One hundred years after the birth of Ernest Hemingway , Michael Palin sets out to discover the man behind the legend: a hard-drinking womanizer who liked cats and shooting but who wrote like a dream and left an indelible impression on the Twentieth Century through his work. Inspired by the research for his bestselling novel, Hemingway's Chair , and as always driven by a desire to discover new places, Michael Palin explores Hemingway's world. Past and present intertwine when Michael travels to First World War battlefields in Italy, to Paris, and to Spain, where he learns about both bullfighting and the Civil War. He sees Florida celebrate the Hemingway centenary — with a look-alike competition, fishes on the Gulf Stream, goes on camera-safari in Africa, and visits Hemingway's hideaway in Idaho.

The author reads his own book unabridged, bringing out all the wit, humour and evocation of time and place which feature throughout his examination of one of the twentieth century's most colourful legends.

Michael Palin established his reputation with Monty Python's Flying Circus and Ripping Yarns . His work also includes several films with Monty Python as well as The Missionary , A Private Function , an award-winning performance as the haplesss Ken in A Fish Called Wanda , and more recently American Friends and Fierce Creatures . He has also written many books, most notably Around the World in 80Days , Vole to Vole, Full Circle and a number of children's stories. His television credits include two films for the BBC's Great Railway journeys series and GBH . He is also the author of the play The Weekend and the novel Hemingway's Chair .