One Capsule Review, If That

why does everybody get Zadie Smith wrong, except me

The Fraud (novel; 2023; written by Zadie Smith)

I read this for the next installment of my Plough column — yes, I’m finally bringing that back, hopefully in a permanent way. (During the four or so years since I signed my first book contract, I’ve gotten a lot of things done and left even more things unfinished. For much of the past year, I was simultaneously working on two books; it looks like only one of those is going to happen. Still, I was burning the candle at both ends, and when I recently stopped and thought about what work I’ve done post-Midwest Futures that brought me the least complicated joy, the column was the first thing that came to mind. So why not put more energy into it for a while?)

Since I’ll be writing about The Fraud at greater length, I’m not going to say much about it here, except to say that I think it’s extraordinary, and to remark on something that has been bothering me since sometime around when Zadie Smith published NW in 2012.