About

The book follows Howard Belsey, a white English art history professor living in the US, and his family's interactions with the Kipps family. When Howard's son, Jerome, falls in love with the daughter of Monty Kipps, a conservative professor, tensions arise. As the two families' lives intertwine, academic clashes, extramarital affairs, and cultural identity conflicts force them to reexamine their beliefs and the role of beauty and love. Zadie Smith's novel delves deep into family dynamics, showcasing how certainty can easily become illusion in a story filled with humor, insight, and contemporary charm.

Pages

473

Publisher

Penguin Books