The Life of Graham: The Authorised Biography of Graham Chapman

Graham Chapman was the quiet, pipe-smoking Python who qualified as a doctor—the policeman's son whose tweedy demeanor belied an anarchic nature. More than any other Python, he lived the complete lunacy of the show. He was John Cleese's writing partner, from their days at Cambridge right through the Monty Python years. It was Chapman's off-screen antics, however, that epitomized the surreal qualities of a Python sketch; moreover, he fearlessly flaunted his homosexuality at a time when it was certainly not done. Chapman died in 1989, with brilliant comic timing—on the 20th anniversary of the first Python recording. Written with the full authorization of Chapman's family, and with extensive input from The Pythons, this is an honest, often hilarious tribute to a true original.