buntyskid's review

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3.0

I had expected something more biography like. Now I imagine that first sentence said in Peter Cook voice.

But this was really a series of remembrances from friends and colleagues, some going back to school days. It might be a better read if you've already read a more traditional biography, as it could perhaps fill in some blanks. I found myself just wanting to know more about the timeline of his life and how he got to the point where he made that leap in comedy writing. As it is he's pretty much a full blown working writer as far as many of these memories go.

One very nice aspect of the book was how so many of his friends took pains to denounce the way some had said that he'd "wasted his life/potential". They pointed out instead that he had done just as he pleased and (apart from the drinking problem) had been very satisfied with how his life turned out. I loved the final chapter with his wife Linn talking about the garden they shared and their experiences with fish in their garden ponds

He was extremely well loved and sounded like he was an absolute joy to be around for the most part. So many stories of people falling about on the floor laughing.

Reading it made me think of my own dear friends that are a joy to be around, and because all the memories in the book are told from the point of view of Peter having already passed on, it reminded me it might be a good idea to reconnect with some of them while they are still here. Very poignant.
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