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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 (5,527 ratings)

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David Mitchell: Back Story

By: David Mitchell
Narrated by: David Mitchell
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Summary

Shortlisted for: Biography/Autobiography of the Year - Specsavers National Book Awards 2012

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

What listeners say about David Mitchell: Back Story

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Superb

Mitchell is an incredibly witty man, his misery cheers me up. His book is narrated by himself and is very well read.

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17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Insightful and enjoyable

I loved this book. I'm about the same age as Mitchell and share a lot of his quirks and neuroses, and it was great to hear someone I already admired be as open and honest about his life. The anxiety he feels at the appearance of new email, the relief when it's spam, and his feeling that parties are a largely horrific and hostile environment. Even if you can't identify with these feelings, he portrays them in a funny and straightforward way.

Mitchell had, by the sound of it, a really nice childhood, and it was nice to hear him talk about it in honest and fond terms, without obviously trying to turn it into something it wasn't.

I already liked and admired David Mitchell before reading Back Story, and having done so, I'm confident I was right to. This is a really good book.

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Good

Quite sweary so do not listen if you would be offended otherwise a great read well read by a nice sounding guy

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful. Just as I’d hoped 😍

Always love him on tv/radio anyway and this just fleshes out the bones. Such a relief. He really is the guy you think from wilty but more. And what a yummy ending - just perfect with not a hint of ick. Thank you David

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable

I enjoyed this book. Quite dry with too much swearing but interesting non the less.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great fun

I really enjoyed this book :) I would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, easy and interesting listen.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

An excellent, entertaining memoir

An excellent, entertaining, intelligent and funny memoir from a clever, deep-thinking and witty man. Hearing it read by the author also makes it far more enjoyable than reading it off the page. It's literally in his voice! His final section describing his feelings for his wife are really moving and you're left wanting to wish them both every happiness for the future. Highly recommended.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

For fans of David Mitchell

I had a passing interest in David Mitchell, I'd see. a bit of Peep show and the magicians. But I like his voice, it makes me laugh and this is him talking about his life (as you'd expect). It's funny and towards the end heartwarming. If you see him, give him a hug (don't)

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Back Story is a good story

He is a great story writer. I found his voice annoying to start but always looked forward to the next chapter. In the end I didn't mind him reading his own story. His humour is warm, funny and ...

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Surprisingly good

If you're a fan of David Mitchell (comedian and author, as opposed to just author), then you'll like this book. I'm not sure the narrative being shipped around a walk brings any value to the book, but it is nonetheless, very well written. Enjoyable with a few laugh out loud moments.

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