THE BOOK
White Teeth by Zadie Smith
4/30/00
Reviewed by Anthony Quinn

PRE-REVIEW BUZZ
As with Foer, a cover in book-clogged April means you’re playing with the big boys. Was already a British best seller—at only 24.

LEAST-FAVORABLE PART OF THE REVIEW
As with Foer, the ending: “One wishes that a firmer editorial hand had steered it away from its overeager braiding of plot lines.”

SALES
1.5 million worldwide.

CAREER TRAJECTORY
The mother of a thousand “next Zadie Smiths” had a lot to live up to herself: Autograph Man disappointed, but On Beauty (mostly) didn’t.