10 Reasons YOU NEED TO READ David Mitchell (and Where to Start!)

[@demiurgicgeek]

Serious question: Can I get adopted into the Minton family? 😅❤

[@Talking_Story]

Always room 😀

[@heidi6281]

My free library audio app has all 3, Ghost Written, Thousand Autumns & Cloud Atlas. I can sample the first two and see which one sticks then save Cloud Atlas for later.

[@Talking_Story]

Solid plan.

[@zeallygreen]

I love author spotlight videos, I wish booktubers would do more…..you know that aren’t King or Sanderson. 🙄 I am definitely adding Mitchell to my TBR this year. Thx for sharing, love the discussion! 💚💚

[@Talking_Story]

Thank you so much for checking it out and the kind words.

[@heidi6281]

zeallygreen check out Gareth@Books, Songs & Other Magic, he spotlights more classic authors, Leguin, Ellison & Mathison just to name a few…

[@Wouter_K]

Wow, what a great video. I think Mitchell does deserve our love and it is great that you so helpfully tell and warn us about him. I read the Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet this year. And it was a wonderful read, although not an easy read. It was this weird combination between very literary prose, writing quirks like putting the 'he said' mid-sentence and an action historical fiction. Like nothing I ever read. But yes, I will try and read all of his work. I started collecting them.

[@Talking_Story]

The deeper you go as the layers peel away I find the journey to be so rewarding. I hope you find it the same. Thanks so much for the kind words.

[@lucasbertsche3710]

Welp, Cloud Atlas has been purchased and begun! You guys sold me on David Mitchell. I’m feeling a little burnt out on epic fantasy right now, so it’s a perfect time to try something new

[@Talking_Story]

Different you shall get! Let us know how it goes. Start is uphill but hang in.

[@PelleksBamari]

Before I watched the movie Cloud Atlas I didn't know David Mitchell. But the movie attracted my attention. I decided not to read Cloud Atlas at first because I know the movie may influence how I read the book. This was a good decision. Instead I read Ghostwritten simply becaus this was his first book. And it just blew my mind. I think this book has a lot of similarity with the movie Cloud Atlas, more similarity than the book Cloud Atlas. So I went on with number9dream. Number9dream is still my most favorite book from Mitchell. I think probably just because I really love the hero of the book and feel all his joys and pains. Finally I read Cloud Atlas after Green Swan Black. I must say if I have started with Cloud Atlas I would probably not have continued to read David Mitchell, but by the time I read it it is the fourth book for me from Mitchell and I am already used for the way he narrats. That definitively helped me to overcome the first chapter. The Bone Clock is my second faverite book by Mitchell, and Holly my second faverite hero. After that I read the Thousand Autumn. I can agree with all you said about the book. At first I was not very keen in reading it, but in the end I didn't regret. Slave House is for me a bit of not very satisfying because it feels more like a sequel of Bone Clock, or like stories recycled which didn't make into Bone Clock. And finally Utopia Avenue is again a book I very much enjoyed.

[@Talking_Story]

@@PelleksBamari I think Slade House was originally part of Bone Clocks that was cut. So glad you did his books in an order that worked for you! He is such a fab of ours it so wonderful to hear others that enjoy him as well. Thanks so much for sharing this with us.

[@ithrahmunchswallow468]

Ok I wanna read it but I can't watch 🙉

[@Talking_Story]

There should be no spoilers.

[@ithrahmunchswallow468]

@@Talking_Story I'm a very sensitive spoiler 🤪 There was Korea and clones or something... I never even watch film trailers 😳

[@Talking_Story]

@@ithrahmunchswallow468 ahhh I got you. I have stopped watching trailers as well. They show the whole thing!

[@ithrahmunchswallow468]

@@Talking_Story right 🤦‍♀️🙉🙊🙈

[@Johanna_reads]

Best wife, best son, best family on BookTube. ❤ I can honestly say that The Bone Clocks is the only book I’ve read this year that managed to make me laugh out loud and have to close the book to cry. I look forward to reading more from David Mitchell!

[@Talking_Story]

I’ll be watching to see what you try out next. Thanks so much Johanna.

[@mandicruz912]

I love getting your wife’s perspective, the way you two discuss literary works and play off each other makes me even more passionate about wanting to pick up whatever you both recommend!

[@Talking_Story]

So glad you enjoyed it. It is special for me when Amy joins in the fun.

[@thefantasynuttwork]

YES

[@ZOMGfantasy]

John, your wife is even better at selling books than you are! 😅 Love the collab

[@Talking_Story]

Right?!!

[@Mizz_Minton]

That's really saying something. John can sell ice to Eskimos, as my dad says.

[@throughthepages_with_dee]

Lady Minton we need to see more of you and your passion to books 😊 I have started bone clocks but kind of drifted of it but I will go back. I was enjoying holly as a character and the strange goings on with the tea lady 😁

[@Talking_Story]

Ohhhhh the tea lady!

[@Mizz_Minton]

@@Talking_Story THE TEA LADY IS THE SHIZZLE.

[@Mizz_Minton]

Just came back to suggest trying "Ghostwritten" first. It's easier to stay in the book, and there are references there that will help you enjoy "Bone Clocks" more. Good luck!

[@throughthepages_with_dee]

@@Mizz_Minton thank you lady Minton I’ll give it a go 😁

[@Dennis_M_Myers]

Wonderful video. Love how you include your family.

[@Talking_Story]

Thanks. Keeps it so fun for me.

[@someokiedude9549]

It's good to see Auntie Minton back with us again. I haven't read Mitchell yet, though this is mainly because I don't know where to start with him. I did watch bits of the Cloud Atlas film a few years ago, though I really don't like the Wachowski's films. The structure seemed really cool from what I saw of it. I'm glad you guys made this video, so it'll make it easier for me when I eventually try out David Mitchell. I'm always interested in people who combine 'literary' and 'genre' conventions in their work, like Mitchell, Michael Chabon, or Jonathan Lethem. Keep up the good work uncle!

[@Talking_Story]

I think Mitchell will be a hit for you no doubt nephew.

[@BrianBell7]

I guarantee Jimmy Nutts will love this video. I sure did! Jakob, your 2nd to the last chapter title is fantastic. I notice the little things 🤣

[@Talking_Story]

I will make sure he see this 1 brother.

[@reading_by_myshelf]

I think this was very helpful....I won't be starting with Cloud Atlas now!

[@Talking_Story]

Let us know what you decide to go with when you get there.

[@RyanLisbon]

Thank you for this video. Have read every book by this brilliant man! Love your discussion, even Black Swan Green is a coming of age masterpiece.

[@Talking_Story]

Thanks so much for checking it out. I think Black Swan Green is the last 1 of his I have to read on my list. Thanks so much for the reminder!

[@paulwilliams6913]

Ten years ago a friend of mine read Cloud Atlas and was so overwhelmed by it he bought a box of copies and handed them out, so I got one. A couple months later, just as I was thinking I’d crack the book open, I happened to win an ARC of Bone Clocks via Goodreads, so I read that first. I already knew a fair bit about Mitchell’s works and his uber-novel, and I found Bone Clocks kinda annoying because I felt like it was mostly about the intertextual stuff. Looking back, it’s probably more the fact that I just didn’t care about the characters and felt like every flourish was an effort to impress me. In other words, I wasn’t resonating with the book. I liked Cloud Atlas a bit more, but again felt it was kinda cold. At the time I latched on to Le Guin’s comment about Bone Clocks, that Mitchell is too self-conscious as a writer, desperate not to mess up. Years later and a syringe reader I hope to revisit those books and see if I can get attuned to them and maybe get into Mitchell’s slipstream, rather than feeling alienated like I did in my twenties. Cloud Atlas has definitely been calling to me for a couple years now. Two novels that I recommend to anyone who enjoys the structural games that Mitchell plays: Hyperion by Dan Simmons (six novellas told by different narrators in a frame story) The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson (alternate history epic that covers centuries and focuses on a group of four souls reincarnated throughout those centuries, always finding their ways back to each other in each cycle).

[@Talking_Story]

Couldn’t agree more on Hyperion. Makes my all time fav list. Have not tried the Robinson. I will add it to the list. Such a great point. That books can hit us very differently at different times in our lives.

[@MichaelWayne13]

I did pick up Cloud Atlas a few weeks ago but not sure when I will get to it. That's sometimes a problem when you're a mood reader but unlike the other Mike I have complete confidence in your book recommendations.

[@Talking_Story]

You gotta let me know how it hits. The beginning is a struggle but by the end you look back on the whole journey and have not 1 regret. Only wonder.

[@darthandy6161]

I’ve read 3 so far with thousand autumns as my favorite followed by number9dream and then cloud atlas. Bone clocks will be next. I kinda feel Murakami vibes when I read Mitchell.

[@Talking_Story]

That is a great comparison I think.

[@Mizz_Minton]

I believe Mitchell is a fan of Murakami, so well noticed!

[@TheBeardedBookBeast]

I am looking forward to start reading some David Mitchell, and this was a great video to help me decide where to start! Thank you, you guys are great together!

[@Talking_Story]

Thank so much.

[@christhewritingjester3164]

9:00 - Basically, "You'll get what you get and you won't throw a fit." We know where Jacob gets it from now... both sides :) I have Cloud Atlas on my TBR, but I think I'll check out Ghostwritten and The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet first now. Thanks!

[@Talking_Story]

😂 I guess it is not hard to see.

[@godzillasan1817]

My wife loves DM’s books! I’ve never tried him. After watching this fantastic duo I am thinking maybe I should also try. Will have something to discuss with my wife …

[@Talking_Story]

Oh it is the most fun!

[@gryftkin]

What's the over/under on whether John called her Matilda later that night? :D But seriously, you've convinced me, I may have to grab a copy of Ghostwritten.

[@Talking_Story]

Nice!

[@MacScarfield]

Loved “Cloud Atlas”: While I do think not every story is necessarily a hit, the different genres should give something to everyone. I remember that I really loved the middle stories of the 70s Conspiracy Thriller “Half-lives”, the “Modern Day” Slapstick Comedy “Ghastly Ordeal” and the Sci-Fi Dystopia of “Sonmi-451”! Always a joy to have Mrs. Minton and her amazing analysis! 🤩

[@Talking_Story]

It is such a grab bag of story!

[@Mizz_Minton]

Thank you! And, how funny, "Half Lives" and "Cavendish" are the two stories I thought were weaker. We agree that "Somni-451" is all that and a bag of chips.

[@lucasbertsche3710]

Hey John, just wanted to circle back and say thanks to you and Mrs. Minton for the recommendation! I finished Cloud Atlas, loved it, and have thought about it constantly since. Not an easy read but well worth the journey. It blew me away how Mitchell was able to tie all 6 stories together, and the last 2 pages are now burned into my brain! “My life amounts to no more than one drop in a limitless ocean. Yet what is any ocean, but a multitude of drops?” 🔥🔥🔥 Already bought 3 more Mitchell books and started Ghostwritten.

[@Talking_Story]

@@lucasbertsche3710 this absolutely makes our week and beyond. Thanks so much for sharing this I will show it to Amy right away.

[@endlessmitch9663]

David Mitchell has to be one of my favorite authors. I fell in love with Number 9 dream 20 years ago. I’m always torn between Bone clocks and Cloud Atlas for being his best novel.

[@Talking_Story]

@@endlessmitch9663 I gotta go Cloud Atlas

[@snakemtt]

Very nice vid! I've only read Cloud Atlas (I was a little bit disappointed with the resolutions to each story...) and I think I'm gonna read them in order now (Ghostwritten etc.).

[@Talking_Story]

Hit me up with your thoughts on the journey.

[@fantasyfanatic6038]

Thanks for this really interesting video! I’ve never read Mitchell so this has me interested to check him out. The premise to Cloud Atlas sounds quite similar to Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr, which I also just bought on your recommendation!

[@Talking_Story]

I will say cloud cuckoo is easier to get into. They are similar and if you dig cuckoo. You would probably also connect with atlas. Thanks so much for trusting me. Please let me know your thoughts when you get into them.

[@Kaolein]

Love this channel. Great to see such clips, with including family/friends thoughts of together-reads.

[@Talking_Story]

Thanks so much for this. So nice to hear.

[@elainedejong2806]

Based on John and Jimmy’s book recs I picked up, and stayed with, cloud atlas. To me it all comes down to. the. very. last. line.

[@Talking_Story]

The end is everything!

[@weregretohio7728]

Cloud Atlas. Read it years ago, reread it recently, and FINALLY got to another book (Ghostwritten). I'm on my way /s But I did find Cloud Atlas to be a good starting point and I loved it...

[@Talking_Story]

Yes a good starting point!

[@Mizz_Minton]

@@Talking_Story Don't get cocky, John.

[@christinepurvis6674]

I started with Cloud Atlas. I did manage to get through it on my first try, but I'm with Amy on this one, I don't think it was a great place for me to start. After listening to you both talk about him, I think I'll start over with Ghostwritten and see how I get on.

[@Talking_Story]

Let us know how it goes!

[@CombativeRoboGuy]

I love how you two mentioned how you have to trust Mitchell- how you won’t understand everything. I haven’t finished it yet- but I will as soon as my copy is still back in my hands because he is undeniably brilliant. He has mastered language in how he toys with it and I absolutely will read something else by him. The funny thing is I went into Cloud Atlas expecting all the difficulty so I have likely had an easier time getting through it.

[@Mizz_Minton]

Reverse psychology worked! Do get back to it!

[@Talking_Story]

Sounds like you had the perfect mind frame.

[@CombativeRoboGuy]

@@Mizz_Minton I can’t wait to finish it- I’m just on a trip right now and if I had to read Cloud Atlas in little bits I don’t think it would ever get done.

[@CombativeRoboGuy]

@@Talking_Story All thanks to you.

[@Talking_Story]

@@CombativeRoboGuy you are very kind 😀

[@Snally38]

Great video! I've been meaning to read cloud atlas for a while- I remember seeing the movie when it came out. Have you seen it/is it a good adaptation?

[@Talking_Story]

It is and a love letter to the source material.

[@Blackhobbit86]

I did read Cloud Atlas one time and loved it. I think for me was the movie was coming out and I wanted to read it before the movie comes out. I had just got the Broken Binding edition of Cloud Atlas recently. Time for a reread.

[@Talking_Story]

I was not aware they have done an edition. Will have to look it up.

[@sherribugd3799]

This is such a timely video! Last week I went to B&N and picked up several David Mitchell books. However I had no idea where to start! Definitely have a better idea. I really look forward to this author. I love lushly written books but sometimes literary fiction lacks the well driven plot that I prefer. It sounds like Mitchell has both of these in his books. Oh! Maybe Matilda (lol) would be willing to go through her top ten books for us? Thanks you two! Lovely video!

[@Talking_Story]

I will pass that request on to Matilda 😂

[@Mizz_Minton]

@@Talking_Story No one wants to see Matilda extol the virtues of haymaking section of Anna Karenina. 🤣

[@StoryGirl1128]

I love videos where I can learn a few things while I enjoy the chat 💖 This was a great breakdown of David Mitchell, and now I’m adding him to my mile-long TBR…I’ve read Slade House, but nothing else thus far.

[@Talking_Story]

Oh you gotta let us know what you get into!

[@pattic6077]

I love the collaboration with your wife! Bring her on more!

[@Talking_Story]

I think the plan is in place for more! Absolutely! Thanks so much.

[@laurablakeauthor]

Can you all come to Maryland so we can hang out already?

[@Talking_Story]

Right?!! Invite goes both ways Laura.

[@TheJellicle1]

My first David Mitchell was Slade House which I read when it came out because I heard about it on NPR. I had no clue what I was getting into but I thought it was creepy, weird and brilliant. Then I picked up The Bone Clocks (sort of connected) and I really liked it too though I did think the ending was about 70 pages too long. For some reason I haven't picked up anything else. I think I like when he leans more horror-fantastical than historical so I am guessing Ghostwritten and Cloud 9 Dream probably where I should go next?

[@Talking_Story]

Those are both short story collections. So they have all different kind of vibes. 1000 autumns has horror as you get pretty far into and close to the end.

[@TheJellicle1]

@@Talking_Story Great, thanks for the rec!

[@esmayrosalyne]

The passion in this video is just... unmatched, chef's kiss!! I have not yet dipped my toes into the David Mitchell universe, but you two have me very excited to do so in the future. Good to know that Cloud Atlas might not be the best entry point, that was definitely the one that I would have blindly jumped into otherwise. Thanks for sharing the love! 🤩

[@Talking_Story]

Let us know when you dive in.

[@esmayrosalyne]

@@Talking_Story you will be the first to know!!

[@1siddynickhead]

Cloud Atlas is one of my favourite books of all time. It's just brilliant! The movie adaptation is also amazing! Can't go wrong with the Wachowskis❤ I read all of his other books but unfortunately they didn't engage me like Cloud Atlas.. it's his masterpiece and everything he was trying to do before reaches its zenith

[@Talking_Story]

I agree. I feel it is his highest achievement to this point. I found the movie to be a real love letter to the source material.

[@1siddynickhead]

​@@Talking_Story​ Yes!! 100 percent! I also love that they added another layer to his narrative by making the same actors play different roles in each era. It really brought home the Eternal Recurrence theme

[@Talking_Story]

@@1siddynickhead oh I really enjoyed that as well.

[@JustBSingProductions]

“Who was blowing on the nape of my neck?”….BENEFIBER AD! Well played, KZbin. Well played. Love your videos together, my friends. The “aww shucks” sweet talk at the end preceded by Amy telling you you’re talking out of your butt. True, balanced love. My wife and I share the same kind. And I speak out of the same place as John often…

[@Talking_Story]

Straight from the butt!!

[@JustBSingProductions]

@@Talking_Storyall day, every day. And this is why the Benefiber ad makes sense.

[@Talking_Story]

@@JustBSingProductions 😂

[@nicolerosito2357]

First book of his i read was bone clocks on a friends recommendation and i loved it. That was years ago now. Ive read slade house, and a good chunk of De Zoet but couldnt get fully involved. Definitely sounds like so much fun getting into his universe of stories and finding all those connections.

[@Talking_Story]

Stick with Jacob till that creep factor hits. Pretty far into the book.

[@nicolerosito2357]

@@Talking_Story I was like, maybe 19 when I first tried. I think my brain would probably handle it better this time around. I liked what I read. Just got distracted by the 10 other books I was reading

[@Talking_Story]

@@nicolerosito2357 could totally hit differently now.

[@Dylan13Collins]

I haven't tried David Mitchell yet, but he's on my short list now for sure! The way you both explain books is so infectious! It's not just your passion but you give such emotional and physical analogies to the reading experience that just makes me want to read and see what you're talking about! I absolutely love it.

[@Talking_Story]

Thanks so much. You made our week with that.

[@Dylan13Collins]

@@Talking_Story I'm so glad! My bank account isn't going to like that i found your channel, but I'm going to love it! Lol

[@mandicruz912]

Hey!!!!!

[@Talking_Story]

Hey!

[@valliyarnl]

Cloud Atlas is one of the most special books I’ve read this year. Even though I liked some part more than others, I was in awe of how he was able to imitate the writing styles throughout the decades. The further away I get from it, the more I like it. Also I’ll never get over Frobisher and Sixsmith. In the movie trailer THE SECOND they come up I start bawling 😊

[@Talking_Story]

Yesss Frobisher and Sixsmith are amazing!

[@valliyarnl]

@@Talking_Storyjust finished the video. Gonna read Ghost Written and Thousand Autumns next! I’m thinking of doing three of his books back to back. What would be the third after those?

[@Talking_Story]

@@valliyarnl I would say at that point you would ready for Bone Clocks.

[@Mizz_Minton]

@@Talking_Story Agree.

[@Mizz_Minton]

Same. Adam Ewing does that to me, too. Those characters' love/hurt throughout time just kills me.

[@jenn9027]

You AND your wife are bad for my tbr. I've added Ghostwritten to the wishlist as my start point when I get there, she sold it just slightly better by reading the first line John. Learn from the master lol. But I like that it melds genres, I get bored with one thing, that's why I stopped reading contemporary romance. Anyways, it'll probably be a long time before I get to it, need to get through my tbr that I do have, which is a beast.

[@Talking_Story]

I totally get taming a beast of a TBR.

[@jenn9027]

​@@Talking_StoryI mean is that ever a thing for book dragons? Me thinks not.

[@Talking_Story]

@@jenn9027 you are right. Never a thing.

[@anthonym.7653]

So needed this. Read Cloud Atlas...loved it. But didn't know where to go from there. Thanks!

[@Talking_Story]

Wonderful! So happy to help.