Zadie on Literary Failure
One of things I found fascinating about Zadie Smith's first interviews after the release of White Teeth was how conscious she seemed that the book, despite the hype that surrounded it, was still a flawed first novel. To me, that was the biggest indication that Smith was actually the real deal and not just a media creation.
In this essay, Zadie Smith breaks down the subject of literary failure, criticism, and honesty.
I can tell you in great detail what is wrong with every book I have ever written. I can tell you where I failed, and where I succeeded by pure accident. As a student of literary history, I can also tell you where I think some of the greatest novels in the English language falter as well. Novels are imperfect creations, much like their creators. Sometimes books with great failures manage to be great despite, and sometimes because of, their shortcomings.
6 Comments:
Yo Matt, thanks for posting on my site, and getting me turned on to your site as a result. I will be back! You are one talented dude! Keep up the good work.
Peace.
Interesting. I just finished ON BEAUTY and was talking to Ms. Tramble about it.
My wife has On Beauty. I dream of one day having the time to read it.
What did you think?
Her writing is stunning (and very funny at times), but her characters Kiki and Levi, just didn't ring true to me.
Granted Zadie only lived in America for a short time and it's hard to nail the slang and culture of a different country.
If you check out the reviews on Amazon.com, they are very divided.
Wallace Thurman was able to breakdown the most lauded writers of his day and find fault with their work. He could be even more critical with his own. Reading about Zadie Smith just reminded me of him.
I have never been completly satisfied with my own work. Laugh if you must, but outside of the blogosphere, I will spend a few "hours" on a sentence until it reads and is worded the way I want.
That Ms. Smith can breakdown her on work and criticize it with great humility is the testament of a writer of quality and integrity. I hope I have that same humility.
I like your blog.
Wallace Thurman was of course never happy with his own work. He was right, of course, his creations were imperfect, but I hope he appreciated those moments where he did achieve genius.
Spending hours, weeks, months on a single sentence is a good way to spend hours, weeks, and months. I chew on some of mine for years, even.
And you have a nice site as well, that's a great collection of photos.
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