When Zadie Smith published her very first novel, The Washington Post hailed her as "a postmodern Charles Dickens" What an enormous pair of shoes Smith had to fill!
The name Charles Dickens tends to make the general public cringe with self-conscious ignorance or absolute fear. Hate him if you will but there can be no shred of doubt that this fella is an ace story teller. His tales are unforgettable, richly textured, expertly developed stories full of emotion and intrigue. His characters are credible and captivating as they hurtle through the stories facing their usually dismal fates with gusto. Tears are shed, laughter is shared. But possibly the most valued legacy of this writer is the privilege of roaring back in time to share a culture and a lifestyle alien from our own but which forms the very foundation of our present day. A literary genius, indeed. Now, let me acquaint you with another!
Zadie Smith, like Dickens, invites us to share the uniquely diverse lives of Londoners in both her first novels, published when she was only 24. In "White Teeth", set in North London, she expertly inter-weaves three families as diverse as the city itself.
Archie Jones tries, but fails, to kill himselfso the novel starts, as shocking as any Dickens invented. Archie's failure in this instant is by no means his first but he lives on and tries again. His second attempt intimately invites you into his second chance at life: a beautiful Jamaican bride and the birth of his daughter, Irie.
Samad Iqbal is a Muslim whose arranged marriage results in two polar-opposite twins, Magid and Millat. Together with their gutsy mother, Alsana, they introduce even more thought-provoking strata's to this novel involving gender, heritage, history and status. It is a brilliantly realistic view of the hodgepodge of folk who have come to make London the cosmopolitan, creative, cross-cultural hub we know and must come to love. The characters are cherished by Smith and she invites you to share their lives without sugar coating but with a fair few belly laughs.
"White Teeth" (and the joy of Zadie Smith's subsequent novels) is not an option: it will make you proud to be British.
A great way to keep on top of what is popular in the novel stakes is to join a book-club near you. I regularly attend Home House's monthly book-club, which is where I got the inspiration to write about White Teeth. I'm already looking forward to May's book, which will be Oscar & Lucinda by Peter Carey.
The name Charles Dickens tends to make the general public cringe with self-conscious ignorance or absolute fear. Hate him if you will but there can be no shred of doubt that this fella is an ace story teller. His tales are unforgettable, richly textured, expertly developed stories full of emotion and intrigue. His characters are credible and captivating as they hurtle through the stories facing their usually dismal fates with gusto. Tears are shed, laughter is shared. But possibly the most valued legacy of this writer is the privilege of roaring back in time to share a culture and a lifestyle alien from our own but which forms the very foundation of our present day. A literary genius, indeed. Now, let me acquaint you with another!
Zadie Smith, like Dickens, invites us to share the uniquely diverse lives of Londoners in both her first novels, published when she was only 24. In "White Teeth", set in North London, she expertly inter-weaves three families as diverse as the city itself.
Archie Jones tries, but fails, to kill himselfso the novel starts, as shocking as any Dickens invented. Archie's failure in this instant is by no means his first but he lives on and tries again. His second attempt intimately invites you into his second chance at life: a beautiful Jamaican bride and the birth of his daughter, Irie.
Samad Iqbal is a Muslim whose arranged marriage results in two polar-opposite twins, Magid and Millat. Together with their gutsy mother, Alsana, they introduce even more thought-provoking strata's to this novel involving gender, heritage, history and status. It is a brilliantly realistic view of the hodgepodge of folk who have come to make London the cosmopolitan, creative, cross-cultural hub we know and must come to love. The characters are cherished by Smith and she invites you to share their lives without sugar coating but with a fair few belly laughs.
"White Teeth" (and the joy of Zadie Smith's subsequent novels) is not an option: it will make you proud to be British.
A great way to keep on top of what is popular in the novel stakes is to join a book-club near you. I regularly attend Home House's monthly book-club, which is where I got the inspiration to write about White Teeth. I'm already looking forward to May's book, which will be Oscar & Lucinda by Peter Carey.
About the Author:
The city is home to many, but Home House is a different kind of private membership club in Mayfair. It's 'home' to people from all walks of life, and the perfect hangout for a working day and a buzzing social hotspot come nighttime. Among its many other exclusive events, this month Home House is hosting London's most exclusive Book Club.
1 comments:
Very nice. Me and my chandler dentist have been waiting for this. Thanks for sharing.
Post a Comment