Monty Python and Philosophy: Nudge Nudge, Think Think! (Popular Culture and Philosophy) by Gary L. Hardcastle, George A. Reisch Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $7.94 You Save: $10.01 (56%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Monty Python and Philosophy: Nudge Nudge, Think Think! (Popular Culture and Philosophy)
Book Review: Great gift for any Python-lover.
Summary: 5 Stars
After giving my son (now fifteen) the complete Monty Python library two Christmases ago, I again struck gold with this book! He laughs aloud while reading it. Can't guarantee that he's learning much philosophy from it...Book Review: By The Way, Your Mother Is Dead
Summary: 4 Stars
As a major fan of Monty Python, I just had to read this book. I had put it off for some time, as I thought some of the essays sounded...well...boring. Yeah, I know, how could I?? The blasphemy! But finally, after having decided to give the book a shot, I got to reading it.
It was not as "grip you from the start" as other installments in the series, but the book did build to a decent level of interest. One thing this book did well, but others didn't, is make me laugh. It was a good addtion to the book that they kept some of the humour, and that the writers all seemed to "get it". They actually understood the humour behind what the Pythons did.
The book covers everything from trancendentalism, Buddhism, moralism, existentialism and a whole host more. The coverage is wide ranging and reasonably thorough. There is even an essay on language, connected with the working women and their newly bought engines. In some cases, the essays truly enlighten the reader regarding different Python movies and sketches. I found this especially so for "The Meaning of Life", perhaps among the more philosophical richer of the Pythons' work, in my opinion.
Overrating the importance of the Monty Python crew is not something this book does, in my opinion. When you consider a whole genre of comedic humour, ("Pythonesque"), has been created based on their humour, you have some serious cultural players. I have not heard any comedian do "Pryorisms", though G. W. Bush has his "Bushisms". Interesting implications.
I digress. Monty Python fans will utterly love this book. Unlike others in the series, this book really requires the reader to have some familiarity with the Monty Python material. If you are not into them, or don't know about them, I would avoid the book. If you have not been exposed to Python, then grab some DVD's and watch them. If you like it, then the book could be for you.
For fans, this book is a must read. It will enlighten, highlight and prove an interesting insight into the comedy of a group of men who probably would have made very good philosophers in their own, irreverent right.
Book Review: A book for Bruces, not for Gumbys
Summary: 5 Stars
I must preface my comments with the following disclaimer: I've always been a huge Monty Python fan; and I've always had a strong interest in philosophy (in fact, I minored in Philosophy in college). I've read and enjoyed other volumes in the Philosophy and Modern Culture series ("The Simpsons and Philosophy", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy", and "The Lord of the Rings and Philosophy"). And I've always felt that Monty Python's humor was deeply philosophical. So, perhaps I am predisposed to loving this book. Please take my biases into account when considering my recommendation. If you aren't a Monty Python fan, don't even bother with this book -- you won't get it. Likewise, if you don't have a serious interest in philosophy, this book is probably not for you.
This is a book of serious philosophical essays, written by serious philosophers, only one of whom is actually named Bruce. Of course, just because the philosophy in this volume is "serious" doesn't mean that it is not also funny. The book is filled with Pythonesque humor. (Philosophers, as a rule, are a silly bunch.) But this is real philosophy, inspired by Monty Python; it is NOT a parody of philosophy written by the Pythons.
The essays in this volume deal with philosophical issues such as: Why "The Life of Brian" is heretical, but not actually blasphemous. Why the explosion of Mr. Creosote from "The Meaning of Life" is funny, not just disgusting. What the Piston Engine sketch tells us about language and meaning. Why an Argument Clinic might actually be useful. Whether God is British (and what this implies for the eternal fate of Python fans). The feminist subtext of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". What "The Meaning of Life" tells us about transcendentalism. And much more.
Book Review: Especially recommended for college-level readers reluctant to enter the world of philosophy
Summary: 5 Stars
Gary L. Hardcastle and George A. Reisch's Monty Python And Philosophy is for any Python fan, whether or not they like philosophy. Here professional philosophers and amateur Python fans celebrate and discuss the unlikely intersections of humor and philosophy, with comedy blending to metaphysics and ethics blending into TV and film insights. Especially recommended for college-level readers reluctant to enter the world of philosophy.Book Review: Thinking and Laughing, Laughing and Thinking
Summary: 4 Stars
Continuing their great series on Popular Culture and Philosophy, the assembled contributors look towards one of the great sources of laughter - Monthy Python. Python is one of those shows/movies that can be viewed on many levels, as these authors show, disentangling philosophical lessons and examples from the work of the British comedians. Wonderfully, the chapters draw upon numerous different areas of the Phython's work for examples, from the earliest moments of their first television broadcast to their last movie together. Unlike other volumes that have looked at more limited source materials (one film for the Matrix and Philosophy, and 6 films for Star Wars and Philosophy) there is a greater spread of the work examined, showing some alternative meanings in much of the work done by the troupe.
The first part of the book follows the successful formula of the series by looking at a variety of examples to reflect philosophical meaning and examples in the work of Monty Python. The second part is a new direction for the series, and delves into philosophical aspects of the Python's work, and then in the third section reverses the mirror and looks at the Pythonic aspects of philosophy or trying to show how some aspects of philosophy can be viewed in a Pythonian way. It is here that the book starts to slow down. These essays admirably look at philosophical themes and how they are reflected in Python's work, using small snippets of Python to illustrate points. These essays delve deeper into philosophical writings than those in the earlier section and are tougher to get through. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing - philosophy should make us think. Finally, the third section with Pythonian aspects of Philosophy tries to launch into areas of philosophy and show some strands to be seemingly silly and python-esque and read much more like an essay you would find in a philosophical publication, not as much a book on popular culture and philosophy. However, if you are more serious into philosophy, I believe that you may enjoy these areas.
Overall the series continues to move along, and with so much of Python's work left unexamined, one can hope that there might be a second volume to continue on these philosophical themes.
More Monty Python and Philosophy: Nudge Nudge, Think Think! (Popular Culture and Philosophy) reviews:
1 2
1 2