French Literature Reviews - 2026
Z. Smith, Changing My Mind
Other Literary Studies
Changing My Mind
Zadie Smith
Philippe Aronson (Translator)
PUBLICATION DATE: 21/02/13 PUBLISHER: Gallimard (Editions) ISBN: 978-2-07-012992-8 EAN: 9782070129928 FORMAT: Paperback NO. OF PAGES: 430 pages WEIGHT: 0.439 Kg DIMENSIONS: 14.2 cm × 20.0 cm × 3.0 cm
PUBLISHER PRICE: 24.90 €
Over the past decade, Zadie Smith has published what she likes to call "occasional essays" in leading American and British newspapers and magazines. Changing My Mind ("over the years, the opinions we hold to be our own evolve") brings them together. Here, Zadie Smith showcases the full range of her curiosity, writing passionately about the myriad subjects she holds dear—reading, writing, cinema, travel, Barack Obama, language, multiculturalism...
Her style is flamboyant, her wit sharp, her humor irresistible, her erudition always understated, her humility genuine, and her empathy ever-present. Of particular note is the masterful tribute to the American author David Foster Wallace, who passed away in 2008, which concludes the collection. Both a profound and playful analysis of a prolific and sometimes challenging body of work, this lengthy text is also a moving testament that reminds us of the writer's primary purpose: to question what it means "to live consciously, as adults, day after day."
Contents:
READ
BE
SEE
FEEL
REMEMBER
Zadie Smith was born in 1975 in a suburb of northwest London, where she lived for many years. Today, she divides her time between New York, where she teaches, and London. Editions Gallimard has published her works White Teeth, winner of the Guardian First Book Award and the Whitbread Book Award (Du Monde entier, 2001, Folio no. 3844), The Autograph Man (Du Monde entier, 2005, Folio no. 4405), and On Beauty, winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction (Du monde entier, 2007, Folio no. 4837).
The essay as a literary form has long served as a flexible space for writers to engage with the cultural and political currents of their time. By gathering pieces originally published in periodicals, this collection reflects the tradition of the public intellectual who navigates diverse topics with a personal voice. The essays gathered here move across subjects ranging from the mechanics of writing and the nuances of language to reflections on multiculturalism and contemporary politics. Readers interested in the intersection of personal observation and cultural criticism may find these reflections on the nature of conscious living particularly relevant.
The collection concludes with a tribute to the American author David Foster Wallace. Throughout the volume, the author addresses the evolving nature of personal opinion and the shifting perspectives that accompany the passage of time. By organizing these pieces into thematic sections, the book highlights the breadth of the author's interests, from the visual experience of cinema to the intellectual challenges posed by reading and remembering. This structure underscores the ongoing dialogue between a writer's private curiosity and their public output.