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David Mitchell, novelist

David Mitchell, novelist, shares the soundtrack of his life with Lauren Laverne.

David Mitchell has published eight novels, two of which 鈥 number9dream and Cloud Atlas 鈥 have been shortlisted for the Booker Prize.

He has also translated two books on autism from Japanese, working with his Japanese wife: their son is on the autistic spectrum. While his work also includes writing for the screen and opera libretti, his main occupation has been, as one critic put it, 鈥渜uietly pottering away at the frontier of fiction鈥 for more than two decades.

David is the son of two artists, and grew up near the Malverns, where his father worked in the art department of the Royal Worcester porcelain factory. After studying at the University of Kent, he worked in a bookshop, and moved to Japan in the mid-1990s to teach English. Here he met his wife and put his mind to writing. His first two novels were published while still living in Hiroshima.

With each standalone novel, David is also adding to what he calls an uber-novel in which all of his books are part of a larger narrative, with characters flitting from one story to another, transported to a different time and place, but bringing a familiarity and a backstory with them.

He now lives in County Cork, Ireland, with his wife and two children.

DISC ONE: Sunset by Kate Bush
DISC TWO: Requiem Op. 33b, For Mixed Choir A Cappela / Fyrir Blandadan K贸r A Capella.
Performed by Motet Choir Of The Hallgr铆m's Church, chorus Master: H枚r冒ur 脕skelsson
DISC THREE: Mercury by Sufjan Stevens, Bryce Dessner, Nico Muhli, James McAlister
DISC FOUR: Un Dia De Noviembre by Zsofia Boros
DISC FIVE: Anima by Milton Nascimento
DISC SIX: Stylo by Gorillaz, featuring Bobby Womack and Mos Def
DISC SEVEN: In a Sentimental Mood by Duke Ellington and John Coltrane
DISC EIGHT: Sonata in F minor, K466, composed by Domenico Scarlatti, performed by
Yevgeny Sudbin

BOOK CHOICE: A book of Chinese characters (Kanji)
LUXURY ITEM: A complete archive of Desert Island Discs
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Anima by Milton Nascimento

Presenter Lauren Laverne
Producer Sarah Taylor.

Available now

37 minutes

Music Played

  • Kate Bush

    Sunset

    • Aerial: A Sky Of Honey.
    • EMI Records Limited.
    • 5.
  • J贸n Leifs

    Requiem Op. 33b, For Mixed Choir A Cappela

    Choir: Motet Choir of Hallgr铆mskirkja. Conductor: H枚r冒ur 脕skelsson.
    • Hekla And Other Orchestral Works.
    • BIS.
    • 2.
  • Sufjan Stevens

    Mercury

    • Planetarium.
    • 4AD.
    • 17.
  • Zs贸fia Boros

    Un Dia De Noviembre

    • En Otra Parte.
    • ECM Records.
    • 4.
  • Milton Nascimento

    Anima

    • Brazil Classics 1: Beleza Tropical.
    • Luaka Bop.
    • 17.
  • Gorillaz

    Stylo (feat. Bobby Womack & Yasiin Bey)

    • Parlophone.
  • Duke Ellington & John Coltrane

    In A Sentimental Mood

    • Love Jones: The Music.
    • Sony Music Entertainment UK Ltd.
    • 15.
  • Domenico Scarlatti

    Sonata in F minor, K466

    Performer: Yevgeny Sudbin.
    • Piano Sonatas.
    • 2.

Broadcasts

  • Fri 13 Nov 2020 09:00
  • Sun 3 Jan 2021 11:00

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