Eric Idle offers here a delightful account of the development and production of Spamalot. Through his own recollections and personal emails, he provides the ultimate inside account of the hilarious musical. This book is a quick and fun read, perfect for any musical theatre fan.

This was a quick memoir from the writer/creator of the hit musical, Spamalot. It is largely composed of his diary entries from his time creating the musical. Definitely fun to see how much work goes into writing/rewriting/rewriting again a hit. So much showmanship and art is edited behind the scenes multiple times - and many never see all those things - or songs that never made it to opening night.

It was a fun read for someone who has only seen the musical once - and isn't a huge Monty Python fan. For fans, I imagine it will be an instant favorite.

I’m a big fan of Spamalot (traveled by train from rural Missouri to Chicago to see it in previews back in 2004), so needless to say I was excited to read The Spamalot Diaries! It’s a must read for fellow fans but also very insightful for any creative looking to present their work. A fun read and great peek at the behind the scenes process of making a Broadway hit.

Pros: I was lucky to have the opportunity to see this musical on stage and was interested to learn the behind the scenes of how it came to be, as told by Eric Idle himself! Idle's journal entries and emails are hilarious, especially as so many aspects of Spamalot are absurd. I think any lover of musicals will want to read this book and see the process of a musical coming to Broadway, especially to learn the changes that were made between the first reading, to out of town try out, to opening (k)night. It was fascinating to learn about songs and storylines that were cut and how the show was cast--I had no idea Audra McDonald had participated in the first reading as the Lady of the Lake! The timing of this book is perfect as Spamalot has returned to Broadway!

Cons: None that I can think of!

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

I have seen Spamalot twice (once in NY and once locally in town), and it’s one of my favorites (right along the same line as The Producers).

This book is written in a diary format, and I truly enjoyed Eric’s insights. Insights to the writing process, the rehearsals, the collaboration amongst the writer, the director (Mike Nichols), the choreographer, and the cast (Tim Curry, Hank Azaria, and David Hyde Pierce), and the constant pressure to bring it.

It really goes to show you how much effort and time it takes to put on a successful Broadway show, and I really enjoyed it.