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  • David Mitchell: Back Story

  • By: David Mitchell
  • Narrated by: David Mitchell
  • Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (1,482 ratings)

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David Mitchell: Back Story

By: David Mitchell
Narrated by: David Mitchell
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Publisher's summary

David Mitchell, who you may know for his inappropriate anger on every TV panel show except Never Mind the Buzzcocks, his look of permanent discomfort on C4 sex comedy Peep Show, his online commenter-baiting in The Observer or just for wearing a stick-on moustache in That Mitchell and Webb Look, has written a book about his life.

As well as giving a specific account of every single time he's scored some smack, this disgusting memoir also details:

  • The singular, pit bull-infested charm of the FRP (‘Flat Roofed Pub’)
  • The curious French habit of injecting everyone in the arse rather than the arm
  • Why, by the time he got to Cambridge, he really, really needed a drink
  • The pain of being denied a childhood birthday party at McDonalds
  • The satisfaction of writing jokes about suicide
  • How doing quite a lot of walking around London helps with his sciatica
  • Trying to pretend he isn’t a total **** at Robert Webb’s wedding
  • That he has fallen in love a LOT, but rarely done anything about it
  • Why it would be worse to bump into Michael Palin than Hitler on holiday
  • That he’s not David Mitchell the novelist, despite what David Miliband might think
©2012 David Mitchell (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

‘One of the best celebrity memoirs of last year…his outsider geek personality translates just as well on the page as it does on TV.’ Metro

‘It livened up about half way through with the appearance of me. But enough of David's life. The book is wonderful from beginning to end.’ Robert Webb

'David Mitchell is an extremely funny man on screen, in person, in print and very probably underwater.' Sam Bain, co-writer of Peep Show

‘He can write’ Evening Standard

‘Fluent, discursive, intelligent.’ Evening Standard

‘If you like Mitchell on television, you will like him in this book.’ Shortlist

What listeners say about David Mitchell: Back Story

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Enjoyed every second of this book. Love it!

David Mitchell, one of my favorite comedians and co-creator of my favorite sketch show ever (I sound like I'm claiming ownership of him here, aren't I?) , has written a book that is in fact the long list of book genres he lists at the beginning but is also what he says it isn't. (I'm not going to spoil it here.) I don't read memoirs often or celebrity gossip stuff at all, but I must confess a curiosity of the lives of those artists (usually comedians) whom I greatly admire. And David Mitchell certainly tops that list and doesn't disappoint with a book written and performed with his brilliantly hilarious and thoughtful voice at full tilt boogie. It's a genuine pleasure, start to finish. Thank you, Mr. Mitchell.

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Everything I expected from this book and more!

Funny, revealing, warm! Must ask friends on Twitter if it's weird that I fancy him!😋

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Mitchell's great as always

A lovely story about one man's path to fame with a great ending. Narration's great.

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Wonderful

If you like David Mitchell you will love this book! Hilarious, insightful, brilliant. I'll likely listen to it again.

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Great listen during walks

A must for fans of British comedy and wonderful how his voice softens when he finds love, in the end.

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Fantastic

I'm a huge fan and Mitchell tells a fantastic story! Heart warming and funny! Great listen

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Jokes delivered by the author

In the past 2 years I have grown to love David. And I find books narrated by the author, especially comedians, are essential. It's funny and witty and has a very pleasant ending.

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Funny, touching and relatable

I love the way David’s mind works-he can put into words how I and probably many other people feel about all sorts of different normal and unusual occurrences in life. He also does it una way that makes you chuckle.
Honestly, this book just made me wish they would re-record Douglas Adams HHGttG with David as the narrator- it’d be great!

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The Marmite of Comedy...

...and I LOVE him. Hearty and delicious, the quality and quantity of his vocabulary veritable feast for the brain.

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David Mitchell is beautiful

I have always loved his work in comedy. Hearing his back story in his own words and voice, is marvelous.

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