''A Pocketful of Python'' is a series of five books by the

Monty Python Monty Python (also collectively known as the Pythons) were a British comedy troupe who created the sketch comedy television show '' Monty Python's Flying Circus'', which first aired on the BBC in 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four ...

team, in which each of the surviving members selects their favourite material from the group’s TV series, films, records and books. The first two volumes, by

Terry Jones Terence Graham Parry Jones (1 February 1942 – 21 January 2020) was a Welsh comedian, director, historian, actor, writer and member of the Monty Python comedy team. After graduating from Oxford University with a degree in English, Jones and ...

and

John Cleese John Marwood Cleese ( ; born 27 October 1939) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Emerging from the Cambridge Footlights in the 1960s, he first achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and ...

, were released in 1999 as part of the team’s 30th anniversary celebrations. Two further volumes, by

Terry Gilliam Terrence Vance Gilliam (; born 22 November 1940) is an American-born British filmmaker, comedian, animator, actor and former member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam has directed 13 feature films, including ''Time Bandits'' (1981), ''B ...

and

Michael Palin Sir Michael Edward Palin (; born 5 May 1943) is an English actor, comedian, writer, television presenter, and public speaker. He was a member of the Monty Python comedy group. Since 1980, he has made a number of travel documentaries. Palin w ...

, followed in 2000 while the final volume, by

Eric Idle Eric Idle (born 29 March 1943) is an English actor, comedian, musician and writer. Idle was a member of the British surreal comedy group Monty Python and the parody rock band The Rutles, and is the writer of the music and lyrics for the Broadwa ...

, was eventually released in 2002. Each team member’s volume includes a preface written by one of the other Pythons. In 2006 all five volumes were released as a single paperback edition, entitled ''The Very Best of Monty Python''. The concept of each Python choosing their favourite material was later revisited for the TV series '' Monty Python's Personal Best''.

Volume 1 – Picked by Terry Jones

*A Preface by the Other Terry *Introduction *The French Taunt King Arthur *The Truth About Protestants *

The Lumberjack Song "The Lumberjack Song" is a comedy song by the comedy troupe Monty Python. The song was written and composed by Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Fred Tomlinson. It first appeared in the ninth episode of ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'', "The An ...

*The Prodigal Son Returns *The News for Parrots *Rat Recipes *What Have the Romans Ever Done or Us? *A Page for Those Who Like Figures of Speech *Find the Fish *

Albatross Albatrosses, of the biological family Diomedeidae, are large seabirds related to the procellariids, storm petrels, and diving petrels in the order Procellariiformes (the tubenoses). They range widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacifi ...

*Our Theatre Critic Reviews “The Merchant of Venice” Performed by the Dairy Herd of Bad Toltz *Madam Palm Writes *

Spam Spam may refer to: * Spam (food), a canned pork meat product * Spamming, unsolicited or undesired electronic messages ** Email spam, unsolicited, undesired, or illegal email messages ** Messaging spam, spam targeting users of instant messaging ( ...

*Constitutional Peasants *

Every Sperm Is Sacred "Every Sperm Is Sacred" is a musical sketch from the film ''Monty Python's The Meaning of Life''. A satire of Catholic teachings on reproduction that forbid masturbation and contraception, the song was released on the album '' Monty Python Sings ...

* The Undertaker Sketch *Madame Palm Writes Again *The Man Who Talks Entirely in Anagrams *Chez Rat *Banter *The Oxfod Simplified Dictionary *The Minister for Not Listening to People *The Court Martial of Sapper Walters *What the Stars Really Say * The Galaxy Song *Bibliography

Volume 2 – Picked by John Cleese

*A Preface by Michael Palin *

Eric the Half a Bee "Eric the Half-a-Bee" is a song by the British comedy troupe Monty Python that was composed by Eric Idle with lyrics co-written with John Cleese. It first appeared as the A-side of the group's second 7" single, released in a mono mix on 17 No ...

* Anne Elk’s Theory *The Official Medallic Commemoration of the History of Mankind *Raymond Luxury Yacht *African Notebook *Consulting Jean-Paul Sartre *We’re All Individuals *The Python Panel *Larch in Court *Fear No Man! *The Merchant Banker *Johann What’s-His-Name *The Last Supper *The Royal Society for Putting Things on Top of Other Things *Arthur ‘Two Sheds’ Jackson *Word Association Football *Norman Henderson’s Diary *The Sacred Castle *Spot the Species *Documentary *Chapel

Volume 3 – Picked by Terry Gilliam

*Introduction *Join the BBC Today *The Meaning of Life *Careers Advice for Mr Anchovy *The Adventures of Walter the Wallabee *Brian in Gaol *What to do on Meeting the Royal Family * Gloria Pules & Luigi Vercotti Remember the Piranha Brothers *Page 29 * The German Lumberjack Song *Woody Words & Tinny Words *The Storyteller *Stan’s Right to Have Babies *Sexcraft *Why Accountancy is Not Boring *The Prince in the Tower *I’m So Worried *A Preface by Eric Idle for People Who Have Mistakenly Opened This Book Upside Down and Back to Front

Volume 4 – Picked by Michael Palin

*A Preface by John Cleese *Introduction * All Things Dull & Ugly * Stig O’Tracey Remembers the Piranha Brothers *King Arthur Goes to See the Galahads *Goats Corner *The Healed Looney *Egon Ronay’s Good People Guide *

The Cheese Shop The Cheese Shop were a troupe of six comedy writer-performers from the revue circuit of University of Warwick. Between 1997 and 1999, Gerard Foster, Dave Lamb, Gordon Southern, Tim Verrinder, Ben Ward and Richie Webb appeared in three series o ...

*Madame Palm Writes Yet Again *The Problem with Spanish Holidays *Port Shoem by the Speverend Rooner *The Stratton Indicator *Winner of the Longest Stage Direction Ever *Middleword by E.F. God *Isn’t it Awfully Nice to Have a Penis *The All-England Summarize Proust Competition *The Stratton Indicator * The Architect Sketch * Never Be Rude to an Arab *The Martyrdom of St Brian *

Mr Creosote Mr. Creosote is a fictional character who appears in Monty Python's '' The Meaning of Life''. He is a monstrously obese and rude restaurant patron who is served a vast amount of food and alcohol whilst vomiting repeatedly. After being persuaded t ...

*$tock Market Report *Novel Writing Live from Dorchester *The Knights Who Say ‘Ni’ *A Letter to Michael Palin From the Producer of Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Volume 5 – Picked by Eric Idle

*A Preface by Terry Jones *About the Editor *How to Talk to the Queen *The Batley Ladies Townswomen’s Guild *Children’s Page *The Story of the Grail *Spamelot! *Oh What a Lovely Dog *While You Were Out *How it All Began – the Story of Brian *Solly & Sarah *Python Literary Guild *The Hackenthorpe Book of Lies *Some Highlights from Masturbators of History * The Bruces Philosophers Song *Chez Bruce *Ashes to Ashes * How to Walk Silly *St Brian’s * The Upper-Class Twit of the Year Show *Kashmir *Chaos Theory Made E-Z *The Film Rights to This Page Are Still Available *Once Upon a Time *Mr Cheeky *

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" is a comedy song written by Monty Python member Eric Idle that was first featured in the Python film '' Life of Brian'' and has gone on to become a common singalong at public events such as football matc ...

*Foreword by the Late Graham Chapman

Credits

*Writers -

Graham Chapman Graham Chapman (8 January 1941 – 4 October 1989) was a British actor, comedian and writer. He was one of the six members of the surreal comedy group Monty Python. He portrayed authority figures such as The Colonel and the lead role in two P ...

*Editors - Geoffrey Strachan, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin *Designers - Katy Hepburn, Alun Evans

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pocketful of Python Monty Python literature Methuen Publishing books 1999 books 2000 books 2002 books