If you’ve ever watched Monty Python or the equally brilliant Fawlty Towers, John Cleese needs no introduction. The Brit, known for his zany humour, makes those old episodes come alive.

So, Anyway … is Cleese’s autobiography, complete with an abundance of photos. In it, he takes the reader on a chronological journey from his first conscious thoughts to the magnificent 2014 Flying Circus reunion at the O2 arena.

The humour you’d expect from Cleese is here. What I didn’t expect was his reflection on the creative process. Repeatedly throughout his life, he mulls over how to be creative, especially under deadline. The key, Cleese writes, is to avoid nerves:

[T]he more anxious you feel, the less creative you are. Your mind ceases to play and be expansive. Fear causes your thinking to contract, to play safe, and this forces you into stereotypical thinking. (294)

The biggest letdown of this biography was the lack of any sustained reflection on his Monty Python years. We learn plenty about his work with the BBC and what led to the formation of the Pythons. Then, we skip to the reunion. Although disappointing, this approach does platform his reflections on friendship and the untimely loss of his creative partner, Graham Chapman.

If you love Monty Python, this book’s something completely different.

Cleese, John. So, Anyway … Doubleday Canada, 2014.