John Cleese’s Last Time To See Me Before I Die

I saw John Cleese’s Last Time To See Me Before I Die show on Tuesday night (at the Vogue Theater in Vancouver); if you’re a fan, I’d recommend it.

He shared biographical details about his family and colleagues, pictures, and short clips of some of his favourite sketches, including material from well before the Monty Python days, Python skits, and clips from Fawlty Towers and A Fish Called Wanda.

It was an informal, but entertaining show and I learned a few things, including the fact that I’ve been mispronouncing his last name: I’d always pronounced it to rhyme with geese; however, it actually rhymes with cheese, which is, in reality, his family name. His father changed his name from Cheese to Cleese when he entered the service during WWI because he was tired of being teased.

It was a pleasant way to spend an evening.

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The River at the Center of the World: a book review

 Simon Winchester‘s travel book is subtitled A Journey up the Yangtze, and Back in Chinese Time, which lead me to expect more devotion to history than the book contains (although when Winchester delves into history he weaves fascinating and insightful passages): I finished the book wanting more of the unique character of Chinese history (e.g.: Chan Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Tai Chi, et cetera).

Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed the book; and, as I flipped back through its pages, I noticed that I scribbled copious notes in the margins, which is usually a good sign. I would describe the book as an adventure-travelogue, with many remarkable facts and incidents presented along the way (e.g.: when Winchester is within the hut of a self-proclaimed master herbalist, he peruses the many visitor’s comments and finds an entry by John Cleese: “interesting bloke — crap tea” (p.327)).

At times, the book becomes a lengthy lament for the state of a once great country, but the journey through the pages is well worth the effort.

Recommended