Person
Every book Zadie Smith recommended on podcasts
Zadie Smith is an acclaimed author and literature teacher who appeared on The Ezra Klein Show to discuss her cultural and literary perspectives, ranging from modern politics to the nuances of teaching classic texts. During the episode, she offered three distinct book recommendations at the conclusion of her interview. First, she recommended Daniel Kehlmann's The Director, praising it as a wonderful book about the filmmaker G.W. Pabst and noting how its exploration of complicity mirrors themes in her own novel, The Fraud. Second, she recommended Adam Shatz's biography Frantz Fanon, describing it as a truly great work detailing the life and legacy of the radical socialist psychiatrist. Third, she passionately recommended the multi-volume The Diary of Virginia Woolf, a text she frequently champions. Beyond these direct recommendations, Smith also discussed Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice to illustrate her approach to teaching classic literature without falling into modern ideological friction. Additionally, she referenced Elizabeth Strout's novel Tell Me Everything while reflecting on the importance of actively listening to other people and understanding human relationships.
Books recommended by Zadie Smith
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Frantz Fanon
Frantz Fanon by Adam Shatz is a biographical examination of the life and legacy of the radical socialist psychiatrist and anti-colonial thinker.
Recommended“I am reading another friend's book Adam shatz on Fanon who was the radical socialist psychiatrist and that's a really really great book about F on”
Where to get it
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The Diary of Virginia Woolf
The Diary of Virginia Woolf collects the intimate daily writings of the pioneering modernist author across multiple decades and volumes.
Recommended“and the other thing I've read recently which I keep on banging on about is all of Virginia wolfes Diaries um there's five volumes”
Where to get it
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The Director
The Director by Daniel Kehlmann is a compelling biographical novel about the acclaimed filmmaker G.W.
Recommended“well right now I'm reading the director which is by my Austrian friend Daniel kilman It's a Wonderful book about uh the filmmaker WG Pabst”
Where to get it
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Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a classic nineteenth-century romantic comedy of manners that examines the turbulent relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy amidst societal pressures regarding class, marriage, and reputation.
Discussed“so like if I'm teaching Pride and Prejudice this is not a battle between woke thought and unwoke thought”
Where to get it
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Tell Me Everything
Discussed“her last novel is called tell me anything and there's a line or tell me everything maybe”
Where to get it
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The Fraud
Discussed“He said these books are the same and reading it I realized they are the same they're about complicity”
Where to get it
Books Zadie Smith wrote
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zadie Smith on Populists, Frauds and Flip Phones | The Ezra Klein Show | 2024-09-17 | 7 |