Books
by Zadie Smith
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On Beauty |
Set in Boston, this is a delectable view of interracial marriage, academia and the sheer humanity of betrayal and forgiveness. It's astonishing this author is so young but so flawless in depicting middle age. Howard and the glorious Kiki struggle in their failing marriage only to find that Howard's nemesis, the conservative Dr. Kipps, has arrived on campus. Affairs, violent disagreements about art, sex and race abound in this wonderful story about relationships and identity.
Winner of the 2006 Orange prize for fiction
(Lucy Childs - bwl 33 February 2006) |
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On Beauty |
In this fictional story two privileged families collide in the world of academia. The younger members of both families, new to the pitfalls of adulthood, can be forgiven their headstrong behaviour. Not so for their successful academic fathers. While much space is given in the book to two competing men with insufferable egos, it is the non-academic wives who bring the much needed dignity and gravitas to this tale.
(Sharron Calkins - bwl 110 Autumn 2023) |
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The Autograph Man |
Alex-Li Tandem, a Chinese-Jewish professional dealer in celebrity autographs, has been writing weekly letters to reclusive actress Kitty Alexander for 13 years. At last, an autograph arrives in the post. Is his end achieved, or is this only the beginning of another quest? An entertaining examination of the effects of celluloid culture, though rather more dark than the dust jacket would have you believe.
(Siobhan Thomson - bwl 29 April 2005) |
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White Teeth |
Packed with colourful characters and history, this large book explores the experiences of West Indian and Asian families in London from every conceivable angle - particularly interesting on the young teenagers finding their identities. Reading this felt like walking down a busy main road in London and knowing the story of everyone you pass. Sometimes a rather bitter interpretation of British history, but a cleverly constructed narrative, very nicely and surprisingly rounded off at the end.
(Victoria Grey-Edwards - bwl 12 January 2002) |
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