On Beauty by Zadie Smith
Release date: 2007 / 443 pages
Synopsis (from back cover): “What are the truly beautiful things in life — and how far will you go to get them? Howard Belsey is an Englishman abroad, an academic teaching in Wellington, a college town in New England. Married young thirty years later he is struggling to revive his love for his African American wife Kiki. Meanwhile, his three teenage children — Jerome, Zora and Levi — are each seeking the passions, ideals and commitments that will guide them through their own lives.”
First line: Hey, Dad — basically I’m just going to keep on keeping on with these emails — I’m no longer expecting you to reply, but I’m still hoping you will, if that makes sense.
Review: Well, I’ll admit that I had high hopes for this one and was somewhat disappointed. It was my pick for my book club — I originally wanted to choose the northern clemency or Netherland, but the waiting list at the library was (not suprisingly) very, very long for both and neither will be in paperback anytime soon. So, I decided to review the literary fiction I had wanted to read last year, but never got around to, and On Beauty was at the top of my list.
Fortunately, other members of my book club did enjoy this novel and after our discussion I appreciated it more. I wonder if I may have initially warmed to it sooner if I was a mother. The focus is on a family, living in a college town, and my friends helped me appreciate the interworkings and relationships of the family members more than I did the first time around.
As I have stated many times before, I prefer character-driven, realistic, literary fiction — and On Beauty was all of that, if not quite as literary as I had hoped. But I couldn’t help but think, “Is that all?” I also found the topic of college life predictably myopic and, well, a bit stale. This felt like a lesser Moo in many ways, and I think I am tired of reading about the narrow, ego-laden lives of college professors.
As a teacher, I do understand the uniquely difficult position we are in with regard to keeping our egos intact and in check. Teaching can be a heady experience – the “aha” moments are exhilarating to witness — and it is easy to become too comfortable with the role of “wise sage.” Our egos are daily stroked and obliterated and we too often start to believe either, equally misguided extreme.
Honestly, if I had fully understood the premise of this novel, I wouldn’t have chosen it for my book club — all members are teachers. The title is pretty misleading — this novel is not about “Beauty” but rather about “Ego.” I wish Smith had spent more time on Beauty and on race.
In the end, I felt as if Run addressed multi-racial families better, as Moo did college life.
Anyone else read this?
I was hoping to read this for my A to Z author challenge as I was finding Z quite difficult to find. I wonder whether I will enjoy it now. Might read her ‘White Teeth’ instead.
It is on my TBR pile!
Early Salon moments
I read this a while ago. I enjoyed it, but I had similar misgivings as I felt that the whole collegiate experience is a bit of a retread for Zadie Smith. I still prefer her debut novel, White Teeth. :]
I read White Teeth, but wasn’t super impressed with that either. My wife loved both On Beauty and White Teeth. Moo: is that by Jane Smiley? I really enjoyed her A Thousand Acres years ago when I read it and have another of hers, Horse Heaven. Is that one good as well, if you know?
Yes — Moo is by Smiley. My favorite by her is Horse Heaven, actually, but I haven’t read A Thousand Acres yet (and I do love horses!). I was debating whether or not to read White Teeth… Thanks for the comment!
Good to know, Chayenne! I may have to check it out…
Based on others’ comments, I think you try White Teeth instead… Let me know what you think if you do!
On Beauty is based on Howard’s End, by E.M. Forster. I actually knew this before I read it, so I read Howard’s End first (you could also watch the movie). That might add more depth. And I’ll second A Thousand Acres! Moo was okay, but a better (funnier) book about pompous academics is Straight Man, by Richard Russo.
REALLY! Thank you so much for letting me know, Priscilla — I can’t wait to tell my book club. I remember the movie — I really enjoyed it — but I would never have made the connection… Thank you!
I have Horse Heaven on my TBR bookshelf. Thanks for reminding me.