Book Review: David Mitchell - Back Story
Published: Monday 17th December 2012
David Mitchell (not the writer) has now become a writer. Or at least, he's written this rather heart-warming autobiography, to add to his countless successes as a TV comic in Peep Show, That Mitchell And Webb Look, and not to mention a wealth of panel shows.
In Back Story, Mitchell takes us on one of his regular walks, an exercise he originally undertook as a solution to terrible back pain. Throughout the course of the book, he takes us around London and recounts his life from childhood to university life to television stardom, covering poverty, success, love, drink, chance encounters with Michael Palin, cross-dressing and awkward social situations along the way.
I'm sure many would agree they've had it up to here with 'celebrity' autobiographies by now, and in some ways, this book falls into that rather standard category. But Mitchell is engaging to read: he's honest, even at times when clearly slightly uncomfortable about being so, and above all, he's entertaining; I believe I smiled, if not chuckled, pretty much the whole time I spent reading it.
There's a lot for comedy fans to get their teeth into, too: insights into early days in the Cambridge Footlights, his relationship with comedy partner Robert Webb, and the birth of Peep Show for starters.
It's also an enjoyable thing to read, made even more so by the frank and informal style in which it's written, causing a Peep Show-style interior monologue of the man himself to remain in my head throughout.
In a Stephen Fry-esque manner, he often apologies for his character or certain ways of thinking, as well as analysing and assessing particular aspects of his life, all of which, as with Fry, only add to his rather endearing personality. Certainly, it seems, there's a lot to enjoy here.
So, it might not be the most revelatory of autobiographies, but it doesn't claim to be; it's funny, interesting and a very pleasant read, AND it's got a happy ending... what's not to like?
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