David Mitchell
David Mitchell is a prominent British author, recognized for his innovative narrative style and complex storytelling. Born in Worcestershire, England, in the latter half of the twentieth century, he pursued higher education in English and comparative literature at the University of Kent. Following his studies, Mitchell lived in Sicily briefly before moving to Hiroshima, Japan, where he taught English for eight years. During this period, he wrote his first novel, *Ghostwritten*, which garnered critical acclaim upon its release.
Mitchell's literary career flourished in the early twenty-first century, earning him numerous accolades, including nominations for the Man Booker Prize for titles such as *Cloud Atlas* and *Number9dream*. His novel *Cloud Atlas*, known for its intricate structure and interwoven narratives, received significant recognition, further establishing him as one of the leading figures in contemporary literature. Other notable works include *Black Swan Green*, a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story, and *The Bone Clocks*, which echoes the stylistic innovations of *Cloud Atlas*. In addition to his novels, Mitchell co-wrote the screenplay for *The Matrix Resurrections* and continues to write from his home in Ireland.
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Subject Terms
David Mitchell
Writer
- Born: January 1, 1969
- Place of Birth: Southport, Lancashire, England
Biography
David Mitchell, best known for his novels, was born in the latter half of the twentieth century in Worcestershire, England. He received both a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s in comparative literature from the University at Kent. After graduation, Mitchell lived in Sicily for a short period, before settling in Hiroshima to teach English at Hiroshima Kokusai University to technical classes for eight years. It was during this time that he wrote two novels, but only one was published, Ghostwritten, a novel written in a narrative style. In the early twenty-first century, he returned to the British Isles to become one of the youngest critically acclaimed and popular authors.
Since that first novel, Mitchell's career has continued to rise and made him the recipient of a number of nominations and awards, including the John Llewellyn Rhys prize and the Guardian First Book Award short list for his first novel, Ghostwritten; the Man Booker Prize short list for Number9dream and Cloud Atlas; and the National Book Critics Circle Award nomination, the Nebula Award nomination for best novel, and the Arthur C. Clarke short list for Cloud Atlas. He was named one of the twenty “Best of Young British Novelists” by Granta magazine. Cloud Atlas was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. Black Swan Green, a coming-of-age story based in part on his own life, was published in 2006. This was followed by The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet in 2010. The Bone Clocks, which followed a similar format as Cloud Atlas, was released to critical acclaim in 2014. The Bone Clocks was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. The following year, he started writing a story in the world of The Bone Clocks on Twitter. The story later became his 2015 novel, Slade House. Mitchell followed Slade House with his novel Utopia Avenue in 2020. The author then collaborated with Lana Watchowski and Hemon to write the screenplay for the 2021 film The Matrix Resurrections.
Mitchell settled in Ireland with his wife.
Bibliography
Crouch, Ian. "The Great American Twitter Novel." New Yorker. Condé Nast, 23 July 2014. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.
Jeffries, Stuart. "David Mitchell: 'I Don't Want to Project Myself as This Great Experimenter.'" Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 8 Feb. 2013. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.
Mitchell, David. "David Mitchell, The Art of Fiction No. 204." Interview by Adam Begley. Paris Review. Paris Review, Summer 2010. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.
Mitchell, David. "Q&A with David Mitchell, Literary Platypus." Vanity Fair. Condé Nast, 20 July 2010. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.
Preston, Alex. "Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell Review: Endless Prog Rock Noodling." The Guardian, 19 July 2020, www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jul/19/utopia-avenue-by-david-mitchell-review-endless-prog-rock-noodling. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
Schulz, Kathryn. "Boundaries Are Conventions. And The Bone Clocks Author David Mitchell Transcends Them All." Vulture. New York Media, 25 Aug. 2014. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.