Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Monty Python fans, this one is for you.
I'm Mike - this is Riff Raff's Reading Renaissance. Welcome!
In today’s video, I take on the brilliant Monty Python Book Tag created by Gareth from @bookssongsandothermagic inspired by Angelina from @700poodles . As a lifelong fan of Monty Python, this tag was irresistible — combining classic comedy with classic literature. Thanks for watching.
Which Monty Python member is your favorite — and what book would you pair with them?
Also: are you Team “Stoner is a masterpiece” or Team “I don’t get the hype”? 😄
Thanks so much for watching, liking, subscribing, and supporting the channel. Your comments genuinely help more readers discover these conversations.
Here's Gareth's original tag video - youtube.com/watch?v=moR8zB0_98c and here are the tag questions:
Prompt 1) Terry Jones, name a book that is about unity or working together
Prompt 2) Eric Idle, name an author who writes with a prose style you like
Prompt 3) Graham Chapman, name a favourite lead character
Prompt 4) Michael Palin, name a place you love that's outside your country
Prompt 5) Terry Gilliam, name an animated film you feel is underrated
Prompt 6) John Cleese, name a book with a great family focused plot
Prompt 7) Flying Circus, name a book with a great surprise or twist in it
Prompt 8) The Holy Grail, what book are you still hoping to find one day?
Prompt 9) The Meaning of Life, name a book with a huge scale to the setting
Prompt 10) Bonus question, talk about a sketch or scene you like, or something that one of the members have done separate from the group.
(then tag people!!!)
Along the way, I discuss:
📚 The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
📚 Stoner by John Williams
📚 To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
📚 One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
📚 The Hours by Michael Cunningham
📚 Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
📚 Anthony Burgess and Shakespeare
📚 The literary genius of Roger Lewis
I also talk about:
🎭 Monty Python and the Holy Grail
🎭 Life of Brian
🎭 Terry Gilliam’s films
🎭 Michael Palin’s travel documentaries
🎭 John Cleese and Fawlty Towers
🎭 The enduring brilliance of Monty Python comedy
If you love books, literary discussion, classic novels, British comedy, BookTube, or Monty Python nostalgia, I think you’ll enjoy this journey.
Please consider liking, subscribing, and leaving a comment — it really helps the channel grow and reach more readers.
Tiemstamps/ Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:07 #1 Terry Jones — The Canterbury Tales
02:42 #2 Eric Idle — Anthony Burgess
04:03 #3 Graham Chapman — Stoner
06:01 #4 Michael Palin — Say Nothing
08:16 #5 Terry Gilliam — Family Guy
09:57 #6 John Cleese — To Kill a Mockingbird
12:43 #7 Flying Circus — The Hours
13:58 #8 Holy Grail — Roger Lewis & Anthony Burgess
15:31 #9 Meaning of Life — One Hundred Years of Solitude
17:59 #10 Favourite Monty Python Sketches & Films
22:37 Final Thoughts
Books mentioned:
The Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer
The Riverside Chaucer Geoffrey Chaucer (edited scholarly edition)
The Canterbury Tales: Norton Critical Edition Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales (modern retelling) Peter Ackroyd
Nothing Like the Sun Anthony Burgess
Stoner John Williams
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland Patrick Radden Keefe
To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee
The Hours Michael Cunningham
Mrs Dalloway Virginia Woolf
Erotic Vagrancy: Everything About Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor Roger Lewis
One Hundred Years of Solitude Gabriel García Márquez
Chaucer’s Knight Terry Jones
Michael Palin travel books / travelogues Michael Palin
Anthony Burgess biography (sought-after title) Roger Lewis
Films / TV / Comedy Works mentioned:
Monty Python and the Holy Grail - Monty Python
Life of Brian - Monty Python
The Meaning of Life - Monty Python
Flying Circus - Monty Python
Brazil - Terry Gilliam
Time Bandits - Terry Gilliam
The Fisher King - Terry Gilliam
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Terry Gilliam
A Fish Called Wanda - John Cleese / Michael Palin
Fawlty Towers - John Cleese
Clockwise - John Cleese (here's the YouTube trailer clink)
youtube.com/watch?v=-T5UG1GRe2A
The Death of Stalin - Film featuring Michael Palin - here's the YouTube trailer link -
youtube.com/watch?v=wxiUnX2WM6E
Family Guy - Seth MacFarlane
Around the World in 80 Days - Michael Palin travel series
And for the almighty algorithm: #MontyPython #BookTube #BookTag #ClassicLiterature #ReadingRenaissance
#Books #Literature #ClassicBooks #BookRecommendations #ReadingCommunity
#ToKillAMockingbird #Stoner #AnthonyBurgess #CanterburyTales
#OneHundredYearsOfSolitude #GabrielGarciaMarquez #HarperLee
#MichaelCunningham #VirginiaWoolf #SayNothing #PatrickRaddenKeefe
#JohnCleese #MichaelPalin #TerryGilliam #BritishComedy
#LiteraryDiscussion #BooksAndReading #ReadersOfYouTube
Monty Python fans, this one is for you.
I'm Mike - this is Riff Raff's Reading Renaissance. Welcome!
In today’s video, I take on the brilliant Monty Python Book Tag created by Gareth from @bookssongsandothermagic inspired by Angelina from @700poodles . As a lifelong fan of Monty Python, this tag was irresistible — combining classic comedy with classic literature. Thanks for watching.
Which Monty Python member is your favorite — and what book would you pair with them?
Also: are you Team “Stoner is a masterpiece” or Team “I don’t get the hype”? 😄
Thanks so much for watching, liking, subscribing, and supporting the channel. Your comments genuinely help more readers discover these conversations.
Here's Gareth's original tag video - youtube.com/watch?v=moR8zB0_98c and here are the tag questions:
Prompt 1) Terry Jones, name a book that is about unity or working together
Prompt 2) Eric Idle, name an author who writes with a prose style you like
Prompt 3) Graham Chapman, name a favourite lead character
Prompt 4) Michael Palin, name a place you love that's outside your country
Prompt 5) Terry Gilliam, name an animated film you feel is underrated
Prompt 6) John Cleese, name a book with a great family focused plot
Prompt 7) Flying Circus, name a book with a great surprise or twist in it
Prompt 8) The Holy Grail, what book are you still hoping to find one day?
Prompt 9) The Meaning of Life, name a book with a huge scale to the setting
Prompt 10) Bonus question, talk about a sketch or scene you like, or something that one of the members have done separate from the group.
(then tag people!!!)
Along the way, I discuss:
📚 The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
📚 Stoner by John Williams
📚 To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
📚 One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
📚 The Hours by Michael Cunningham
📚 Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
📚 Anthony Burgess and Shakespeare
📚 The literary genius of Roger Lewis
I also talk about:
🎭 Monty Python and the Holy Grail
🎭 Life of Brian
🎭 Terry Gilliam’s films
🎭 Michael Palin’s travel documentaries
🎭 John Cleese and Fawlty Towers
🎭 The enduring brilliance of Monty Python comedy
If you love books, literary discussion, classic novels, British comedy, BookTube, or Monty Python nostalgia, I think you’ll enjoy this journey.
Please consider liking, subscribing, and leaving a comment — it really helps the channel grow and reach more readers.
Tiemstamps/ Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:07 #1 Terry Jones — The Canterbury Tales
02:42 #2 Eric Idle — Anthony Burgess
04:03 #3 Graham Chapman — Stoner
06:01 #4 Michael Palin — Say Nothing
08:16 #5 Terry Gilliam — Family Guy
09:57 #6 John Cleese — To Kill a Mockingbird
12:43 #7 Flying Circus — The Hours
13:58 #8 Holy Grail — Roger Lewis & Anthony Burgess
15:31 #9 Meaning of Life — One Hundred Years of Solitude
17:59 #10 Favourite Monty Python Sketches & Films
22:37 Final Thoughts
Books mentioned:
The Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer
The Riverside Chaucer Geoffrey Chaucer (edited scholarly edition)
The Canterbury Tales: Norton Critical Edition Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales (modern retelling) Peter Ackroyd
Nothing Like the Sun Anthony Burgess
Stoner John Williams
Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland Patrick Radden Keefe
To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee
The Hours Michael Cunningham
Mrs Dalloway Virginia Woolf
Erotic Vagrancy: Everything About Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor Roger Lewis
One Hundred Years of Solitude Gabriel García Márquez
Chaucer’s Knight Terry Jones
Michael Palin travel books / travelogues Michael Palin
Anthony Burgess biography (sought-after title) Roger Lewis
Films / TV / Comedy Works mentioned:
Monty Python and the Holy Grail - Monty Python
Life of Brian - Monty Python
The Meaning of Life - Monty Python
Flying Circus - Monty Python
Brazil - Terry Gilliam
Time Bandits - Terry Gilliam
The Fisher King - Terry Gilliam
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Terry Gilliam
A Fish Called Wanda - John Cleese / Michael Palin
Fawlty Towers - John Cleese
Clockwise - John Cleese (here's the YouTube trailer clink)
youtube.com/watch?v=-T5UG1GRe2A
The Death of Stalin - Film featuring Michael Palin - here's the YouTube trailer link -
youtube.com/watch?v=wxiUnX2WM6E
Family Guy - Seth MacFarlane
Around the World in 80 Days - Michael Palin travel series
And for the almighty algorithm: #MontyPython #BookTube #BookTag #ClassicLiterature #ReadingRenaissance
#Books #Literature #ClassicBooks #BookRecommendations #ReadingCommunity
#ToKillAMockingbird #Stoner #AnthonyBurgess #CanterburyTales
#OneHundredYearsOfSolitude #GabrielGarciaMarquez #HarperLee
#MichaelCunningham #VirginiaWoolf #SayNothing #PatrickRaddenKeefe
#JohnCleese #MichaelPalin #TerryGilliam #BritishComedy
#LiteraryDiscussion #BooksAndReading #ReadersOfYouTube
