NW - Hardcover

Smith, Zadie

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0241144140 ISBN 13: 9780241144145

Publisher: Hamish Hamilton, 2012

Synopsis

NW is Zadie Smith's masterful novel about London life.

Zadie Smith's brilliant tragi-comic NW follows four Londoners - Leah, Natalie, Felix and Nathan - after they've left their childhood council estate, grown up and moved on to different lives. From private houses to public parks, at work and at play, their city is brutal, beautiful and complicated. Yet after a chance encounter they each find that the choices they've made, the people they once were and are now, can suddenly, rapidly unravel. A portrait of modern urban life, NW is funny, sad and urgent - as brimming with vitality as the city itself.

Praise for NW:

'Her dialogue sings and soars; terse, packed and sassy. Smith is simply wonderful: Dickens's legitimate daughter' Boyd Tonkin, Independent

'Astonishing, dazzling. Really - without exaggeration - not since Dickens has there been a better observer of London scenes. Zadie Smith is a genius. It's hard to imagine a better novel this year - or this decade' A.N. Wilson

'Intensely funny, richly varied, always unexpected. A joyous, optimistic, angry masterpiece. No better English novel will be published this year' Philip Hensher, Daily Telegraph

'Absolutely brilliant. So electrically authentic' TIME

'Captivating. Funny, sexy, weird, full of acute social comedy, like London. She's up there with the best around' Evening Standard

'Marvellous . . . crackles with reflections on race, music and migration. A lyrical fiction for our times' Spectator

'Undeniably brilliant . . . rush out and buy this book' Observer

Zadie Smith was born in north-west London in 1975. She is the author of the novels White Teeth, The Autograph Man and On Beauty, and of a collection of essays, Changing My Mind. She is also the editor of The Book of Other People.

About this title

Review

A National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist
One of the "New York Times" Ten Best Books of the Year
A Best Book of the Year for the "Wall Street Journal, GQ, "and "The New Yorker's" James Wood
*
"A boldly Joycean appropriation, fortunately not so difficult of entry as its great model... Like Zadie Smith's much-acclaimed predecessor "White Teeth" (2000), "NW" is an urban epic." --Joyce Carol Oates, "The New York Review of Books"
"["NW"] is that rare thing, a book that is radical and passionate and real."
--Anne Enright, "The New York Times Book Review"
"Endlessly fascinating... remarkable. ...The impression of Smith's casual brilliance is what constantly surprises, the way she tosses off insights about parenting and work that you've felt in some nebulous way but never been able to articulate."
--Ron Charles, "The Washington Post "
"A marvelously accomplished work, perhaps her most polished yet."
--Laura Miller, "Salon"
"A triumph... As Smith threads together her characters' inner and outer worlds, every sentence sings."
"--The Guardian"
"Smith's fiction has never been this deadly, direct, or economical... Where gifts are concerned, Smith is generous with hers; she writes, one feels, with our pleasure in mind... "NW" is Zadie Smith's riskiest, meanest, most political and deeply felt book--but it all feels so effortless. She dazzles."
--Parul Sehgal, "Bookforum "
""NW "offers a nuanced, disturbing exploration of the boundaries, some porous, some impenetrable, between people living cheek by jowl in urban centers where the widening gap between haves and have-nots has created chasms into which we're all in danger of falling."
"--NPR.org"
"A powerful portrait of class and identity in multicultural London. "
"--Entertainment Weekly"
"One of the most interesting portrayals of 30- something womanhood that I've come across in a long time. For other readers, Smith's brilliant eye and idiosyncratic ear should be ample enticement."
"--Bloomberg News"
"A master class in freestyle fiction writing. Smith mashes up voices and vignettes, poetry and instant messaging, bedroom preferences and murder, and keeps it all from collapsing into incoherent mush with deft, dry wit. Smith defines characters worth reading."
"--Newsday"
"Smith's masterful ability to suspend all these bits and parts in the amber which is London refracts light, history, and the humane beauty of seeing everything at once."
"--Publishers Weekly "
"In "NW," Smith offers a robust novel bursting with life: a timely exploration of money, morals, class and authenticity that asks if we are ever truly the sole authors of our own fate."
"--BookPage "

A National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist
One of the "New York Times" Ten Best Books of the Year
A Best Book of the Year for the "Wall Street Journal, GQ, "and "The New Yorker's" James Wood
*
A boldly Joycean appropriation, fortunately not so difficult of entry as its great model Like Zadie Smith s much-acclaimed predecessor "White Teeth" (2000), "NW" is an urban epic. --Joyce Carol Oates, "The New York Review of Books"
["NW"] is that rare thing, a book that is radical and passionate and real.
--Anne Enright, "The New York Times Book Review"
"Endlessly fascinating... remarkable. ...The impression of Smith's casual brilliance is what constantly surprises, the way she tosses off insights about parenting and work that you've felt in some nebulous way but never been able to articulate."
Ron Charles, "The Washington Post "
"A marvelously accomplished work, perhaps her most polished yet."
Laura Miller, "Salon"
"A triumph... As Smith threads together her characters' inner and outer worlds, every sentence sings."
" The Guardian"
"Smith's fiction has never been this deadly, direct, or economical... Where gifts are concerned, Smith is generous with hers; she writes, one feels, with our pleasure in mind... "NW" is Zadie Smith s riskiest, meanest, most political and deeply felt book--but it all feels so effortless. She dazzles."
Parul Sehgal, "Bookforum "
""NW "offers a nuanced, disturbing exploration of the boundaries, some porous, some impenetrable, between people living cheek by jowl in urban centers where the widening gap between haves and have-nots has created chasms into which we're all in danger of falling."
" NPR.org"
"A powerful portrait of class and identity in multicultural London. "
" Entertainment Weekly"
"One of the most interesting portrayals of 30- something womanhood that I've come across in a long time. For other readers, Smith's brilliant eye and idiosyncratic ear should be ample enticement."
" Bloomberg News"
"A master class in freestyle fiction writing. Smith mashes up voices and vignettes, poetry and instant messaging, bedroom preferences and murder, and keeps it all from collapsing into incoherent mush with deft, dry wit. Smith defines characters worth reading."
" Newsday"
"Smith's masterful ability to suspend all these bits and parts in the amber which is London refracts light, history, and the humane beauty of seeing everything at once."
" Publishers Weekly "
"In "NW," Smith offers a robust novel bursting with life: a timely exploration of money, morals, class and authenticity that asks if we are ever truly the sole authors of our own fate."
" BookPage ""

A National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist
One of the New York Times Ten Best Books of the Year
A Best Book of the Year for the Wall Street Journal, GQ, and The New Yorker's James Wood
*
A boldly Joycean appropriation, fortunately not so difficult of entry as its great model Like Zadie Smith s much-acclaimed predecessor White Teeth (2000), NW is an urban epic. --Joyce Carol Oates, The New York Review of Books
[NW] is that rare thing, a book that is radical and passionate and real.
--Anne Enright, The New York Times Book Review
"Endlessly fascinating... remarkable. ...The impression of Smith's casual brilliance is what constantly surprises, the way she tosses off insights about parenting and work that you've felt in some nebulous way but never been able to articulate."
Ron Charles, The Washington Post
"A marvelously accomplished work, perhaps her most polished yet."
Laura Miller, Salon
"A triumph... As Smith threads together her characters' inner and outer worlds, every sentence sings."
The Guardian
"Smith's fiction has never been this deadly, direct, or economical... Where gifts are concerned, Smith is generous with hers; she writes, one feels, with our pleasure in mind... NW is Zadie Smith s riskiest, meanest, most political and deeply felt book--but it all feels so effortless. She dazzles."
Parul Sehgal, Bookforum
"NW offers a nuanced, disturbing exploration of the boundaries, some porous, some impenetrable, between people living cheek by jowl in urban centers where the widening gap between haves and have-nots has created chasms into which we're all in danger of falling."
NPR.org
"A powerful portrait of class and identity in multicultural London. "
Entertainment Weekly
"One of the most interesting portrayals of 30- something womanhood that I've come across in a long time. For other readers, Smith's brilliant eye and idiosyncratic ear should be ample enticement."
Bloomberg News
"A master class in freestyle fiction writing. Smith mashes up voices and vignettes, poetry and instant messaging, bedroom preferences and murder, and keeps it all from collapsing into incoherent mush with deft, dry wit. Smith defines characters worth reading."
Newsday
"Smith's masterful ability to suspend all these bits and parts in the amber which is London refracts light, history, and the humane beauty of seeing everything at once."
Publishers Weekly
"In NW, Smith offers a robust novel bursting with life: a timely exploration of money, morals, class and authenticity that asks if we are ever truly the sole authors of our own fate."
BookPage "

A National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist
One of the New York Times Ten Best Books of the Year
A Best Book of the Year for the Wall Street Journal, GQ, and The New Yorker's James Wood
A boldly Joycean appropriation, fortunately not so difficult of entry as its great model Like Zadie Smith s much-acclaimed predecessor White Teeth (2000), NW is an urban epic. Joyce Carol Oates, The New York Review of Books
[NW] is that rare thing, a book that is radical and passionate and real. Anne Enright, The New York Times Book Review
"Endlessly fascinating... remarkable. ...The impression of Smith's casual brilliance is what constantly surprises, the way she tosses off insights about parenting and work that you've felt in some nebulous way but never been able to articulate." Ron Charles, The Washington Post
"A marvelously accomplished work, perhaps her most polished yet." Laura Miller, Salon
"A triumph... As Smith threads together her characters' inner and outer worlds, every sentence sings." The Guardian
"Smith's fiction has never been this deadly, direct, or economical... Where gifts are concerned, Smith is generous with hers; she writes, one feels, with our pleasure in mind... NW is Zadie Smith s riskiest, meanest, most political and deeply felt book--but it all feels so effortless. She dazzles." Parul Sehgal, Bookforum
"NW offers a nuanced, disturbing exploration of the boundaries, some porous, some impenetrable, between people living cheek by jowl in urban centers where the widening gap between haves and have-nots has created chasms into which we're all in danger of falling." NPR.org
"A powerful portrait of class and identity in multicultural London. " Entertainment Weekly
"One of the most interesting portrayals of 30- something womanhood that I've come across in a long time. For other readers, Smith's brilliant eye and idiosyncratic ear should be ample enticement." Bloomberg News
"A master class in freestyle fiction writing. Smith mashes up voices and vignettes, poetry and instant messaging, bedroom preferences and murder, and keeps it all from collapsing into incoherent mush with deft, dry wit. Smith defines characters worth reading." Newsday
"Smith's masterful ability to suspend all these bits and parts in the amber which is London refracts light, history, and the humane beauty of seeing everything at once." Publishers Weekly
"In NW, Smith offers a robust novel bursting with life: a timely exploration of money, morals, class and authenticity that asks if we are ever truly the sole authors of our own fate." BookPage "


A 2012 National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist
One ofThe New York Times Book Review's10 BestBooks of 2012
One ofTIME'sTop 10 Fiction Books of 2012
One ofThe Wall Street Journal'sBest 10 Fiction Books of 2012
ANew York TimesandWashington PostNotable Book of 2012
A boldly Joycean appropriation, fortunately not so difficult of entry as its great model Like Zadie Smith s much-acclaimed predecessor White Teeth (2000), NW is an urban epic. Joyce Carol Oates, The New York Review of Books
[NW] is that rare thing, a book that is radical and passionate and real. Anne Enright, The New York Times Book Review
"Endlessly fascinating... remarkable. ...The impression of Smith's casual brilliance is what constantly surprises, the way she tosses off insights about parenting and work that you've felt in some nebulous way but never been able to articulate." Ron Charles, The Washington Post
"A marvelously accomplished work, perhaps her most polished yet." Laura Miller, Salon
"A triumph... As Smith threads together her characters' inner and outer worlds, every sentence sings." The Guardian
"Smith's fiction has never been this deadly, direct, or economical... Where gifts are concerned, Smith is generous with hers; she writes, one feels, with our pleasure in mind... NW is Zadie Smith s riskiest, meanest, most political and deeply felt book--but it all feels so effortless. She dazzles." Parul Sehgal, Bookforum
"NW offers a nuanced, disturbing exploration of the boundaries, some porous, some impenetrable, between people living cheek by jowl in urban centers where the widening gap between haves and have-nots has created chasms into which we're all in danger of falling." NPR.org
"A powerful portrait of class and identity in multicultural London. " Entertainment Weekly
"One of the most interesting portrayals of 30- something womanhood that I've come across in a long time. For other readers, Smith's brilliant eye and idiosyncratic ear should be ample enticement." Bloomberg News
"A master class in freestyle fiction writing. Smith mashes up voices and vignettes, poetry and instant messaging, bedroom preferences and murder, and keeps it all from collapsing into incoherent mush with deft, dry wit. Smith defines characters worth reading." Newsday
"Smith's masterful ability to suspend all these bits and parts in the amber which is London refracts light, history, and the humane beauty of seeing everything at once." Publishers Weekly
"In NW, Smith offers a robust novel bursting with life: a timely exploration of money, morals, class and authenticity that asks if we are ever truly the sole authors of our own fate." BookPage "

About the Author

Zadie Smith is the author of the novels White Teeth, The Autograph Man, On Beauty, NW and Swing Time, as well as a novella, The Embassy of Cambodia, and a collection of essays, Changing My Mind. She is also the editor of The Book of Other People. Zadie was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2002, and was listed as one of Granta's 20 Best Young British Novelists in 2003 and again in 2013. White Teeth won multiple literary awards including the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, the Whitbread First Novel Award and the Guardian First Book Award. On Beauty was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and won the Orange Prize for Fiction, and NW was shortlisted for the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction. Zadie Smith is currently a tenured professor of fiction at New York University and a Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

About this edition

• Publisher: Hamish Hamilton
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0241144140
• ISBN 13: 9780241144145
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 335