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A Talk and Singalong with Monty Python’s Eric Idle
Past event
Featured Book
Idle in Provence
In 1971, at the beginning of Monty Python mania, Eric Idle bought a crumbling ruin in the hills of Provence. With no electricity, no water, no road, and no plan, he set out to transform the neglected stone shack into what he lovingly calls a shackeau.
Idle in Provence is the story of the transformation of both the place and the man. Against the sun-drenched backdrop of southern France, Idle penned iconic songs and scripts, hosted a revolving door of eccentric and brilliant friends—George Harrison, Robin Williams, Paul Simon, and others—and found a rare kind of peace far from the madness of showbiz. Equal parts memoir, travelogue, and comedy masterclass, the book is filled with laugh-out-loud moments, tender reflections, and the kind of sharp, self-deprecating wit only Idle can deliver.
As he reflects on love, loss, friendship, and joy, Idle paints a vivid portrait of a place that became more than a home—it became a sanctuary. The story spans decades. It’s a love letter to France, to old friends, and to the wild, unpredictable journey of being alive.
Along the way, readers are treated to behind-the-scenes glimpses of Eric Idle’s creative output, candid memories of fame, and thoughtful meditations on life, purpose, and the legacy of laughter.
Charming, cheeky, and unexpectedly moving, Idle in Provence is Eric Idle at his best—hilarious, candid, and unforgettable.
This book will be available for purchase at the event.
About This Event
Hear from legendary comedian Eric Idle as he shares how buying a crumbling ruin in Provence, France allowed him to escape from Monty Python mania. In that “shackeau," he wrote iconic songs and scripts and hosted a revolving door of brilliant friends: George Harrison, Robin Williams, Paul Simon, and more. Get a behind-the-scenes look into Idle’s creative process, stories of fame, and meditations on life, purpose, and the power of laughter. Plus a singalong!
Featured Author
Daphna Renan
Daphna Renan is the Peter B. Munroe and Mary J. Munroe Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. She is a leading scholar of constitutional democracy and presidential power. She is the author with Nikolas Bowie of the forthcoming book Supremacy: How Rule by the Court Replaced Government by the People (W.W. Norton 2026). Her academic work has appeared in numerous publications including the Harvard Law Review, the Stanford Law Review, and the Yale Law Journal, and it has been cited around the world. She is a sought-after media commentator whose writing has appeared in the New York Times and the Atlantic among other outlets. She clerked for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and served in the U.S. Department of Justice under President Obama.
About the Venue
Northwestern University - Cahn Auditorium
Presented by Chicago Humanities
Presented with Seminary Co-Op Bookstore
600 Emerson St
Evanston, IL 60201
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