On Beauty – Zadie Smith

Living in Wellington – an hour north of Boston – the British American Besley family comprise Keke and her art historian professor husband Howard, their three kids – Jerome, Zora and Levi. On Beauty explores relations between the Belseys and Professor Besley’s arch academic rival, Professor Monty Kipps and his family from the summer Jerome spends with the Kipps whilst interning in London through twelve months which see see infidelity, exploitation, maturity, self discovery and death.

Publisher page: On Beauty – Zadie Smith
Review: Howard’s folly – James Lasdun enjoys echoes of Forster in Zadie Smith’s expansive and witty new novel, On Beauty (The Guardian, Saturday 10 September 2005)