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  • Travelling to Work

  • Diaries 1988–1998 (Volume 3)
  • By: Michael Palin
  • Narrated by: Michael Palin
  • Length: 23 hrs and 48 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (573 ratings)

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Travelling to Work

By: Michael Palin
Narrated by: Michael Palin
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Summary

Travelling to Work is the third volume of Michael Palin's widely acclaimed diaries. After the Python years and a decade of filming, writing, and acting, Palin's career takes an unexpected direction into travel, which will shape his working life for the next 25 years. Yet, as the diaries reveal, he remained ferociously busy on a host of other projects throughout this whirlwind period.

Travelling to Work opens in September 1988 with Michael travelling down the Adriatic on the first leg of a modern-day Around the World in 80 Days. He was not the BBC's first choice for the series, but after its success and that of the accompanying book, the public naturally wanted more. Palin, though, has other plans.

Following the tumultuous success of A Fish Called Wanda, he is in demand as an actor. His next film, American Friends, is based on his great-grandfather's diaries. Next he takes on his most demanding role as the head teacher in Alan Bleasdale's award-winning drama series GBH. There is also his West End play, The Weekend; a first novel, Hemingway's Chair; and a lead role in Fierce Creatures, the much-delayed follow-up to Wanda.

Michael describes himself as 'drawn to risk like a moth to a flame. Someone grounded and safe who can be tempted into almost anything.' He duly finds time for two more travel series - Pole to Pole, in 1991, and Full Circle, in 1996 - and two more best-selling books to accompany them.

These latest Diaries show a man grasping every opportunity that came his way, and they deal candidly with the doubts and setbacks that accompany this prodigious word-rate. As ever, his family life, with three children growing up fast, is there to anchor him.

Travelling to Work is a roller-coaster ride driven by the Palin hallmarks of curiosity and sense of adventure. These 10 years in different directions offer riches on every page to his ever-growing army of fans.

©2014 Anna Freeman (P)2014 Orion Publishing Group
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What listeners say about Travelling to Work

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Excellent

Interesting insight into celebs lifestyle. Good to hear honest view of relationships between the Pythons.

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Sheffield's Finest

Michael Palin is interesting, entertaining, funny, respectful. There are so many words I could use but I lack his intellect. So, just listen to it, it's very good.

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Brilliant

A wonderful journey of Mr Palin’s decade. He really is a superb orator. An enjoyable listen.

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Gentle reminsicences

This book follows Palin's well proven style from his many successful travelogues - Around The World, Pole To Pole etc. So, if you liked those, you will find these gentle reminiscences a pleasantly diverting listen. I rarely like autobiographies or diaries, but I like Palin's delivery so much that I found Travelling To Work a good listen. He's a gifted man, but seems to have worked hard to exploit his gifts. The book is of course littered with name-dropping, but I think that reasonable for a member of the Oxbridge media glitterati. I didn't feel I learned anything much about the man himself but quite a lot about his work and that was easily interesting enough to keep me entertained throughout.

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Love it.

One of my favourite books to listen too. so I retesting to here into someone's life and written in a way that draws u in.

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Perfect

Hugely entertaining and perfectly read by the author. I enjoyed it and wanted to watch and read more Palin.

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Palin’s third diary.

Another wonderful reading by Palin of the third volume of his diary’s . Full of humour and warmth, this book is hugely entertaining. Highly recommended.

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Entertaining as ever.

in essence it's just Michael Palin reading his diary,but as with his TV travel shows he is just great company.

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A wonderfully elegant work

Michael’s voice is one of those rare ones you can listen to all day even if he was reading out the train timetable. His dairy’s are great to listen too, never get mundane, are always entertaining and his narration is brilliant throughout. While away the hours with this book and relax. Perfect for a hot summers day or two. Great being so long meant even more to enjoy. Didn’t want it to end its so entertaining. Great job MP

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Excellent read by Michael Palin

A step back in time remembering where you were throughout this epic journey. Fantastic as always!

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