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No Cunning Plan
- Narrated by: Tony Robinson
- Length: 14 hrs and 7 mins
- Categories: Biographies & Memoirs, Entertainment & Celebrities
Non-member price: $21.26
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Publisher's Summary
Sir Tony Robinson is a much-loved actor, presenter and author with a stellar career lasting over 50 years. Now, in his long-awaited autobiography, he reveals how the boy from South Woodford went from child stardom in the first stage production of Oliver!, a pint-size pickpocket desperately bleaching his incipient moustache, to comedy icon Baldrick, the loyal servant and turnip aficionado in Blackadder.
It wasn't all plain sailing, though. Along the way he was bullied by Steve Marriott, failed to impress Liza Minnelli and was pushed into a stinking London dock by John Wayne. He also entertained us with Maid Marion and Her Merry Men (which he wrote and starred in) and coped manfully when locked naked outside a theatre in Lincoln during the live tour of comedy series Who Dares Wins. He presented Time Team for 20 years, watching countless gardens ruthlessly dug up in the name of archaeology, and risked life and limb filming The Worst Jobs in History.
Packed full of incident and insight, No Cunning Plan is a funny, self-deprecating and always entertaining listen.
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What listeners say about No Cunning Plan
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Robin P Pereira
- 03-04-2017
Tony's life story no cunning plan!
Nice long audiobook to lidten to detailing various ups and downs in Tony's life as a person.
Becoming an actor, school life, transitioning to Time Team and so much more.
2 people found this helpful
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- Dana
- 20-12-2016
More than Baldrick
Great book, very interesting and read beautifully. I loved it. Highly recommended as an educated audio read.
2 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 03-07-2020
Disappointing
With a title like ‘No Cunning Plan’ I expected this book to be full of behind the scenes stories of Tony’s famous characters and TV shows. Instead it is a droll book that delves more into local politics than it does Blackadder, or any other of the things he is better known for.
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- Louise
- 24-03-2020
Well done, Balders!
The book offers an intimate insight into the life and experiences of a well known and admired person. He knows how to tell a story and it is as if you are sitting with him at the pub as he regales you with his reminiscences. Some of the stories seem a bit far fetched but somehow I had no doubt they were true! Sometimes his ego was a bit more prominent than I thought it would be, as he always seems so humble in interviews, but he probably deserves to boast a bit after all he has achieved. I loved Robinson’s narration of some of the Terry Pratchett books and it seems he is even better when narrating his own.
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- Denise Mewett
- 06-05-2019
No Cunning Plan
What a wonderful life you’ve led Sir Tony Robinson! It was really interesting to hear how you embarked on your acting career and kept at it even with the many setbacks you encountered. I had no idea you were so involved politically and a little ironic that I finished the book this morning on my way to work and then heard that you had resigned from the Labour Party 3 days ago after 45 years!!! Your close encounters with Altzheimers was particularly moving and I will definitely be looking for the film about your mother’s experiences. I highly recommend this book as an informative, entertaining and brilliantly performed life story.
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- Fiona_S
- 06-08-2018
amazing journey
What a life and Tony's reading it really made it like you were living it wity him.
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- R. J. Mccoy
- 12-07-2018
An eventful life, what's next?
Endearing and heartfelt, hung on every word and wish Tony well. Enjoyed his honesty and insights.
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- Steve
- 20-11-2017
Fantastic and funny
This is one of my favourite audio books to date. It is not often that I complete a book and imediately go back to start listening to it straight away, but this one I am doing just that.
Funny, yet also sad, the story introduces you to a lot about Tony that I did not expect. His mariages, personal triumphs and failures, and probably most suprisingly his self doubt. He always looks so in control in his documantaries.
The fact that Tony reads the book himself makes it all the more enjoyable and personal.
I cannot recommend this enough to anyone who has any interest in the career of one England's great entertainers.
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- Julie Hart
- 30-09-2017
Bloody brilliant
Tony Robinson has and will always be one of my favourites and this autobiography just seals that.
Funny... Insightful... Sad... Gentle and then rib tickling funny again
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- Annaliesa Rose
- 27-08-2017
Brilliant book!!!
Loved this book as much as I love this man. I will always remember him from Fat Tulip's Garden and other kids programs but have followed his career due to that and love his body of works. This memoir of his life to date is a brilliant book.
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- Anonymous User
- 24-04-2019
Must Read for those fans of Sir Tony Robsinson
An astounding book, rings with honesty. Sir Tony Robinson does not skip or gloss over anything and this work of prose is all the better for it. He laid bare what many of us would consider to be private, making the book all the more real to the reader
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- Lisa Maggie
- 14-08-2018
Feels like family
It is read and written so it sounds like I am a dear friend sitting in the room with Tony hearing his life story. Thank you Tony for sharing such personal moments.
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- Nigel Baker
- 20-05-2018
Oh Rise Sir Baldrick
Entertaining from start to finish. The story of an unbelievable career. Well written, well read.
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- TheLonesomeBricoleur
- 02-02-2018
Tony Robinson is a Genuine Treasure
"No Cunning Plan" is irreverent throughout, poignant and affecting at times and thoroughly entertaining. Don't forget that this autobiography comes from a well-seasoned charmer not only of the screen and stage, but also of the script and page. Do you know of any other book that features appearances by Tony Blair AND John Wayne?
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- Kirstine
- 27-03-2017
A great listen by a talented story-teller
I enjoyed this highly entertaining autobiography full variety and comical incidents. The author, though famous for his loveable character Baldrick in the Blackadder series, is obviously a multi-talented man, who, by his own admission lacked formal education, but can turn his hand to writing stories for children, create historical documentaries and be a knowledgeable presenter of archeology programmes. He doesn’t flinch from describing his failures and weaknesses and is modest over his successes. He comes over as a devoted father, a loving husband of three wives and a dedicated political activist.
Reading his own words greatly enhanced this audio book.
5 people found this helpful
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- Tom
- 06-02-2017
Very good value
At over 14 hours, this audio book is a great investment, and to have Tony Robinson read it himself is very much a bonus. Lots of detail about the author's early life can occasionally become a bore in some books. In this case Tony's tales of his childhood and upbringing, etc all give real weight to the book's title, and emphasise how he has often almost stumbled upon the great opportunities that have made him "a national treasure".
I enjoyed the whole thing a very great deal.
3 people found this helpful
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- Charlotte Jenkins
- 17-11-2016
Fairly honest and quite funny
I feel I know Tony quite well now. His openness in sharing his success, let downs and blunders are so human, refreshing and entertaining. Thoroughly enjoyable.
3 people found this helpful
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- erica johnston
- 15-11-2016
Brilliant
Tony Robinson engages the listener from the first page. funny, sad just brilliant from start to finish. Never realised how much he had done.
3 people found this helpful
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- Paul layden
- 28-10-2016
Fantastic very enjoyable
Always been a fan of Tony Robinson after meeting him briefly at a party in islington many moons ago . Thoroughly enjoyed the book and learning about the time team who i had become a fan of all since its inception.
Recommended!
3 people found this helpful
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- I J Robinson
- 28-10-2016
Short stories
A great few hours in the company of an interesting man. Tony's long career takes in the original production of Oliver! and ends at the bottom of the sea with James Cameron. Off stage (and screen) he talks politics, has lots of wives and gets stoned a lot. The stories are told well and with plenty of self-awareness. As ever, Tony gives a great performance yet that maybe the book's biggest failing - he's essentially just an ordinary bloke taking the jobs that come along and this is, really, just another job. You're left wanting more insight into Blackadder, Maid Marion, the Greek Tales, etc and the ending comes quite suddenly. It's long but could have been longer.
3 people found this helpful
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- Jim Hopkins
- 24-10-2016
Great read
More to this story than history.a very welcome book and one I will read again.
3 people found this helpful
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- Mr A Curry
- 08-10-2016
Fantastic Read
Thoroughly enjoyed this read about the amazing Tony Robinson. Light and funny, yet deeply honest.
3 people found this helpful
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- c
- 28-02-2017
Captivating
I loved the honest writing. It was great to see all sides of Tony. Something we do not see in his roles and documentaries
2 people found this helpful
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- M
- 03-02-2017
Brilliant
A honest and frank account of his life thus far. Funny and thought provoking. Great listen.
2 people found this helpful
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