Zadie Smith is recognized as one of England’s premiere fiction writers. Her first book, published in 2000, made an enormous splash and vaulted her to instant prominence.
White Teeth features a complex weave of fascinating characters, from multiple ethnic and racial backgrounds, reflecting modern-day England. The story centers on two friends — Archie, a redheaded English person married to an Afro-Caribbean woman, and Samad, a Muslim immigrant from Bangladesh. Their adventures are simultaneously funny and moving. The storyline is entertaining, but the novel’s spice comes from the mosaic of peoples, cultures, and customs living in the same neighborhood, and the tensions and relationships that ensue.
I rarely laugh out-loud at a book, but I did with this one. Give it a try.