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foodforbookworms's review against another edition
5.0
I’ve always felt disillusioned by the idea of autobiographies. Call me harsh but I normally find that what one person finds interesting about him/herself and what others want to know about them often aren’t the same thing.
The other thing that really grates on me is when an autobiography assumes a different tone of voice from the person telling it. For instance, I imagined Michael McIntyre’s autobiography to sound hyperactive and fast-paced. Yet sadly it didn’t sound anything like the bouncing, over-energetic comedian we usually see on stage.
So you can see why I had my reservations when asking for David Mitchell’s Back Story for Christmas last year. Still, I reasoned that this time it would be different. After all, David Mitchell is the master of internal monologues and spectacular at impassioned rants - both things which must translate well into an autobiography surely?
Anyway, I’m really glad that I ignored my autobiography fears. I can wholeheartedly say that Back Story is one of the funniest books I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading and certainly the best autobiography I’ve read. I think part of its charm lies in the way Mitchell tells his story- the events of the book are structured around a walk through London and he somehow manages to relate each location on his walk to an event in his life. Not to mention the fact that he’s clearly an intelligent, engaging writer.
It’s also really fascinating to see his rise in the world of comedy - particularly his relationship with Robert Webb and his time at Cambridge. I love that he talks about comedy as an art form - as it should be! I think it’s easy to forget how hard it is to be funny - especially when you have to write original material within a set format for something like Peep Show.
I think part of the reason I enjoyed it so much was because despite his fame he is just a normal guy at the end of the day and he has all the same thoughts, feelings and inadequacies that everyone else has. Not only does this mean that there a lot of moments readers can relate to (particularly if you’re a bit of a dork like me), but it’s also quite endearing to read about someone who can be so humble and delightfully self-deprecating.
Of course, you’ll enjoy the book a lot more if you like Mitchell’s sense of humour (and I think you will - there’s even a reference to “that other” book writing David Mitchell) but if you aren’t a fan of rants/laughing I wouldn’t read this - and it’s probably time to admit you’re humourless.
I honestly couldn’t put this down and it’s definitely a book I’m going to return to in future - I couldn’t stop smiling from the beginning right until the last page. I highly recommend Back Story: A Memoir to anyone looking for an engaging, funny read (or readers who have been disappointed with autobiographies - as I had been before reading this).
Thank you David Mitchell for proving my autobiography phobia ill-founded!
The other thing that really grates on me is when an autobiography assumes a different tone of voice from the person telling it. For instance, I imagined Michael McIntyre’s autobiography to sound hyperactive and fast-paced. Yet sadly it didn’t sound anything like the bouncing, over-energetic comedian we usually see on stage.
So you can see why I had my reservations when asking for David Mitchell’s Back Story for Christmas last year. Still, I reasoned that this time it would be different. After all, David Mitchell is the master of internal monologues and spectacular at impassioned rants - both things which must translate well into an autobiography surely?
Anyway, I’m really glad that I ignored my autobiography fears. I can wholeheartedly say that Back Story is one of the funniest books I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading and certainly the best autobiography I’ve read. I think part of its charm lies in the way Mitchell tells his story- the events of the book are structured around a walk through London and he somehow manages to relate each location on his walk to an event in his life. Not to mention the fact that he’s clearly an intelligent, engaging writer.
It’s also really fascinating to see his rise in the world of comedy - particularly his relationship with Robert Webb and his time at Cambridge. I love that he talks about comedy as an art form - as it should be! I think it’s easy to forget how hard it is to be funny - especially when you have to write original material within a set format for something like Peep Show.
I think part of the reason I enjoyed it so much was because despite his fame he is just a normal guy at the end of the day and he has all the same thoughts, feelings and inadequacies that everyone else has. Not only does this mean that there a lot of moments readers can relate to (particularly if you’re a bit of a dork like me), but it’s also quite endearing to read about someone who can be so humble and delightfully self-deprecating.
Of course, you’ll enjoy the book a lot more if you like Mitchell’s sense of humour (and I think you will - there’s even a reference to “that other” book writing David Mitchell) but if you aren’t a fan of rants/laughing I wouldn’t read this - and it’s probably time to admit you’re humourless.
I honestly couldn’t put this down and it’s definitely a book I’m going to return to in future - I couldn’t stop smiling from the beginning right until the last page. I highly recommend Back Story: A Memoir to anyone looking for an engaging, funny read (or readers who have been disappointed with autobiographies - as I had been before reading this).
Thank you David Mitchell for proving my autobiography phobia ill-founded!
amykastigar's review against another edition
5.0
It occurred to me, halfway through Back Story, that the last three non-fiction books I attempted were all memoirs of people working in comedy/entertainment. These included Theft by Finding by David Sedaris, Believe Me by Eddie Izzard, and, of course, Back Story. All three were to be listened to on my commute to and from work, as I firmly believe that if you have the chance to hear someone funny read his own story, you really, really should. I have long had a fondness for David Mitchell, or at least the persona he presents on TV, so I was eager to listen to his book. But I thought, as the least obviously funny of the three, it would also rank 3rd in enjoyment. I'm an idiot.
As it stands, I abandoned both David Sedaris (too trivial and boring) and Eddie Izzard (too many asides, meanderings, just stick to a bit of the point, will you?) before too many chapters had passed. I plan to go back to them one day soon, but will probably actually read them, as it will increase the likelihood that I'll put up with their narratives if I have the option to skim over the parts that bore me, or in Eddie's case, actually read his story rather than listen to him giggle at his own digressions.
But Back Story? Back Story was a great memoir. Most of it was like sitting in a bar listening to a new acquaintance tell you his life story: conversational, amusing, and just the right amount of self-deprecation. I giggled at some stories, snorted at others, but even the drier bits of the narrative were interesting and kept my attention. And then there were moments were Mitchell's story was completely amazing: the story about Olivia Coleman pissing herself onstage had me crying with laughter, the chapter about his courtship with Victoria Coren had me crying again, first with sadness, and then with utter happiness for people I don't know and will never meet. Back Story definitely proves that David Mitchell, unassuming as he seems, is a man of fantastic storytelling talents.
As it stands, I abandoned both David Sedaris (too trivial and boring) and Eddie Izzard (too many asides, meanderings, just stick to a bit of the point, will you?) before too many chapters had passed. I plan to go back to them one day soon, but will probably actually read them, as it will increase the likelihood that I'll put up with their narratives if I have the option to skim over the parts that bore me, or in Eddie's case, actually read his story rather than listen to him giggle at his own digressions.
But Back Story? Back Story was a great memoir. Most of it was like sitting in a bar listening to a new acquaintance tell you his life story: conversational, amusing, and just the right amount of self-deprecation. I giggled at some stories, snorted at others, but even the drier bits of the narrative were interesting and kept my attention. And then there were moments were Mitchell's story was completely amazing: the story about Olivia Coleman pissing herself onstage had me crying with laughter, the chapter about his courtship with Victoria Coren had me crying again, first with sadness, and then with utter happiness for people I don't know and will never meet. Back Story definitely proves that David Mitchell, unassuming as he seems, is a man of fantastic storytelling talents.
bramboomen's review against another edition
3.0
Because I watched "That Mitchell and Webb look" thrice now, and this has failed to produce a new season I started listening to this book, narrated by David Mitchell himself. This was wonderful and I cannot imagine have read it trying to make my inner dialog sound like him.
I had quite a few laugh-out-loud moments and the story moved me sometimes. This is not a revolutionary auto-biography as I'm sure Mitchell intended it (by which I mean he did not intend it to be a revolutionary book). As he repeatedly points out in the book, David Michell is not David Mitchell the author. Even so, David Mitchell, like David Mitchell the author, has a grasp on the English language which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I had quite a few laugh-out-loud moments and the story moved me sometimes. This is not a revolutionary auto-biography as I'm sure Mitchell intended it (by which I mean he did not intend it to be a revolutionary book). As he repeatedly points out in the book, David Michell is not David Mitchell the author. Even so, David Mitchell, like David Mitchell the author, has a grasp on the English language which I thoroughly enjoyed.
anotherbritinthewall's review against another edition
4.0
Look, I expected to laugh, and I sure did, but I did not sign up to shed a tear during the penultimate chapter. Ok, so Mitchell is a white, middle-class and not-very-young man, so I always try to keep in mind that his opinions and views might differ from mine but honestly many of his observations are spot on and even those I disagree with (they're not offensive, anyway) are told in a way that still makes me actually laugh out loud at times.
emmavani's review against another edition
3.0
Delightful and silly book. Would recommend if and only if you’re a fan of David Mitchell. The last chapter where he tells the story of how he met his wife is one to return to.
jonathanrobert's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
didactylos's review against another edition
5.0
Very enjoyable. A clever way of telling the tale and a glimpse of the person somewhat different to how I imagined. Some of his comment son the quality of television and the wonderful or dreadful with nothing in between strike a real chord.