Arlington Reads

Zadie Smith in Conversation with Library Director Diane Kresh

Photo credit: Dominique Nabokov

On October 4, 2018, Arlington Public Library will showcase critically acclaimed British novelist, essayist, and short story writer Zadie Smith in conversation with Library Director Diane Kresh. Smith has been a vital literary voice in the international contemporary fiction and nonfiction scene since her first novel “White Teeth” in 2000.

Her work challenges readers to see and think in new ways and to find a place of connection with people whose beliefs are different from their own. Recurrent themes include the embrace of change, a belief in the pluralism of mankind, and the exploration of cultural identity, social class, gender and race.

Smith’s dazzling debut novel “White Teeth,” tells the multigenerational story of two intertwined North London families—one headed by working-class Archie and the other by his best friend, a Muslim Bengali named Samad Iqbal. She traces the trajectory of their friendship through marriage, parenthood and the shared disappointments of poverty and deflated dreams while exploring their cultural identities.

Smith’s most recent novel “Swing Time,” re-examines what success and progress in life can look like. She captures the coming-of-age stories of two mixed-race girls, all the way from North West London to West Africa and back again in search for a better tomorrow.

Her latest collection of nonfiction essays, “Feel Free,” covers a range of subjects from politics, pop culture, to gardens and childhood experiences. She leaves the reader with the challenge of questioning one’s inner voice, rethinking the idea of trust and embracing the gift of culture.

Smith has won multiple literary awards including the Langston Hughes Medal, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, the Whitbread First Novel Award, the Guardian First Book Award and the Orange Prize for Fiction. She was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and was listed twice as one of Granta’s 20 Best Young British Novelists. Smith is currently a tenured professor of fiction at New York University and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.