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Dishonesty Is the Second-Best Policy: And Other Rules to Live By
David Mitchell’s 2014 bestseller Thinking About It Only Makes It Worse must really have made people think – because everything’s got worse.
We’ve gone from UKIP surge to Brexit shambles, from horsemeat in lasagne to Donald Trump in the White House, from Woolworths going under to all the other shops going under. It’s probably socially irresponsible even to attempt to cheer up.
But if you’re determined to give it a go, you might enjoy this eclectic collection (or eclection) of David Mitchell’s attempts to make light of all that darkness. Scampi, politics, the Olympics, terrorism, exercise, rude street names, inheritance tax, salad cream, proportional representation and farts are all touched upon by Mitchell’s unremitting laser of chit-chat, as he negotiates a path between the commercialisation of Christmas and the true spirit of Halloween. Read this book and slightly change your life!
We’ve gone from UKIP surge to Brexit shambles, from horsemeat in lasagne to Donald Trump in the White House, from Woolworths going under to all the other shops going under. It’s probably socially irresponsible even to attempt to cheer up.
But if you’re determined to give it a go, you might enjoy this eclectic collection (or eclection) of David Mitchell’s attempts to make light of all that darkness. Scampi, politics, the Olympics, terrorism, exercise, rude street names, inheritance tax, salad cream, proportional representation and farts are all touched upon by Mitchell’s unremitting laser of chit-chat, as he negotiates a path between the commercialisation of Christmas and the true spirit of Halloween. Read this book and slightly change your life!
264 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2019
601 people are currently reading
2924 people want to read
About the author
David Mitchell
58 books932 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
David Mitchell is a British actor, comedian and writer. He is one half of the comedic duo Mitchell and Webb, alongside Robert Webb, whom he met at Cambridge University. There they were both part of the Cambridge Footlights, of which Mitchell became President. Together the duo starred in the Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show in which Mitchell plays Mark Corrigan. The show received a BAFTA and won three British Comedy Awards, while Mitchell won the award for Best Comedy Performance in 2009. The duo have written and starred in several sketch shows including The Mitchell and Webb Situation, That Mitchell and Webb Sound and most recently That Mitchell and Webb Look. Mitchell and Webb also star in the UK version of Apple's Get a Mac advertisement campaign. Their first film, Magicians, in which Mitchell plays traditional magician Harry, was released on 18 May 2007.
On his own, Mitchell has played Dr James Vine in the BBC1 sitcom Jam & Jerusalem and Tim in the one-off ShakespeaRe-Told adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew. He also is a frequent participant on British panel shows, including QI, Mock the Week and Have I Got News for You, as well as Best of the Worst and Would I Lie to You? on each of which he is a team captain, and The Unbelievable Truth which he hosts. Regarding his personal life, Mitchell considers himself a "worrier" and lives in a flat in Kilburn.
Author biography and photograph obtained from Wikipedia.
David Mitchell is a British actor, comedian and writer. He is one half of the comedic duo Mitchell and Webb, alongside Robert Webb, whom he met at Cambridge University. There they were both part of the Cambridge Footlights, of which Mitchell became President. Together the duo starred in the Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show in which Mitchell plays Mark Corrigan. The show received a BAFTA and won three British Comedy Awards, while Mitchell won the award for Best Comedy Performance in 2009. The duo have written and starred in several sketch shows including The Mitchell and Webb Situation, That Mitchell and Webb Sound and most recently That Mitchell and Webb Look. Mitchell and Webb also star in the UK version of Apple's Get a Mac advertisement campaign. Their first film, Magicians, in which Mitchell plays traditional magician Harry, was released on 18 May 2007.
On his own, Mitchell has played Dr James Vine in the BBC1 sitcom Jam & Jerusalem and Tim in the one-off ShakespeaRe-Told adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew. He also is a frequent participant on British panel shows, including QI, Mock the Week and Have I Got News for You, as well as Best of the Worst and Would I Lie to You? on each of which he is a team captain, and The Unbelievable Truth which he hosts. Regarding his personal life, Mitchell considers himself a "worrier" and lives in a flat in Kilburn.
Author biography and photograph obtained from Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 469 reviews
December 10, 2022
Why did I read this? Simply because I like what I have seen of David Mitchell on various British television shows. He's a funny man, no doubt about it.
Did I like the book? Not really. There is probably nothing wrong with the book but it just isn't for me. I may even go as far as saying it is not really for anyone outside of the UK, or expats.
Why? Because rather than being the humourous tale that I hoped for, it is more a social commentary, and a British social commentary at that.
If your interests include Brexit, Boris Johnson, David Cameron, Theresa May and the class divide in England then perhaps this book is right up your alley - provided you agree with Mitchell. I assume if you disagree you would find this to be an aggravating read.
Again, probably a fairly good book, but just not my thing, nor what I hoped for.
Did I like the book? Not really. There is probably nothing wrong with the book but it just isn't for me. I may even go as far as saying it is not really for anyone outside of the UK, or expats.
Why? Because rather than being the humourous tale that I hoped for, it is more a social commentary, and a British social commentary at that.
If your interests include Brexit, Boris Johnson, David Cameron, Theresa May and the class divide in England then perhaps this book is right up your alley - provided you agree with Mitchell. I assume if you disagree you would find this to be an aggravating read.
Again, probably a fairly good book, but just not my thing, nor what I hoped for.
November 21, 2019
David Mitchell is a very funny man - he is also very clever. My family are all English and I married an Englishman so we watch a lot of UK TV. You have probably seen David Mitchell on QI, Would I Lie to You, Mitchell and Webb and plenty of other UK programs.
When reading this book I was reading it as I imagined he would be saying it all - hard not to. I really enjoyed this look at life through David's eyes - a series of columns from a British paper. He talks about everything from Trump to Brexit, from Champagne to chocolate, cosmetics to God and everything in between. There is a lot of talk to UK politics as you would expect but some of this went over my head (politics is not really my thing) His views on cosmetic surgery, advertising and the BBC did make me laugh.
This is a book that anybody can enjoy. Very entertaining. Thank you Allen and Unwin Australia for my copy of this book to read.
When reading this book I was reading it as I imagined he would be saying it all - hard not to. I really enjoyed this look at life through David's eyes - a series of columns from a British paper. He talks about everything from Trump to Brexit, from Champagne to chocolate, cosmetics to God and everything in between. There is a lot of talk to UK politics as you would expect but some of this went over my head (politics is not really my thing) His views on cosmetic surgery, advertising and the BBC did make me laugh.
This is a book that anybody can enjoy. Very entertaining. Thank you Allen and Unwin Australia for my copy of this book to read.
February 17, 2021
Witty, insightful and enjoyable.
January 12, 2020
In the review section for this book on Goodreads, I saw that a few people put the book down after reading the introduction. I can sort of see why. It wasn't the happy, comical interpretation of modern society that many of us would be expecting from David Mitchell. The tone of the introduction does not fit well with the rest of the book. This is, of course, because the book is a collection of Mitchell's columns from The Guardian, not a traditional work of creative nonfiction. This is not a criticism of the book - only an observation.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The topics covered varied from pampered celebrities and politicians to the everyday hilarity of funny street names and farts. It is good, once in a while, to step back from thinking seriously and just have a laugh.
Not that Mitchell's sharp wit makes light of the more serious topics. Behind the clever wordplay and piss-taking there is a genuine exploration of what is going on. It's a bit like watching Mock the Week, where the panelists "mock" what has been in the news that week but there is a sharp edge to their criticisms.
This was a great book, and half-way through, I bought his first book, "Thinking about it only makes it worse," because it's always fun to laugh at history (as that book is filled with columns over the five(ish) years before 2015.
Don't take the book too seriously, but it will still make you think.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The topics covered varied from pampered celebrities and politicians to the everyday hilarity of funny street names and farts. It is good, once in a while, to step back from thinking seriously and just have a laugh.
Not that Mitchell's sharp wit makes light of the more serious topics. Behind the clever wordplay and piss-taking there is a genuine exploration of what is going on. It's a bit like watching Mock the Week, where the panelists "mock" what has been in the news that week but there is a sharp edge to their criticisms.
This was a great book, and half-way through, I bought his first book, "Thinking about it only makes it worse," because it's always fun to laugh at history (as that book is filled with columns over the five(ish) years before 2015.
Don't take the book too seriously, but it will still make you think.
November 24, 2022
If you want to hear David Mitchell railing against the world and don't get enough of it from the various panel shows he's on, then this is perfect for you.
Despite the 2* rating, I did enjoy the 8 hour rant as it's laced with David Mitchells trademark wit and insight. But it's basically a collection of his Guardian columns, which even at the time of publication were no longer current or relevant, and which will only continue to age badly with each passing day.
Despite the 2* rating, I did enjoy the 8 hour rant as it's laced with David Mitchells trademark wit and insight. But it's basically a collection of his Guardian columns, which even at the time of publication were no longer current or relevant, and which will only continue to age badly with each passing day.
August 22, 2020
2.5 stars
I still really like David Mitchell’s wit, but the format of this book is not favorable. Essentially a collection of a few recent years of his pop culture/politics op-eds in the Guardian, Mitchell himself jokingly described it by saying “I’m going to really double down on the out-of-touch hypocritical centrist whingeing.” While that self-deprecation is funny, it’s also a critique that’s partially apt (if exaggerated for defensive effect).
Whingeing is a reductive but basically correct description of each article’s tone of mildly Luddite skepticism leavened with a slightly whimsical acceptance of whatever he’s calling attention to. Reading one of these short op-eds every week or so for a few years might have been ephemerally pleasant, but reading tens of them in a row feels like trying to eat a full course dinner where everything’s made from dill pickles.
Similarly, though his personal worldview seems relatively more progressive, the political approaches he favors as the only realistic ones are indeed a defeated acceptance of centrist nudging to the status quo. At a time when contemporary problems seem so urgent and difficult to resolve democratically, this sort of opinion writing just feels pointless; the withering tone he presents it in doesn’t make it any better. One or two articles are also clearly inspired by “I said a dumb thing on Twitter and randoms in my replies were mean” which must be the lucrative op-ed version of describing your half-remembered dreams to another person.
On the plus side, the UK focus of a lot of these is fresher as a non-UK reader vs rehashing similarly frivolous US issues I’m already exhausted by and don’t care to revisit. I’d also still love to read some longer form essays (comedic or not) from Mitchell that have a stronger purpose, or memoir writing, or basically anything other than repackaged weekly pop newspaper columns, so I‘ll probably look into some of his earlier books at some point. Glad to be done with this one, though.
I still really like David Mitchell’s wit, but the format of this book is not favorable. Essentially a collection of a few recent years of his pop culture/politics op-eds in the Guardian, Mitchell himself jokingly described it by saying “I’m going to really double down on the out-of-touch hypocritical centrist whingeing.” While that self-deprecation is funny, it’s also a critique that’s partially apt (if exaggerated for defensive effect).
Whingeing is a reductive but basically correct description of each article’s tone of mildly Luddite skepticism leavened with a slightly whimsical acceptance of whatever he’s calling attention to. Reading one of these short op-eds every week or so for a few years might have been ephemerally pleasant, but reading tens of them in a row feels like trying to eat a full course dinner where everything’s made from dill pickles.
Similarly, though his personal worldview seems relatively more progressive, the political approaches he favors as the only realistic ones are indeed a defeated acceptance of centrist nudging to the status quo. At a time when contemporary problems seem so urgent and difficult to resolve democratically, this sort of opinion writing just feels pointless; the withering tone he presents it in doesn’t make it any better. One or two articles are also clearly inspired by “I said a dumb thing on Twitter and randoms in my replies were mean” which must be the lucrative op-ed version of describing your half-remembered dreams to another person.
On the plus side, the UK focus of a lot of these is fresher as a non-UK reader vs rehashing similarly frivolous US issues I’m already exhausted by and don’t care to revisit. I’d also still love to read some longer form essays (comedic or not) from Mitchell that have a stronger purpose, or memoir writing, or basically anything other than repackaged weekly pop newspaper columns, so I‘ll probably look into some of his earlier books at some point. Glad to be done with this one, though.
November 13, 2020
I got this from Audible the last time I had credits to spare (coincidentally right before cancelling Audible... again). I love David Mitchell. I'm not British, but I think David Mitchell may be my spirit animal. (Well, except regarding how he feels about surround sound. REALLY, David?? You look behind you to see what that explosion was? LOL Whut? OK.)
But really, in almost every other thing, I think we're samesies. I found myself laughing quite a lot while listening to this book, and nodding and agreeing.
I think the title of this book was a bit misleading though - or maybe just the subtitle part of it. I was expecting something more along the lines of Bill Maher's "New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer" because of that... which are obviously observation, but are framed around actual "rules" that Maher makes. Instead, this book was a collection of articles and opinion pieces previously published elsewhere, and recollected here, plus a bonus Audible exclusive chapter with random tidbits of randomness.
Still, overall, I really enjoyed it. Would recommend.
But really, in almost every other thing, I think we're samesies. I found myself laughing quite a lot while listening to this book, and nodding and agreeing.
I think the title of this book was a bit misleading though - or maybe just the subtitle part of it. I was expecting something more along the lines of Bill Maher's "New Rules: Polite Musings from a Timid Observer" because of that... which are obviously observation, but are framed around actual "rules" that Maher makes. Instead, this book was a collection of articles and opinion pieces previously published elsewhere, and recollected here, plus a bonus Audible exclusive chapter with random tidbits of randomness.
Still, overall, I really enjoyed it. Would recommend.
November 25, 2019
A collection of Mitchell's newspaper columns covering 2014-2019. A mix of wit, humour, sarcasm and despair. Rather entertaining.
November 25, 2020
Dishonesty is the Second-Best Policy: And Other Rules to Live By (2019) is the follow up to Thinking About It Only Makes It Worse: And Other Lessons from Modern Life (2014) which I somewhat belatedly read in January 2020.
Both books are a collection of David Mitchell's satirical Observer newspaper columns. I almost didn't bother, I mean what's more dated than a satirical newpaper column? As it turns out these articles not only give a great snapshot of politics, current affairs and society at the moment they were written but are also very witty and perceptive. I laughed out loud, I smiled a lot, and concluded much of it was also wise and clever. I recommend both volumes if that sounds like the kind of thing you'd enjoy.
4/5
Both books are a collection of David Mitchell's satirical Observer newspaper columns. I almost didn't bother, I mean what's more dated than a satirical newpaper column? As it turns out these articles not only give a great snapshot of politics, current affairs and society at the moment they were written but are also very witty and perceptive. I laughed out loud, I smiled a lot, and concluded much of it was also wise and clever. I recommend both volumes if that sounds like the kind of thing you'd enjoy.
4/5
December 17, 2021
Yes, the other David Mitchell. But to me he is “the one” and the other one is the other one. The cutie pie from QI et al.
He is so much fun in a verbal spar with other comedians, but in the Introduction to this volume….not so much, I’m sorry to say. The Introduction makes some excessively loquacious remarks about dishonesty that’s funny in spots. Skim it or skip it but don’t stop there! (Hey, doesn’t the word “skip” in the queen’s language mean “trash can?”)
But the essays and newspaper columns throughout? They show keen and well-thought-out observations and well-written criticism of today’s weirdness, and I am more edified having read them. Overall, I was impressed by how well he summarized complex ideas so economically and perfectly. Being blunt and forthright myself, I appreciate his forthright stance.
Looking back at all of my highlights and bookmarks, these are SOME of the concepts he explores the truthfulness of that particularly spoke to me:
Opinions, capitalism, global warming, identity theft, anonymity, actors anonymity, truth in advertising, photography, English chocolate bars, music, fine art, business conglomerates, news, paleontology monopoly, healthcare, style, and an incredibly popular British documentary about Bros, an ‘80s band I had never heard of but will have to see, I guess.
I’m sorry to say there were sections I skimmed or skipped. Since dishonesty is almost as good as honesty, I should admit that I don’t follow English politics as assiduously as he follows US politics, which makes sense in a way since politics is all about dishonesty, isn’t it? But if I’m allowed to be honest, I should admit that the only English politics I’ve seen this year is a video of the prime minister coughing and sneezing while magnetic letters kept disappearing in the background. Maybe if the English politicians did TikTok spots, average dumb ass Americans like me could follow along?
He is so much fun in a verbal spar with other comedians, but in the Introduction to this volume….not so much, I’m sorry to say. The Introduction makes some excessively loquacious remarks about dishonesty that’s funny in spots. Skim it or skip it but don’t stop there! (Hey, doesn’t the word “skip” in the queen’s language mean “trash can?”)
But the essays and newspaper columns throughout? They show keen and well-thought-out observations and well-written criticism of today’s weirdness, and I am more edified having read them. Overall, I was impressed by how well he summarized complex ideas so economically and perfectly. Being blunt and forthright myself, I appreciate his forthright stance.
Looking back at all of my highlights and bookmarks, these are SOME of the concepts he explores the truthfulness of that particularly spoke to me:
Opinions, capitalism, global warming, identity theft, anonymity, actors anonymity, truth in advertising, photography, English chocolate bars, music, fine art, business conglomerates, news, paleontology monopoly, healthcare, style, and an incredibly popular British documentary about Bros, an ‘80s band I had never heard of but will have to see, I guess.
I’m sorry to say there were sections I skimmed or skipped. Since dishonesty is almost as good as honesty, I should admit that I don’t follow English politics as assiduously as he follows US politics, which makes sense in a way since politics is all about dishonesty, isn’t it? But if I’m allowed to be honest, I should admit that the only English politics I’ve seen this year is a video of the prime minister coughing and sneezing while magnetic letters kept disappearing in the background. Maybe if the English politicians did TikTok spots, average dumb ass Americans like me could follow along?
October 22, 2020
As expected, highly amusing rants and angry logic of the kind heard on QI. Always listen to the audiobook.
December 14, 2022
This is basically a collection of articles that Mitchell wrote for his newspaper column, and that means that we’ve got a lot of different topics to take a look at here. It’s basically the usual fare that you’d expect from him, railing at the injustices of the world and the bizarreness of everyday life.
I should point out that this is David Mitchell the comedian and not David Mitchell who wrote Cloud Atlas, although both of them are worth reading. Comedian Mitchell is one of my favourites thanks to both Peep Show and That Mitchell and Webb Look, and it’s interesting that it doesn’t feel dated even though it was written before the pandemic, which changed half the things that he talks about here.
If you like Mitchell’s sharp and acerbic take on things then you’re going to find quite a lot to enjoy here. I particularly enjoyed it when he was writing about art and artistic form, such as when he was musing on why the chairs on theatres are so unnecessarily uncomfortable, especially given that they don’t stop people from falling asleep.
All in all, then, if you’re up for an easy-to-read piece of non-fiction then I’d recommend checking this one out. Just be warned that because it’s a collection of newspaper articles, it’s not as though it has a particularly natural rhythm to it. It stops and starts, and that’s just fine. Happy reading, folks.
I should point out that this is David Mitchell the comedian and not David Mitchell who wrote Cloud Atlas, although both of them are worth reading. Comedian Mitchell is one of my favourites thanks to both Peep Show and That Mitchell and Webb Look, and it’s interesting that it doesn’t feel dated even though it was written before the pandemic, which changed half the things that he talks about here.
If you like Mitchell’s sharp and acerbic take on things then you’re going to find quite a lot to enjoy here. I particularly enjoyed it when he was writing about art and artistic form, such as when he was musing on why the chairs on theatres are so unnecessarily uncomfortable, especially given that they don’t stop people from falling asleep.
All in all, then, if you’re up for an easy-to-read piece of non-fiction then I’d recommend checking this one out. Just be warned that because it’s a collection of newspaper articles, it’s not as though it has a particularly natural rhythm to it. It stops and starts, and that’s just fine. Happy reading, folks.
January 4, 2020
Well, what a timely read. The world really is upside down and completely bonkers at the moment. Britain, well I’ll try and leave Brexit chat in 2019, where I wish I could also leave Trump and his outlandish knee-jerk reactions. However, here we are in 2020 and rather than thinking, we can shake off the bad stuff and the evil do-ers who lurk behind cameras (Weinstein), in front of them (Spacey, Louis CK, Lauer), and warmongers (well, we all know those characters). I’m sat at home, on my laptop, writing this review on my blog to distract myself from the fact the wonderful country I call home is an inferno. It’s all really rather sad.
When the chips are down, Brit’s handle things in several key ways. Sarcasm, ranting, stiff upper lip and humour. David Mitchell checks all three boxes in Dishonesty Is The Second Best Policy, so there is no need to check his passport and he definitely has the birthright to do all of the above.
I LOVE David Mitchell and the way he writes. I first discovered him watching That Mitchell and Webb Look and Peep Show, later with his other books Thinking About It Only Makes It Worse and Back Story. He’s appeared on lots of panel and chat shows since and always makes me laugh, whilst at the same time hitting a point home with piercing linguistic timing.
That’s how painkillers are pitched: clean, targeted, medicinal. “Feeling crap? Drug yourself up a bit!” Is not a slogan that’s caught on. “Try smothering your body’s warning system with a chemical – hopefully everything will have sorted itself out by the time it wears off!” just doesn’t have the reassuring pharmaceutical feel that’s vital to building brand confidence. – Excerpt from Dishonesty Is The Second Best Policy
Dishonesty Is The Second Best Policy is no exception. Wry, cutting, smart and full of facts and knowledge you didn’t think you needed to know. Chapters cover popular and unpopular cultures, such as the huge shift towards veganism, the titans of the 21st century, the internet and how social media is slowly destroying us all, and my favourite chapter heading; no artex please, we’re British. However, my absolute favourite part is when Mitchell tries to dissect just what the hell Liam Neeson was thinking with his colossally surprising outburst while doing a press junket for Cold Pursuit. Just brilliant.
Be warned though, don’t attempt it all in one sitting. Flick through the chapters and read them piece-meal otherwise it’ll all become rather ranty and depressing. And, we don’t need any more of that right now.
One of my last reads of 2019 and one of the most enjoyable. If not so truthfully worrying!
When the chips are down, Brit’s handle things in several key ways. Sarcasm, ranting, stiff upper lip and humour. David Mitchell checks all three boxes in Dishonesty Is The Second Best Policy, so there is no need to check his passport and he definitely has the birthright to do all of the above.
I LOVE David Mitchell and the way he writes. I first discovered him watching That Mitchell and Webb Look and Peep Show, later with his other books Thinking About It Only Makes It Worse and Back Story. He’s appeared on lots of panel and chat shows since and always makes me laugh, whilst at the same time hitting a point home with piercing linguistic timing.
That’s how painkillers are pitched: clean, targeted, medicinal. “Feeling crap? Drug yourself up a bit!” Is not a slogan that’s caught on. “Try smothering your body’s warning system with a chemical – hopefully everything will have sorted itself out by the time it wears off!” just doesn’t have the reassuring pharmaceutical feel that’s vital to building brand confidence. – Excerpt from Dishonesty Is The Second Best Policy
Dishonesty Is The Second Best Policy is no exception. Wry, cutting, smart and full of facts and knowledge you didn’t think you needed to know. Chapters cover popular and unpopular cultures, such as the huge shift towards veganism, the titans of the 21st century, the internet and how social media is slowly destroying us all, and my favourite chapter heading; no artex please, we’re British. However, my absolute favourite part is when Mitchell tries to dissect just what the hell Liam Neeson was thinking with his colossally surprising outburst while doing a press junket for Cold Pursuit. Just brilliant.
Be warned though, don’t attempt it all in one sitting. Flick through the chapters and read them piece-meal otherwise it’ll all become rather ranty and depressing. And, we don’t need any more of that right now.
One of my last reads of 2019 and one of the most enjoyable. If not so truthfully worrying!
April 17, 2023
2014-2019
November 19, 2020
The best part of this book is that, if I take the dust cover off, and paint over the spine, I'll have a moderately nice decoration for a shelf I don't own.
Really boring, light on laughs, heavy on middle-classed woes that bounces between apologetic nonsense and deft prose that falls on truly weary ears.
Still, a very easy read, light on just about every level.
Really boring, light on laughs, heavy on middle-classed woes that bounces between apologetic nonsense and deft prose that falls on truly weary ears.
Still, a very easy read, light on just about every level.
July 14, 2021
Ho hum. David Mitchell is a very funny, smart man, but a book of his collection of columns just seems a lazy way to make a buck. And it just didn’t hang together for me in any way that I felt compelled to keep reading. I snorted with laughter a few times, hence the two stars, but this ultimately has ended up being the first book in many many years that I won’t be finishing.
February 1, 2020
Really enjoyed this - felt it worked particularly well as an audiobook as David Mitchell himself reads it, which adds to the comedy value. Perfect for anyone that is a fan of his comedy and work, and despite containing articles from as early as 2014 it is still humorously relevant.
November 1, 2021
“In a context of almost complete religious freedom, many of us rely on similar back-of-an-envelope answers to eternal questions, because adopting the answers thousands of full-time ponderers have come up with over thousands of years feels like squandering that freedom.”
"Ï hate to be put in a position where I am completely in control because, then if something goes wrong, then it is entirely my fault"
3.5 Stars!
I have a bit of bias here, I am a fan of David Mitchell's intellectual funny rants. So when I picked up this book, I knew exactly what to expect - social awkward, slightly elitist, Tory snubbing done with a whole lot of exaggeration. And he delivers.
The book is a collection of columns written for the Independent/Observer with an additional section written for Audible. The last section which is a set of future headlines predictions is one of the most hilarious sections of the book which is also funny because they could be true. Equally funny is the preface where he explains the title. Now if I were David, I would have dismissed the review as someone calling it a bascially pointless book that has only the preface and an appendix that works. :D
Loosely grouped together under a structure, the articles are sarcastic and cynical, much like the general citizen of England. The state of politics in EU, the Brexit decision, Tech advancements and the social media addiction are touched upon. There were some parts that were laugh out loud, some that brought on a smile and many that had a mental nod of "Ök, i see this could be funny" which is not saying much.
As a fan of WILTY, this is definitely a short recharge.
"Ï hate to be put in a position where I am completely in control because, then if something goes wrong, then it is entirely my fault"
3.5 Stars!
I have a bit of bias here, I am a fan of David Mitchell's intellectual funny rants. So when I picked up this book, I knew exactly what to expect - social awkward, slightly elitist, Tory snubbing done with a whole lot of exaggeration. And he delivers.
The book is a collection of columns written for the Independent/Observer with an additional section written for Audible. The last section which is a set of future headlines predictions is one of the most hilarious sections of the book which is also funny because they could be true. Equally funny is the preface where he explains the title. Now if I were David, I would have dismissed the review as someone calling it a bascially pointless book that has only the preface and an appendix that works. :D
Loosely grouped together under a structure, the articles are sarcastic and cynical, much like the general citizen of England. The state of politics in EU, the Brexit decision, Tech advancements and the social media addiction are touched upon. There were some parts that were laugh out loud, some that brought on a smile and many that had a mental nod of "Ök, i see this could be funny" which is not saying much.
As a fan of WILTY, this is definitely a short recharge.
January 28, 2021
I wasn't sure whether to give this 4 stars or 3. Mitchell is a funny man, who I mostly know from watching British game shows on YouTube. (I know how to live.) He is most famous in the states for the Mitchell and Webb series, which is genuinely brilliant. And this book is good but there are more smiles than laughs in this compilation of newspaper columns.
Mitchell and I are virtually the same age and seem to be on a nearly identical spot of the political spectrum of our respective countries. We share a sensibility and I envy his writing style But this is a compilation of newspaper columns written for Brits. I'm sure that I missed a lot of jokes because I was not familiar with a given TV presenter or 2nd tier politician.
But I liked the book. And I like Mitchell. Earlier today I tried watching a movie on Amazon prime hat was dreadful. I bailed 10 minutes in. The average Amazon review for that movie is 3.6 stars. Surely this book is better than that. So grading on a slight curve, 4 stars.
Mitchell and I are virtually the same age and seem to be on a nearly identical spot of the political spectrum of our respective countries. We share a sensibility and I envy his writing style But this is a compilation of newspaper columns written for Brits. I'm sure that I missed a lot of jokes because I was not familiar with a given TV presenter or 2nd tier politician.
But I liked the book. And I like Mitchell. Earlier today I tried watching a movie on Amazon prime hat was dreadful. I bailed 10 minutes in. The average Amazon review for that movie is 3.6 stars. Surely this book is better than that. So grading on a slight curve, 4 stars.
February 18, 2021
A book for dipping into rather than reading from cover to cover like a novel; Dishonesty is the Second Best Policy is a collection of newspaper articles David Mitchell wrote over a number of years for the Guardian.
It covers an eclectic range of topics, so there's probably something in there for everyone. Some of the articles made me laugh, others made me annoyed, and quite a few made me think, which can't be a bad thing.
It covers an eclectic range of topics, so there's probably something in there for everyone. Some of the articles made me laugh, others made me annoyed, and quite a few made me think, which can't be a bad thing.
February 22, 2020
As always for a collection of various works - some were a miss, but the ones that hit had me laughing uproariously in public spaces.
January 13, 2022
If you have read any of David Mitchell's columns in The Observer, you will know what to expect from this book (which is largely a collection of these columns from the mid 2010s): funny-angry-logic. And chances are, when you read the columns, you do so with his voice in your mind. Well, with the audio version of you book you can literally listen to it being read by David Mitchell, which is even more fun. Prepare for lots of chuckling and nodding..
May 25, 2025
Let him cook.
November 9, 2020
3½⭐
Very funny at times. Really enjoyed the audiobook; I feel hearing it in Mitchell's own voice added to my enjoyment.
Very funny at times. Really enjoyed the audiobook; I feel hearing it in Mitchell's own voice added to my enjoyment.
November 21, 2019
What David Mitchell's does well, amusing whinging.
April 3, 2024
Skemmtileg; mörg góð take á samtímann.
October 23, 2022
Love David Mitchell and I definitely enjoyed this but I cannot remember a single thing from it
March 17, 2022
I’ve spent the last 2 days listening to David Mitchell rant about stuff and it’s been a very enjoyable experience.
December 7, 2019
A collection of David Mitchell’s columns from The Observer, which summarise in a often funny and always perceptive way the rage and Weltschmerz I’ve felt over the last 4 years. Brilliant, amusing and, in many places, depressing.
January 3, 2020
Opinion columns for The Observer, ranging across the usual set of current affairs and personal observations, but most closely circling British politics of the last four years.
Mitchell is obviously used to working with words, and his pieces are excellent writing of the sort that often goes under-appreciated -- too much of a sprint next to the memoirist's personal novel, and without any overarching argument to make into a nonfiction book of any other sort. They really are well-crafted, though, something which is only made more enjoyable by Mitchell's self-critical rambling, ability to draw fine distinctions, and willingness to apologise for all of that with some silly wordplay.
His actual opinions are for the most part demographically predictable -- he is a middle-class British person in the media business, and in some ways Mitchell could be considered the reference implementation of that class, complete with fully-charged agnosticism batteries. But he wins respect in my book for the sort of basic intellectual honesty which seems so rare in anyone 'from the telly'. He takes propositions at least somewhat seriously, examines his own biases, and is actually willing to publicly defend people he hates when he finds a criticism of them to be unfair. I want more people like this cycling through our public discourse.
The articles are all entertaining, but Mitchell is probably at his best when he gets angry. His 'rants' are a highlight of his persona on talk shows (though they are, if you want to call them rants, extremely lucid and insightful ones), and the same seems to be true for his written work. His voice comes across especially well on the page when he is tearing down something stupid, and thankfully he is swamped for material.
Mitchell is obviously used to working with words, and his pieces are excellent writing of the sort that often goes under-appreciated -- too much of a sprint next to the memoirist's personal novel, and without any overarching argument to make into a nonfiction book of any other sort. They really are well-crafted, though, something which is only made more enjoyable by Mitchell's self-critical rambling, ability to draw fine distinctions, and willingness to apologise for all of that with some silly wordplay.
His actual opinions are for the most part demographically predictable -- he is a middle-class British person in the media business, and in some ways Mitchell could be considered the reference implementation of that class, complete with fully-charged agnosticism batteries. But he wins respect in my book for the sort of basic intellectual honesty which seems so rare in anyone 'from the telly'. He takes propositions at least somewhat seriously, examines his own biases, and is actually willing to publicly defend people he hates when he finds a criticism of them to be unfair. I want more people like this cycling through our public discourse.
The articles are all entertaining, but Mitchell is probably at his best when he gets angry. His 'rants' are a highlight of his persona on talk shows (though they are, if you want to call them rants, extremely lucid and insightful ones), and the same seems to be true for his written work. His voice comes across especially well on the page when he is tearing down something stupid, and thankfully he is swamped for material.
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