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On Beauty

Zadie Smith

Discussion: Any Issue - 2005

Discussion leader: Betsy

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Any Issue - 2005

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What Members Thought

Jul 17, 2009 Sally rated it it was amazing

Shelves: extreme-readers

I think On Beauty is brilliant. I loved the extra layer of meaning that my reading of E.M. Forster's Howards End provided -- but I don't think it's necessary to do background reading to enjoy this novel. The characters are "messy," as Zadie Smith would say -- most of them make a lot of mistakes, but, for the most part, you love them, or sympathize with them for all of their deficiencies. It's a book with many layers, which is just the kind of fiction I love the most!

Zadie Smith has experience in I think On Beauty is brilliant. I loved the extra layer of meaning that my reading of E.M. Forster's Howards End provided -- but I don't think it's necessary to do background reading to enjoy this novel. The characters are "messy," as Zadie Smith would say -- most of them make a lot of mistakes, but, for the most part, you love them, or sympathize with them for all of their deficiencies. It's a book with many layers, which is just the kind of fiction I love the most!

Zadie Smith has experience in many worlds, crosses many boundaries, and has interesting things to say from a variety of perspectives (including as both a fiction writer and as an academic). She's not only an extremely talented novelist, but she is super educated and smart, with interesting opinions on art, writing, and reading that can be appreciated by anyone. For example, her stance on the value of reading fiction in one sentence, which I really like: "When we read with fine attention, we find ourselves caring about people who are various, muddled, uncertain and not quite like us (and this is good)." (Read "Love, Actually," published in the UK Guardian, Nov. 1, 2003, to understand the fullness of what that means.)

In On Beauty Smith tells an engaging story centered in a Harvard-like community, with lots of political, social, and academic battles that make you laugh and cringe at the same time. The dialogue is snappy and entertaining. We get the most concentrated view of Howard, a middle-aged, untenured professor (his stalled book-in-progress and unpopular art history lectures argue against Rembrandt's artistic genius), and his practical, down-to-earth, and wise wife and three young adult children. Howard gets himself deeper and deeper into trouble, putting his 30-year marriage on the line for extramarital nonsense, as his career continues to go nowhere. There are lots of controversy-filled themes packed in this novel: race, immigration, class, gender -- along with love, family, friendship, coming-of-age, and aging. Everyone is trying to figure out their place in the world and with each other.

One of the many memorable scenes is when Howard makes an unplanned visit to his father during an emergency trip to London. It has been four years since their last failed visit, and they both can't help -- despite their best intentions -- but clash. Howard and his father speak different languages. It pains Howard to confront his father's ignorance just as his father is shocked by Howard's incomprehensible views of art and puzzled by his interracial marriage and family. Smith skillfully captures the chasm between father and son, painful memories, and the impossibility of successful communication and a meaningful relationship.

Readers of Howards End won't have any trouble recognizing the parallels - but Smith goes way beyond the framework provided by Forster, to make this a book that addresses contemporary personal and social contradictions in an entirely fresh, creative, and relevant manner. I highly recommend this outstanding novel! ...more

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Nov 08, 2007 Melissa rated it really liked it

Shelves: wndb, favorite-authors, fiction

Smith touches again on the differences of class, race, gender, that can divide us--even in families. She really seems to be able to understand her characters and humanize even those ones that aren't particularly likeable. Doesn't have the same depth of White Teeth, but still an interesting story. ...more

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Feb 05, 2009 Bookmarks Magazine added it · review of another edition

Smith took a small hit with Autograph Man (2002), but On Beauty invokes her brilliant debut, White Teeth (2000). Shortlisted for the Booker Prize, the novel owes aesthetic debts to Forster and Rembrandt (whom, ironically, Howard Belsey hates), but in her reinvention of Forster's classic, she's made the story all her own. Smith's big-hearted, satirical look at cultural divisiveness astounded the critics; her excavation of ugly truths uncovered the beauty of human connection. A few minor complaint

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May 11, 2010 Kate rated it it was ok

Read for book club (my selection) and most of us disliked it. Some characters had few redeeming qualities making it difficult to complete. They were very self righteous, making them hard to relate to and their behavior, justified by their "intellect" was unacceptable. I thought it was only okay and as this is my second Zadie Smith (White Teeth) it will be a while if ever that I read her again. ...more

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Jun 18, 2009 Betsy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, british-authors, book-group-picks, race-issues, class-issues, bookmarks-magazine

Just finished this one for my book group and it was outstanding. Her characters are beautifully drawn, and she captures the intellectual superficiality of academia to a tee. It was a great pick for the group - lots of themes to discuss deeply, but still a quick and easy read.

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Nov 10, 2010 Carol rated it it was ok

White Teeth was recommended to me. bleh. This was recommended as better than White Teeth. um. More of a point to it, I guess. Always with the cancer. Good development of the marriage. Annoying usage of eyano. Not taking the next Zadie Smith recommendation.

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Oct 15, 2007 Nancy Vincent rated it really liked it

Unlike White Teeth, she kept me. Most reviews of this book complain about the inauthentic attempts at African-American vernacular and Boston, but neither really bothered me. I liked Howard's End enough to finish this one for comparison purposes. ...more

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