Stephen Fry has become, over the years, something of a national treasure. He has the unique ability to be at once awesome, in the true meaning of the word, and increadibly self-depreciating. The Fry Chronicles continues from Fry's Moab is my Washpot, which, having read The Fry Chronicles, I feel quite disappointed having not read. It picks up with his youth, flittering from school to school, and his eventual arrival at Cambridge, where he began to develop his acting and screenwriting career.
As someone who is planning on going to university in the Autumn, I found Fry's tales of Cambridge quite interesting and delightful. His focus on the extra-curricular and social side of university, particularly his experience, is really quite exciting.
This book does not fall short of such an expectation - I found myself grinning at all the comedians mentioned, the shows and sketches, knowing how all my favourite comedies from the past were created, developed, conceptualised. Perhaps not in that order. So many were mentioned: The Young Ones; Blackadder; A Bit of Fry and Laurie... I was frankly starstruck reading the experiences of those people who I've watched and admired, those who have made me laugh over the years.
I would recommend this book to ANYONE. Beautifully written in fry's typically delightful prose, this volume of Fry's autobiography is just fantastic. However, I will simply say that due to the final chapter, I am forced to buy the next volume when it should reveal itself...
Read this book!
