On Beauty

One of my all-time favorite books is On Beauty by Zadie Smith. I've read it 3 or 4 times now and it's one of those books that is just as enjoyable to read repeatedly as it is the first time. I love the portrait of this family and marriage and love the way that Smith artfully weaves in political and social issues-- the recipe for my kind of novel. I like how the novel is very readable, yet is still literary and deals with not only relationships, but bigger issues and ideas. (She briefly tackles the tragic history of Haiti in a way that gives me chills.) Not to mention one of my all-time favorite fictional characters ever is Levi and if he was to walk out of the novel, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from running over and giving him a big hug. My husband read this novel over the summer because of my incessant prodding and while he enjoyed it, didn't love it. I can understand how someone may not fall into this book the way I have, but it still hits me on so many levels that I can't help putting it in my top five list of greatest books ever.