Smith works a little magic by describing, “In the textured glass, a body, blurred. Leah is alone in her place when a stranger knocks. In a way, Smith keeps us at a distance with her tone, even though the main character of the first section is really clear. Which is to say, this has its own rewards. But it’s interesting, once you find the rhythm, and it takes a few pages, it’s like eavesdropping without looking at the people who are doing the talking. I had trouble with this too! Getting into it that is. Okay, with that disclaimer out of the way, lets talk NW. Except the part where Smith talks about the naked guy in the woods out of the Amtrak window, and I guess she loved the talk about cricket. I will say that her love of Netherland is vexing I found that book to be a snore. I just love the way she writes and what she writes about. Smith, you should know my adoration is purely of the professional kind. Before you call the police on my obvious obsession with Ms. Then I saw her read from NW at NYU, and I think it was the very first part of this book that she read.
John Mandel and I talk about this every time we hang out). I’ve read her non-fiction and find her thoughts on macro and micro writers profoundly accurate (Emily St. (The party where Smith goes to 30 feet above the revelers and we see three different things, and finally the hand of one character sliding down the back of his mistress, while his wife watches: IS. I walked around telling people about this book, it brought tears of joy to my eyes.
On Beauty came out, and I couldn’t read it, waited for the paperback, and presto, it hit me like a bolt of lightning. Of course the world was throwing bouquets at her, and it must have been a weird time in her camp. At times, it was a beautiful mess of language funny, sad, equal parts piss and sugar. I remember trying desperately to read White Teeth, just like Emperor’s Children and A Visit From The Goon Squad, both of which I struggled mightily at first, and in the end read and loved. When I read White Teeth, I was sort of stunned at Smith’s talents. Those were the days, cell phones were barely a “thing” and 9-11 was just only months away. I first discovered Zadie Smith when I was working at Random House and White Teeth was all the rage. JR: DH and I have decided to take this book in a few parts, and start with the first section, Visitation.
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