White Teeth by Zadie Smith

Set in post-war London, this novel of the racial, political, and social upheaval of the last half-century follows two families--the Joneses and the Iqbals, both outsiders from within the former British empire--as they make their way in modern England.

White Teeth is a fun, interesting read. Set in London from the 1970's to 2000, this book tracks the interwoven lives of a number of characters, each with their own complicated ethnic and personal histories. Her depictions of the confusions and stresses that different immigrants and their children face are really touching. Zadie Smith also writes beautifully. There were a number of one-liners and hilariously bitter exchanges that made me laugh throughout.

A wonderfully written meditation on the histories that live within and without us that are so formative to our identities as individuals, families, and societies. Particularly interesting in context of immigration, so although the race issues here are mostly U.K.-centric, the tensions are especially poignant for Americans currently.

The end chapters dragged, and then suddenly it's the climax and the ending rushing in together and it's all over. Huh? Hmm. Okay, well, I guess that will work.