Seriously Silly : The Life of Terry Jones (the authorised biography)

An affectionate biography of the polymath includes details of never-produced gems such as Monty Python’s Third World War… As an adoring account of the career of one of the men who ran away to join the Flying Circus, it could hardly be bettered’- Guardian’Very readable…Ross writes beautifully and unsentimentally…there are factoids that even big Python fans may not know’-The Times’Comedy historian Robert Ross has achieved the impossible, sort of, with all of the surviving Pythons contributing to his new biography on the late Terry Jones.’ – Daily Express’it provides an extraordinary glimpse into not only Terry’s life but the early days of the Pythons’ – Daily Mirror ‘This book is timely. I hope it will send people back to his work, whether it be films he’s directed, roles he’s played …

and everything else that made him everybody’s favourite polymath.’ MICHAEL PALIN’He reminded me of somebody out of a children’s story. Out of one of his children’s stories. Or out of the children’s literature he loved so much’ TERRY GILLIAM’My finest time with Terry was playing Ratty to his Toad in his movie of The Wind in the Willows, which he also wrote and directed, and indeed for the rest of his life we emailed each other as ‘Ratty’ and ‘Toady” ERIC IDLE’My finest time with Terry was playing Ratty to his Toad in his movie of The Wind in the Willows, which he also wrote and directed, and indeed for the rest of his life we emailed each other as ‘Ratty’ and ‘Toady” Eric IdleSeriously Silly is an intimate portrait of Terry Jones – Python, actor, director, historian, reluctant national treasure and purveyor of sincere silliness – written by the man he chose to tell the story of his life.

From his Welsh upbringing in Colwyn Bay, to meeting his lifelong friend Michael Palin at Oxford through revue sketches, anarchic children’s shows and the creative genius of Monty Python, this is the story of a comedy legend. Throughout this journey, Terry’s extraordinary determination and resilience shine through, not least in his final years as he battled with dementia. Written by his close friend Robert Ross, with a foreword from Michael Palin, A Middle Word by Eric Idle, plus an Afterword by Terry Gilliam (and the blessing of and cooperation of his family and the people who knew him best) Seriously Silly is not only the definitive celebration of a true pioneer of comedy, but a loving portrayal of the man behind the laughter.