Just for something completely different I had a read of Gullible’s Travels by Billy Connolly. It’s not quite the same as watching him recount the same stories on TV but it’s not too bad. Connolly seems to write the same way he interviews, by the seat of his pants, and that helps to give the flavour of the man himself. The only way this could be better is if he was here in person. What is missing is the accent and the speech patterns, if you weren’t familiar with Connolly then you’re likely to be entertained by this.

This book is anecdotes and observations about Connolly’s travels throughout the world. It’s roughly divided up by country, sometimes has a lot to say and sometimes very little. South Africa is a good example of very little, partly as he’s never visited. Apparently a previous book was banned for being morally degenerate so after two paragraphs he leaves the rest of the chapter blank to show all the good things South Africa has done. Bear in mind this book was first written in 1982 when their problems were just in the first throes of being solved and also bear in mind that Connolly doesn’t mind being controversial. I’m sure many people disagree with him, such as some of my South African friends.

I had a number of other things marked to point out to you but that won’t be happening as I’ve lost my piece of paper. This book may be hard to find, it’s something I’m struggling to find in a new bookshop so instead I’m presenting you with one of his other travel books Billy Connolly’s Route 66: The Big Yin on the Ultimate American Road Trip as being a reasonable substitute.