Halfway To Hollywood cover art

Halfway To Hollywood

Diaries 1980 To 1988

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Try for £0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Halfway To Hollywood

By: Michael Palin
Narrated by: Michael Palin
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £7.99

Buy Now for £7.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

The second volume of Michael Palin's diaries covers the 1980s, a decade in which the ties that bound the Pythons loosened as they forged their separate careers. After a live performance at the Hollywood Bowl, they made their last performance together in 1983 in the hugely successful Monty Python's Meaning of Life.

Writing and acting in films and television then took over much of Michael's life, culminating in the smash hit A Fish Called Wanda, in which he played the hapless, stuttering Ken (for which he won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor), and the first of his seven celebrated television journeys for the BBC.

He wrote much of the dialogue and acted in Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits and acted in his next film, Brazil. He co-produced, wrote and played the lead in The Missionary opposite Maggie Smith, who also appeared with him in A Private Function, written by Alan Bennett. For television he wrote East of Ipswich, inspired by his links with Suffolk.

With Terry Jones he updated an earlier volume modestly retitled Dr Flegg's Encyclopaedia of All World Knowledge. His family remains a constant as his and Helen's children enter their teens. The decade - and this volume - ends with the hugely successful Around the World in 80 Days, which sees the start of a new career.

©2009 Michael Palin (P)2009 Orion Publishing Limited
Comedy & Humour Entertainment & Celebrities Film & TV Celebrity Comedy
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

Michael Palin: Around the World in 80 Days cover art
Himalaya cover art
Brazil cover art
Into Iraq cover art
Alan Partridge: Big Beacon cover art
From the Oasthouse: The Alan Partridge Podcast (Series 1) cover art
Rambling Man cover art
First Generation cover art
Alan Bennett: Diaries cover art
Journey of a Lifetime cover art
No Cunning Plan cover art
The Bill Bryson BBC Radio Collection cover art
Fight! cover art
David Jason: My Life cover art
The Life and Loves of a He Devil cover art
Blue Box Boy cover art

What listeners say about Halfway To Hollywood

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    192
  • 4 Stars
    61
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    3
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    183
  • 4 Stars
    17
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    157
  • 4 Stars
    35
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

Riveting throughout. Insightful, funny, sad and sensitive. Anyone with an interest in writing, comedy or self reflection should read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Adapted for Americans

Very good on the whole. Obviously adapted for an American audience, which detracts somewhat.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Not quite as interesting as I'd hoped

Very enjoyable, but without the insight that some of his other books offer. Probably not of much interest to anyone except for fans.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Really Nice

What made the experience of listening to Halfway To Hollywood the most enjoyable?

A really nice story of Michael Palin and his life for a short time trying to break into Hollywood. Although I never thought he was all that bothered about it. He seemed to be enjoying everything in England too much. Very moving when he mentions his sisters death.

What about Michael Palin’s performance did you like?

He has a very relaxed way of reading.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. I wanted to make it last. I was listening to it in the car.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another classic from Palin

Read all three diaries from Michael Palin and they all show a great insight and class to his writing, narration and life. Another great work from a Python legend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent stuff

Like the previous reviewer, I couldn't stop listening to this. I listened to Volume 1 of Michael Palin's Diaries plus several other of his books and I find his narrative and his delivery excellent. Especially here. Very witty, very incisive. Plus, when Michael "imitates" the voices of the people he quotes, it's never overdone; always just the right amount. Well worth listening to. Roll on Volume 3.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Treat yourself ... you will not regret it

Rather than write word after word about how much I enjoyed this audiobook, I will just say that at every opportunity - be it going to bed a little earlier than usual, offering to wash up, allowing longer than usual bath times my children, or washing the car - I listened to this. Funny at times, sad at times, but always leaving the listener wanting more, Michael Palin has yet to fail me with an book he has written. And although I've never seen Monty Python, his writing makes me think I'll enjoy it. Really can't wait for diary number 3.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

wonderful.

As usual, I lose track of all time listening to Micheal Palin's diaries. A great pace, insightful and linked to historical events of the 1980's.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

thoroughly enjoyable

Michael has the kind of voice you could listen to all day.
he never disappoints.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful