Whilst I’m not one to indulge in the life or pasts of celebrities, it is interesting to learn about the growing pains of a successful, if ever awkward, British comedian.
Mitchell’s autobiography is rather simple: it talks of his early life — childhood, school, and the troubles his parents endured — to his first foray into acting, and ultimately, comedy. Between this, Mitchell intersperses a recounting of the daily walk he’d take around his area to help his back pain (hence the punny title of Back Story).
What really makes this autobiography bearable, especially in relation to many other comedians and celebrities, is Mitchell’s tangible vulnerability and eagerness to mock himself. The tone often alternates between amusing moments of luck and scrappiness in Mitchell’s career, to the more innocent and seemingly dull days of his childhood, to the sense of longing and unrequited love he felt from various women.
At the very least, this quality helps the work to feel less about egotism and success (as a lot of celebrities seem to go on about in their books and interviews), and more about a man who accepts that he made the most of what he had, through a combination of timing, luck, and talent.
Understandably, I can’t recount every little moment from the book, otherwise there’d be no point in anyone reading it. Even if I did, I wouldn’t have much to say beyond what I have already, mainly thanks to the non-fictitious story. The main quality comes from Mitchell’s ability to blend in emotions and comedy to an otherwise lifelong tale of one man’s various highs and lows.
I suppose the other appeal is in being nosy about the private life of someone who sometimes appears on UK panel shows. Either way, Back Story was a fun little read and an entertaining way to learn more about the awkward and shy man behind the comedic facade. In a rare move, I’d actually recommend the audiobook over the print, simply because Mitchell’s narration carries the humour much more than plain old words can.
Regardless of how I felt about it, which was generally positive, it has awakened me to the realisation that autobiographies (at least of this nature) are not really my thing — so don’t expect many, or even any, more to appear!
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