Unfortunately, I wasn't paying enough attention to the title of this book, the fact that it's a "Sortabiography" - cause the book had very little to do with the goings on of Monty Python. Rather it was largely a story of Eric's life (well duh, a biography). Mind you, you can't really take the Monty Python out of the life story of Eric Idle. But I guess I was expecting a little more about the Eric I already knew (that is, Eric the Python writer and actor) and less about his friendship with George Harrison and Robin Williams. I give this book 3 1/2 stars. I was tending to go home what is anti-American and Trump rambling at the end really turned me off. Not that I’m defending anyone but it really wasn’t the place in this book about comedy. I must say, I’ve never been one for clubs but if I’m fortunate enough to get to the ripe old age of 86 or thereabouts, I would absolutely jump at the chance to join the Old-But-Not-Dead Club. Their sheer determination to keep living life to the fullest does really prove that age is nothing but a number as they keep broadening their horizons, stay active as best as they can, laugh and have a good time.

Bright Side by Kim Holden - AbeBooks Bright Side by Kim Holden - AbeBooks

As well as events of note in his daily life, Groen also remarks on current affairs, including the antics of politicians, the salaries of executives, elections, corruption, the King, the Middle East, and news in the sphere of care facilities. Sometimes the anecdotes are probably funnier if the reader is familiar with Dutch personages, but often the commentary is applicable universally: just change the names. Her writing is wry, and had me laughing out loud in self recognition in places. In others, I found tears on my cheeks. Bradbury had an exceptional working life, as an editor of major news publications - but her personal life was more fractious, and in 2015 it imploded. This memoir recounts this period, her thoughtful connections to the past, her family and friends and the effort to find a way into a different future. THIS BOOK! You. Must. Read. It. It's beautiful. Heart-wrenching." -Colleen Hoover, #1 New York Times bestselling author Idle loves adding adjectives before names. Everyone is amazing or wonderful, excellent or brilliant, fantastic or incomparable. The whole book is gossipy, teenage fandom style.

From international bestselling author KIM HOLDEN comes an inspiring, life-changing story about the power of love in all its forms, having the courage to live life to the fullest, and always looking on the bright side.

CHASING THE BRIGHT SIDE - Jess Ekstrom CHASING THE BRIGHT SIDE - Jess Ekstrom

Idle had little trouble painting a dire picture of his early life. His father beat the odds as a tail gunner in the Royal Air Force only to die in an accident hitchhiking home for Christmas in ‘45. Eric was two. Then his student years were spent in boarding school – evidently a glum affair even for a clever and popular lad. Attempts to make something of life in 2016 won the Audience Award for the Dutch Book. This prize was not personally collected by the author. I have a rooted belief that has helped me build two successful social enterprises, become a Forbes top-rated speaker, 2x bestselling author, standup comedian and I want to share it with you. It's only natural that a book about octogenarians will have its share of sad and moving moments, but the main message it conveys is that however limited life expectancy is, the Old But Not Dead Club will do its utmost to enjoy it!On the Brightside is the 2nd book in the Hendrik Groen Series. I have read the first one and I enjoyed it immensely, so I was looking forward to reading this one. Yup, another geriatric fiction novel for me. We will just ignore the implications of this recent genre-love. Hendrik Groen is a marvellous character. He is like a naughty schoolboy. There are some very funny parts in this book but it is also very touching. I could actually see some of the events playing out in my head as I was reading some of the antics Hendrik and the members of the Old-But-Not-Dead club got up to.

Bright Side: Holden, Kim, Parpal, Monica: 9780991140237

This is the sequel to Hendrik Groen 83 and a quarter years old. Hendrik keeps a diary. He is determined to grow old with dignity and to rise up against the care homes director. He dreams of escaping the confines of his care home.For years it was unknown who was hiding behind the pseudonym. This led to speculation about who it could be. Names from Sylvia Witteman to Arnon Grunberg were mentioned. Both De Volkskrant and NRC Handelsblad revealed almost simultaneously in 2016 that Peter de Smet was 62-year-old. De Smet responded with the words that 'he is not waiting for publicity' and 'has no sense in the fuss about fame'.

Bright Side — Inspiration. Creativity. Wonder. Bright Side — Inspiration. Creativity. Wonder.

Basically, it's everything you could want from a celebrity tell all, and yet LOVELY. I can only think of one story that is unflattering to anyone (*cough*Deeprak Chopra is a prat*cough*). Instead Idle writes with love, with kindness, with admiration, and above all with humor, about the people and events that have shaped his life. He freely admits to his own mistakes, he brushes aside his own jealousies and frustrations in favor of telling the story that will make the reader smile, laugh, and even tear up. (I have never cared one way or the other about George Harrison, but I was ugly crying at the gym over his tribute to him.) Der rüstige Rentner Hendrik Groen erzählte in seinem ersten Tagebuch „Eierlikörtage“ von seinem Dasein als Rentner in einem Amsterdamer Altersheim, seinen Freunden, und wie er gemeinsam mit ihnen den Alt-aber-nicht-tot-Club (Alanito) gründete. Hendrik und Co. sind nun etwas älter geworden, strahlen aber noch immer jede Menge Lebensfreude aus und so schildert Hendrik in „Tanztee“ die neusten Ereignisse und Veränderungen aus seinem Rentneralltag, erzählt von den Unternehmungen des Alanito Clubs und lässt ganz nebenbei seine Sicht auf die Welt einfließen. Now I will state here that yes there are sections of this book which do feel like that when it just becomes one long list of who who turned up out the blue and what exotic place they all got whisked off to. These are people and places I will never meet or see.

The chapter titled, “KEDS”, a combination of musings and memories on shopping, is practically worth buying the book! On The Bright Side is the second instalment of The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, written by Dutch Care Facility resident, Hendrik Groen, alias Dutch librarian, Peter de Smet. Hendrik is now eighty-five and, after a year’s hiatus due to grief over the passing of his good friend, Eefje Brand, he has once again decided to note down the year’s events, starting in January 2015. This was a beautiful, honest read. The reader is along for the journey, happy and sad. The highs and lows, unblemished and raw. For those of you not familiar with Hendrik, he's now 85 years old and lives in a care home in Amsterdam, where he's one of the founding members of the Old But Not Dead Club! They're a determined bunch, arranging day trips and sampling fine dining at various themed restaurants, amongst other things. They also cause mayhem within their care home, resulting in some hilarious moments. Hendrik and his friend Evert are akin to a pair of naughty schoolboys - the proverbial pain in the posterior of the care home manager. Evert doesn't care what others think of him, and comes out with the most outrageous ( though amusing ) comments. Hendrik on the other hand has a more gentle, caring side, and displays a charm that's something of a rarity today. He's made a pledge to be more assertive but he remains a thoughtful, giving person and he and Evert complement each other perfectly.