Zadie Smith on Male Critics, Appropriation, and What Interests Her Novelistically About Trump

In an interview in 2000, Zadie Smith told the Guardian about the pressure she felt after the astonishing success of her debut novel, White Teeth. “I was expected to be some expert on multicultural affairs, as if multiculturalism is a genre of fiction or something,” she said. “Whereas it’s just a fact of life—like there are people of different races on the planet.” Whether it’s indeed a fact of life or, we now fear, a feature of American life that is at risk of erasure, multiculturalism in all its complexity is at the center of Smith’s books. From White Teeth to NW, which was published in 2012, Smith’s characters inhabit mixed urban communities, often in London. Her latest novel, Swing Time, is out this week; set in England and West Africa, the story concerns the friendship of two young girls who meet in a dance class (“our shade of brown was exactly the same”) and traces the paths of their lives over a quarter-century. Continue reading at 'Slate'

[ Slate | 2016-11-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #american life #white teeth #swing time #west africa #young girls

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Zadie Smith on Male Critics, Appropriation, and What Interests Her Novelistically About Trump'

Becoming the Baltics: Novelist Rein Raud Reflects on the Literary Life of His Region

The novelist and scholar discusses the distinct literary characters of the three Baltic nations. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Novelist Alex George to Open Bookstore in Columbia, Mo.

George, who is also the founder and director of the Unbound Book Festival in Columbia, will open an indie bookstore in the college town in August. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-03-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Facebook stock drops 7% over Cambridge Analytica controversy linked to Trump campaign

Facebook Inc.’s stock tumbled Monday after the social media company accused a data analytics firm used by the Trump campaign of exploiting ill-gotten data belonging to unwitting Facebook users. Shares of Facebook sank 6.7% to $172.69 around 9:50 a.m. Pacific time. On Friday, a Facebook executive... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-03-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Trump llegará a territorio enemigo en California, pero ¿se activará la "resistencia" o se quedará en casa?

Desde que el presidente Trump asumió el cargo, California ha sido el epicentro de la resistencia, sede de innumerables protestas, marchas, reuniones improvisadas en aeropuertos y, por supuesto, comentarios varios en Facebook y Twitter. Pero todo se ha hecho a distancia, porque Trump ha evitado... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Trump to enter enemy territory, but will California 'resistance' rise up or stay home?

Since President Trump took office, California has been the epicenter of the resistance, home to countless protests, marches, impromptu airport rallies and, of course, commentary of various kinds on Facebook and Twitter. But it’s all been done at a distance, because Trump has avoided California.... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2018-03-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #president trump #stay home

Six Debut Novelists Are on the 2018 Women’s Prize for Fiction Longlist

Two previously longlisted authors and one twice-shortlisted writer, Kamila Shamsie, are on this year's Women's Prize for Fiction longlist of 16 novels. The winner takes home £30,000 and a bronze figurine, the 'Bessie.' The post Six Debut Novelists Are on the 2018 Women’s Prize for Fiction... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Trump Presidency Reinvigorates Feminist Bookstores

While there are only a handful of feminist bookstores in the U.S., several of them report that the perfect storm of Donald Trump’s 2016 election and the subsequent #MeToo movement have reinvigorated their businesses. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Historical novelist Vanessa Lafaye dies aged 54

The "inspiring" and "sublime" historical novelist Vanessa Lafaye has died aged 54. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Fictional portrait of novelist Jean Rhys to Vintage

Vintage has acquired a "beautiful, heart-breaking" novel about the life of Jean Rhys by Booker-shortlisted novelist Caryl Phillips. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-02-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Trump renews bid to eradicate arts and library funding

The Trump administration has again proposed to eliminate funding for the National Endowments for the Arts (NEA) and Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-02-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Trump Renews Bid to Eliminate Library Funding, NEA, and NEH

As it did last year, the Trump administration has once again proposed the permanent elimination of the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities, as well as the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-02-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Canadian Children’s Book Publisher Margie Wolfe and the ‘Trump Bump’

While some at the Children's Books Salon said they're unsure whether the political climate is affecting how socially relevant content is selling, one of the most seasoned hands in the sector says the 'Trump bump' is real. The post Canadian Children’s Book Publisher Margie Wolfe and the ‘Trump... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-02-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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WH Smith Travel to open London Bridge shop in April

WH Smith Travel is to open a new 900 sq ft bookshop at London Bridge station in April. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ivanka Trump, Wayne Rooney and the art of the bad book deal

Estimates suggest her book Women Who Work is a long way from earning out its gigantic advance – putting its author in some interesting companyEstimates are out for how much publisher Portfolio might have lost on Ivanka Trump’s book, and they won’t be happy reading for the US’s “first daughter”,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2018-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Fire and Fury trumps Kerridge to claim number one

Michael Wolff’s Fire and Fury (Little, Brown) has blazed into the UK Official Top 50 number one spot, ousting Tom Kerridge’s Lose Weight for Good (Absolute) and selling 41,202 copies for £620,851, according to Nielsen BookScan's Total Consumer Market. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-01-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Over 90 express interest in Big Green Bookshop's indie alliance

The Big Green Bookshop has received a "fantastic" response to its proposal for an independent bookshop alliance, with over 90 expressing interest since the idea was first mooted. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Newham Bookshop's anti-Trump poster receives swell of support

An East London bookshop's decision to put a sign in its window highlighting it is "proud" to sell books by authors from so-called "sh*thole" countries, in reference to a remark allegedly made by US president Donald Trump, has been met with a "phenomenal" response from the trade and customers. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Indie Booksellers Go Viral with Promotions Featuring Trump's Provocative Language

After President Trump reportedly referred to certain countries as "shitholes" in a meeting with lawmakers late last week, a handful of indie bookstores seized on the commander-in-chief's purple language as a way to make a defiant political statement while promoting books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-01-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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