HarperCollins has acquired a memoir and novel from "Peep Show" comedian David Mitchell for a "very significant sum".
World rights for the memoir were bought by Carole Tonkinson, publisher of Harper Non-Fiction and Hannah Black, Harper Non-Fiction publishing director. The novel was bought by Nicholas Pearson of Fourth Estate. Both books were acquired from Ivan Mulcahy of Mulcahy Conway Associates. They will be published in 2012 and 2013 respectively.
Black said: "David Mitchell has always made me laugh, and in everything he does there's a care for
language which is for me the mark of a natural-born writer." Pearson added: "I am delighted to be working with David on what I feel sure will be the start of a successful career as a novelist."Tonkinson said Mitchell's profile had reached "a massive pitch" after appearances on BBC2's "Who Do You Think You Are?" and Channel 4's "Peep Show". "We see him as the next generation Stephen Fry. He has intelligence, understated humour and people just love him," she said, adding: "I think his humour translates around the world. Ricky Gervais and Russell Brand are increasingly popular in the US and Australia. I don't see why David should be any different."
Mitchell said: "I'm looking forward to working with the brilliant team at HarperCollins and Fourth Estate, who are apparently impressed by my neurotic world-view. There's a saying that everyone's got a book in them. Assuming that's a mean, I will be reducing some poor sod to zero, but then that's nothing to Barbara Cartland, who made hundreds voiceless."
Fourth Estate has just published This Mitchell and Webb Book, a collection of comic writing from Mitchell and his comedy partner Robert Webb. A second Mitchell and Webb title is lined up for Christmas 2010.
