As a seasoned movie enthusiast with a penchant for biographies and travelogues, I find myself deeply moved by Michael Palin’s latest book, “There and Back.” His candidness, his raw emotions, and his ability to weave personal detail into global adventures are truly captivating.
Indeed,” Michael Palin remarks. “References to a rather unusual topic.” Despite being known as Britain’s most polite man, he doesn’t shy away from discussing it – and he makes it clear he’s not particularly fond of the subject matter we’ll uncover. He’s talking about his latest book of diaries, titled “There and Back“, which spans the years 1999 to 2009. The book is candid, even delving into intimate details such as medical examinations related to prostate checks. “There are quite a few private moments in the diaries,” Palin says, sitting comfortably in his north London home’s bookshelf-filled living room.
On the loo or in transit, Palin writes it all down, so we know what happened and so does he. “A diary gives you a memory,” he says. “Which is wonderful.” Particularly wonderful to Palin, perhaps, because his Monty Python friend Terry Jones lost much of his short-term memory
to frontotemporal dementia before dying in 2020, aged 77. “In the diary, there’s a feeling of the curtain slowly coming down. Terry is not quite what he was before. We’re all getting into the departure lounge, and we’re trying to work out how to deal with this. That’s what makes this diary different; the feeling of time running out, a feeling of loss.”
A difficult sorrow lies ahead for Palin, an event recorded in a diary we haven’t read yet – his wife Helen passed away last year at the age of 80, following a prolonged and agonizing battle with kidney disease. In this book There and Back, she continues to live on, graciously agreeing to Palin’s plans for travel documentaries. Palin reflects on their marriage: “The more time I spend apart, the stronger our love grows.
Is he still holding onto the idea of spending more time with Helen, or has he started feeling remorse for not doing so? He replies by saying he doesn’t have many regrets, but then hesitates. As time went on, especially during his later travels like North Korea, Helen wasn’t as healthy and independent as before, which made it challenging. However, he clarifies that she didn’t want him to leave at the time, but understood how passionate he was about traveling and meeting new people. He emphasizes that this wasn’t about wanting to escape from home; rather, it was a deeply ingrained part of who he is.
After Helen passed away, he chose to carry on with the journal. “The entries were challenging to compose,” he admits. “For a few years prior, Helen had been unwell, so her death wasn’t sudden, and I was providing care for her during a lot of suffering. Writing it down proved helpful in managing those feelings. It was essential for me to recall everything.
Continuing his journey, he explores various parts of the globe and shares his experiences with us. His latest work focused on Nigeria, preceded by documentaries on Iraq and North Korea, all produced for Channel 5 since parting ways with the BBC in 2012. Reflecting on his departure, he notes, “There was a sense that the BBC wanted to exert a bit more control.
“They wanted to control it a little more. And they had this new way of presenting shows – which I would get absolutely, desperately frustrated with – where they would show, in the first five minutes, all the great moments of what was to come. Because this captured viewers. Otherwise, as soon as they see Michael Palin, they’ll switch off. The BBC were going in a different direction, and presentation was going in a different direction.” Will he keep travelling? “In the diaries I talk a lot about being in my 60s. Well, I’m now 81, and I’m planning another series.”
The diaries reveal an overwhelming number of activities he engages in: organizing trips, book tours, and public events for charities. “I’m always talking about the emails and people asking me to do things,” he admits. “I was offered Strictly Come Dancing, but I thought, ‘The route of becoming a beloved, cheerful celebrity is not for me.’ I’m more of a solitary person, truth be told. Being a celebrity or a personality doesn’t appeal to me as much.
In a diary, you’ve got to say some days you weren’t really nice
If he sometimes comes across as grouchy due to years of constant praise about his kindness, it’s no surprise that he feels this way. Michael Palin humorously remarks, “Michael Palin, nicest man,” with a hint of exhaustion. In his diary, he handles this by acknowledging some days when he wasn’t particularly nice and writing about them honestly, accepting them as they are. He admits that he is contrary by nature, disliking being pressured into a specific direction and not liking to conform to what seems like the expected or ‘proper’ thing.
As a devoted cinephile, I’ve spent days upon days jotting down thoughts about this particular film, so it’s safe to say that I have developed quite an affinity for it. However, I can’t help but wonder if others share my enthusiasm? After all, the enjoyment of cinema is subjective, and I’m curious to know what other movie lovers think.
To purchase Michael Palin’s book “There and Back,” priced at £30 but available for £25 including shipping, you can either call this number: 03302 232 639 or visit the website radiotimes.com/shop40 to make your order.
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2024-09-26 18:37