This Mitchell and Webb Book

by Robert Webb, David Mitchell

Dive into the bizarre yet strangely familiar world of Mitchell and Webb – the wittiest men on television, or anywhere else.


From the two finest comedians of their generation comes the ultimate Christmas comedy book – lavishly illustrated in colour, containing all sorts of outrageous stuff that will have you laughing into the spring and beyond.


David Mitchell and Robert Webb have been hard at work cramming all the comic genius that marked their award-winning TV and radio shows into one very beautiful and very funny hardback book.


Ted the snooker commentator's Hello Magazine photo shoot will be unveiled for the very first time, and expect guest appearances from Dr Jonathan Miller and CSI's David Caruso.


David and Rob have also unearthed Hitler's lost text messages and some notes Peter Mandelson left on his fridge. They will offer tips on surviving the credit crunch for all those that need them.


Expect a board game put together by Sir Digby Chicken-Caesar, a guide to the cheeses of Saudi Arabia, and news of the ever-expanding range of Mitchell and Webb products.


This Mitchell and Webb book will be supported by a frankly enormous marketing budget and stunning publicity everywhere. This will be the best comedy book for a long time, not least because David and Robert have put every page together themselves.

Genres: Comedy, Humor, Nonfiction, Tv, Biography

262 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a fan of David Mitchell's comedy and yet whenever he says something that sounds remotefully sincere I am reminded that I find him really unlikable. This book was such a reminder. As for the rest of the book: I was expecting more. There are a few laughs here and there but it does seem a bit like a collection of things that didn't work for tv - so why not recycle them somewhere else?
I don't mean too sound too harsh, if you're a fan of that michell and webb look, you'll probably be amused by this nonsensical book, but don't buy it if you're only a fan of Peep Show, it's nothing like this.

[Angela Conley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's all fun. There is quite a bit of culturally centered material which makes me wish I knew more about stuff that's happened in the UK in the past ten years. However, there is also a lot of universally funny material that makes the whole thing worthwhile. I am especially taken by the How To Cope articles. There's dark humor, toilet humor, punny homor and everything else on the spectrum. In short, there's something for everyone.

[Ashish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written by my favourite comic due of ''Peep Show'' Mitchell and Webb take the sketch comedy route for this book. I liked the straight shooting text-based parts better than the more outrageous ones, which tended to be borderline shock humour which these guys don't need to resort to make us laugh.

[Dane Cobain · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know Mitchell and Webb, right – the two comedians who starred in Peep Show and the ‘I’m a PC/I’m a Mac‘ adverts? Okay, okay, I know – they’ve done loads more than that, but that’s as good a place as any to start.

Here, the two men turn their pens away from writing comedy sketches and try their hands at writing a full-length book, not necessarily alternating but taking it in turns to switch around every now and then and assume the role of the sole writer. I think most people have a favourite, and if you’re anything like me then your favourite is David Mitchell – he just has a deep and biting wit that Webb can only aspire to, although Webb does make up for this in other ways.

One of the coolest things about this book is that it’s a beautiful, big hardback, with colour printing and gorgeous designs inside. Think of it as being like the Guinness Book of Records, only funnier, less fact-based and potentially on acid. It’s a similarly-sized A4 book, and it has a matching production value, but the similarities end there – for starters, ten-year-old copies of this are much less likely to be changing hands at a car boot sale.

If you’re a fan of either David Mitchell or Robert Webb, this book’s for you. I don’t know what else to say – imagine their shows, in book form.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who hasn't already experienced Mitchell and Webb's sketch comedy. Whether it was their radio show or either of their television shows, this is very much the same kind of humour for most of the book. I found it entertaining and laughed out loud a couple of times, but curiously it isn't the sketch-style comedy that made me giggle most (in as much as a book can have sketch-style comedy). The real jewel of the piece is the ranty articles peppered throughout the book written by David Mitchell and Robert Webb individually. Although their funny ideas are good, their way with words lends them a certain something that the more visual gags are missing.

[Sam Pryce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not stop laughing at this book. David Mitchell and Robert Webb are national treasures and are two of the funniest people ever to have set foot on this planet. They're a legendary comedy duo and this book just makes them even better. Basically, it's "That Mitchell and Webb Look" in book form (Hense The Title). Every page, every line, every word is funny. (Well, maybe not every word but you catch my drift.) I STRONGLY recommend this book as it is a celebration of Mitchell and Webb's wit and comedy.

[Nickolas · Rating 4 out of 5]

"This book comes the size of a school text book and proceeds to school you in funny." That would be my cheesy quote on the back cover if I was famous. But seriously, the book is great. These guys are great. I laughed out loud time and time again with this one. I did have to google countlessly to look up what obscure UK TV or political personality they were referring to a lot of the time. Still, worth every penny.

[Philip of Macedon · Rating 3 out of 5]

If That Mitchell and Webb Look was turned into a book, this would be it. This IS it, really. Full of zingers and wit and zappers and silliness. It requires a good bit of familiarity with the show if one wishes to not be lost in some of the more specific regions of this here work of laughery. Hit and miss at times, but entertaining through and through. And it's interactive! Non-fans of the show can still laugh at it if they want to. GOOD WORK FROM M & W.

[Stefanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love comedy books, and Mitchell and Webb are one of my favorite duos. My favorite segments are probably the ranty essays, because both of them are fantastic and you can hear each of their voices perfectly in them (or is that just me? because i'm a superfan?), and also the mundane quotes of the great. Lovely stuff.

[William Clemens · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can definitely say this is the best book I have read this year. Also the first. And the only so far. Still, it's great if you like Mitchell and Webb.

I will admit, this is a bit more topical and somewhat more UK centric so there were things I didn't entirely understand. Overall though it runs in the same vein as the pair's comedy and I liked it a lot.

[Simon · Rating 1 out of 5]

Picked it up cheap in a charity shop and still feel robbed. Apart from a couple of columns written by Mitchell there's almost nothing here that even raised a smile. Page after page of unfunny randomness and non-jokes stretched to breaking point. None of the wit of satirical bite of the TV show. Avoid.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Mitchell and Webb. I'm American so a lot of the pop culture references were lost on me. I enjoyed the book anyway though. I'm sure I would have enjoyed it 100 times more if I got the references but even without the references a lot of it was funny.

[Emerson (Ariel) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seriously hilarious, and, as usual, makes complete sense. On the downside, it was way too short. I loved the audiobook because it was them reading it, like an episode of a show. However, it seems like I just got into it when it ended. :-/ I'm going to simply have to get more of their work.

[Beverley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just halarious loves it

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

so boring, shame bcus i usually love their work on tv.

[Hans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very mixed - not every idea translates well to the pages. A few moments of genius, but also some bits that are rather overworked and spread a little thin.

[Sriram K R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Howlarious, as expected. More like an extended 2 hour coffee table book. Mundane quotes of the great is my personal favourite within the book.

[Sol Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty impressive translation of the sketch show into a book format. A similar sort of hit ratio in that bits of it are very meh but some parts are genuinely very funny.

The section for people who had the book gifted to them because they’re fans of The Mighty Boosh and their grandma can’t tell the difference between the Boosh and Mitchell & Webb in particular, is brilliant.

7.5/10

[Reedin Rainbough · Rating 1 out of 5]

Utter rubbish. I'm normally a big fan of anything Mitchell & Webb but this was a hugely disappointing read.

[Stephen Hero · Rating 3 out of 5]

This sucks.

I *thought* that I put my greatest enemy in his place when I said to him "Your mother moving to the other side of the townhouse doesn't count as a breakup."

My greatest enemy then quickly countered with "Go back to making maps for your fictional countries."

'This is rather a startling departure from Twentieth Century principles,' I mused as I then volleyed "You must hate being unwillingly disciplined by the constant danger of ridicule from your lighter-handed juniors"

My greatest enemy then quickly countered with "When your girlfriend broke up with you did she say 'Don't be sad, we can still be siblings?'"

I was out of sorts. "Please go away!" I found myself shouting. "You're shattering my religious ecstasy."

My greatest enemy then quickly countered with "Actually, did she really break up with you or did she just deflate?"

I was now a careful mess of ambition and poor judgment, so I decided to keep my mouth shut and delete my browser history.

Unfortunately, my greatest enemy was on his game, countering with "My girlfriend broke up with me and my cat ran away, so crushing you with these ongoing verbal salvos is my last chance at pussy."

There's probably a rule here somewhere.

[Hannah Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a love-hate relationship with this book. I love the games pages, and David Mitchell's rants about coffee and what-not, but I think a lot of the jokes would have been better presented on screen rather than paper. I love Mitchell and Webb's work though, and it is fun to flick through as long as you flick onto the right page.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely no where near as good as the show, or actors themselves but still an OK book. A bit hit and miss- some of it made me titter, some didn't make me laugh at all. The essay like pieces were the best bits and entertained me.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the show it is a bit hit and miss, but what hits really hits the target. Reassuring that they're still funny years after their breakthrough stuff

[Marcus Gipps · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Mitchell & Webb Book is quite fun - there's obviously been some level of effort put in to it, but in the end it is one of those overpriced Xmas Hardbacks.