White Teeth: A Novel - Hardcover

Smith, Zadie

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0375501851 ISBN 13: 9780375501852

Publisher: Random House Inc, 2000

Synopsis

Set in post-war London, this novel of the racial, political, and social upheaval of the last half-century follows two families--the Joneses and the Iqbals, both outsiders from within the former British empire--as they make their way in modern England. A first novel. 50,000 first printing.

About this title

Review:

Epic in scale and intimate in approach, White Teeth is an ambitious novel. Genetics, eugenics, gender, race, class and history are the book's themes but Zadie Smith is gifted with the wit and inventiveness to make these weighty ideas seem effortlessly light.

The story travels through Jamaica, Turkey, Bangladesh and India but ends up in a scrubby North London borough, home of the book's two unlikely heroes: prevaricating Archie Jones and intemperate Samad Iqbal. They met in the Second World War, as part of a "Buggered Battalion" and have been best friends ever since. Archie marries beautiful, buck-toothed Clara, who's on the run from her Jehovah's Witness mother, and they have a daughter, Irie. Samad marries stroppy Alsana and they have twin sons: "Children with first and last names on a direct collision course. Names that secrete within them mass exodus, cramped boats and planes, cold arrivals, medical checks."

Big questions demand boldly drawn characters. Zadie Smith's aren't heroic, just real: warm, funny, misguided and entirely familiar; reading their conversations is like eavesdropping. A simple scene, Alsana and Clara chatting about their pregnancies in the park: "A woman has to have the private things--a husband needn't be involved in body business, in a lady's ... parts."

Samad's rant about his sons--"They have both lost their way. Strayed so far from what I had intended for them. No doubt they will both marry white women called Sheila and put me in an early grave--acutely displays "the immigrant fears--dissolution, disappearance" but it also gets to the very heart of Samad.

White Teeth is a joy to read. It teems with life and exuberence and has enough cleverness and irreverent seriousness to give it bite. --Eithne Farry

Review:

"A preternaturally gifted new writer Ýwith¨ a voice that's street-smart and learned, sassy and philosophical all at the same time."-Michiko Kakutani, "The New York Times
""Brilliant.... Smith is a master at detail...a postmodern Charles Dickens...ÝSmith's¨ rich storytelling and wicked wit are suited to the sights and smells of the world that England has inherited."-"The" "Washington Post
"
"ÝA¨ vibrant, rollicking first novel about race and idenity...ÝSmith's¨ prickly wit is affectionate and poignant."-"People"
"ÝA¨ dazzling intergenerational first novel...wonderfully inventive...playful yet unaffected, mongrel yet cohesive, profound yet funny, vernacular yet lyrical. "-"Los Angeles Times"
"ÝA¨ marvel of a debut novel. . .Reminscent of both Salman Rushdie and John Irving, White Teeth is a comic, canny, sprawling tale, adeptly held together by Smith's literary sleight of hand."-"Entertainment Weekly
"
"A magnificent and audacious novel, jampacked with memorable characters and challenging ideas."-"The" "Atlanta Journal & Constitution
"
"Ambitious, earnest and irreverent. . . Smith has a real talent for comedy and a fond eye for human foibles."-"The" "Wall Street Journal"

"Wonderful.... Zadie Smith...possesses a more than ordinary share of talent."-"USA Today
""Smith has an astonishing intellect. She writes sharp dialogue for every age and race-- and she's funny as hell."-"Newsweek"
"
"Ý"White Teeth"¨ "is, like the London it portrays, a restless hybrid of voices, tones, and textures...with a raucous energy and confidence."-"The New York Times Book Review
"
"Fresh...spirited...this extravagant novel bursts with optimism about people, aboutlanguage, and perhaps, above all, about novels and the joy, indeed the impertinence, of writing one."-"The Philadelphia Inquirer
"
"Blissfully confident, wide-ranging and funny from the get-go, White Teeth...promises-and delivers-a wildly inventive journey into a fresh imagination."-"Rocky Mountain News
"
"Brilliant.... Smith is a master at detail.... Like a postmodern Dickens, she has a flair for features, dress, dialogue, accents and human frailty."-"The Miami Herald
"
"It's a treat to watch an immensely gifted young writer performing, for the very first time, such an admirably audacious and ambitious juggling act."-"Elle
"
"Absolutely delicious.... Smith's voice is a perfect balance of tragedy and comedy."-"The Tampa Tribune and Times
""Gently observant and generous in its judgments.... Filled with vibrant life."-"The" "San Diego Union--Tribune
"
"Brilliant.... Bubbles and pops in its imaginative intensity."-"The Baltimore Sun
"

" A preternaturally gifted new writer [with] a voice that' s street-smart and learned, sassy and philosophical all at the same time." - Michiko Kakutani, "The New York Times
"" Brilliant... . Smith is a master at detail... a postmodern Charles Dickens... [Smith's] rich storytelling and wicked wit are suited to the sights and smells of the world that England has inherited." - "The" "Washington Post
"
" [A] vibrant, rollicking first novel about race and idenity... [Smith's] prickly wit is affectionate and poignant." - "People"
" [A] dazzling intergenerational first novel... wonderfully inventive... playful yet unaffected, mongrel yet cohesive, profound yet funny, vernacular yet lyrical. " - "Los Angeles Times"
" [A] marvel of a debut novel. . .Reminscent of both Salman Rushdie and John Irving, White Teeth is a comic, canny, sprawling tale, adeptly held together by Smith's literary sleight of hand." - "Entertainment Weekly
"
" A magnificent and audacious novel, jampacked with memorable characters and challenging ideas." - "The" "Atlanta Journal & Constitution
"
" Ambitious, earnest and irreverent. . . Smith has a real talent for comedy and a fond eye for human foibles." - "The" "Wall Street Journal"

" Wonderful... . Zadie Smith... possesses a more than ordinary share of talent." - "USA Today
"" Smith has an astonishing intellect. She writes sharp dialogue for every age and race-- and she's funny as hell." - "Newsweek"
"
" ["White Teeth"]"is, like the London it portrays, a restless hybrid of voices, tones, and textures... with a raucous energy and confidence." - "The New York Times Book Review
"
" Fresh... spirited... this extravagant novel bursts with optimism about people, about language, and perhaps, above all, about novels and the joy, indeed the impertinence, of writing one." - "The Philadelphia Inquirer
"
" Blissfully confident, wide-ranging and funny from the get-go, White Teeth... promises- and delivers- a wildly inventive journey into a fresh imagination." - "Rocky Mountain News
"
" Brilliant... . Smith is a master at detail... . Like a postmodern Dickens, she has a flair for features, dress, dialogue, accents and human frailty." - "The Miami Herald
"
" It' s a treat to watch an immensely gifted young writer performing, for the very first time, such an admirably audacious and ambitious juggling act." - "Elle
"
" Absolutely delicious... . Smith' s voice is a perfect balance of tragedy and comedy." - "The Tampa Tribune and Times
"" Gently observant and generous in its judgments... . Filled with vibrant life." - "The" "San Diego Union-- Tribune
"
" Brilliant... . Bubbles and pops in its imaginative intensity." - "The Baltimore Sun
"

A preternaturally gifted new writer [with] a voice that s street-smart and learned, sassy and philosophical all at the same time. Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times
Brilliant . Smith is a master at detail a postmodern Charles Dickens [Smith's] rich storytelling and wicked wit are suited to the sights and smells of the world that England has inherited. The Washington Post

[A] vibrant, rollicking first novel about race and idenity [Smith's] prickly wit is affectionate and poignant. People
[A] dazzling intergenerational first novel wonderfully inventive playful yet unaffected, mongrel yet cohesive, profound yet funny, vernacular yet lyrical. Los Angeles Times
[A] marvel of a debut novel. . .Reminscent of both Salman Rushdie and John Irving, White Teeth is a comic, canny, sprawling tale, adeptly held together by Smith's literary sleight of hand. Entertainment Weekly

A magnificent and audacious novel, jampacked with memorable characters and challenging ideas. The Atlanta Journal & Constitution

"Ambitious, earnest and irreverent. . . Smith has a real talent for comedy and a fond eye for human foibles." The Wall Street Journal

Wonderful . Zadie Smith possesses a more than ordinary share of talent. USA Today
"Smith has an astonishing intellect. She writes sharp dialogue for every age and race and she's funny as hell. Newsweek

[White Teeth] is, like the London it portrays, a restless hybrid of voices, tones, and textures with a raucous energy and confidence. The New York Times Book Review

"Fresh spirited this extravagant novel bursts with optimism about people, about language, and perhaps, above all, about novels and the joy, indeed the impertinence, of writing one. The Philadelphia Inquirer

Blissfully confident, wide-ranging and funny from the get-go, White Teeth promises and delivers a wildly inventive journey into a fresh imagination. Rocky Mountain News

Brilliant . Smith is a master at detail . Like a postmodern Dickens, she has a flair for features, dress, dialogue, accents and human frailty. The Miami Herald

It s a treat to watch an immensely gifted young writer performing, for the very first time, such an admirably audacious and ambitious juggling act. Elle

Absolutely delicious . Smith s voice is a perfect balance of tragedy and comedy. The Tampa Tribune and Times
Gently observant and generous in its judgments . Filled with vibrant life. The San Diego Union Tribune

Brilliant . Bubbles and pops in its imaginative intensity. The Baltimore Sun
"

"A preternaturally gifted new writer [with] a voice that's street-smart and learned, sassy and philosophical all at the same time."-Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times

"Brilliant.... Smith is a master at detail...a postmodern Charles Dickens...[Smith's] rich storytelling and wicked wit are suited to the sights and smells of the world that England has inherited."-The Washington Post

"[A] vibrant, rollicking first novel about race and idenity...[Smith's] prickly wit is affectionate and poignant."-People

"[A] dazzling intergenerational first novel...wonderfully inventive...playful yet unaffected, mongrel yet cohesive, profound yet funny, vernacular yet lyrical. "-Los Angeles Times

"[A] marvel of a debut novel. . .Reminscent of both Salman Rushdie and John Irving, White Teeth is a comic, canny, sprawling tale, adeptly held together by Smith's literary sleight of hand."-Entertainment Weekly

"A magnificent and audacious novel, jampacked with memorable characters and challenging ideas."-The Atlanta Journal & Constitution

"Ambitious, earnest and irreverent. . . Smith has a real talent for comedy and a fond eye for human foibles."-The Wall Street Journal

"Wonderful.... Zadie Smith...possesses a more than ordinary share of talent."-USA Today

"Smith has an astonishing intellect. She writes sharp dialogue for every age and race-- and she's funny as hell."-Newsweek

"[White Teeth] is, like the London it portrays, a restless hybrid of voices, tones, and textures...with a raucous energy and confidence."-The New York Times Book Review

"Fresh...spirited...this extravagant novel bursts with optimism about people, about language, and perhaps, above all, about novels and the joy, indeed the impertinence, of writing one."-The Philadelphia Inquirer

"Blissfully confident, wide-ranging and funny from the get-go, White Teeth...promises-and delivers-a wildly inventive journey into a fresh imagination."-Rocky Mountain News

"Brilliant.... Smith is a master at detail.... Like a postmodern Dickens, she has a flair for features, dress, dialogue, accents and human frailty."-The Miami Herald

"It's a treat to watch an immensely gifted young writer performing, for the very first time, such an admirably audacious and ambitious juggling act."-Elle

"Absolutely delicious.... Smith's voice is a perfect balance of tragedy and comedy."-The Tampa Tribune and Times

"Gently observant and generous in its judgments.... Filled with vibrant life."-The San Diego Union--Tribune

"Brilliant.... Bubbles and pops in its imaginative intensity."-The Baltimore Sun

About this edition

• Publisher: Random House Inc
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0375501851
• ISBN 13: 9780375501852
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 448