Welcome to Litsy!

I just didn‘t expect this to be so charming and funny. I mean the events aren‘t funny, but the text is, constantly.

Smith addressed serious hot-button cultural issues with a freedom and freshness that is unusual, and insightful. She gets into serious extreme Islam (on the eve of Sep 11), and also into English-Bengali and English-Jamaican racial issues. It's smart, and unexpectedly charming, and works wonderfully.

My current audiobook. I‘m about 5 hours in, and it‘s about 18 hours long. And so far, constant humor…which I‘m charmed by and didn‘t expect

A big, flawed, brilliant, ambitious novel that ultimately works. Its fearlessly multicultural BUT relies on stereotypes, tho every character is given an equal measure of sympathy AND derision! Despite being just over two decades old, the ultimate optimism about a bright, multicultural future is dated, and its very British flippancy about minority religions & racism wouldn't be possible after 9/11, which occurred a year after publication.

“Every moment happens twice: inside and outside, and they are two different histories.”

#alphabetgame #letterW @alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I actually didn‘t finish. I can‘t tell you the last time this happened for me. But I tried this despite some of the negative reviews. For me, it wasn‘t the writing style (that was brilliant), or even the characters themselves
(Life isn‘t always super interesting & novel), it was the laissez-faire attitude and lewdness to some imo gross stuff. Left me feeling icky. Couldn‘t do it. 😣

This is one of the funniest books I‘ve read in a long time. I read NW several years ago and I liked it but I wasn‘t thrilled. This one‘s been on my shelf for years. I‘m so glad I finally read it. I absolutely loved it!

It's impressive how an author in her 20s was able to create such an overwhelmingly rich universe populated with realistic and complex characters, and juggle in a satirical tone, with sensitive subjects such as immigration, religion, social identity, historical heritage and values. The apparently boring bits all played a role in the overall puzzle. The surprising end reconfirms the talent with which these multi-layered characters were painted.

I'm giving this one a try. I've seen it was first published in 2000, so I guess I'm about 20 years late... so many mixed reviews are making it even more attractive

Book 122

Dont even remember the last time I sat in a coffee shop and read. Prob about 1.5 years ago!

Not sure about it. It's sassy and reminds me of part Catcher in the Rye and part Ed Abbey. It is centered around a couple of friends, Archie, who marries a woman from Jamaica and Samad, a Bengali, now in London, each of whom were war buddies in WW 2, and their families. Samad's twins represent extremes of Islam. Archie's daughter, Irie, could show how author feels about being mixed race. Bad language and vulgarity. If you like Rushdie ...

I'm going to give this a try since I have a copy. Saw some negative reviews but I'll chance it anyway.

One of my favorites.

It felt like a chore. I had to make myself finish it because I really wanted to give Zadie Smith a solid chance. Just incredibly unlikeable characters and irreverent sentiments toward all religion and faith. I'm still going to read a nonfiction, but I won't proceed to another fiction of hers. I also think this could be considered fake diversity because one of the main families is Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh.

Ugh.

I wanted to like this. I really did. And I typically don't finish books I don't like, but I really wanted to get through this for #Authoramonth & #NYPL #LoveReading. I find it so hard to like a book when I don't like *any* of the characters. I think that Zadie Smith just isn't for me. 😔

⭐✨/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

@Soubhiville

Reading this one for #Authoramonth - thus far, I'm not *loving* it, but I appreciate why this is deemed an "important" book. However, I just met the Chalfens, and I kinda love them. There's also kind of horrible, but the pageants are making me laugh. ☺ Glad to be expanding my reading! @Soubhiville

"... the object of her passion was only an accessory to the passion itself, a passion that through its long suppression was now asserting itself with volcanic necessity."

I love this passage!

I did rubbish at #authoramonth last month and am determined to read a Zadie Smith book this Feb! Just started White Teeth and so far I'm liking the quirky writing style. Can't believe she was so young when she wrote it!

A long, somewhat difficult book, with lots of interwoven threads and characters. I actually put this book down a while back, and almost DNF‘d it. But I made it through. If you like wide, multi-generational stories with complex themes and hit-you-on-the-head symbolism this might be up your alley.
⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars
Read date: 2/11/2021

If I have to hear about Samad‘s “salami” one more time.....

I don‘t know if I‘ll make it through this one. #AuthorAMonth

Wow! Totally get the hype! So amazing. It started slow and definitely meandered a bit slowly through time, countries and generations but the careful study of family connection & what makes us human made it all worth the wait. And the surprising last few chapters? Talk about ending with a bang! While I own this in paperback, I listened on audio and it was fantastic. #MountTBR #BookspinBingo #authoramonth @Soubhiville @TheAromaofBooks

The story about two multiracial families in modern Britain is very dynamic in structure and language, it also has quite a few comic/satirical elements, which makes an otherwise difficult story easier at first glance. Some parts are enjoyable to read, but some parts are almost boring. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #AuthorAMonth #BookSpin

This was my first time reading Zadie Smith. While I enjoyed her writing style, the story was an okay read for me. About halfway through, the characters were beginning to get on my nerves. Despite not connecting with the overall story or characters, I‘m still open to trying other Smith works. #AuthorAMonth

Can‘t do it. This is the second try. I‘ve made it a quarter of the way, trying to understand why she needed to tell these stories, why they needed to be published with such fanfare. Moving on. I‘ll try another for #AuthoraMonth but first off to some light fantasy pump some feeling back into my person. So disappointing...

Just started for #Authoramonth! @Soubhiville

Couldn‘t do it #sorrynotsorry. It‘s very busy and noisy for my brain and I found myself floating away. Reading should not be a chore to slog through
#bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks
#authoramonth2021 @Soubhiville

A little better for yesterday's reading time, but not much. Starting today's reading for the #20in4 Readathon with White Teeth for #AuthorAMonth #AAM #ZadieSmith.
#coffeeandabook
@Andrew65

I already started White Teeth yesterday and I think that this book is big enough for the whole week ... but I have also in my pile nonfiction book Race to Save the Romanovs - if I need some changes, and for just in case - The Book of Salt by Monique Truong. Audio book Balkan Ghosts: A Journey Through History by R.D.Kaplan will be my companion for walks and chores. #weeklyforecast

I have no idea which Zadie Smith book to read next month for #authoramonth so I found this article. I‘m posting in case anyone else is in the same boat as me. Recommendations are welcome as well.

https://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/articles/the-best-books-by-zadi...

This is a bright and evocative story of immigrant's post colonial experiences in the UK as they try to carve out an identity in a suspicious and scrutinizing world. It‘s cocky. It‘s also quite funny in places. It has edge and heart. You will not sit and binge read it, because it‘s prose is beautiful... but too heavy for long sessions. But you will be back, because you will want to see the world through that lens again and again.

Copy of White Teeth up for grabs, for #authoramonth challenge participants! Free book alert 😁😁😁
@Soubhiville tag away!! *note - this is only for Littens taking part in #authoramonth - I‘ll mail to you before February*

So loving this so far. I will keep it for you @michellelav

Reason # 790042 to love used books.
I‘ve have this book for a few years and clearly haven‘t gotten around to reading it. I‘m getting my books unpack (FINALLY!) and sorting them. I flipped through this and found a postcard. But not just any postcard, one from my favorite city I‘ve ever visited and of one of my favorite pieces of architecture.
#gaudí #barcelona #sagradafamilía #meanttoown

So impressed that a 20 year old wrote this. The writing is confident, funny, and philosophical. The characters, while cartoonish in some ways, have a lot of layers. She tackles the idea of shared histories, immigration, heritage, identity, fate, scientific innovation. That said, there were parts I loved and other parts that I had to make myself read on because it felt jumbled and I didn't really like the characters. Between a pick and a so-so.

Parts of it have been funny and parts have been slow. Right now I'm in a slow part where a new family has been introduced. I'm hoping we get through the Chalfens quickly because I would like to know more about Irie and about how Magid has turned out.

#BookReview - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - absolutely LOVED this book! The characters, the writing style, the changing POV, the entire story. This is solidly now in my top 5 favorite books! If you haven‘t read it, please do.

LOVING this book! #quote #truth

Goals - #outstandingoctober #readathon (tomorrow) and #october20in4 (starts today). Half through White Teeth and LOVE it! Seriously, if you‘ve never read it, it‘s a must-read so far. Then my book club October read - I‘ll Be Gone in the Dark. And something new and fun if time. Thanks @Andrew65 and @Bookgoil

#currentlyreading So far, I‘m loving this, the first book in the Malala Book Club from #Literati. Anyone else part of any of the Literati Book Clubs?

Early in the morning, late in the century, Cricklewood Broadway.

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

I just Joined Literati Book Club with #Malala for only $20 here's the link if you would like to join. There's other popular groups too.

#BookClub #BookReview #Books

“...the wicked lie, that the past is always tense and the future, perfect.“

#bookstagram #septemberbooks #therewillbebooks

I was trying to read this for Malala‘s book club, but just couldn‘t get into it. I have 3 other book clubs to juggle plus literature classes and work, so I figured it wasn‘t worth my time to push through something I wasn‘t enjoying.

How did I miss the fact that Malala was starting a book club?! She has announced her first selection. I happen to have this one so I might join in.
(Photo from Malala‘s Instagram)

#augustauthors #zadiesmith

Summer of 2001 I drove from California to New York and naturally I stopped at a bookstore in every town I went through. I picked up my first Smith in Colorado at a bookstore on Pearl Street in Boulder. Don‘t laugh, but it‘s still on my tbr pile.

#AugustAuthors @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620
#ZadieSmith

Day 31 -
#ZadieSmith
#AugustAuthors

This has been lots of fun! Thanks for idea!
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

A few years ago, I tried reading this book, but DNFed it. Just couldn‘t get into it.
#ZadieSmith #augustauthors

Day 31 - #ZadieSmith #AugustAuthors

I read White Teeth in 2018.