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obsessivelybookishjojo's review
3.0
My favorite essays in this book are the ones on library, Brexit, Jordan Peele’s Get Out, and Justin Bieber (philosophical). Zadie Smith is so prolific and I am so artistically illiterate that some of her essays go above my head, as I’m ignorant of the references. Hence, the stars here are more of a reflection of the reader rather than the book or the author.
ruthlemon08's review
3.0
I did enjoy this essay collection but I have to admit that some of them were too confusing and philosophical for me to engage with. A reflection on me rather than ZS but I did find that some of her ideas and the theories she talked about weren’t relatable. But again, it’s my problem, not hers. I love her writing and her humour throughout
koreilly's review
3.0
What does it mean to listen to an audiobook. From the moment you've started the audiobook, you've listened to it but is it when you've only made it to the end that you've truly listened to the audiobook. What does it mean when you need something to listen to for the long drive to and from St Louis so you pick up a collection of essays by an author you've read a few times in the New Yorker and liked.
How does the space you inhabit change and fluctuate with the strange earthy reading provided by the audiobook. How does it affect you when their take on Brexit is terribly dull and neoliberal while their take on libraries is stunning and beutiful. What does it mean when you've spent over an hour of your life listening to someone pontificate on how they didn't like Joni Mitchell and now they do? What can Kierkegaard tell us about podcasts [insert long diatribe about philosophy].
What does it mean when you didn't listen to all of a book but you liked it anyway and you just want to knock it off on your Goodreads and write a review parodying the author. How does that help the reality and space you inhabit and the ways our selves are projected onto the internet. In what way is the real Kyle anymore authentic than the Goodreads Kyle?
Okay, I'm done now. This book is pretty good if a bit pretentious at times. Some of the essays are obviously better than others and full disclosure I haven't finished it and probably won't (it's long). Good for long drives though.
How does the space you inhabit change and fluctuate with the strange earthy reading provided by the audiobook. How does it affect you when their take on Brexit is terribly dull and neoliberal while their take on libraries is stunning and beutiful. What does it mean when you've spent over an hour of your life listening to someone pontificate on how they didn't like Joni Mitchell and now they do? What can Kierkegaard tell us about podcasts [insert long diatribe about philosophy].
What does it mean when you didn't listen to all of a book but you liked it anyway and you just want to knock it off on your Goodreads and write a review parodying the author. How does that help the reality and space you inhabit and the ways our selves are projected onto the internet. In what way is the real Kyle anymore authentic than the Goodreads Kyle?
Okay, I'm done now. This book is pretty good if a bit pretentious at times. Some of the essays are obviously better than others and full disclosure I haven't finished it and probably won't (it's long). Good for long drives though.
marireadstoomuch's review against another edition
5.0
Reading Zadie Smith is always a delight. I spent time with this one, and essays are always uneven to read (some strike a chord, some don’t), but the final essay, especially, stood out to me. On “Joy,” it was a grand final note to end on.
thematinee's review
5.0
There's a prominent Smith book that I've managed to DNF twice in my life (I picked it up a second time, forgetting that I'd already tried to read it previously). So when I came around to this volume I found myself hesitant.
I humbly announce that whatever my problems were with Ms Smith before, I have moved past them and am now deeply enamoured with her (like so much of the rest of the world is). This may seem like a silly declaration...but I'm just excited that several wonderful pieces of Smith writing await my eyes!
Sometimes, on just needs the right starting point!
I humbly announce that whatever my problems were with Ms Smith before, I have moved past them and am now deeply enamoured with her (like so much of the rest of the world is). This may seem like a silly declaration...but I'm just excited that several wonderful pieces of Smith writing await my eyes!
Sometimes, on just needs the right starting point!
carrieliza's review
3.0
I love Zadie Smith with my whole heart, but this was a bit of a slog. Much preferred the more personal essays to various reviews of art and books that I'm unfamiliar with.