider approach turns out to be entertaining, especially when peppered with short outtakes from Python shows. Needless to say, the Pythons are alternately erudite and profane as they reminisce about leaner times of virtual anonymity and their slow, rocky climb to fame. We finally learn who wrote "Eric the Half-bee" and other favorite songs and sketches. A fun listen.

PBS has been showing Monty Python's Flying Circus* lately, so I was inspired to listen to this. The last half-dozen or so tracks skip badly, and John Cleese's** segments are echo-y. But still a fun listen. There are a few clips from the show & the movies, but mostly it's just interviews with the surviving members. In the early, biographical tracks narrator Bob McCabe always notes who's talking, but having grown up with the Pythons I can always tell who's who.

*They considered the titles "Gwen Dibley's Flying Circus" and "Bun, Whackett, Buzzard, Stubble and Boot."

**His family name was "Cheese," but someone -- his father, I think -- changed it when he joined the war to avoid being teased.

RABCK. I'm putting this into lilmztaz's new audio bookbox without taking anything out.

Selected from Lilmztaz's audiobook box. Thanks!!

Now this little audio book has arrived in Florida. Thanks firegirl for your generosity.

Listened to it today. As I am not particularly a big fan, the biographical part is somewhat boring. It would be nice if they included more clips from their shows. For now reserving it for Carlissa's audio bookbox.

RELEASE NOTES:

Putting it into Carlissa's audio bookbox.

Took from audio bookbox. Thanks!

I started to listen to this, but never finished it. I put this in my CD only bookbox.

Pulled out of Carlissa's Audio CD-only BookBox.

Parts of this were really funny, others were a bit boring to get through. I agree that there could have been more clips from some of their movies and TV shows, but I still found the inside stories on how some of the bits were done rather interesting.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Putting this into Booklady331's CD-only Audiobookbox.

This arrived home in my CD only bookbox. I'll probably put it in round 3. I see some of my BC friends have listened to this book.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Enjoy! Traveling for ROUND 3 in the CD only bookbox.

From booklady's all-CD audiobook box.

Started to listen to this, but decided "nahh". Donated to Goodwill.