White Teeth
by Zadie Smith · 2000
Buy on AmazonTwenty-four-year-old Zadie Smith burst into the public eye with this debut novel, which shows blazing flashes of wit and precocious insight. Here's the full, inside story behind this remarkable work: Where did Smith get the idea for the story? What does the novel say about history and how it affects ordinary people? Can we ever really escape the past? How has Smith reacted to becoming such a media sensation?
Recommended by
"I love the way the story weaves together so many complex and powerful forces."
Michelle Obama — By the Book (NYT) · nytimes.com
"Set against London's cultural tapestry — reveling in the ecstatic hodgepodge of modern life."
Misty Copeland's Book Recommendations · penguinrandomhouse.com
Favorite books · radicalreads.com
"Toni Morrison's 'Beloved' and Zadie Smith's 'White Teeth' are two examples of books that made me feel I was for somewhere else, and for something else."
By the Book: Claudia Rankine · nytimes.com
"I love the way the story weaves together so many complex and powerful forces that affect our lives and our relationships — family and parenting, religion and politics, and so much more. Plus, it's just plain funny."
By the Book: Michelle Obama · nytimes.com
"I also recently reread Zadie Smith's "White Teeth," John Fowles's "Daniel Martin," Thomas Hardy's "Tess of the D'Urbervilles." As with a favorite song or film, great novels demand repeat play."
By the Book: Susanna Hoffs · nytimes.com