5 Classic Zadie Smith Books You Should Read

Zadie Smith, the novelist, short story writer and essayist from North-West London has had a début in the writing world that most can only dream of. Her first novel reaped such massive success setting a very high bar for herself and leaving her readers wanting more. Luckily all subsequent books have delivered. Featuring gripping stories about what it is truly like to live in Britain as an immigrant, Smith forces all to remove their rose tinted glasses. Here we list some of Smith’s best works.

White Teeth (2000)

Her most acclaimed novel, White Teeth, focuses on the lives of various multicultural families living in London. It is certainly not a happy-go-lucky type of novel and at times it offers a very tragic outlook on the struggles people from different background face in Britain in their everyday lives. Immigration is a theme which courses throughout Smith’s work, being something she can give a genuine insight on as a mixed-race woman. This is perhaps why White Teeth has been so successful: it has won numerous awards, including two EMMAs (BT Ethnic and Multicultural Media Award) for Best Novel and Best Female Newcomer. White Teeth does not beat around the bush – it is deep and eye-opening.

The Autograph Man (2002)

On Beauty (2005)

Another novel to concentrate on the multi-cultural family life is On Beauty. Set in America in a fictional town outside of Boston, it addresses inter-family relationships as well as those among other families. Competition between families is not a modern occurrence, but in Smith’s On Beauty we can see the different forms it takes on in our contemporary society. Simultaneously humorous and unflinching, Smith delivers a thought-provoking depiction of culture clash and black heritage.

Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays (2009)

Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays is very dissimilar from the works mentioned above. Smith writes about writing. Why, how, when, what and who inspire her. It offers a better understanding of who she is as a novelist as well as a person, as a character in herself. One of the more personal and intimate essays is about her father who has passed away in 2006 – this is the element of the book which distinguishes it from fiction, and presents the reader with reality.

NW (2012)

Smith’s latest work is NW. An experimental tragicomedy, the style of writing is innovative and encapsulating. It has received incredibly positive reviews, because it evokes and portrays endless emotions that make us human. NW is real and at times angry, and rightly so. London is Smith’s home as well as her forte as a writer, and in this book she explores it as a space and as a character in and of itself. Zadie Smith delivers her novels in a way that the reader feels enriched at the end of every book, not only enriched by a story, but also by experience.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.