Zadie Smith Encore
Zadie Smith's latest novel, "NW", was described by novelist Philip Hensher as "a joyous, optimistic, angry masterpiece." That almost describes Zadie Smith - except for the angry part.
Eleanor Wachtel spoke with Zadie Smith, onstage in front of a sold-out audience, at Harbourfront in Toronto. They talked about her latest book NW, set on her home turf in London.
"One of the things that fiction always tries to convince you of, is that we're all these rounded, beautiful, interesting, complicated people. But when I'm alone, without family, or friends or context, it's hard to tell - what are you? When you're left to your own devices, this extraordinary, complicated, beautiful personality that you're meant to have, sometimes it feels like it's not there at all - you're not sure what you are." - Zadie Smith
MUSIC TO CLOSE THE ZADIE SMITH INTERVIEW:
CD: BEST POP ALBUM OF THE 80S
CUT 8: "Word Up"
Composer: Tom Jenkins
Performer: Cameo
LABEL: EMI 09463
Click here to listen to our longer version of the interview from 2012: