This book was first published in 1999 to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Monty Python’s first broadcast. I read the updated edition published in January 2019, which includes discussion of Spamalot and the group’s final shows at the O2 Arena in 2014 (was it really that long ago?). The five surviving Pythons and other key players from their career are interviewed, and in some cases their original interviews are revisited to see if their answers have changed. The book is by turns funny, touching, surprising, and candid. The only thing that would have improved it would have been a single big section of really nice photos, rather than black-and-white reproductions scattered throughout the text in varying sizes and sharpness. This is an excellent read for a Python fan, even one who thinks they know everything about the group. It will also inspire fans to go back through the catalogue and revisit material (in my case, now I have a hankering to rewatch Life of Brian). ( )