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  • Michael Palin: Around the World in 80 Days

  • By: Michael Palin
  • Narrated by: Michael Palin
  • Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (2,761 ratings)

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Michael Palin: Around the World in 80 Days

By: Michael Palin
Narrated by: Michael Palin
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Summary

In the autumn of 1988, Michael Palin set out from the Reform Club with an ambitious plan: to circumnavigate the world, following the route taken by Jules Verne's fictional hero Phileas Fogg 115 years earlier. The rules were simple. He had to make the journey in 80 days using only forms of transport that would have been available to Fogg. And so, complete with visas, running shoes, an inflatable globe and sound advice from Alan Whicker, Michael Palin began his incredible journey.

Crossing 17 borders and meeting innumerable challenges, he saw Venice from the back of a rubbish barge, rode around the Pyramids on a camel called Michael, and was attacked by a cockatoo in Hong Kong - amongst many other adventures. Phileas Fogg may have brought a Princess back from his travels, but Michael Palin brought back a fascinating and frequently humorous account of the journey of a lifetime.

©1989 Michael Palin (P)2014 Audible, Inc.
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Editor reviews

Having mostly retired from comedy, former Monty Python member Michael Palin sets out with a BBC film crew from the Reform Club in London, planning to follow in the footsteps of Jules Verne’s fictional Phileas Fogg to travel Around the World in 80 Days. Palin is allowed only to use modes of transport that to which Fogg would have access during Victorian times, a feat in itself. Visiting Venice and Hong Kong, Giza and many other exotic locations, Michael travels around the globe, bringing back entertaining anecdotes and an epic adventure filled with humour and excitement. Narrated by Michael Palin himself, this marvellous audiobook can be downloaded from Audible.

What listeners say about Michael Palin: Around the World in 80 Days

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Amazing and informative

It reduces the vastness of the world in a most exciting and informative way

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A good companion

Palin is good company and this early book, based on his BBC global journey which took place shortly after A Fish Called Wanda was released, is delightful. It is interesting how out of date it has become. The world has changed quite a bit in the intervening decades.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Travel bug

Listening to this has given me the travel bug, so now can't wait until all travel restrictions are lifted. And we can all get going around the world, though perhaps not in 80 days.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome

Nice easy listen to a man going round with some funny moments splashed on for good measure.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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What's not to like!?

I adore travel memoirs and I owe most of my love for travel to Palin. A charming chronicle of navigating the never-ending seas and endless deserts of our globe, the story peaks, for me, with his account of the traditional act of paying respects to the mighty Neptune as a ship crosses the equator. I still love every minute of this, it has aged well and it remains funny, exciting and enthralling, even if you've already read the book or watched the documentary.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Delightful

I quite enjoyed this book, Michael Palin has a lovely voice for listening to and the writing was just right.

It's not filled with detail but gives enough to help you envision what he's talking about.

I imagine this works really well for a more fleshed out story if listened to whilst watching the series

I think this makes for quite a good 'palette cleanse' when you've listened to a lot of the same genre of books.

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  • Overall
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excellent

loved it very very interesting and very
funny will listen to more from this series

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting, not always engaging

I love Michael Palin, like I've always enjoyed pretty much everything Monty Pythons did together or individually.
In this case I was not so impressed though. Yes, Mr Palin's diary is interesting, but it lacks a bit of pathos and his observations are not always so interesting.
Furthermore, I think he speaks too fast and while this works in theaters or on TV, it's actually tiring in an audiobook.
I still enjoyed the book though, all in all.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Gentle and Well Read

I’m working my way through the TV programmes on catch up and watched this last month. 1988 seems like yesterday. Michael is an engaging and honest narrator. Good gentle bedtime listening. Set the timer to switch it off though!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Michael Palin stars

It’s hard not to like Michael Palin’s gentle manner and his intelligent but sympathetic approach to everyone he meets on this journey. I love the fact that he has the same time for everyone along the way, rich or poor, powerful or not. My only criticism of this engaging tale is the rather frequent repetition of the theme time. But don’t let that put you off! The story and the telling reward the listener.

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