Read Time: 2 Minutes
While not as funny as I thought something by comedian Bill Bailey would be, this memoir is of animals he has owned, taken care of, or generally just met along the way during his life. From pet dogs, tortoises, and parrots though to radioactive sea bugs, wearing a suit to impress a cat, and shaking hissing cockroaches out his pantleg, Bill approaches each story with nostalgia, a touch of humour, and an obvious love of all things animal.
Bill Bailey as a comedian has long been one of my favourites since I first encountered him in the television show Black Books. I once heard someone say about him that, “Bill Bailey always looks like he’s standing in front of his own haircut,” and I think that describes him quite well! His whimsical storytelling is peppered with his often-dry delivery of gags and punchlines, and while not laugh-out-loud all the way through, his anecdotes did often get a chuckle from me.
The stories in the memoir range from a couple of brief minutes through to around fifteen minutes or so. Mostly they’re around ten minutes though where Bill will often project his mind into the thoughts of the animals – usually the animal making fun of Bill for some reason.
Just a short and sweet review for this one, as there isn’t a whole lot more to say. It’s a collection of stories about animals that Bill has met where his real obvious love of animals, adventure, and a thirst for knowledge shine through. If you’re a fan of Bill Bailey’s understated humour or love heartfelt animal stories with a comedic twist, this memoir will likely charm you.