Latest news with #WhiteTeeth
The Hindu
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Share your stories and receive a murukku in return
Samad Iqbal, one of the pivotal characters in Zadie Smith's novel White Teeth says, 'Every moment happens twice: inside and outside, and they are two different histories. Listening is understanding the inside moment.' 'Even when being with a group of friends, some may feel unheard or left out. For those who have stories to share but no ears to listen to, we are here,' said Keerthana K., a volunteer with 'Table & Stools', a 'listening community' in the city. 'I was once on the other side of the table, telling my story. Inspired by the idea, I joined the group,' she added. At Thiruvanmiyur MRTS Park, a young girl playing near the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) Ival Idam exhibition comes and sits on the stool. She then begins speaking to K. Damodharan, a volunteer of the non-governmental organisation, and tells him so much, from her day in school to her thoughts on Chennai Super Kings. When the girl finally finishes, Mr. Damodharan gives her a murukku in exchange for her stories. The idea was launched by Jino J. Ampakkadu in Chennai in April 2023, with his friend Rahul Magesh and Mr. Damodharan joining him later. The initiative was expanded to Bengaluru in 2024. Mr. Rahul said they wanted to offer people something in exchange for sharing their stories and money did not feel right. So, they chose to offer a murukku as a 'reward'. 'On most Sundays at 7 a.m., along with volunteers, we set up the tables and stools at the Besant Nagar beach. I have heard many stories, from ex-convicts, sanitation workers, and joggers to even government officials. The purpose is to merely listen, not document or blog. That is what fascinated people. They speak with ease when they understand this,' he said. Around 20-30 people sit down on the stool every session, the volunteers said. However, Mr. Damodharan said not all locations they visit were welcoming. 'We have been asked to leave parks by security guards. Some of them are understanding, but we cannot expect such kindness from them at all times. So, we are hoping to work with the Greater Chennai Corporation to improve this initiative, take it to more people, and hold regular sessions,' he added.
Times
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Young motherhood reimagined by an exciting new literary voice
Everyone loves a young writer. They punch their way into the literary world, demanding respect for the chutzpah of penning 90,000 words in their twenties. We loved Martin Amis for writing The Rachel Papers at 23. We had hysterics when Zadie Smith published White Teeth at 21. And much of Sally Rooney's stardom can probably be put down to the fact that she was a sprightly 27 when Conversations with Friends appeared on our shelves. Now we have Saba Sams. She was just 26 when she won the BBC national short story award and the Edge Hill short story prize for Send Nudes, the titular story in her published collection. The next year Sams made it on to Granta's list of the best young
Euronews
06-03-2025
- Euronews
Where tradition meets innovation: Saudi's Riyadh Air prepares for first flight
Follow in the footsteps of the world's greatest writers and you may just find your own muse in Italy. ADVERTISEMENT Italy has inspired the imagination of the world's best writers for hundreds of years, so Euronews Travel team felt that this World Book Day we should celebrate their adventures. From the Romantics of the 19th century who lingered longer than planned during their Grand Tours of Europe, to post-war and contemporary writers who stumbled upon quiet villages to plot thrilling tales, you too can find inspiration in Italy's breathtaking landscapes. The country's inspiring beauty has also become a magnet for writers today, from Zadie Smith who relocated to Rome for two years to escape the acclaim from her bestseller 'White Teeth', to Elizabeth Gilbert, who shared her love for real Neapolitan pizza in her 2006 biography hit, 'Eat, Pray, Love'. Dream by the waters of Lake Maggiore Ernest Hemingway spent a great deal of time in Italy and legend has it that the night he lethally shot himself, he sang a song he had learned in Northern Italy. The great writer volunteered for the American Red Cross in northern Veneto, and spent time recovering from a mortar shell injury in a hospital in Milan, where an amorous relationship with a nurse inspired two books. Even when Hemingway moved to Paris, he continued to return to Italy, enjoying an extramarital affair that was the muse for his acclaimed 1954 book, 'The Old Man and the Sea'. Of all the destinations he visited – from Venice to Cilento – Hemingway called Lake Maggiore 'one of the most beautiful Italian lakes' and his 'home-from-home'. And you can see why, with the allure of its sparkling waters, fresh air and quaint Belle Époque fishing villages, all set to a backdrop of alpine mountains. Overlooking the waters and the small island Isola Bella from a terrace in Stresa, Lake Maggiore Canva/eli77 Among the cobblestoned streets and elegant harbours there are captivating 19th century villas with sprawling and fragrant botanical gardens for you to discover. Why not order a Hemingway Special cocktail or a dry martini at the Grand Hotel Des Iles Borromees, or stay in the Hemingway Suite, which is the same room that he stayed in during his wartime leave. To get some of the best lake views, take the hydrofoils and 'traghetti' (car ferries) that crisscross the water. Spend a night at the opera in Trieste The protagonist for Irish writer James Joyce's modernist novel 'Ulysses' (1922), was allegedly inspired by a Jewish painter and writer from the northeastern Italian city of Trieste. In fact, Joyce loved his pleasurable life in the city so much he had his siblings move there too. The ornate 'Fountain of the Tritons' in the Piazza Vittorio Veneto, Trieste Canva/boerescul Roam the pedestrianised streets of Via San Nicolò, and you might be able to spot the house where Joyce lived above The Berlitz School. While there, be sure to also duck into Libreria Antiquaria Umberto Saba, a fascinating bookshop-cum-living museum. Over on Via Dante Alighieri, stop off to people watch in the historic literary coffee house Caffè Stella Polare, or venture to the Art Nouveau bakery of Pasticceria Caffè Pirona where Joyce had breakfast most days – be sure to order a 'presnitz', a delicious nutty fig roll. Venture to the historical Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas, which Joyce frequented, and be rewarded with breathtaking ocean views. But one of Joyce's favourite establishments was the Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi, the city's main opera house, which still puts on plenty of wonderful performances to pass away a mild evening. Experience the 'purity' of the Sicilian skies 'To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything' said Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The German-born writer's epic book 'Faust' was born under the island's warm sunshine during his Grand Tour, and he wrote of Sicily's 'fresh green mulberry trees, evergreen oleanders, [and] lemon hedgerows'. Goethe also penned his experiences in his travel memoir, 'Italian Journey', where he mentioned he stayed with friends beyond sunset at the Teatro Antico di Taormina, an ancient Greco-Roman amphitheatre. You too, can take the cable car up to the hilltop town of Taormina and breathe in the enchanting scenery. ADVERTISEMENT A beautiful backdrop of Sicily from the ancient theatre in Taormina Canva/Delpixart Or, venture to the ancient monuments of Segesta and Agrigento, where you'll stumble upon the Temple of Concordia, another favourite spot for the writer. You might also like to climb the cliffs or take a guided tour up Mount Etna, to witness, as Goethe put it, 'the purity of the sky, the tang of the sea air, the haze which, as it were, dissolved mountains, sky and sea into one element…' Find Byron's 'greenest island of my imagination' in Venice Escaping a social scandal in England, Lord Byron lived in Italy for six years, and inspired many other notable 19th century writers to flock to the country. While Byron spent time in many Italian cities, Venice, where he lived in a palace on the Grand Canal, was his favourite. Today, you can visit Byron's former residence, Palazzo Mocenigo, which once held a menagerie of animals and staff akin to his aristocratic lifestyle. Byron's days involved swimming and rowing around the city, from the island of Lido to San Marco Plaza. You can head to Lido and visit the ancient Jewish cemetery, which the Romantic writer loved. ADVERTISEMENT Or, you could explore the island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni, where Byron spent time living with - and learning the language - of a small community of Armenian monks. While there, you could visit the museum dedicated to him. Take a gondola ride under the famous Bridge of Sighs in Venice Canva/Petr Polak Byron himself coined the name of the famous Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) in one of his narrative poems, and this iconic spot is well worth passing under on a romantic gondola ride that will take you through other narrow waterways. Pick a true 'room with a view' in Tuscany If you've read either of E.M. Forster's two greatest novels, then you'll know how fond the author was of Italian culture. Her 1905 novel 'Where Angels Fear to Tread' pays homage to the opera and the Tuscan countryside. The iconic 1908 book 'Room with A View' was a love story to Florence, inspired by Forster's own Edwardian travel experiences through Tuscany. There, you can visit the many landmarks mentioned in the book. Stay in a boutique hotel or villa and you'll be able to throw open your shutters in the morning to the gorgeous scenes over the Tuscan capital. ADVERTISEMENT Historical buildings reflecting in the water of the River Arno, Florence Canva/lkonya You could amble and take in the atmosphere along the Arno River, or explore the Basilica di Santa Croce, where you'll find a monument of Dante. But the best way to explore Florence? Allow yourself to get lost and just wander the streets and piazzas. If you happen upon Via dei Girolami, you'll be at the location of the opening shot of the film version of her famous book. And, should you wish to step beyond the historic city walls, rolling vineyards with enticing wineries and truffle-filled forests are only a short drive away. Socialite style along the Neapolitan Coast The gorgeous colourful villages along the so-called Neapolitan Riviera don't feel like an obvious place that would inspire a psychological thriller, but then we're not in the mind of American novelist Patricia Highsmith. She chose to set her 1955 book 'The Talented Mr. Ripley' here after visiting a wealthy socialist friend. The pop of pink bougainvillea over the island of Ischia Canva/GoneWithTheWindStock After travelling around Italy, the last of Highsmith's stops was Positano on the Amalfi Coast, where she would take day boat trips to Palermo in Sicily, and the jetsetting island of Capri. While these days Capri draws huge crowds, you can venture to the stylish, quieter sister islands of Ischia and Procida, which were used as the fictitious southern Italian island of Mongibello in the 1999 film version of the book. ADVERTISEMENT Ischia is an amazingly relaxed island, dotted with seafood restaurants and boutiques along the harbour. It also has an incredible wellness culture thanks to the natural bubbling hot spa waters and soothing volcanic mud flowing through the island. Procida, meanwhile, is a tiny island and somewhat of a hidden gem. Despite its size, there's much to discover here, from its technicolour fishing villages and black sand beaches to a medieval old town and a Bronze-Age Mycenaean settlement in a protected nature reserve that's only accessible by bridge.
Euronews
06-03-2025
- Euronews
A fountain of imagination: These Italian treasures inspired the world's literary greats
Follow in the footsteps of the world's greatest writers and you may just find your own muse in Italy. ADVERTISEMENT Italy has inspired the imagination of the world's best writers for hundreds of years, so Euronews Travel team felt that this World Book Day we should celebrate their adventures. From the Romantics of the 19th century who lingered longer than planned during their Grand Tours of Europe, to post-war and contemporary writers who stumbled upon quiet villages to plot thrilling tales, you too can find inspiration in Italy's breathtaking landscapes. The country's inspiring beauty has also become a magnet for writers today, from Zadie Smith who relocated to Rome for two years to escape the acclaim from her bestseller 'White Teeth', to Elizabeth Gilbert, who shared her love for real Neapolitan pizza in her 2006 biography hit, 'Eat, Pray, Love'. Dream by the waters of Lake Maggiore Ernest Hemingway spent a great deal of time in Italy and legend has it that the night he lethally shot himself, he sang a song he had learned in Northern Italy. The great writer volunteered for the American Red Cross in northern Veneto, and spent time recovering from a mortar shell injury in a hospital in Milan, where an amorous relationship with a nurse inspired two books. Even when Hemingway moved to Paris, he continued to return to Italy, enjoying an extramarital affair that was the muse for his acclaimed 1954 book, 'The Old Man and the Sea'. Of all the destinations he visited – from Venice to Cilento – Hemingway called Lake Maggiore 'one of the most beautiful Italian lakes' and his 'home-from-home'. And you can see why, with the allure of its sparkling waters, fresh air and quaint Belle Époque fishing villages, all set to a backdrop of alpine mountains. Overlooking the waters and the small island Isola Bella from a terrace in Stresa, Lake Maggiore Canva/eli77 Among the cobblestoned streets and elegant harbours there are captivating 19th century villas with sprawling and fragrant botanical gardens for you to discover. Why not order a Hemingway Special cocktail or a dry martini at the Grand Hotel Des Iles Borromees, or stay in the Hemingway Suite, which is the same room that he stayed in during his wartime leave. To get some of the best lake views, take the hydrofoils and 'traghetti' (car ferries) that crisscross the water. Spend a night at the opera in Trieste The protagonist for Irish writer James Joyce's modernist novel 'Ulysses' (1922), was allegedly inspired by a Jewish painter and writer from the northeastern Italian city of Trieste. In fact, Joyce loved his pleasurable life in the city so much he had his siblings move there too. The ornate 'Fountain of the Tritons' in the Piazza Vittorio Veneto, Trieste Canva/boerescul Roam the pedestrianised streets of Via San Nicolò, and you might be able to spot the house where Joyce lived above The Berlitz School. While there, be sure to also duck into Libreria Antiquaria Umberto Saba, a fascinating bookshop-cum-living museum. Over on Via Dante Alighieri, stop off to people watch in the historic literary coffee house Caffè Stella Polare, or venture to the Art Nouveau bakery of Pasticceria Caffè Pirona where Joyce had breakfast most days – be sure to order a 'presnitz', a delicious nutty fig roll. Venture to the historical Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas, which Joyce frequented, and be rewarded with breathtaking ocean views. But one of Joyce's favourite establishments was the Teatro Lirico Giuseppe Verdi, the city's main opera house, which still puts on plenty of wonderful performances to pass away a mild evening. Experience the 'purity' of the Sicilian skies 'To have seen Italy without having seen Sicily is not to have seen Italy at all, for Sicily is the clue to everything' said Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The German-born writer's epic book 'Faust' was born under the island's warm sunshine during his Grand Tour, and he wrote of Sicily's 'fresh green mulberry trees, evergreen oleanders, [and] lemon hedgerows'. Goethe also penned his experiences in his travel memoir, 'Italian Journey', where he mentioned he stayed with friends beyond sunset at the Teatro Antico di Taormina, an ancient Greco-Roman amphitheatre. You too, can take the cable car up to the hilltop town of Taormina and breathe in the enchanting scenery. ADVERTISEMENT A beautiful backdrop of Sicily from the ancient theatre in Taormina Canva/Delpixart Or, venture to the ancient monuments of Segesta and Agrigento, where you'll stumble upon the Temple of Concordia, another favourite spot for the writer. You might also like to climb the cliffs or take a guided tour up Mount Etna, to witness, as Goethe put it, 'the purity of the sky, the tang of the sea air, the haze which, as it were, dissolved mountains, sky and sea into one element…' Find Byron's 'greenest island of my imagination' in Venice Escaping a social scandal in England, Lord Byron lived in Italy for six years, and inspired many other notable 19th century writers to flock to the country. While Byron spent time in many Italian cities, Venice, where he lived in a palace on the Grand Canal, was his favourite. Today, you can visit Byron's former residence, Palazzo Mocenigo, which once held a menagerie of animals and staff akin to his aristocratic lifestyle. Byron's days involved swimming and rowing around the city, from the island of Lido to San Marco Plaza. You can head to Lido and visit the ancient Jewish cemetery, which the Romantic writer loved. ADVERTISEMENT Or, you could explore the island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni, where Byron spent time living with - and learning the language - of a small community of Armenian monks. While there, you could visit the museum dedicated to him. Take a gondola ride under the famous Bridge of Sighs in Venice Canva/Petr Polak Byron himself coined the name of the famous Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) in one of his narrative poems, and this iconic spot is well worth passing under on a romantic gondola ride that will take you through other narrow waterways. Pick a true 'room with a view' in Tuscany If you've read either of E.M. Forster's two greatest novels, then you'll know how fond the author was of Italian culture. Her 1905 novel 'Where Angels Fear to Tread' pays homage to the opera and the Tuscan countryside. The iconic 1908 book 'Room with A View' was a love story to Florence, inspired by Forster's own Edwardian travel experiences through Tuscany. There, you can visit the many landmarks mentioned in the book. Stay in a boutique hotel or villa and you'll be able to throw open your shutters in the morning to the gorgeous scenes over the Tuscan capital. ADVERTISEMENT Historical buildings reflecting in the water of the River Arno, Florence Canva/lkonya You could amble and take in the atmosphere along the Arno River, or explore the Basilica di Santa Croce, where you'll find a monument of Dante. But the best way to explore Florence? Allow yourself to get lost and just wander the streets and piazzas. If you happen upon Via dei Girolami, you'll be at the location of the opening shot of the film version of her famous book. And, should you wish to step beyond the historic city walls, rolling vineyards with enticing wineries and truffle-filled forests are only a short drive away. Socialite style along the Neapolitan Coast The gorgeous colourful villages along the so-called Neapolitan Riviera don't feel like an obvious place that would inspire a psychological thriller, but then we're not in the mind of American novelist Patricia Highsmith. She chose to set her 1955 book 'The Talented Mr. Ripley' here after visiting a wealthy socialist friend. The pop of pink bougainvillea over the island of Ischia Canva/GoneWithTheWindStock After travelling around Italy, the last of Highsmith's stops was Positano on the Amalfi Coast, where she would take day boat trips to Palermo in Sicily, and the jetsetting island of Capri. While these days Capri draws huge crowds, you can venture to the stylish, quieter sister islands of Ischia and Procida, which were used as the fictitious southern Italian island of Mongibello in the 1999 film version of the book. ADVERTISEMENT Ischia is an amazingly relaxed island, dotted with seafood restaurants and boutiques along the harbour. It also has an incredible wellness culture thanks to the natural bubbling hot spa waters and soothing volcanic mud flowing through the island. Procida, meanwhile, is a tiny island and somewhat of a hidden gem. Despite its size, there's much to discover here, from its technicolour fishing villages and black sand beaches to a medieval old town and a Bronze-Age Mycenaean settlement in a protected nature reserve that's only accessible by bridge.
The Independent
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Zadie Smith on her groundbreaking debut, White Teeth, 25 years on: ‘I never think about my novels a year after I've written them'
In early 2000, the book that Zadie Smith had begun writing at Cambridge University 'as a way of managing anxiety about my exams' entered the world. It was called White Teeth. Its creation had been feverish, and, despite the myriad pressures of university life, it was all she'd been able to think about during her time there. 'I remember being totally obsessed, writing every day, all day,' Smith says now, 25 years and several million sales later. 'I'd have a massive fried breakfast at Café Rouge each morning – an insane luxury because it meant you didn't have to bother with lunch, which breaks up the writing day. Then I'd write and smoke all day until dinner.' Smith was 24 years old then, the daughter of a white father and a Jamaican mother, and had grown up in northwest London. A voracious reader, she changed her given name of Sadie to Zadie at the age of 14 in deference to one of her favourite writers, Zora Neale Hurston. Her subsequent route to publication was the kind most writers can only dream of: a dizzying advance of £250,000 awarded on just an 80-page extract, and, when her book hit the shelves, a sustaining hype that generated both endless column inches and bestseller status. Her publishers must have been relieved. A quarter of a million pounds on an unknown is quite the punt. 'It's always impossible to be sure,' says Simon Prosser, Smith's editor of 25 years at Hamish Hamilton. 'But from very early on, the responses from anyone who read it suggested that it could be a rare, perhaps even phenomenal, success. The characters and the writing just leapt from the page; the storytelling skill was remarkable; the voice unique.' And Smith's own reaction? 'I never really doubted I was a writer,' she says. 'That would have been like doubting I had arms or legs.' To reread White Teeth now, as it celebrates its 25th anniversary, is to remind yourself just how worthy it was of that initial fuss. Brilliant and audacious and giddy on its own propulsive momentum, it's ostensibly a multi-generational family drama with a large cast, but it's also a comedy, a treaty on race, racism and religion, a coming-of-age tale, and a thoroughly modern look at an increasingly modern Britain. Little wonder it runs to over 500 pages. Despite its endless digressions, and its very heft, the sense of control here is little short of miraculous for a debut author. Yes, there is an eagerness to please (and to entertain, always) that can perhaps be read now as a beginner's naivety – and Smith has certainly become a far more controlled writer in subsequent novels – but White Teeth remains terrific fun. Reading it is like being at a dinner party with Hanif Kureishi and Hilary Mantel alongside Salman Rushdie and Martin Amis, each trying to speak over the other. All the wine has been drunk. The novel went on to sell over 6 million copies, and was lavished with flattering reviews – Rushdie himself called it 'astonishingly assured', while i-D magazine suggested that 'Zadie Smith's cracked it big style.' The Daily Telegraph proclaimed her the 'George Eliot of multiculturalism'. Like Trainspotting before it, White Teeth represented a genuine cultural moment, a changing of the guard. By taking the literary novel away from its comfortable Hampstead salons and into a younger, more multicultural world, Smith threw the doors wide open for fiction to become more interesting, and more relevant for today. In her wake, many writers have followed her lead, among them Caleb Azumah Nelson, Candice Carty-Williams and Natasha Brown. Perhaps inevitably, the occasional critique of White Teeth did trickle in. In those cases, the general complaint was regarding its complex, meandering plot. But plot didn't matter, insists the writer Lisa Appignanesi, an early supporter of Smith's, who first introduced her to a literary agent. 'There was such imaginative intelligence there, I was in awe. Its energy was extraordinary.' White Teeth went on to win five prominent literary awards, though it was notably overlooked for the prestigious Orange Prize, with one judge reportedly saying of Smith's shot at winning: 'Over my dead body.' All par for the course; after all, success breeds contempt. 'I was suddenly the subject of a lot of envy,' Smith concedes today, 'which was a 180-degree flip from my reality up to that point, where I was the one who envied others. It was all so far from my own self-conception that I didn't really process it or take it seriously. It is, of course, a bit lonely to be the one who is envied – I prefer to be in community with people. Also,' she adds, 'it was no great tragedy.' One might think that all this hubbub would cast a rather inhibiting shadow across whatever Smith did next, but no, she has only emboldened her reputation since. There have been five further novels: The Autograph Man (2002), On Beauty (2005), NW (2012), Swing Time (2016), and most recently The Fraud (2023). If none made quite as big a splash as that ostentatious debut, how could they? Nevertheless, she has been nominated for the Booker Prize three times, and there is compelling evidence to suggest that NW, about four London friends over the course of many years, is one of the most satisfying novels of the 21st century. The Fraud, meanwhile, was her first fully historical work, about the real-life Tichborne case, a legal cause celebre that made headlines in Victorian England in the 1860s. 'Every book I have written, I have written because I felt compelled to write it,' she tells me. 'Nobody made me, nobody asked for any of them. Not one was written for money or for any reason other than because I wanted to write it.' Smith has always given the impression that she's dealt with her brand of fame rather well, perhaps because she's kept it at a safe distance. She has never engaged with social media, and she soon stopped giving interviews. She only consented to this one over email – normally a nightmare for journalists, but her responses, in big paragraph chunks, sing with her trademark eloquence. In 2004, she and her husband, the poet Nick Laird (with whom she has two children), left what she had previously called 'London's claustrophobic literary world, or at least the role I had been assigned within it: multicultural (ageing) wunderkind'. They moved to Rome and later Boston, eventually settling in New York, where Smith immersed herself in Manhattan's claustrophobic literary world instead. There she taught creative writing at NYU and threw martini-fuelled dinner parties in the evenings for her new friends, Lena Dunham among them. 'I [also] got to sing jazz at The Carlisle, a dream I'd had since childhood,' she says. 'That never would have happened if it wasn't for White Teeth.' Smith is today back living in London with her family, where she is a serious woman of letters, a public intellectual routinely sought out by newspaper editors for her take on world events, like Black Lives Matter and Israel-Palestine. Her op-ed pieces, later compiled into several essay collections, either cause or court controversy for the simple fact that her stance is not a universal one. Whose is? After Smith wrote in The New Yorker in 2024, for example, about Israel's offensive in Gaza – a piece in which she suggested that 'my personal views have no more weight than an ear of corn' – the British commentator Nadeine Asbali responded that 'Smith's literary reputation allows her to overlook the perceived banalities of right and wrong', before concluding: 'My literary idols have failed the moral test on Gaza.' Smith herself remains sanguine about criticism in general, the inevitable consequence of having a public voice. 'I always write freely,' she says. 'I can't write unless I feel free. I know that strangers read me, and that I am therefore being judged or psychoanalysed or politically or aesthetically found wanting, or whatever it is. But that's how it should be. 'If I was very online and had to be in direct dialogue with them all – well, I imagine that would trim my sails a bit. But as it is, I have the relation[ship] with my readers that all writers had for hundreds of years until about 2003. I write, they read, sometimes someone sends me a letter.' Now on the cusp of 50, Smith suggests that she isn't particularly fussed about the 25th birthday of White Teeth – at least, not half as much as her publishers, who have just reprinted her debut in handsome hardback. Instead, she prefers to look forward. 'I thought I should [read it again] for this anniversary, but didn't get past the first page,' she admits. 'But then I never think about any of my novels a year after I've written them. I have this need to keep moving.'
